Local Energy Issues: Chicago Clean Energy Coalition

You may have noticed signs around campus about a public hearing yesterday on a proposed "Clean Power Ordinance" for Chicago. The issue concerns two coal-burning power plants in densely populated neighborhoods of Chicago. The proposed ordinance would apply stringent limits on certain types of pollutants from those plants, possibly requiring them to switch to burning natural gas, or to close entirely. As we're talking about the issues surrounding nuclear power plants, it's important to remember the issues surrounding the alternatives, such as coal! This is a very interesting current case study in public energy issues and the risks associated with our electricity.

Here's a news story about the issue:



Below is an image from progressive website   Progress Illinois showing activists at yesterday's "ad hoc" public hearing. Their sign refers to a study claiming that 40 people in the city of Chicago die each year due to the pollutants from the two coal power plants in question. The group has been waiting for 10 months for a public hearing, hence claims that 30 people have died in that time period.



The company that owns the plants has worked with consultants to put out a press release reacting to the activists' claims, and you can read the press release here. The press release claims that the pollution from these two power plants represents about 1% of particulate pollution in the city. If that's true, then the number of deaths from these plants pales in comparison to the number of deaths from particulate pollution from transportation and other sources. They also specifically compare exposure to the pollution from these plants as being comparable to participating in a single one of the following activities (quoted from the article linked above):
* "About 15 minutes per week driving a car on an urban freeway
* About 20 minutes per week aboard a Chicago school bus
* Mowing the lawn twice a year
* About 15 minutes per week cooking with a gas stove or oven
* About half a day per year breathing air inside a home where someone smokes
* About 25 minutes per week burning candles in a home
* Two 20-minute visits per month to an indoor food court."


While this particular debate does not directly involve nuclear power, it is a classic example of the challenges involved in assessing risk from something like a power plant. Fascinating!