Oglethorpe Power to build biomass generation
Designed to use woody biomass the power plants will provide power to OPC's 38 member cooperatives. The plants could cost as much as $500 million each, or $5,000/kW.
The first two biomass power plants are scheduled to be built and placed into operation in 2014 and 2015. A third unit could also be completed and placed into service in 2015.
Each plant will require an annual investment of more than $30 million for fuel stock.
The power plants will be steam-electric generation stations using conventional fluidized bed boiler/steam turbine technology.
The plants will be designed to allow for the co-firing of other types of biomass, such as pecan hulls and peanut shells. There are no plans to use any fossil fuels.
Depending on the location, water would be obtained either from onsite wells, nearby surface waters, from municipal sources or grey water from nearby industries.
OPC has approximately $5 billion in assets, and serves 38 Electric Membership Corporations which, collectively, provide electricity to 4.1 million Georgia citizens. Its energy portfolio includes natural gas, hydroelectric, coal, and nuclear generating plants with a combined capacity of approximately 4,700 MW, as well as purchased power.
Related News
Texas Utilities back out of deal to create smart home electricity networks
HOUSTON - Utilities made a promise several years ago when they built Smart Meter Texas that they’d come up with a way for consumers to monitor their electricity use in real time. But now they’re backing out of the deal with the approval of state regulators, leaving in the lurch retail power companies that are building their business model on the promise of real time pricing and denying consumers another option for managing their electricity costs.
Texas utilities collected higher rates to finance the building of a statewide smart meter network that would allow customers to track their electricity use and…
