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Proposed Washington County coal plant loses two more investors

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

Two more utilities have backed out of a coalition that wants to build a proposed coal-fired power plant in Washington County, Ga.

From the Macon Telegraph:

Electric cooperatives representing half the stake in a proposed coal-fired power plant in Middle Georgia have pulled out of the deal, electric membership corporations confirmed Tuesday.

The $2.1 billion Plant Washington project is being developed for a site eight miles north of Sandersville by Power4Georgians, which originally consisted of 10 partner EMCs. The two with the largest stakes, Jackson and GrayStone Power, have pulled out, as have the smaller Excelsior and Diverse Power.

All the cooperatives that have stepped away from the plant cited uncertainty about future federal regulation of carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired plants, which seems eminent.

The four EMCs that withdrew represented 50 percent to 55 percent of the total stake in the plant, said Chip Stewart with Cookerly Public Relations, which represents Power4Georgians.

The Telegraph has a thorough report as to why the EMCs are leaving the project. Check it out.

Two utilities back out of proposed Georgia coal plant

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

Two Georgia utilities have backed out of a coalition that wants to build a  coal-fired power plant in Washington County, Ga.

GreyStone Power and Excelsior Electric Membership Corporation’s exit from the $2.2 billion project now leaves eight investors, all EMCs, to pay for the 850 MW plant.

From the AJC:

Led by Cobb EMC, the project was a departure for the state’s electric cooperatives. Co-ops distribute power in Georgia, but had not built a large-scale generating plant before.

GreyStone cited an uncertain regulatory environment in Washington for the decision.

Dean Alford, a spokesman for the coalition, said the remaining co-ops are committed to the project. In a statement, the coalition said Georgia’s future energy needs can’t be met without coal.