EPA move on sulfur dioxide affects NG prices

subscribe

The Environmental Protection Agency is tightening health standards for sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants and other industrial sources, a move that was credited with helping boost natural gas prices and some energy companies' stock prices.

The agency said that the new standard, adopted under the Clean Air Act, would prevent 2,300 to 5,900 premature deaths and 54,000 asthma attacks a year.

Sulfur dioxide is a major element of exhaust from coal-burning power plants and a component of acid rain. It has been linked to many breathing problems, including asthma, emphysema and bronchitis. The new rule calls for concentrations of no more than 75 parts per billion of sulfur dioxide, measured hourly. The current standard is 140 parts per billion, averaged over 24 hours.

Some power plants have been using more natural gas, instead of coal, to run generators because gas burns cleaner, with lower emissions.

Natural gas futures rose 26.6 cents to close at $4.69 per 1,000 cubic feet on the New York Mercantile Exchange recently.

Natural gas producers were among the biggest gainers in an otherwise lackluster trading day.

Fort Worth-based Quicksilver Resources and Range Resources both saw their shares jump more than 6 percent, as did Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy. Union Drilling of Fort Worth, which is active in shale gas development, saw its shares rise more than 4 percent.

Related News

Can COVID-19 accelerate funding for access to electricity?

UGANDA - The time frame from final funding approval to disbursement can be the most painful part of any financing process, and the access-to-electricity sector is not spared.

Amid the global spread of the coronavirus over the last few weeks, there have been several funding pledges to promote access to electricity in Africa. In March, the African Development Bank and other partners committed $160 million for the Facility for Energy Inclusion to boost electricity connectivity in Africa through small-scale solar systems and minigrids. Similarly, the Export-Import Bank of the United States allocated $91.5 million for rural electrification in Senegal.

Rockefeller chief wants…

READ MORE
new-york-finalizes-contracts-for-renewable-projects

New York Finalizes Contracts for 23 Renewable Projects Totaling 2.3 GW

READ MORE

california blackouts

Why California's Climate Policies Are Causing Electricity Blackouts

READ MORE

ieso

New Electricity Auctions Will Drive Down Costs for Ontario's Consumers

READ MORE

japan boimass plant

Japan to host one of world's largest biomass power plants

READ MORE