Longview Power Acquires Plant

Washington PA  Observer Reporter
22 December 2011

Longview Power has accepted ownership of the 695-megawatt, coal-fired plant it constructed in Monongalia County, W.Va., just south of the Greene County border.

The company accepted ownership from the plant's main contractors after it was the determined the plant had achieved "substantial completion," said a news release issued by the company.

The main contractors on the $2 billion project were Kvaerner North American Construction Inc. and Siemens Energy Inc.

The plant had begun producing electricity in May and since that time has been going through numerous tests in preparation for commercial operations.

"During the development, construction and commissioning of this complex facility, we have successfully met highly rigorous standards and requirements for operational performance, environmental compliance and safety," said Charlie Huguenard, Longview general manager.

"We look forward to productive and sustained commercial operation of the facility for decades to come," he said.

The plant was first proposed in late 2002, and after all permits were received, a process that included lengthy legal challenges to its air-quality permit, groundbreaking was held in May 2007.

The plant will operate under the lowest permitted air emission limits imposed by West Virginia for a coal-fired plant, the company said.

At full load, the plant will burn about 6,600 tons of coal a day, most of it mined in Greene County at mines owned by Mepco LLC, a parent company of Dana Mining Co.

The coal is conveyed to the plant by means of a 4.5-mile coal conveyor belt constructed from Dana's 4 West Mine near Bobtown to the power plant.

The plant also will use water for cooling drawn from the Monongahela River and treated at a plant the company constructed near Poland Mines.

The Longview plant is the largest privately funded project in West Virginia history. It is staffed by 96 full-time employees and generates an additional 500 indirect jobs in the region, the company said.