Power Player

This article discusses about power station, the Nucla Station, Nucla. This station meant a new fuel source and a major upgrade of the coal handling system, to trim production costs and enable the plant to process more of a lower-grade fuel. Nucla had the modest beginnings in the Rural Electrification Authority program, when Colorado Ute constructed it in 1959. The station had three stoker-fired boilers, each serving a 12-MW steam turbine. The plant provided reliable power to a scenic, but remote area on the western slope of Colorado. A primary advantage of AFBC technology is its ability to use lower-grade fuels that would perform poorly in other boilers. Tri-State reviewed Nucla’s fuel requirements and potential sources. The plant was trucking in coal from more than 100 miles away, which added a considerable cost. This expense could be trimmed if a local coal source was available. The combination of a new, cheaper source of fuel and a better, more economical coal handling system now enables the 40-year-old Nucla Station to thrive as a competitive power generator.