Allen County could soon be home to almost a billion dollars worth of new power plants.

Delta Power Co. of Morristown, N.J., is planning to build a power station that will cost more than $400 million, company President Dean Vanech confirmed Wednesday. The station, which will produce 750 megawatts of electricity, will be located at an industrial site in Fort Shawnee south of Buckeye Road and west of South Dixie Highway.

"At this point, I'd say we're committed to this site. We think it's a very good site for a power plant. We think it's a sensitive and sensible place to build," Vanech said. He said the company already has an option on the site.

Marcel Wagner, president and chief executive officer of the Allen County Economic Development Group, said the Fort Shawnee location is a good place for the company to build because the area has a large supply of natural gas and access to high-capacity electric lines. Where these two components cross is a common place for power plants to build, he said.

The station is the second to commit to the Lima area, following Global Energy's plans for a $550 million station at the former Lima Locomotive Works. Delta's plant could open as early as 2004, Vanech said.

Vanech said Delta's plant is more traditional than Global's because all three of its turbines will be powered by natural gas. The Fort Shawnee project has been dubbed the "Hyperion Project," he said.

"What we're looking at putting in is a 750-megawatt power plant, which would be natural gas-fired using state-of-the-art technology to both assure the most efficient power project on the market and the most environmentally friendly power plant on the market," he said.

Global is planning to use a gasification technology to create a different gas to power one of its two turbines.

Permit applications for Delta could be filed with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Power Siting Board of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio by late September, Vanech said.

All the power produced would go on the electrical distribution net covering Ohio, Michigan and other states in the region, Vanech said. It won't be sold beyond that, such as to California. Delta operates 13 other plants, five in California, he said.

Delta is firmly committed to the Fort Shawnee site, Vanech said. Preparations have been quietly under way for the last 18 months.

"It had to pass a hell of a lot of scrutiny," he said of the site.

One thing still up in the air is the water supply needed. While not saying how much water will be needed, Vanech said the company wants to use "reclaimed" water, or water that is slated to be injected back into the ground. The plant may also use water recently treated by a wastewater treatment plant, so it may require a little cleaning up before being used.

That way, the public won't need to worry about a drain on its drinking water, he said.

Lima Mayor David Berger said the city of Lima was approached about providing a water service, but he wasn't sure of any details.

As for the number of jobs the plant will create, Vanech couldn't commit yet to a number of permanent jobs, though he said they would be skilled, high-paying positions. When told of a report of 50 jobs created, he said that may be a little high, but he doesn't know yet.

Many more would be created in the 30-month construction period, he added.

If that timetable is accurate, both power stations will be under construction at the same time just a few miles apart. Vanech said he welcomes having a company like Global around because having two companies nearby means the area power grid will be stronger.

Vanech said the company is committed to keeping the public informed of what's going on from here on out. He said local and state officials have been very helpful.

While Wagner said the plant is not yet a signed deal, he did mention some of the positive contributions it could bring to the area.

"It's a large project so lots of tax revenue will be generated for the schools and the community," he said. "It will also provide some new jobs and, because it's natural gas, it is environmentally friendly. It's a nice type of facility."

(Reporter Renee Knight contributed to this report.)


© 2001 The Lima News