Washington, D.C. – May 28, 2008****The successful replacement by Public Service of New Hampshire of a coal-fired boiler with a wood-fired boiler at Schiller Station in Portsmouth was thanks, in large part, to the extensive collaboration of PSNH and a variety of New Hampshire organizations and agencies. That partnership was cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as it presented a Clean Air Excellence Award to PSNH’s “Northern Wood Power Project” on Wednesday, May 28 in Washington.
The project was one of 11 national winners, earning the award in the Community Action category. The EPA cited PSNH’s collaboration with the New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, New Hampshire Audubon, and the Office of the Governor.
“The uniqueness of Northern Wood Power is that we tried something completely new and different and it was incredibly successful,” said John MacDonald, PSNH vice president – energy delivery and generation. “We could not have accomplished that without the support of our partners, and this award rightly recognizes that.”
Northern Wood Power reduced PSNH’s coal consumption by more than 130,000 tons annually and significantly reduced emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxides (SO2) and mercury. In addition, the boiler’s annual demand for 450,000 tons of clean wood chips provides a boost to the New Hampshire forest industry, adding about $20 million to the regional economy each year.
Additional information regarding Northern Wood Power is available at www.psnh.com.