2008 News
Dec 21: Group asks Hudson to avoid plant
HUDSON -- "Petitions with 875 signatures calling for Hudson to drop out of American Municipal Power-Ohio's plan to build a coal-fired power plant in southern Ohio were presented to City Council on Wednesday. The petitions were presented by council president Mike Moran and supported by Ohio Citizen Action, a statewide eco-group opposed to the 1,000-megawatt plant that could open in 2014. The petition cites the rising construction costs, coal and financing along with the 50-year contract that Hudson had approved in late 2007. Moran, who will soon become a state representative, had opposed the agreement, saying Hudson should consider alternatives,"Akron Beacon Journal.
Dec 19: Turner: Review power contract
MARTINSVILLE, VA -- "Martinsville City Councilman Danny Turner will ask the city to revisit its contract for electricity with AMP-Ohio. 'We might try to sell our share. We should see what kind of financial costs' would be involved in getting out of the contract, Turner said Thursday. Turner was responding to a report that construction costs for one of the three AMP-Ohio (American Municipal Power-Ohio) power stations in which Martinsville has agreed to participate are expected to rise 10 percent. The Meigs County, Ohio, coal-fired plant now is projected to cost $3.25 billion, up from an initial estimate to $2.9 billion, according to published reports," Ginny Wray, Martinsville Bulletin.
Dec 18: Environmental groups challenge water pollution permit for proposed AMP-Ohio coal plant
Approximate location of the proposed AMP-Ohio coal plant.
COLUMBUS -- "Three environmental organizations have appealed Ohio EPA's water pollution permit for AMP-Ohio's proposed new coal-fired power plant. The plant would be located next to the Ohio River in Meigs County, where it would discharge toxic chemicals into the river. Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, and Ohio Environmental Council say that the permit violates the Clean Water Act because it does not protect water quality from mercury and other pollutants. The Environmental Review Appeals Commission (ERAC) has scheduled a pre-hearing conference on the case for January 2009, but the full hearing schedule has not yet been announced," Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Program
MARTINSVILLE, VA -- AMP-Ohio costs up; impact not certain, Ginny Wray, Martinsville Bulletin.
Dec 2: AMP confirms plan to use mix of Central Appalachian and Ohio coal for proposed Meigs County plant
CLEVELAND -- "AMP-Ohio's October 2008 revised feasibility study for its proposed new coal plant reaffirms AMP's decision to purchase coal 'from mines in Ohio and the Central Appalachian region.' Central Appalachian coal arrives in Ohio as a combination of mountaintop removal coal and coal from underground mines. The revised feasibility study says that AMP commissioned a coal supply study in August 2008, which 'evaluated both eastern and western coal blends (i.e. Powder River Basin)' and reconfirmed AMP's decision to use eastern blend coal. (p. 8)," Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
Nov 25: Ohio power plant clears state hurdle
COLUMBUS
-- "Another piece of the AMP-Ohio power plant proposal in Meigs County
clears a state hurdle.
The Ohio Power Siting Board has authorized the construction of a 345
kilovolt electric transmission line.
The five mile long line through Letart and Sutton Townships will
connect the AMP-Ohio generating station to the regional electric grid.
AMP-Ohio plans to begin construction in 2009.
The transmission line and generating station are expected to be fully
operational by 2013," WSAZ. DANVILLE, VA --Danville Utility Commission: AMP-Ohio station construction cost increases, Danville Register Bee.
Nov 21: Surprise drop in power use delivers jolt to utilities
WASHINGTON, DC -- "An unexpected drop in U.S. electricity consumption has utility companies worried that the trend isn't a byproduct of the economic downturn, and could reflect a permanent shift in consumption that will require sweeping change in their industry. Numbers are trickling in from several large utilities that show shrinking power use by households and businesses in pockets across the country. Utilities have long counted on sales growth of 1% to 2% annually in the U.S., and they created complex operating and expansion plans to meet the needs of a growing population... The data are early and incomplete, but if the trend persists, it could ripple through companies' earnings and compel major changes in the way utilities run their businesses. Utilities are expected to invest $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion by 2030 to modernize their electric systems and meet future needs, according to an industry-funded study by the Brattle Group. However, if electricity demand is flat or even declining, utilities must either make significant adjustments to their investment plans or run the risk of building too much capacity. That could end up burdening customers and shareholders with needless expenses," Rebecca Smith, Wall Street Journal.
