Garland, Texas - On April 19, 2000, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) adopted the 4 County (DFW) State Implementation Plan (SIP) as mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency. This plan is designed to reduce emissions in Dallas, Tarrant, Collin and Denton counties.

In the original draft of this plan, Garland Power & Light would have been required to meet the proposed NOX levels of 0.033#/mmbtu emission rate. The approved version of the plan designates Garland Power & Light as a small power producing entity and allows an overall emission rate of 0.06#/mmbtu from all its units. Two factors weighed heavily in this decision. One was the higher cost per kWh for the smaller generation units to reach .033 #/mmbtu in comparison to larger units located within the four county area. The second was GP&L volunteering to bring its previously exempted units into compliance with the .06 #/mmbtu requirements. This is a major victory for GP&L and the legal and engineering consultants employed by GP&L who spent a significant amount of time and effort to see the new ruling to fruition. Instead of spending an estimated 26.9 million dollars to comply with TNRCC's original plan, GP&L will spend approximately 4.475 million dollars to comply with the approved plan.

In 1997, in anticipation of lower emission requirements, GP&L voluntarily began reduction of its emissions and successfully reduced emissions from 0.4#/mmbtu to 0.2 #/mmbtu of NOX. GP&L will install low NOX burners and flue gas recirculation on Newman unit #5 and Olinger units 1,2 & 3. These modifications will allow GP&L to comply with the 0.06#/mmbtu emissions rate required by the new SIP ruling.