Statement of Qualification:
NRG Somerset - Unit 6

Statement of Qualification Application Review for NRG Somerset - Unit 6

On January 11, 2008, DOER announced that a Statement of Qualification Application (SQA) for Somerset – Unit 6, a 120 MW plant in Somerset, MA, was found to be "administratively complete." Pursuant to the RPS regulation at 225 CMR 14.06(2)(b)2, DOER is providing an opportunity for public comment on the Somerset SQA. That section of the regulation provides for public comment "if [a] Generation Unit would . . . co-fire an Eligible New Renewable Fuel in a Generation Unit in conjunction with ineligible fuels."

In the case of the Somerset project, both coal and RPS-eligible biomass would be the feedstock for a new, technically-advanced "plasma gasifier," the resultant gas would be cleaned of its pollutants, and the cleaned gas would be fired into a newly retrofitted boiler with up to 10% liquid fuel (#6 oil or biodiesel). Hence, this project can be qualified only with a Co-firing Waiver under the provisions of the RPS regulation at 225 CMR 14.05(3). Under that section, the portion of the total electrical energy output that would qualify as New Renewable Generation (i.e., RPS-qualified) in a given time period would be equal to the ratio of the net heat content of the Eligible Biomass Fuel consumed to the net heat content of all fuel consumed during that time period. Also under that section, the air emissions approved by the MassDEP for the Somerset project would be accepted automatically as "low-emissions" for RPS. (Note that the MassDEP is currently preparing final approvals for the project.)

The following SQA documents are being made available here in PDF format for downloading:

• Statement of Qualification Application – 16 pages, 11/27/07
• Replacements of SQA page 3 and four-page attachment – 5 pages, 12/10/07
• Technical description from ENSR/AECOM – 14 pages, 11/07
• Plasma gasification plant flow diagram (PFD) – 1 page, 2/28/07
• MassDEP Proposed Conditional Approval – 28 pages, 8/21/07
• MassDEP Amended Emission Control Plan (ECP) Draft Approval – 10 pages, 8/221/07