National Guidelines for New Stationary Sources

Whereas, pursuant to subsection 54.(1)(c) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act*, the Minister of the Environment has formulated the annexed revised Thermal Power Generation Emissions-National Guidelines for New Stationary Sources;

Therefore, His Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment, pursuant to section 54.(4) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act*, is pleased hereby to direct that the annexed revised Thermal Power Generation Emissions-National Guidelines for New Stationary Sources be published in the Canada Gazette, Part I.

1. (1) During the development of the annexed Guidelines, representatives of the federal and provincial governments, environmental non-govemment organizations and technical personnel from industry were consulted regarding control strategies and technologies for the air pollutants addressed in the Guidelines.

(2) The Minister of the Environment recommends that provincial and territorial air pollution control agencies adopt the annexed Guidelines as minimum standards for new fossil fuel-fired steam generating units within their jurisdiction. However, local conditions, such as density of industrial development, topography and other environmental considerations, may necessitate the adoption of more stringent requirements than those suggested in these Guidelines. [The continual advancement in emission control technologies and strategies should also be taken into account]

2. (1) The annexed Guidelines indicate the quantities and concentrations above which nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and sulphur dioxide should not be emitted from fossil fuel-fired steam-driven electricity generating units, operated in whole or in part for the purpose of the sale of electricity to industry, commerce, or the public.

(2) The Guidelines are intended to apply to new units only. However, it is recognized that opportunities to reduce emissions may arise during major alterations to an existing fossil fuel-fired steam generating unit. It is therefore recommended that an assessment of the feasibility of emission reduction measures be completed prior to commencing such alterations. This assessment should be undertaken by the owner of the unit in close consultation with the appropriate provincial regulatory authority, and improved emission control measures should be implemented wherever feasible.

(3) The Guidelines are part of continuing efforts to diminish the emissions of air-polluting discharges to the atmosphere, and will contribute to that end by restricting such discharges from future additions to electric generating system capacity. The emission limits recommended herein are achievable using control methods now available to the industry for the abatement of the specified air pollutants.

(4) [Notice of Intent]

[The annexed Guidelines include emission limits for nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and sulphur dioxide based on the emissions performance achievable using current best available economically feasible technologies and strategies. It is intended that the Guidelines will be continually updated to reflect advancements in emission control technologies and strategies over time.]

3. In this document,

"averaging period" means a period for determining emission rates based on 720 operating hours which is further defined below; (période de prise de la moyenne)

"continuous monitoring system" means the complete equipment for sampling, conditioning and analyzing emissions or process parameters and for recording data; (dispositif de surveillance en continu)

"first commercial operation" means the date of the first operation of a steam generating unit at which time electric generating capacity is electrically connected to the transmission and/or distribution systems for the use of tariff- paying customers; (début de 1'exploitation commerciale)

"fossil fuel" means natural gas, petroleum, coal, and any form of gaseous, liquid or solid fuel derived from such for the purpose of creating useful heal; (combustible fossile)

"fossil fuel-fired steam generating unit" means a combustion device used for the purpose of burning fossil fuel, at a rate in excess of 73 megajoules per second heat input, for the purpose of producing steam for utility electric generation; (générateur de vapeur alimenté au combustible fossile)

"ng/J" means nanograms per joule; (ng/J)

"kg/MWh" means kilograms per megawatt-hour, (kg/MWh)

"new fossil fuel-fired steam generating unit" means any fossil fuel-fired steam generating unit including a unit which replaces an existing fossil fuel-fired steam generating unit with equivalent technology or with any other steam generating technology which is based on fossil fuel combustion, for which first commercial operation commences after [ January 1, 2003 ], (nouveau générateur de vapeur alimenté au combustible fossile)

"nitrogen oxides" means all oxides of nitrogen except nitrous oxide, collectively expressed as nitrogen dioxide; (oxydes d'azote)

"opacity" means the degree to which emissions reduce the transmission of light and obscure the view of an object in the background, (opacité)

"720 hour rolling average" means for each pollutant, the average of the consecutive hourly mean emission rates, determined for the preceding 720 hours of system operation. Intervals of zero emissions are not to be included in the calculation of rolling averages. (moyenne mobile sur 720 heures)

4. The hourly mean rate of discharge of air contaminants emitted into the ambient air from new fossil fuel-fired utility steam generating units should not exceed the following, when determined over successive averaging periods as previously defined:

(1) For sulphur dioxide: All generating units should meet an emission limit in the form of kilograms per megawatt-hour net energy output (kg/MWh), calculated by multiplying a reference emission rate, in nanograms per joule of energy input (ng/J), by the reference net heat rate of 9.4 gigajoules per megawatt-hour (GJ/MWh)

The reference emission rate determined for each plant should be equal to or less than:

(a) [ 520 - 400 ] ng/J of heat input and [ 10 - 5 ] percent of the uncontrolled emission rate ([ 90 - 95 ] percent reduction), or

(b) [ 260 - 200 ] ng/J of heat input and [ 30 - 20 ] percent of the uncontrolled emission rate ([ 70 - 80 ] percent reduction), or

(c) 50 nanograms per joule

The uncontrolled emission rate of sulphur dioxide should be calculated by dividing the sulphur concentration of the fuel (%S) by the higher heating value of the fuel (megajoules per kilogram, MJ/kg) and by the ratio of the molecular masses of sulphur dioxide and sulphur (SO₂:S::2:1).

