Governor OKs Wallula power plant
Locke signs off on the site certification for the 1,300 megawatt, natural-gas-fired plant.
By ANDY PORTER of the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
A $600 million power plant planned for the Wallula area got the green light from the state to proceed today.
Gov. Gary Locke signed the approval for site certification for the Wallula Power Project, a 1,300 megawatt, natural-gas-fired plant to be located on the east side of U.S. Highway 12 adjacent to IBP and the Simplot cattle feedlot.
The governor's approval was the final step in a process that began in 2000 when the project developers, Wallula Generation LLC, a subsidiary of Newsport Northwest, started the site study process with the state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council.
The council sent its recommendation for approval to Locke in mid-November.
Robert Kahn, public affairs director for Newport Northwest, said today the state's approval was ``absolutely essential'' to moving the project ahead.
The next step is securing commitments from major utilities to use the power generated by the plant. After that, the developers can pursue investment capital, Kahn said.
``Those can't happen without site certification,'' he said.
``It's a major milestone for this county, to have a project of this size and scope receive permit certification by the state,'' said Jim Kuntz, executive director for the Port of Walla Walla.
Kuntz said the plant, when fully operational, will have a great impact on the county's property tax receipts. ``They would be equal to, if not exceed, those of Boise Cascade, and they contribute about $3 million a year to the county in property taxes.'' U-B reporter Cathy Grimes contributed to this report.
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