The Ohio River laps the shores of the Buckeye and Bluegrass states, and a project involving both is creating a renewable energy source for the city of Hamilton.
American Municipal Power in Columbus in June broke ground on a hydroelectric plant at the Captain Anthony Meldahl Locks and Dam in Willow Grove, Ky., in northeastern Kentucky. The plant will add 105 MW of new, renewable generation to the region. Hamilton will own 51 percent of the plant, as well as the license for the facility. AMP, a nonprofit conglomerate of 128 power companies in six states including in Ohio, will own the remainder of the plant.
"With the Meldahl project partnership, Hamilton continues its goal of providing cheap, green, renewable energy to Hamilton citizens," said Hamilton Mayor Patrick Moeller.
It's estimated that the half-billion-dollar Meldahl project will employ 200 to 400 construction workers and create up 20 permanent operating positions. The plant is expected to go online by 2014, and will generate about 70 percent of Hamilton's electricity. The city owns another plant in near Portsmouth.
"The hydroelectric generation currently being developed by AMP is a large part of a coordinated effort to reduce our members' over-dependence on the volatile wholesale market and create a balanced power supply. At the same time, this development effort is creating jobs and economic development in the region," AMP President/CEO Marc Gerken said.
Source: American Municipal Power
Writer: Feoshia Henderson