Energy-from-Waste Facility

Covanta Union, Inc.
Rahway, New Jersey

The Union County Resource Recovery Facility, operating as Covanta Union, Inc., is located on the banks of the Rahway River and began commercial operation in June 1994, serving the residents of Union County, New Jersey. The facility processes up to 1,540 tons of solid waste each day into enough electrical energy to power some 30,000 homes and businesses. The facility runs entirely on the energy it produces, with the remaining 39 megawatts of renewable energy sold through a merchant power marketer. Designed and built by Covanta Energy, the facility is owned by the Union County Utilities Authority and operated by Covanta Energy under a 25-year lease negotiated in 1998.

Technical Data

Facility Address:

1499 Route 1 North
Rahway, NJ 07065
(732) 499-0101

Site:

22 acres

Commercial Operation:

June 1994

Energy-from-Waste System:

Three 480 ton-per-day waterwall furnaces with Martin® reverse-reciprocating grates and ash handling system

Boiler Design:

865 pounds per square inch gauge( psig)/830°F super heater outlet conditions

Air Pollution Control Equipment:

Semi-dry flue gas scrubbers injecting lime, fabric filter baghouses, nitrogen oxide control system, mercury control system, and continuous emissions monitoring (CEM) system

Rated Refuse Capacity:

up to 1,440 tons per day

Energy Generation at Rated Capacity:

up to 42 megawatts from one condensing steam turbine generator

Sold to:

Merchant power market