Richmond County Daily Journal (Rockingham, NC): = Document Display

From: Subject: Richmond County Daily Journal (Rockingham, NC): Document Display Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2007 14:11:22 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C82148.135F6540" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C82148.135F6540 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=print&p_docid=11CA0EDD5F05F0B8 =EF=BB=BF Richmond County Daily Journal (Rockingham, NC): = Document Display

Richmond County Daily Journal (Rockingham, NC)

October 30,=20 2007

Progress = plans=20 expansions
Stacy=20 Stenberg/Richmond County Daily = Journal =20

Progress = Energy=20 Carolinas plans to build an estimated $700 million to $750 million = addition to its Richmond County Energy complex in Hamlet = adding=20 about $3 million to the county's tax = base.

The plant addition and a new = 64-mile=20 transmission line to be built between Richmond and Cumberland = counties=20 were announced Monday at the Cole Auditorium.

"It's an exciting day for Richmond County citizens," said = Richmond=20 County Commission Chairman Kenneth Robinette.

Progress Energy Vice President Emerson Gower = said he=20 was excited about the expansion.

"Progress Energy has had an outstanding = relations=20 with Richmond County since 1999," Gower said.

He said the power industry has changed a lot since the = 1970s.=20 Today's homes are larger and have more appliances and technology = that use=20 electricity.

Progress Energy serves about a million and a = half=20 customers in North and South Carolinas and Florida.

"This area is growing," Gower said, noting between 25,000 = to 30,000=20 homes and businesses are being added each year.

Plant expansion

To meet the growth, Gower said Progress = Energy will=20 expand its plant in Hamlet with an approximately 570-megawatt (MW) = combined-cycle plant fueled primarily by natural gas.

The complex is the company's third largest in the = Carolinas, with=20 more than 1,230 MW of existing gas-fueled electric generation. No = property=20 will be purchased for the addition.

"We are excited about a new investment. This state of the = art plant=20 will be a good neighbor while meeting the electricity needs of our = customers in the Carolinas," Gower said.

Plant construction will begin in mid-2009. Gower expects=20 approximately 500 construction workers to complete the project in = 24=20 months.

"That's a very aggressive time schedule," he said. "That's = our best=20 estimate."

An increase in Progress Energy's Richmond = County tax=20 bill is also expected. Gower said that's why some elected = officials had=20 smiles on their faces. Today, Progress Energy pays = about=20 $2.4 million in taxes. "We can see that amount double with this = addition,"=20 Gower said.

"I think there's no question it will have an impact beyond = this=20 area," Gower said.

Progress Energy's Project Manager Andy = MacGregor said=20 the construction project will have a slow steady start. At it's = peak,=20 there will be 500 workers, he said.

He said they plan to leave the existing plant undisturbed.

Progress Energy's Hamlet Plant Manager Eric = Northeim=20 said the new construction will be off to the side and won't impact = the=20 existing operation. "It shouldn't cause power outages," he said.

Northeim has been at the plant for two years and = anticipates the=20 additional plant could add seven to 10 jobs. Currently, the plant = employs=20 34.

Gower identified Progress Energy staff at the = event=20 and thanked Richmond County Director of Economic Development Rick = Sago and=20 County Manager Jim Haynes for their support.

No incentives

Haynes said, "All involved in economic development work = agree that=20 the strongest growth can occur from within the existing community = of=20 industries."

"Seven years ago, the county was able to provide utility=20 infrastructure to Progress Energy for the existing = power=20 generation facility. We all had enough forethought to plan for = expansions=20 and it is very satisfying to be able to see some planning from = years ago=20 pay off," Haynes said.

Robinette put the announcement into perspective at the = state and=20 local levels.

He said Progress Energy's investment = announcement was=20 second only to Google in terms of investment without incentives.

Sago said no tax abatements or incentives are being = provided to=20 Progress for the project.

Robinette also compared the investment in terms of homes. = With the=20 average home value of $60,000, he said it would take 5,000 homes = to=20 compare with Progress' investment.

Whereas the addition of homes and people would use water, = school,=20 law enforcement and community resources, Robinette said = Progress=20 will not have an impact on the community.

New lines

In addition to the plant expansion, Gower said they will = need to=20 build a 64-mile transmission line from Hamlet to Cumberland = County.

The new 230-kiloVolt (kV) transmission line will begin at=20 Progress Energy's Richmond County Energy = Complex=20 switchyard, south of Hamlet, and end at a substation on Woodruff = Street on=20 Fort Bragg Army Base.

Progress Energy expects to complete the plant = and=20 transmission line construction by June 1, 2011. Transmission line = route=20 selection, easement acquisition, additional engineering and design = and=20 other milestones will occur before construction gets under way. = The=20 project will require approval by the N.C. Utilities Commission and = other=20 agencies, as well as the Progress Energy board of = directors.

Gower said public meetings have already been set on the=20 transmission lines.

Progress Energy has sent letters to residents = whose=20 property might be affected directly by any of the potential power = line=20 routes.

Two, open house-style public meetings will be held. The = meetings=20 will run from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 13 at Leath Memorial Library, 412 = E.=20 Franklin St., Rockingham; and Nov. 15, at the Raeford City Hall = council=20 chambers, 315 N. Main St., Raeford.

Progress Energy representatives will provide=20 information and will seek input from property owners on the = proposed=20 route.

A final route for the transmission line will be chosen in = the first=20 quarter of 2008.

The new transmission line will be built on 100-foot-wide = property=20 easements. Current construction plans call for the line to be = suspended on=20 steel-pole structures (some with guy wires and some without).

Save energy=20

Gower also encouraged people to conserve energy. = Those=20 attending were encouraged to take a compact fluorescent bulb and = use it in=20 their homes. He said it's compact, uses 75 percent energy=20

Progress Energy also has a "Save the Watts" = campaign.=20 Gower asked people to pick up the list of 100 energy = savings tips.=20 A Web site www.savethewatts.com has information on how to save=20 energy. The 100 tips are available on the Web site.

Contact Editor Stacy Stenberg at 997-3111, ext. 18; e-mail: = sstenberg@yourdailyjournal.com

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