The report gives results of a study to identify fossil-fuel-fired power plants that might, in competition with existing crude gypsum sources and other power plants, lower the cost of compliance with SO2 regulations by producing and marketing abatement gypsum. In the Eastern U.S., gypsum production has a limited but important potential to lower the cost of compliance by power plants. Gypsum consumption was projected as 2 million tons in wallboard use and 3 million tons in cement, and total 1978 sales were estimated at $124.4 million in the Eastern U.S. Potential gypsum production by 113 Eastern U.S. steam plants requiring flue gas desulfurization for compliance amounts to 27 million tons. For about 90% of the potential abatement gypsum production, the cost difference between producing gypsum and conventional sulfite sludge by limestone scrubbing is greater than the estimated cost of mining natural gypsum. However, 30 power plants (generally <200 MW) with small annual outputs were identified that could reduce compliance cost by producing and marketing abatement gypsum. The 30 plants would replace 2.23 million tons of crude gypsum at 93 demand points (92 cement plants and 1 wallboard plant). Of the gypsum replaced, 74% is imported. First-year saving to steam plants is $11 million, and about $2 million is saved by the gypsum industry.

EPA Interagency agreement D8-E721-BJ program element no. EHE624A. Issued October 1978.

The major purpose of this study was to identify fossil-fired power plants that might, in competition with existing sources of crude gypsum and other power plants, lower cost of compliance with SO2 regulations by producing and marketing abatement gypsum.