South Harper Peaking Facility

The South Harper Peaking Facility (SHPF) is a nominal 341-megawatt (MW) natural gas-fired, simple-cycle combustion turbine facility that became operational in May 2006. It consists of three Siemens-Westinghouse 501D5A gas combustion turbines, 161-kilovolt (kV) switching station, and appurtenant maintenance and operation facilities. The project was developed on a greenfield site approximately 2½ miles southwest of Peculiar, Mo., in Cass County. The facility is situated on approximately 38 acres of a 74-acre parcel that was originally agricultural land.

• Permitting
• Noise assessment study
• Public outreach assistance
• Missouri Public Service application assistance
• Phase I environmental site assessment
• Post-construction noise compliance studies

For the project, Burns & McDonnell managed and completed the necessary studies, reports and applications in order to obtain the necessary environmental related permits, authorizations and clearances for construction and operation of the facility.

The environmental permits and/or reviews include the following:

• Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting (including air modeling)
• Wetland delineation (CWA Section 404/401 – no permit required)
• Protected species concurrence (state and federal)
• Cultural resources concurrence
• Floodplain review
• Federal Aviation Administration notification review
• Phase I environmental site assessment
• NPDES stormwater permitting
• NPDES industrial discharge/land irrigation permitting
• Pre- and post-construction noise studies

Burns & McDonnell also prepared the necessary materials for the permit request to dispose of the industrial wastewater using land irrigation. The materials included information required for the MDNR to conduct a site geotechnical assessment to determine if the irrigation system would discharge to groundwaters. The irrigation permit application also required irrigation times and volumes to be identified and the estimated water quality that would be irrigated. Agency meetings were conducted to discuss the permit limitations and allowances.

In addition to permitting efforts, Aquila, during the later project development, requested that Burns & McDonnell assist with public outreach efforts. This included developing photorenderings and gathering aerial photographs, creation of posterboards and attending public meetings. Burns & McDonnell provided technical experts at the meetings to answer questions. Also per Aquila’s request, Burns & McDonnell assisted with preparing the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) application package.

Followup services, which are still ongoing, include noise compliance studies to ensure that the facility is operating within local noise standards.

• Three Siemens-Westinghouse 501D5A gas combustion turbines
• 161-kV switchyard/substation