NEW BOLLINGER COUNTY PLANT STUDIED

MARBLE HILL -- A Houston, Texas-based company may build a $200 million, peak-energy power plant in Bollinger County.

The Bollinger County Commission is negotiating with Duke Energy North America, which would pay money to the county in lieu of taxes.

The company also is looking at a site in Audrain County as well as other locations nationwide.

Duke Energy plans to hold a public meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church Family Outreach Center in Marble Hill.

"Something that is really important to us is public acceptance," said Kate Perez, manager of public affairs for the company. "We don't want to be part of a community where we are not wanted."

Duke Energy wants to build a plant to generate electricity during periods of peak demand and sell it to other utilities.

Studies show there is a need for more electrical power, said Perez.

Duke Energy has an option on 63 acres of land along Highway 34, eight miles east of Marble Hill. The company likes the site because it offers access to a natural-gas pipeline and major electrical transmission lines.

The proposed plant would generate electricity with eight, natural-gas-powered turbines. The plant will operate the turbines 2,500 hours a year at most, Perez said. It takes only 20 minutes to fire up the turbines.

There are some 1,400 such peaking plants in the United States.

Perez said Duke Energy plans to break ground next June on two new power plants with completion slated for June 2001.

Duke Energy North America currently operates five plants in Connecticut and California and has another five under construction in Ohio, Indiana, Maine, Texas and Arizona.

Duke Energy Corp., headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is the parent company of Duke Energy North America. The parent company has more than $29 billion in assets and operates in more than 50 countries. It produces, transports and markets energy.

If a plant is constructed in Bollinger County, it could provide 200 to 300 construction jobs during the yearlong project

Perez said the project won't require the county to build new roads or schools. At the same time, the county will benefit from money in lieu of taxes.

Duke Energy wants to set up the plant under a state law that allows the county to own the plant on paper. The company then doesn't have to pay real estate or personal property taxes.

Presiding Commissioner Ken Trentham said, "It is going to save them millions of dollars."

But Trentham said the county would benefit from the money that the company would pay in lieu of taxes.

Trentham said it hasn't been determined yet how much money the county would receive.

"We hope to have everything worked out by the end of the month," he said.