PPL adds scrubbers at 2 power plants

PENNSYLVANIA - The Enrons, Rite Aids, World Coms and other corporate messes of the past few years have obscured the many companies operating credibly and with responsibility.

This was demonstrated in our own backyard with Allentown-based PPL Corp.'s announcement that it will spend $630 million on scrubbers at two of its power plants, including Brunner Island in York County, to remove nearly all emissions of sulfur dioxide, a pollutant the American Lung Association has blamed for 15,000 premature deaths a year.

This is modern technology that environmentalists and public health advocates have been pushing, but which has been resisted by electric utilities because of costs and regulatory issues. Millions have been spent by utilities for lobbying and litigation to avoid scrubbers.

PPL Chairman and CEO William E. Hecht see things differently. In making the announcement, he said it makes more sense for the company to spend money on equipment rather than lawyers.

"Litigation is a waste of time and money," Hecht said. "We will conform... because it makes good business sense."

Perhaps more importantly, Hecht noted it's also "the right thing to do."

PPL is showing great leadership in making a U-turn from the industry's past pattern of resisting, stalling and trying to influence friends in Congress.

Hopefully, other utilities have taken note and will re-evaluate their approach toward scrubbers, as well as their responsibility to the quality of the air we all breathe.