Aquial Touts Scrap Tire Usage

Energy concern using greater amounts of scrap tires to generate electricity.

 

Aquila Inc., based in Kansas City, MO, has reported that starting in 1997 the company has burned more than 8.3 million tires to generate electricity at the Sibley, MO, power plant, and an additional 300,000 tires at its St. Joseph, MO, facility. Aquila provides electricity and natural gas to customers in the Midwest.

 

"We believe our scrap tire fuel program is a real benefit to Missouri in environmental clean-up, public health and energy resource conservation," said Glenn Keefe, operating vice president for Aquila's Missouri electric networks.

 

Since 1997, Aquila has received scrap tires that have been shredded by independent companies to be used as TDF at its Sibley plant. The Lake Road plant began its initial TDF tire burning in September 2004. Since 1997, the two plants have burned a combined 172 million pounds of TDF.

 

The Sibley plant is Aquila's largest generation facility, with a total generating capacity of 500 megawatts (one megawatt equals one million watts). It is on the Missouri River about 20 miles east of Kansas City. The Lake Road generating facility has a total generating capacity of 254 megawatts. It is on the Missouri River in southwestern St. Joseph.