Herbert A. Wagner Generating Station
Encyclopedia
The Herbert A. Wagner Generating Station is an electric generating station, located on Fort Smallwood Road north of Orchard Beach
in Anne Arundel County
, Maryland
, just east of Glen Burnie
, and is operated by the Constellation Power Source Generation subsidiary
of Constellation Energy Group. The H. A. Wagner station consists of natural gas fueled Unit 1, nominally rated at 133 MWe
, coal-fired Unit 2 rated at 136 MWe, coal-fired Unit 3 rated at 359 MWe, and oil-fired Unit 4 rated at 415 MWe.
The station shares a 483 acres (2 km²) site adjacent to the Patapsco River
with the Brandon Shores Generating Station
. The Brandon Shores plant dominates the site with its 700 feet (213.4 m) exhaust and 400 feet (121.9 m) flue gas desulfurization
system stacks
.
for Wagner Unit 4 is delivered by barge
. Although there is a railroad spur
into the site that could be used for coal shipments to the site, it is unused and would require improvements to restore it to an operational state. An estimate in a 2007 report indicated that the cost of returning this rail line to operation with the necessary material handling equipment would potentially exceed US $20 million.
Natural gas for the Wagner Unit 1 is provided by a pipeline
.
regional transmission organization
.
1800 psig steam boiler
and General Electric
single reheat steam turbine
, began operations as a coal-fired plant in 1959. Coal-fired Unit 3, which has a Babcock and Wilcox 3500 psig supercritical steam boiler and a Westinghouse
double-reheat cross compound turbine, commenced operations in 1966. The oil-fired unit 4 began operations in 1972. Unit 2 was converted to fuel oil to comply with state and federal air quality requirements in 1972, and then modified to allow a return to burning coal in 1987. Units 2, 3, and 4 were also converted to use natural gas during startup operations in 1987. Additional air pollution controls were added to the plants in the 1980s.
The plant is named for Herbert A. Wagner (1867–1943), who was president of the Consolidated Gas and Electric of Baltimore, the predecessor company of Constellation Energy, from 1915 through 1942. Wagner also held a patent on a self starting, single-phase motor and founded in 1891 the Wagner Electric Manufacturing Company in St. Louis, Missouri.
Orchard Beach, Maryland
Orchard Beach is an unincorporated community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States....
in Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, just east of Glen Burnie
Glen Burnie, Maryland
Glen Burnie is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, and is a suburb of Baltimore. The population was 67,639 at the 2010 census...
, and is operated by the Constellation Power Source Generation subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of Constellation Energy Group. The H. A. Wagner station consists of natural gas fueled Unit 1, nominally rated at 133 MWe
MWE
MWE may refer to:*Manufacturer's Weight Empty*McDermott Will & Emery*Midwest Express, an airline*Merowe Airport - IATA code*Multiword expressionMWe may refer to:*Megawatt electrical...
, coal-fired Unit 2 rated at 136 MWe, coal-fired Unit 3 rated at 359 MWe, and oil-fired Unit 4 rated at 415 MWe.
The station shares a 483 acres (2 km²) site adjacent to the Patapsco River
Patapsco River
The Patapsco River is a river in central Maryland which flows into Chesapeake Bay. The river's tidal portion forms the harbor for the city of Baltimore...
with the Brandon Shores Generating Station
Brandon Shores Generating Station
The Brandon Shores Generating Station is an electric generating station located on Fort Smallwood Drive north of Orchard Beach in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, near Glen Burnie, and is operated by the Constellation Power Source Generation subsidiary of Constellation Energy Group...
. The Brandon Shores plant dominates the site with its 700 feet (213.4 m) exhaust and 400 feet (121.9 m) flue gas desulfurization
Flue gas desulfurization
Sulfur dioxide is one of the elements forming acid rain. Tall flue-gas stacks disperse emissions by diluting the pollutants in ambient air and transporting them to other regions....
system stacks
Flue gas stack
A flue-gas stack is a type of chimney, a vertical pipe, channel or similar structure through which combustion product gases called flue gases are exhausted to the outside air. Flue gases are produced when coal, oil, natural gas, wood or any other fuel is combusted in an industrial furnace, a power...
.
Fuel delivery
The Wagner and Brandon Shores Generating Stations consume approximately 4.8 million tons of coal annually. Coal for both stations and number 6 fuel oilFuel oil
Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate or a residue. Broadly speaking, fuel oil is any liquid petroleum product that is burned in a furnace or boiler for the generation of heat or used in an engine for the generation of power, except oils having a flash...
for Wagner Unit 4 is delivered by barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
. Although there is a railroad spur
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
into the site that could be used for coal shipments to the site, it is unused and would require improvements to restore it to an operational state. An estimate in a 2007 report indicated that the cost of returning this rail line to operation with the necessary material handling equipment would potentially exceed US $20 million.
Natural gas for the Wagner Unit 1 is provided by a pipeline
Pipeline transport
Pipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....
.
Dispatch of electricity
The electrical output of Brandon Shores Generating Station is dispatched by the PJM InterconnectionPJM Interconnection
PJM Interconnection LLC is a Regional Transmission Organization which is part of the Eastern Interconnection grid operating an electric transmission system serving all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee,...
regional transmission organization
Regional Transmission Organization
A regional transmission organization in the United States is an organization that is responsible for moving electricity over large interstate areas. Like a transmission system operator , an RTO coordinates, controls and monitors an electricity transmission grid that is larger with much higher...
.
History
The Wagner Generating Station's oil-fired Unit 1 commenced operations in 1956. Unit 2, consisting of a Babcock and WilcoxBabcock and Wilcox
The Babcock & Wilcox Company is a U.S.-based company that provides design, engineering, manufacturing, construction and facilities management services to nuclear, renewable, fossil power, industrial and government customers worldwide. B&W's boilers supply more than 300,000 megawatts of installed...
1800 psig steam boiler
Boiler (steam generator)
A boiler or steam generator is a device used to create steam by applying heat energy to water. Although the definitions are somewhat flexible, it can be said that older steam generators were commonly termed boilers and worked at low to medium pressure but, at pressures above this, it is more...
and General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
single reheat steam turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
, began operations as a coal-fired plant in 1959. Coal-fired Unit 3, which has a Babcock and Wilcox 3500 psig supercritical steam boiler and a Westinghouse
Westinghouse Electric (1886)
Westinghouse Electric was an American manufacturing company. It was founded in 1886 as Westinghouse Electric Company and later renamed Westinghouse Electric Corporation by George Westinghouse. The company purchased CBS in 1995 and became CBS Corporation in 1997...
double-reheat cross compound turbine, commenced operations in 1966. The oil-fired unit 4 began operations in 1972. Unit 2 was converted to fuel oil to comply with state and federal air quality requirements in 1972, and then modified to allow a return to burning coal in 1987. Units 2, 3, and 4 were also converted to use natural gas during startup operations in 1987. Additional air pollution controls were added to the plants in the 1980s.
The plant is named for Herbert A. Wagner (1867–1943), who was president of the Consolidated Gas and Electric of Baltimore, the predecessor company of Constellation Energy, from 1915 through 1942. Wagner also held a patent on a self starting, single-phase motor and founded in 1891 the Wagner Electric Manufacturing Company in St. Louis, Missouri.