Nov 20: Report: Deadly mercury pollution up at most of top 50 worst U.S. coal-fired power plants
WASHINGTON, DC -- "Coal-fired power plants are the single largest source of mercury air pollution, accounting for roughly 40 percent of all mercury emissions nationwide, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Mercury is a highly toxic metal that, once released into the atmosphere, settles in lakes and rivers, where it moves up the food chain to humans. The Centers for Disease Control has found that roughly 6 percent of American women carry mercury concentrations at levels considered to put a fetus at risk of neurological damage," press release, Environmental Integrity Project.
Nov 18: AMP coal plant construction costs up another $400 million
CLEVELAND -- "Several recent developments indicate the that costs of the proposed AMP-Ohio Generating Station will be much higher than what city councils were led to believe when they voted to participate in this plant. AMP-Ohio announced on November 3 that the cost of the AMPGS plant has risen to $3.3 billion, plus the cost of financing. Ohio Citizen Action has asked AMP-Ohio to make this new feasibility study public. These new estimates illustrate how difficult it is to control the costs of the plant -- just as several independent consultants predicted in February. It is also unlikely that these are actual prices. Since the plant will not go into construction for some time most experts are predicting the price to rise even further," Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action. 63 KB doc.
Nov 17: Ruling may impact local AMP project
LETART FALLS -- "On Thursday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency appeals panel asked the EPA’s Denver regional office to consider imposing carbon dioxide emission limits on a proposed coal-fired power plant in Utah. Supporters of the decision are claiming this may set a legal precedent for nationwide emission controls on carbon dioxide... Environmental groups such as the Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council have been a vocal opponent to American Municipal Power-Ohio’s planned coal-fired power plant in Letart Falls. They, along with other intervenors, are appealing the plant’s air permit-to-install approved earlier this year by the Ohio EPA. 'We are reviewing the decision,' Kent Carson, communications director for AMP-Ohio said about the Utah case. 'We review all decisions for all permits nationally that affect our industry ... we recognize it could have widespread impact and are looking at it very carefully,'" Beth Sergent, Pomeroy Daily Sentinel.
Nov 14: Environmentalists win big EPA ruling on coal emissions
WASHINGTON, DC -- "Environmentalists have long known that when it comes to climate change, coal will be a dealbreaker. The carbon-intensive fossil fuel provides nearly half of the United States' electricity, and is responsible for some 30% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. That's just due to the coal plants already operating — as the U.S. looks to expand its energy supply to meet rising demand in the future, over 100 coal plants are in various stages of development around the country. If those plants are built without the means to capture and sequester underground the carbon they emit — and it's far from clear that such technology will be commercially viable in the near-term — our ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and avert climate change will be meaningless. That's why a decision issued on Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental Appeals Board is so important," Bryan Walsh, Time Magazine.
WASHINGTON, DC -- Ruling: Coal plants must limit C02, press release, Sierra Club.
MADISON, WI -- PSC Rejects Proposed Coal Power Plant, Wisconsin AG Connection. Public Service Commission of Wisconsin press release
Nov 13: AMP-Ohio: Make new cost estimates public
COLUMBUS -- "According to press reports, AMP-Ohio has recently received a revised feasibility study for the proposed AMP Generating Station. The reports say that the construction cost has risen over $400 million since the estimates of January 2008, with additional increases in the costs of financing. AMP-Ohio has not provided the study to the public nor even posted the press release on its website. As you know, thousands of electric ratepayers across several states have a keen interest in how the proposed building of the AMPGS could affect their electric rates for fifty years. I urge you to make the revised feasibility study public, as you did with the January 2008 study," November 10 letter to Marc Gerken, AMP-Ohio President, from Ohio Citizen Action executive director Sandy Buchanan.
Nov 6: Construction costs on AMP coal plant reach $3.258 billion
Nov 4: Power plant moves forward
AKRON -- "American Municipal Power-Ohio and its 81 participating member communities have voted to proceed with building a new coal-fired power plant in southern Ohio. The Columbus-based wholesale power supplier approved a limited notice to proceed. That does not mean construction will start. This is still contingent on receipt of all necessary permits and successful negotiations on state and local incentives. But the limited notice to proceed means the project's contractor can start preliminary engineering and procurement of equipment related to the project. A deal with that contractor is to be finalized soon, spokesman Kent Carson said," Bob Downing, Akron Beacon Journal.
COLUMBUS -- AMPGS participants vote to take next step on generation project, press release, AMP-Ohio. 59 KB doc.
