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Craig Station
Craig Station is Colorado's largest coal-fired generating station. Operated by Tri-State, approximately 300 people work at the 1,274-megawatt plant. Craig Station Units 1 and 2 make up the Yampa Project, owned by Tri-State and four other regional utilities. Tri-State is the sole owner of Unit 3.
In 2002, the association embarked on its largest environmental project upgrade in its 50-year history at Craig Station. It marked the beginning of a $121 million, multi-year retrofit to Units 1 and 2 to address opacity concerns and the mitigation of particulate matter. The upgrades were prompted by a settlement agreement reached between the Sierra Club and the five owner utilities of the Yampa Project.
Plant Statistics
Plant operator |
Tri-State G&T |
Plant construction |
1974 to 1984; construction was completed on Unit 2 in 1979,
Unit 1 in 1980 and Unit 3 in 1984 |
Total project cost |
$1.2 billion |
Total capacity |
1,274 megawatts (net);
Tri-State share - 623.4 megawatts (24 percent of Units 1 and 2; 100 percent of Unit 3) |
Coal source |
Trapper, Colowyo and other mines in the region |
Plant site size |
1,120 acres |
Stack height |
600 feet (each) |
Water source |
Yampa River; supplemental allocations from Elkhead Creek Reservoir (Units 1 and 2) and Yamcolo Reservoir (Unit 3) |
Environmental
controls |
A wet limestone scrubber system removes 90 percent of the sulfur dioxide produced for Units 1 and 2, while a dry lime system is used for Unit 3; fabric-filter baghouse collects 99 percent of fly ash; state-of-the-art low-NOx burners reduce the formation of nitrogen dioxide; a continuous 24-hour emissions-monitoring system assures that flue gas emissions comply with federal and state laws |
Coal Supply
Craig Station receives its coal supply primarily from Trapper Mine, one mile south of the plant, by 100-ton dump trucks making 95 deliveries per day. Trapper Mining is the third largest coal-producer in Colorado.
Supplemental coal comes by rail from Colowyo Mine about 32 miles southwest of Craig. Eighty-seven railcars deliver approximately 100 tons of coal per day to the plant.
Trapper Mine Statistics
Ownership |
Trapper Mining, Inc. |
Mine site size |
12 square miles |
Annual yield |
2.2 million tons |
Daily production |
7,000 to 10,000 tons |
Estimated life span |
Through at least 2014 |
Colowyo Mine Statistics
Ownership |
Kennecott Energy Company |
Mine site size |
7,500 acres |
Annual yield |
5.5 to 6 million tons |
Daily production |
not available |
Estimated life span |
not available |
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