OAR 340-228-0602: Utility Mercury Rule, General Provisions: Definitions

The terms used in OAR 340-228-0606 through 0639 are defined as follows, in 40 CFR 63.10042, and in Appendix A to 40 CFR part 63 subpart UUUUU: (1) "Boiler" means an enclosed fossil-or other fuel-fired combustion device used to produce heat and to transfer heat to recirculating water, steam, or other medium. (2) "CFR" means Code of Federal Regulations and, unless otherwise expressly identified, refers to the July 1, 2012 edition. (3) "Coal-derived fuel" means any fuel (whether in a solid, liquid, or gaseous state) produced by the mechanical, thermal, or chemical processing of coal. (4) "Coal-fired" means combusting any amount of coal or coal-derived fuel, alone or in combination with any amount of any other fuel, during any year. (5) "Combustion turbine" means: (a) An enclosed device comprising a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine and in which the flue gas resulting from the combustion of fuel in the combustor passes through the turbine, rotating the turbine; and (b) If the enclosed device under paragraph (a) of this definition is combined cycle, any associated heat recovery steam generator and steam turbine. (6) "Commence commercial operation" means, with regard to a unit serving a generator: (a) To have begun to produce steam, gas, or other heated medium used to generate electricity for sale or use, including test generation. (A) For a unit that is a coal-fired electric generating unit under OAR 340-228-0601 on the date the unit commences commercial operation as defined in paragraph (a) of this definition and that subsequently undergoes a physical change (other than replacement of the unit by a unit at the same source), such date shall remain the unit's date of commencement of commercial operation. (B) For a unit that is a coal-fired electric generating unit under OAR 340-228-0601 on the date the unit commences commercial operation as defined in paragraph (a) of this definition and that is subsequently replaced by a unit at the same source (e.g., repowered), the replacement unit shall be treated as a separate unit with a separate date for commencement of commercial operation as defined in paragraph (a) or (b) of this definition as appropriate. (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this definition, for a unit that is not a coal-fired electric generating unit under OAR 340-228-0601 on the date the unit commences commercial operation as defined in paragraph (a) of this definition, the unit's date for commencement of commercial operation shall be the date on which the unit becomes a coal-fired electric generating unit under OAR 340-228-0601. (A) For a unit with a date for commencement of commercial operation as defined in paragraph (b) of this definition and that subsequently undergoes a physical change (other than replacement of the unit by a unit at the same source), such date remains the unit's date of commencement of commercial operation. (B) For a unit with a date for commencement of commercial operation as defined in paragraph (b) of this definition and that is subsequently replaced by a unit at the same source (e.g., repowered), the replacement unit shall be treated as a separate unit with a separate date for commencement of commercial operation as defined in paragraph (a) or (b) of this definition as appropriate. (7) "Commence operation" means: (a) To have begun any mechanical, chemical, or electronic process, including, with regard to a unit, start-up of a unit's combustion chamber. (A) For a unit that is a coal-fired electric generating unit under OAR 340-228-0601 on the date the unit commences operation as defined in paragraph (a) of this definition and that subsequently undergoes a physical change (other than replacement of the unit by a unit at the same source), such date shall remain the unit's date of commencement of operation. (B) For a unit that is a coal-fired electric generating unit under OAR 340-228-0601 on the date the unit commences operation as defined in paragraph (a) of this definition and that is subsequently replaced by a unit at the same source (e.g., repowered), the replacement unit shall be treated as a separate unit with a separate date for commencement of operation as defined in paragraph (a) or (b) of this definition as appropriate. (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this definition, for a unit that is not a coal-fired electric generating unit under OAR 340-228-0601 on the date the unit commences operation as defined in paragraph (a) of this definition, the unit's date for commencement of operation shall be the date on which the unit becomes a coal-fired electric generating unit under OAR 340-228-0601. (A) For a unit with a date for commencement of operation as defined in paragraph (b) of this definition and that subsequently undergoes a physical change (other than replacement of the unit by a unit at the same source), such date shall remain the unit's date of commencement of operation. (B) For a unit with a date for commencement of operation as