Blue Ridge Power Agency, AMP-Ohio plan to build coal-fired project of up to 750 MW

POWER - 03/03/2004

Blue Ridge Power Agency plans to partner with American Municipal Power-Ohio to develop a coal-fired plant of 500 MW to 750 MW. The partners did not specify where the plant would be built.

The Danville, Va.-based joint action agency intends to become an equity owner in the project, taking approximately 100 MW of its output.

Blue Ridge, with 10 members and an approximately 830-MW load, also will share in any beneficial proposals that come out of a recent "request of interest" issued by Columbus-based AMP-Ohio. AMP is soliciting offers for up to 750 MW of baseload power by Jan. 1, 2009. Responses are due by March 19.

The proposals will be evaluated as part of the power plant study that began last year, according to Kent Carson, AMP-Ohio director of member relations.

Duane Dahlquist, Blue Ridge general manager, said the agency traditionally has been involved with small hydroelectric projects and has never participated in "bricks and mortar" generation assets. "However, given the new wholesale electric market, our members became very interested in ways to ensure an equally reliable source of power but with more price certainty and control over our future energy needs," he said. The feasibility study is expected to be completed in late summer.