Location

Situated on Tampa Bay, Big Bend Power Station is located on Big Bend Road on nearly 1,500 acres in southeastern Hillsborough County, close to Apollo Beach.

Description

Big Bend Power Station has four coal-fired units with a combined output of more than 1,700 megawatts. The first unit began service in 1970; the second and third generating units were added in 1973 and 1976, respectively; and Unit Four was added in 1985. A natural gas- and fuel oil-fired peaking unit was installed in 2009 to provide additional power during periods of peak demand.

Technology

Big Bend Power Station meets strict environmental regulations through the use of flue gas desulfurization systems or “scrubbers,” which remove sulfur dioxide produced when coal is burned.

The scrubber for Big Bend Unit Four began operation in 1984, and since 1995, has simultaneously scrubbed Unit Three as well. The scrubber for Big Bend Units One and Two began operation at the end of 1999. The scrubber system complies with standards set by the U.S. Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, and removes 95 percent of sulfur dioxide from all four units.

Environment

By using a variety of proven technologies, Tampa Electric has continued to significantly reduce nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide emissions from Big Bend Power Station:

• Combustion modifications to all four units accounts for lower nitrogen oxides emissions. Nitrogen oxides emissions from Big Bend Power Station have been reduced by approximately 91 percent from 1998 emission levels through the installation of a Selective Catalytic Reduction system on each unit.
• Optimizing electrostatic precipitators to minimize emissions of particulate matter from the stacks was completed in 2004, resulting in a reduction of approximately 87 percent when compared to 1998 levels.
• Further reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions came as a result of investing more than $23 million in scrubber upgrades, resulting in a reduction of over 94 percent from 1998 levels.