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First desulferized generating units

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-06-04 08:30

China's first desulferized coal-fired power generators have gone into commercial operation, operators of the units said Saturday.

China Huaneng Corp said on Saturday the operation of the desulferized facilities could avoid emissions of sulphur dioxide by 10,000 tons each year.

The two generating units with an installed capacity of 300,000 kW each went into commercial use in Yueyang City, Hunan Province, after 168 hours of trial operations, the company said in a statement.

The company said the units were the first of their kind in China, which has been troubled by acid rain due to air pollution from coal burning at power plants, the country's primary method of electric power production.

Rising damage from air pollution in recent years has prompted the government to increase investment in projects to curb air pollution, including acid rain from coal-fired power plants.

Official statistics indicate that over one-third of China's territory has been ravaged by acid rain as coal produced in southwest China and central China is rich in sulphur.

The new units cost 2.47 billion yuan (308 million US dollars) and the desulferized facilities cost 180 million yuan (22.5 million US dollars).