Genoa Off-site Facility

Environmental equipment investments create need for ash repository

“Baghouses” to capture particulate matter created by the coal combustion process were installed at Dairyland's Genoa and Alma power plants in 2007. Already, results are showing a major reduction in particulate matter.

Dairyland has budgeted more than $350 million for current and future emissions control work at our two largest power plants, the Genoa Station #3 (G-3) in Genoa, Wis., and John P. Madgett Station (JPM) in Alma, Wis.

The phased installation of the new, state-of-the-art environmental control technologies will result in cleaner air through further emission reduction of particulates, sulfur dioxide, mercury and nitrogen oxides.

In recent years, about 80 percent of the fly ash created during the coal combustion process has been recycled as an additive for cement and concrete blends. Nearly all of the bottom ash has also been recycled for use in road construction. The implementation of the environmental control upgrades is changing the composition and volume of the coal combustion byproducts. This change will make much less of the ash eligible for recycling.

Therefore, Dairyland is evaluating alternatives to dispose of the byproducts in an environmentally responsible manner. An initial site screening performed by a consultant identified 70 sites within a 25 mile radius of Dairyland’s Genoa plant that met initial criteria for a facility. Through the screening process, the list was narrowed and Dairyland is currently working to further evaluate two of the sites. Additionally, Dairyland has been working with Vernon County to investigate the feasibility of siting a landfill adjacent to the existing Vernon County Landfill. Preliminary testing is underway at all three sites.