CPS Starts Building Its Coal Plant
Mar 22 - San Antonio Express-News
CPS Energy officials Tuesday celebrated the start of construction on their new
$1 billion coal-fired plant at Calaveras Lake, the first new coal plant to be
built in Texas in 15 years.
When finished, Unit 2 of the J.K. Spruce Power Plant will be capable of
generating 750 megawatts. CPS provides electricity to some 630,000 customers,
and is adding more than 1,000 per month.
CPS will spend more than $200 million on environmental controls for the
facility, and another $400 million to upgrade emissions controls on its other
coal-fired power plants.
"All in all, CPS Energy is investing more than a half a billion dollars to have
the best suite of qualified power plants in the U.S., or most likely anywhere
else for that matter," said Milton Lee, general manager and CEO of the utility.
The last hurdle to build the plant was crossed when the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality approved its permit earlier this year. Environmental
groups fighting the plant dropped their opposition after CPS agreed to step up
its conservation and renewable energy goals.
CPS Energy has agreed to raise its target for energy efficiency and conservation
to 65 megawatts by 2016 and for renewable energy to 15 percent of capacity by
2020. The old targets were 30 megawatts by 2011 and 10 percent of capacity by
2015.
"Spruce 2 is going to have the best available emissions control technology in
the United States," said Mayor Phil Hardberger, who also serves on the CPS Board
of Trustees. "And they did that in part because they listened to the community
and the community's desires to have an environmentally friendly plant."
Spruce 2, slated for completion by 2010, will be built by Calaveras Power
Partners, a consortium led by Zachry Construction Corp., of San Antonio. The
construction is expected to employ some 900 workers.
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