Allegheny Energy dedicates Pleasants Power project

By RACHEL LANE, rlane@newsandsentinel.com
WILLOW ISLAND — The new chimney and scrubber system at Allegheny Energy has been officially dedicated.

Wednesday morning, Allegheny officials gathered with about 50 Pleasants County area community leaders in the Pleasants Power Station near Belmont. The $1.5 million project began in 2005 and was completed in December 2007. The factory’s emissions are being sent through a scrubber system to remove sulfur dioxide, or SO2.

“Our coal-fired plants are critical to the region’s energy infrastructure and we are committed to operating them in an environmentally sound manner,” said Paul Evanson, CEO of Allegheny Energy.

He said the chimney and scrubbers were one of five projects to reduce SO2 emissions.

“We’ll reduce about 70 percent of our emissions” when all five projects are complete, Evanson said. Allegheny will be one of the cleanest coal-burning companies in the country, he said.

“We remain focused on environmental stewardship,” he said.

Allen Staggers, spokesman for Allegheny, said tests on the air quality have been run.

“It’s operating at about a 98 percent” efficiency to remove the SO2, he said. In the three months the scrubbers have been operating, there have been no large particle discharges that occurred before and decreased mercury levels.

U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., said the plant employs about 200 people and keeps others employed by purchasing the coal.

“This may remain unappreciated by the people who turn their lights on tonight,” he said. “Fifty-one percent of electricity comes from coal. Water and other renewable resources, you just can’t get enough energy for this nation.”

Larry Gainer, Pleasants County Economic Development Authority director, said the dedication of the new equipment is good for the county.

“This kind of upgrade lends itself toward a long-term presence of Allegheny in the county,” he said.

Allegheny is the largest property tax payer in the county. The jobs are good paying and long-term positions, Gainer said.

“The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) put southern Pleasants County under business restrictions” because of emissions, Gainer said. “We look forward to those restrictions being lifted” as a result of the scrubbers.

Delegate Woody Ireland, R-Ritchie, said the new equipment shows Allegheny’s dedication to the county.

“Without (the workers) dedication, management wouldn’t have supported this” new construction, Ireland said. The employees work hard to show their commitment to the company, he said.

“This is something we have to protect, the industry on the Ohio River,” he said. Counties surrounding Pleasants County depend on the energy produced for Allegheny.

“We’re using more and more electricity as we use more technology,” Ireland said.

Gainer said Allegheny encourages employees to interact with Belmont Elementary School, the company’s partner in education.

“It makes some programs possible at the school that may not be possible without them,” he said.

Dan Shearer, regional manager, announced Allegheny would be giving a sign to BES to put over the doorway.

“We’re very excited about the sign. It’ll really help the visitors to the school,” said Melissa Carder, fourth-grade teacher. The school is connected to Pleasants County Middle School and visitors often go in the wrong door.