defined in paragraph (b) of this definition and that is subsequently replaced by a unit at the same source (e.g., repowered), the replacement unit shall be treated as a separate unit with a separate date for commencement of operation as defined in paragraph (a) or (b) of this definition as appropriate. (8) "Emissions" means air pollutants exhausted from a unit or source into the atmosphere, as measured, recorded, and reported to DEQ in accordance with OAR 340-228-0609 through 0637. (9) "Heat input" means, with regard to a specified period of time, the product (in MMBtu/time) of the gross calorific value of the fuel (in Btu/lb) divided by 1,000,000 Btu/MMBtu and multiplied by the fuel feed rate into a combustion device (in lb of fuel/time), as measured, recorded, and reported to DEQ by the owner or operator and excluding the heat derived from preheated combustion air, recirculated flue gases, or exhaust from other sources. (10) "Life-of-the-unit, firm power contractual arrangement" means a unit participation power sales agreement under which a utility or industrial customer reserves, or is entitled to receive, a specified amount or percentage of nameplate capacity and associated energy generated by any specified unit and pays its proportional amount of such unit's total costs, pursuant to a contract: (a) For the life of the unit; (b) For a cumulative term of no less than 30 years, including contracts that permit an election for early termination; or (c) For a period no less than 25 years or 70 percent of the economic useful life of the unit determined as of the time the unit is built, with option rights to purchase or release some portion of the nameplate capacity and associated energy generated by the unit at the end of the period. (11) "Monitoring system" means any monitoring system that meets the requirements of OAR 340-228-0609 through 0637, including a continuous emission monitoring system or an approved alternative monitoring system. (12) "Nameplate capacity" means, starting from the initial installation of a generator, the maximum electrical generating output (in MWe) that the generator is capable of producing on a steady-state basis and during continuous operation (when not restricted by seasonal or other deratings) as specified by the manufacturer of the generator or, starting from the completion of any subsequent physical change in the generator resulting in an increase in the maximum electrical generating output (in MWe) that the generator is capable of producing on a steady-state basis and during continuous operation (when not restricted by seasonal or other deratings), such increased maximum amount as specified by the person conducting the physical change. (13) "Operator" means any person who operates, controls, or supervises a coal-fired electric utility steam generating unit and shall include, but not be limited to, any holding company, utility system, or plant manager of such a unit or source. (14) "Owner" means any of the following persons: (a) Any holder of any portion of the legal or equitable title in a coal-fired electric utility steam generating unit; (b) Any holder of a leasehold interest in a coal-fired electric utility steam generating unit; or (c) Any purchaser of power from a coal-fired electric utility steam generating unit under a life-of-the-unit, firm power contractual arrangement; provided that, unless expressly provided for in a leasehold agreement, owner shall not include a passive lessor, or a person who has an equitable interest through such lessor, whose rental payments are not based (either directly or indirectly) on the revenues or income from such coal-fired electric utility steam generating unit. (15) "Repowered" means, with regard to a unit, replacement of a coal-fired boiler with one of the following coal-fired technologies at the same source as the coal-fired boiler: (a) Atmospheric or pressurized fluidized bed combustion; (b) Integrated gasification combined cycle; (c) Magnetohydrodynamics; (d) Direct and indirect coal-fired turbines; (e) Integrated gasification fuel cells; or (f) As determined by DEQ in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, a derivative of one or more of the technologies under paragraphs (a) through (e) of this definition and any other coal-fired technology capable of controlling multiple combustion emissions simultaneously with improved boiler or generation efficiency and with significantly greater waste reduction relative to the performance of technology in widespread commercial use as of January 1, 2005. (16) "Submit or serve" means to send or transmit a document, information, or correspondence to the person specified in accordance with the applicable regulation: (a) In person; (b) By United States Postal Service; or (c) By other means of dispatch or transmission and delivery. Compliance with any ''submission'' or ''service'' deadline shall be determined by the date of dispatch, transmission, or mailing and not the date of receipt. (17) "Unit" means a stationary coal-fired boiler or a stationary coal-fired combustion turbine.