ASSOICATED GETS FIRST LOW-SULFUR SHIPMENT

NEW MADRID -- Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. has received its first rail shipment of low-sulfur coal at its plant here, culminating in four years of planning and construction to meet Clean Air Act requirements.

Alliance spent about $100 million completing the fuel switch that will reduce sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions as mandated by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990.

Switching fuel assures the longevity of the plant into the next century.

Associated General Manager Jim Jura said, "That's good news for Associated's neighbors in Southeast Missouri."

Burning low-sulfur coal not only allows Associated Cooperative, headquartered in Springfield, Mo., to meet its environmental obligation, reducing sulfur dioxide emissions 89 percent, but it also reduced fuel expenses by 40 percent.

Compared to alternatives, Associated officials say the switch at its power plants -- here and Springfield -- will save Associated $1.4 billion over the next 17 years.

The savings from Associated's move to low-sulfur coal will stabilize the cost of wholesale power to Missouri's electric cooperatives well into the '90s, Jura said.

The Clean Air Act Amendments, which place strict emissions requirements on utility companies, go into effect Jan. 1, and violations of the guidelines will result in stiff penalties.

The new regulations will require Associated's generating units to report a value for emissions every hour of combustion. Although 1995 is the deadline for most Clean Air Act restrictions, some utilities, including Associated, were required to install Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems (CEMS) last November.