PPRP – CEIR – 18 DNR Publication No. 12-12132016-638 Maryland Power Plants and the Environment A review of the impacts of power plants and transmission lines on Maryland's natural resources December 2016 MARYLAND POWER PLANTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT (CEIR-18) Table of Contents Chapter 1 – Background ............................................................................................................................. 1 Chapter 2 –Power Generation, Transmission, and Use .............................................................................. 6 2.1 Electricity Generation in Maryland .................................................................................................. 6 2.1.1 Fossil Fuels .............................................................................................................................. 11 2.1.2 Nuclear ..................................................................................................................................... 14 2.1.3 Distributed Generation ............................................................................................................. 15 2.1.4 Demand Response .................................................................................................................... 17 2.1.5 Renewable Resources .............................................................................................................. 20 2.2 New and Proposed Power Plant Construction ................................................................................ 38 2.3 Electric Transmission ...................................................................................................................... 41 2.3.1 New and Proposed Transmission Projects ............................................................................... 43 2.3.2 Transmission Line Designs ...................................................................................................... 43 2.4 Electricity Distribution .................................................................................................................... 47 2.5 Maryland Electricity Consumption ................................................................................................. 48 2.5.1 Maryland Electricity Consumption Forecast ........................................................................... 51 2.5.2 Generation: Comparison with Consumption ........................................................................... 55 Chapter 3 – Markets, Regulation, and Oversight ...................................................................................... 57 3.1 Wholesale Markets and PJM .......................................................................................................... 57 3.1.1 Wholesale Energy Pricing ........................................................................................................ 59 3.1.2 Power Plant Construction ........................................................................................................ 61 3.2 Retail Electricity Markets and Billing ............................................................................................ 63 MARYLAND POWER PLANTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT (CEIR-18) 3.2.1 Maryland Retail Electric Supply .............................................................................................. 63 3.2.2 Retail Electric Billing............................................................................................................... 65 3.3 Transmission and Distribution System Planning and Reliability ................................................... 68 3.3.1 Reliability ................................................................................................................................. 69 3.3.2 Congestion ............................................................................................................................... 70 3.3.3 PJM Transmission Planning .................................................................................................... 71 3.3.4 State Distribution System and Reliability Planning ................................................................. 74 3.4 The Role of Federal Entities ........................................................................................................... 75 3.4.1 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ................................................................................. 75 3.4.2 The Role of the NRC ............................................................................................................... 79 3.4.3 The Role of the EPA ................................................................................................................ 79 Chapter 4 – Impacts of Power Generation and Transmission ................................................................... 82 4.1 Air Quality ...................................................................................................................................... 84 4.1.1 Overview .................................................................................................................................. 84 4.1.2 Emissions from Power Plants .................................................................................................. 88 4.1.3 Impacts from Power Plant Air Emissions…………………………………………………...103 4.1.4 Recent and Developing National Air Regulatory Drivers Affecting Power Plants ............... 111 4.2 Impacts to Water Resources .......................................................................................................... 112 4.2.1 Generating Facilities .............................................................................................................. 112 4.2.2 Transmission Lines ................................................................................................................ 144 4.3 Impacts to Terrestrial Resources ................................................................................................... 153 4.3.1 Generating Facilities .............................................................................................................. 155 4.3.2 Transmission Lines ................................................................................................................ 163 4.4 Socioeconomics and Land Use Issues .......................................................................................... 174 4.4.1 Generation Technologies and Socioeconomic Focus ............................................................ 174 MARYLAND POWER PLANTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT (CEIR-18) 4.4.2 Scenic Quality in Electric Generation and Transmission Assessments ................................. 181 4.5 Radiological Issues ....................................................................................................................... 190 4.5.1 Pathways to Exposure ............................................................................................................ 190 4.5.2 Nuclear Power Plants and Maryland ...................................................................................... 191 4.5.3 Monitoring Programs and Results ......................................................................................... 193 4.5.4 Emergency Response ............................................................................................................. 197 4.5.5 Radioactive Waste ................................................................................................................. 198 4.6 Power Plant Combustion By-Products (CCBs) ............................................................................ 200 4.6.1 CCB Generation and Characteristics ..................................................................................... 200 4.6.2 Regulation of CCBs ............................................................................................................... 202 4.6.3 Disposition and Beneficial Use .............................................................................................. 203 4.6.4 CCB Marketing Activities ..................................................................................................... 208 Chapter 5 – Looking Ahead .................................................................................................................... 209 5.1 Clean Energy Policies ................................................................................................................... 209 5.1.1 Maryland RPS ........................................................................................................................ 209 5.1.2 EmPOWER Maryland ........................................................................................................... 215 5.2 Greenhouse Gas Policies ............................................................................................................... 219 5.2.1 Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative ...................................................................................... 220 5.2.2 Maryland Climate Change Legislation .................................................................................. 226 5.2.3 Clean Power Plan ................................................................................................................... 227 5.3 Fossil Fuel-fired Generation and CO2 ........................................................................................... 235 5.3.1 Background ...........................................................................................................................