Fourth Incinerator Preliminary Design

Black and Veatch was selected as the Owner's Agent in 2019 to assist in preliminary design activities and to be MCES's representative throughout the
design build construction. Preliminary design activities include documenting existing systems, evaluating alternatives, completing
technical specifications, and developing the design build request for proposal. The design build request for proposal was issued in January of 2024 and proposals were received in August 2024.

2020 FOURTH INCINERATOR PERMITTING AND DESIGN 2025

Select Owner’s
Agent

Document Existing
Systems

Evaluate Alternatives

Complete Technical Specifications

Issue Design Build Request for Proposal

FOURTH INCINERATOR PROJECT SCOPE

The fourth incinerator will require a small addition to an existing building and will be constructed entirely within the Metro Plant property boundary. The fourth incinerator will include a new fluid bed incinerator with supporting energy recovery and air pollution control equipment. See the graphic below to see how the building will be expanded and what the fourth incinerator will look like.

The estimated cost of the fourth incinerator is $210 million with construction starting in 2025

The fourth incinerator train will include the components below

Sludge Feed

Dewatering

Fourth Incinerator

Energy Recovery

Air Pollution Control

Ash Conveyance

Cake Receiving

Effluent Water

Building Systems

FOURTH INCINERATOR AIR PERMITTING & ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

The existing Metro Plant air permit was amended and environmental review of the fourth incinerator project was completed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). The MPCA issues a public comment period from July 11, 2023 to August 25, 2023 and a public meeting was held on August 14, 2023.

Air Permitting Process

Adding a fourth incinerator required a major amendment to the existing Air Permit for the Metro Plant, which is administered through the MPCA (Air Permit 12300053-101). The revised air permit was issued on January 4, 2024.
View a (PDF) copy of the completed air permit.

Voluntary Environmental Assessment Process

The Met Council submitted a voluntary environmental assessment worksheet (EAW) including a risk analysis screening spreadsheet (RASS) and went through an independent environmental review of the project by the MPCA. The MPCA determined that fourth incinerator project does not have the potential for significant environmental effects and no environmental impact statement (EIS) was needed..

View a (PDF) of the Findings of Fact document issued by the MPCA.