Public Meeting Tomorrow for Wellsville Power Plant

WELLSVILLE, Ohio – The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public information session on a draft permit for the South Field Energy facility at 6 p.m. Aug. 18 at the Southern Ruritan Club Bingo Hall, 1142 Hillcrest Road.

The public will be able to make comments regarding the proposed energy plant.

South Field Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Boston-based Advanced Power, plans today to build a $1.1 billion, 1,100-megawatt natural gas electric generating plant in Yellow Creek Township on a 150=acre parcel set back from Route 45. It wouldl produce 1,000 megawatts, enough to power more than 1 million households and will use General Electric turbine technology. Bechtel, which is constructing Advanced Power’s Carroll County Energy project, will serve as general contractor on the project.

Similar to the plant under construction near Carrollton, the $1.1 billion project here is expected to create up to 550 construction jobs over two to three years. Once operating, the plant would have 25 full-time employees in engineering, technical, operation, management and administrative positions.

The draft permit would allow the installation of a 1,150-megawatt gas turbine operating station. The turbine would use two combustion generators, two heat recovery steam generators, two steam turbine generators and two cooling towers. Additional equipment, the EPA said, includes a boiler, an emergency diesel generator, an emergency diesel fire pump and storage tanks. Natural gas will be the primary fuel for the generators, with ultra-low sulfur diesel as a secondary fuel.

Should the permit be approved, emissions at South Field would “not be allowed to exceed levels that protect public health and the environment.” The draft permit can be read here.

The Ohio EPA noted that it does not have authority over zoning, noise levels, eminent domain, siting and setbacks to homes, schools and businesses.

For those not able to attend the meeting, the state EPA will also accept written statements submitted to the district office through the close of business Aug. 22. Statements can be mailed to Ohio EPA Northeast District Office, Corey Kurjian, 2110 East Aurora Rd. Twinsburg, Ohio, 44087 or submitted via email to [email protected].

Pictured: Rendering of the project.

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