As of September 30, 2016, the Carbon Capture and Sequestration Technologies program at MIT has closed. The website is being kept online as a reference but will not be updated.

Wallula Energy Resource Center Fact Sheet: Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage Project

Company/Alliance: Wallula Resource Recovery LLC and Edison Mission Group

Location: Attalia Industrial Area, Wallula, Walla Walla County, Washington, USA

Feedstock: Coal (Powder River Basin)

Size: 600-700 MW

Capture Technology: IGCC/Pre-combustion

CO2 Fate: Sequestration in basalt formations 1.3 miles underground

Timing: Cancelled in 2008 due to trouble obtaining drilling equipment.
Original timing: Basalt sequestration demonstration (2007), air emission testing at demonstration plant in Nakoso, Japan (2007), application filed with EFSEC (2007), site certification agreement with EFSEC (2008), financing completed (2009), construction (2009), and commissioning (2013)

Motivation/Economics:

The estimated cost is approximately $2.2 billion. They are planning on applying for Investment Tax Credits authorized by the DOE to encourage clean coal gasification technology.  The process will cut 65% of carbon dioxide emissions. The Washington Legislature passed a new law in 2007 that requires all new power plants in Washington to be as clean as recently built natural gas power plants or they must sequester the additional greenhouse gases.

Comments:

Delays in Batelle's testing of CO2 injectivity into Basalt and trouble obtaining the proper drilling equipment for a test well at WERC caused delays in early 2008 and the permits were retracted. WERC said they will continue research on CO2 injectivity into Basalt, but the IGCC power plant has been cancelled.
The location had convenient rail and highway access, readily available industrial water supplies, as well as being near both a gas pipeline and high voltage lines. There are two plants ready for construction in the Attalia Industrial Area that burn ethanol and biodiesel. Wallula Energy has withdrawn its request for an IGCC construction near Wallula quoting delays in DOE phase 2 pilot test.

Project Link: Wallula Energy Resource Center (WERC)

Other Sources and Press Release:
Wallula Energy withdraws request for IGCC project construction near Wallula Wa. (April 2008)
Power plant would bury greenhouse gas (July 2007)