LICENSING COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS.

A variety of state, local and federal regulations require fossil power plants to obtain a series of permits to allow siting, construction and operation - a form of licensing. For example, regulatory requirements generally control the data when construction may proceed and also may have a major impact upon the engineering schedule. Depending upon the type of development proposed and the project location, the licensing process could take 33 to 48 months from the selection of a site to the start of construction. If a viable site has not been defined, these periods would be extended by up to 12 months to accommodate a site selection study.