Coal plant keeps air permit

MONTANA - A coal-fired power plant being built near Great Falls can keep its air-quality permit after meeting a key construction deadline, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality said.

The 250-megawatt Highwood Generating Station is being built by the Southern Montana Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative. It has encountered numerous delays tied to problems raising money for the project, and to lawsuits by some environmental groups and residents of the Great Falls area.

The plant risked losing its air permit — first issued in May 2007 — if construction was not well under way by the end of November.

Southern Montana Electric scrambled to meet the deadline, starting construction in late October with only a small portion of the necessary funding in hand.

Charles Homer, DEQ permitting manager, wrote Southern Montana Electric on that the co-op had succeeded in deadline compliance.

Keeping the air permit helps the co-op make its case to potential investors that the power plant will be built, said Tim Gregori, general manager of Southern Montana Electric.

"Validating the air permit and showing we're under construction shows we have a valid project moving forward and there's a reasonable expectation the project will be completed," Gregori said.

Under the project's construction timeline, the plant could be operating by 2013.

Related News

ontario-ev-jobs-boom

Ontario's EV Jobs Boom

ONTARIO - The electric vehicle (EV) revolution is gaining momentum in Canada, with Honda Canada announcing a historic $15 billion investment to establish the country's first comprehensive EV supply chain in Ontario. This ambitious project promises to create thousands of new jobs, solidify Canada's position in the EV market, and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Honda's Electrifying Vision

The centerpiece of this initiative is a brand-new, world-class electric vehicle assembly plant in Alliston, Ontario. This will be Honda's first dedicated EV assembly plant globally, marking a significant shift towards a more sustainable future. Additionally, a standalone battery manufacturing plant will…

READ MORE

Iran supplying 40% of Iraq’s need for electricity

READ MORE

nb ev charging network planned

NB Power launches public charging network for EVs

READ MORE

blue sky transmission line

Duke Energy Florida to build its largest battery storage projects yet

READ MORE

powerlines

Toronto Prepares for a Surge in Electricity Demand as City Continues to Grow

READ MORE