Coal

Clover Power Station

When Clover was constructed it contained state-of-the-art pollution control technology.  The Clover Power Station became the jewel of Virginia's coal-fired stations the moment it went online in 1995.
 
One-third of the station’s $1.2 billion cost was dedicated to environmental protection measures to control pollutants in our air emissions. Giant stainless steel reaction vessels called scrubbers remove approximately 95% of all sulfur dioxide emissions. Overfire air and low NOx burners reduce the nitrogen oxides from burning coal. Later, selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) was added to further reduce nitrogen oxides. Giant filter facilities, called bag-houses, installed at the station capture 99.9% of the station’s fly ash.

ODEC partnered with Dominion Virginia Power to build this 850-megawatt station in south-central Virginia's Halifax County. We own 50% of the station and Dominion Virginia Power owns the remaining 50%, while also operating the facility. Both companies share Clover’s generated power output equally.

ODEC’s share goes to our 11 member cooperatives located in Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, which serve more than 568,000 home, farm and business customers in rural and suburban communities. As a base-load station, Clover generates reliable electricity 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

The process of generating electricity from a coal-fired station is relatively basic, though on the scale of the Clover station it requires large quantities of coal and careful control of complex and precisely engineered systems all working flawlessly together. The station’s pulverized coal (PC) boilers burn 314 tons of coal an hour to convert water into steam used to drive turbines at 3,600 rpm, which in turn power huge electromagnetic generators to produce electricity.

The Clover station safeguards the environment in two demonstrable ways: by producing energy from coal in a clean and economical way; and by replacing power from older coal-fired stations. Clover is a vital part of meeting Virginia's present and future electricity needs. And during its estimated 50-year lifespan, it promises to be a powerful magnet for businesses seeking to locate in and around its Southside Virginia community.

Clover Power Station