Brunner Island FGD Project

In early 2007 construction began on the immense FGD project at Brunner’s Island. Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) is a technology used to remove sulfur dioxide (SO2) from the exhaust flue gasses of fossil fuel power plants.

Fossil fuel power plants burn coal or oil to produce steam for steam turbines, which in turn drive electricity generators.

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.

For a typical coal-fired power station, FGD will remove 95 percent or more of the SO2 in the flue gases.

Hundreds of IBEW electricians were referred by Local 229 to complete this project. MJ Electric from iron mountain Michigan was awarded a substantial part of the project along with McCarl's Inc. IBEW members employed by SM Electric also completed the Water treatment facility. The final scrubber portion was completed by IBEW members working for Bronder Technical Services and NAES Power Constructors in 2009.