Feb 8 2010
A joint venture formed between Duke Energy and Areva, John Deere and Adage, has announced its first biomass project. The 55-megawatt biomass power plant is proposed to come up in Mason County, Washington.
Media representative for Areva, Jarret Adams, said the biomass power plant will utilize woody biomass from local forests and fuel supply contracts are still being negotiated by Adage. The company is in the process of finalizing power purchasing agreements and fuel supply contracts and anticipates starting construction of the $250-million biomass power plant late this year and is planned to commence operation in late 2013, Adams added. He further said that most of the power produced from the facility will be supplied to the local community. The power generated from the plant is enough to meet the electricity needs of about 40,000 households.
According to Adage, the benefits for the county during its construction for two and half years and operations include creation of about 700 direct and indirect jobs and generation of economic activity to the tune of $100 million. The rural communities in Washington will be benefited when the plant becomes permanently operational.
Adams said the plant is ideally located in the heavily wooded areas of the Mason County region. This is the first facility in the Pacific Northwest among the three plants proposed by Adage. The other two facilities are in Florida. Construction for the Hamilton Biopower plant located in Hamilton County will commence this year and for Gadsden Biopower facility located in Gadsden County is in initial stages of project planning.
Source: http://us.areva.com