It was all systems go for the newest generating unit at East Kentucky Power Cooperative’s Spurlock Station Wednesday.
“We began testing the unit in November and December, first firing the boiler with oil then coal which is typical for this type of operation,” said Nick Comer, EKPC spokesperson.
The $528 million project to build the 278 megawatt unit brought 700 jobs to the area and will help the company provide electrical power to EKPC and 16 not-for-profit cooperatives, officials said.
“This is a proud day for EKP and the employees at Spurlock Station who worked so hard to bring Unit 4 on-line over the past 33 months,” said EKPC CEO Bob Marshall.
The unit is located adjacent to two conventional coal-fired generating units and an identical clean-coal unit which went on-line in 2005. The clean-coal units use a process known as circulating fluidized bed process which feeds limestone into the boilers, resulting in extremely low emission levels, official said.
With the new unit operating at commercial level, coordinators overseeing the electrical grid can tell EKPC officials when to take power up and down as needed.
“Before this unit came on line we occasionally had to buy power from the grid and that gets expensive,” Comer said.
The unit can also burn renewable fuels like switchgrass and is part of a four year study with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture project to burn up to 400 tons of switchgrass as fuel.
Switchgrass is native to Kentucky and in December 2008, EKPC mixed about 70 tons of processed switchgrass into the coal feedstock of the first clean-coal unit built at Spurlock Station, the E.A. Gilbert generating unit.
On March 31, Kentucky Public Service Commission approved an EKPC request for a rate increase to recover the $528 million cost of the project, Comer said.
Effective Wednesday, the decision will mean an increase on the average monthly residential utility bill of six percent, about $6.75, Comer said.
“We understand that households and businesses across Kentucky are facing rising costs, but this increase is necessary in order for our cooperative to meet our members’ increasing demand for power,” Marshall said. “EKP is committed to providing power as affordably and reliably as possible.”
EKPC and its partner cooperatives provide energy for 500,000 homes, farms and businesses in 87 counties across Kentucky, officials aid.
For energy saving tips go to www.simplesavings.coop.
Contact Wendy Mitchell at wendy.mitchell@lee.net or call 606-564-9091, ext. 276
For more area news, go to www.maysville-online.com.