(2) For Nitrogen Oxides expressed as NO₂: All generating units should not exceed the emission rate of [ 0.47 - 0.66 ] kg/MWh net energy output.

5. The rate of discharge of particulate matter into the ambient air from new fossil fuel-fired utility steam generating units should not exceed [ 0.075 - 0.12 ] kg/MWh net energy output.

6. All new sources fired with solid fossil fuel or liquid fossil fuel should not emit visible emissions with opacity greater than 20%, except that the opacity may increase to 40% for not more than six (6) minutes in any sixty (60) minute period.

Compliance

7. (1) Natural variations in coal constituents can cause emissions to vary and make enforcement on an hourly or daily basis impractical. However, calculating the 720 hour rolling average allows the regulatory agency to be informed daily, for each unit, of the maximum average emission rate in the previous 24 hours, since the rolling average must be calculated hourly, on the previous 720 hours’ emission values.

(2) It is recognized that the emission guidelines suggested in sections 4, 5 and 6 may he exceeded:

(a) in the event of malfunction or breakdown in air pollution control equipment; and

(b) in the event of start-up or shutdown in the operation of the source.

These events should be minimized, both as to frequency of occurrence and duration of each event.

8. (1) For the purposes of sections 4, 5 and 6, emission tests should be conducted and a written report of results submitted to the appropriate regulatory agency within 180 days from first commercial operation of a fossil fuel- fired steam generating unit and at such other times as the regulatory agency may require.

(2) Emission tests required under subsection 8(1) should be carried out in the following manner for:

(a) nitrogen oxides in accordance with the the Environment Canada report EPG 1/PG/7, "Protocols and Performance Specifications for Continuous Monitoring of Gaseous Emissions from Thermal Power Generation", as amended from time to time;

(b) particulate matter in accordance with the reference method specified in the Environment Canada report EPS 1/RM/8, "Reference Methods for Source Testing: Measurement of Releases of Particulate from Stationary Sources", as amended from time to time;

(c) sulphur dioxide in accordance with the Department of the Environment report "Protocols and Performance Specifications for Continuous Monitoring of Gaseous Emissions from Thermal Power Generation", as amended from time to time;

(d) visible emissions should be measured in accordance with the reference method specified in the Department of the Environment Report EPS 1-AP-75-2, "Standard Reference Methods for Source Testing: Measurement of Opacity of Emissions from Stationary Sources", as amended from time to time.

9. (1) A continuous monitoring system for measuring the opacity of emissions should be installed on each new source fired with solid fossil fuel or liquid fossil fuel. The installation and operation of the system should be in accordance with the performance specification for transmissometer systems established by the appropriate regulatory agency.

(2) A continuous system for measuring sulphur dioxide should be installed on each new source fired with solid fossil fuel or liquid fossil fuel. The installation and operation of the system should be in accordance with the Environment Canada report EPG 1/PG/7, "Protocols and Performance Specifications for Continuous Monitoring of Gaseous Emissions from Thermal Power Generation", as amended from time to time.

(3) A continuous monitoring system for measuring nitrogen oxides should be installed on each new source. The installation and operation of the system should be in accordance with the Environment Canada report EPG 1/PG/7, "Protocols and Performance Specifications for Continuous Monitoring of Gaseous Emissions from Thermal Power Generation", as amended from time to time.

(4) All continuous monitoring systems should be installed, calibrated and operating prior to the emission tests required under subsection 7(l). During the emission tests or within 30 days thereafter, and at such other times as may be required, an evaluation of the performance of the continuous monitoring systems should be conducted in accordance with the requirements and procedures set out in the Department of the Environment report "Protocols and Performance Specifications for Continuous Monitoring of Gaseous Emissions from Thermal Power Generation", as amended from time to time. A written report of the results should be prepared and submitted, within sixty (60) days of the evaluation, to the appropriate regulatory agency.

10. (1) The emission rates for each pollutant included in these Guidelines, determined by rolling averages, should be sent to the appropriate regulatory authority at least every calendar quarter.

(2) Operators should keep records of malfunction and breakdowns and should report each occurrence, at least every calendar quarter, to the appropriate regulatory agency.

(3) The appropriate regulatory authority should be furnished with the following written notifications for sources subject to the provisions of these Guidelines:

(a) notification of the proposed construction, replacement or major modification of a fossil fuel-fired steam generating unit;

(b) notification of the anticipated date of first commercial operation of the source, postmarked not less than 30 days prior to such date; and

(c) notification of the date of any performance tests and evaluations of continuous monitoring system performance, postmarked not less than 30 days prior to such date.