A new power plant in California has requested a permit that limits its carbon dioxide emissions, in anticipation of more stringent federal rules coming down the pike.
The Russell City Energy Center in Hayward, Calif., is the first such utility to obtain such a permit, reports the New York Times.
The 612-megawatt power plant is being constructed by Calpine.
Under existing rules, the utility had to get a permit with set limits on some smog-causing pollutants like nitrogen oxides. But Calpine asked that a CO2 limit, using the "best available control technology," be granted as well.
Calpine said it's likely that by the end of March the EPA will begin regulating greenhouse gases and it wanted to be ahead of the curve.
The plant, which is to use natural gas, should produce about half the emissions of a similar coal-fired plant, reports Business Week.
