Transportation company uses wind to power wastewater treatment plant

NORTH KANSAS CITY, MO, Nov. 24, 2008 -- On November 13 Norfolk Southern completed the installation of a 50 kilowatt wind turbine at its rail yard in North Kansas City to power the yard's wastewater treatment plant. The wind turbine consists of three 24-foot rotor blades mounted on a 100-foot tower and is estimated to generate more than 100,000 kilowatt hours annually.

"The North Kansas City wind turbine is the second of its kind on Norfolk Southern, and continues our efforts to promote and incorporate sustainable business practices," said Chuck Wehrmeister, vice president safety and environmental. "We will continue to explore renewable energy applications for our facilities throughout our 22-state network."

Norfolk Southern brought its first wind turbine on line in 2007 at Bellevue Yard in Ohio. Both wind turbines, supplied by Entegrity Wind Systems of Boulder, Colo., produce at least enough power to offset the electricity consumed by the pumps and controls of the yards' wastewater treatment plants. These plants collect and treat the water used at maintenance facilities as well as rainwater runoff.

>> More information on Norfolk Southern's sustainability efforts

Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 21,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia.

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