CLEVELAND -- Costs increase for new AMP-Ohio power plant on Ohio River in Meigs County, John Funk, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Oct 28: Three questions for AMP-Ohio communities
CLEVELAND -- "AMP-Ohio has announced that it will be asking the participants in the AMPGS coal plant to vote on October 30th on a 'limited notice to proceed' with the plant. Most communities who voted to participate in the plant held their city council votes at least a year ago. External factors, including the costs of construction and coal, the international credit crisis, and the improved political outlook for alternative energy in the U.S., have changed dramatically in the past year. Before you vote on whether to give a 'limited notice to proceed' to the AMP-Ohio Generating Station, shouldn’t you know the answers to the following questions?," Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
What is the plant really going to cost to build?
How much higher will any further delays drive the cost?
Are there more productive ways to allocate the $3 billion AMP is asking its members to provide for this 50-year deal?
Oct 24: Testimony taken at AMP hearing
RACINE -- "In one of the briefest public hearings so far in the saga to bring the $2.9 billion American Municipal Power-Ohio power plant to Meigs County, last night the Ohio Power Siting Board took formal testimony both for and against the proposed transmission line route from the plant. Less than 10 people gave formal testimony before the OPSB with regards to AMP-Ohio’s pending application to obtain the transmission line route and only one spoke out with concerns about the transmission line route. Nachy Kanfer, Columbus, of the Sierra Club’s National Coal Campaign, raised several concerns about the transmission line routes including electromagnetic field radiation which he said had been proven in some studies to affect pacemakers and show an increase in childhood leukemia," Beth Sergent, Pomeroy Daily Sentinel, October 22, 2008.
Oct 17: Pennsylvania legislature adjourns without passing bill for AMP-Ohio
CLEVELAND -- "The Pennsylvania Senate has adjourned for the year without passing legislation which would have allowed Pennsylvania boroughs to buy into AMP-Ohio’s proposed construction contracts, including the proposed coal-fired power plant in Meigs County, Ohio. AMP-Ohio had asked its member communities in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Michigan, and W. Virginia to sign 'take or pay' contracts to buy into construction of new coal-fired and hydroelectric plants.
'Take or pay' contracts place all of the financial risks for construction on the municipalities, who agree to pay for the costs of the plants no matter how high they go. Pennsylvania law currently does not allow its boroughs to sign this type of contract. State Senator Michael W. Brubaker (R-36) had introduced SB 1491, which would have allowed the law to be changed.
At least one AMP-Ohio member community in Pennsylvania had registered vociferous opposition to the legislation. Lansdale Borough Council had urged the Senate not to move the bill forward. Lansdale Borough Manager F. Lee Mangan put it this way: 'Why should we be responsible for the business practices of AMP Ohio?. If one of those plants is closed for environmental concerns, why should we have to foot the bill?' (Reporter Online, 9/6/08)," Ohio Citizen Action.
Oct 14: More bad news for AMP-Ohio coal project
New study raises "potential for disruption" to operations of South Carolina utility due to reliance on mountaintop removal coal
The South Carolina Public Service Authority's coal-fired plant.
NEW YORK, NY -- "A just-released analysis of the South Carolina Public Service Authority capital plan has highlighted 'the potential for disruption in its operations due to its reliance on coal obtained through mountaintop removal. The risks associated with this extraction method stem from public policy changes and litigation... The impact of litigation on coal prices in West Virginia, Virginia. Kentucky and Tennessee can result in permit denials that prevent or slowdown an expansion in the supply of coal,' according to the new report by public finance expert Thomas Sanzillo. 'As demand stays steady, or increases due to export pressure, prices rise. In addition, new environmental mitigation strategies that grow out of litigation increases the cost of mining, placing further upward pressure on coal prices. [The South Carolina Public Service Authority] forecasts coal prices in the range of $40 to $60 per ton between 2008 and 2013. However, the price of coal is likely to be as much as 60% higher than the Authority’s current estimates. Current future price curves for coal from the region are projecting coal prices of at least $100 per ton and higher through 2011.'"
"The same questions loom over AMP-Ohio's proposed coal plant in Meigs County, Ohio. The most recent feasibility study update for the plant assumes that AMP-Ohio would buy coal from mines in Ohio and Central Appalachia, the region in which the mountaintop removal operations are underway," Paul Ryder, Organizing Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
- Santee Cooper
Resource Plan/Mini Bond Information Client Memo,
Thomas Sanzillo, T.R. Rose Associates, October 8, 2008.
TOLEDO -- "Achieving meaningful reductions in greenhouse gases that cause global warming could result in higher taxes and electric bills while also driving up costs for everything from food to electronics. By how much? That's one of the great unknowns, though many of the world's top climate scientists believe that failing to act is a foolhardy risk that could irreversibly harm the planet and cost more in the long run," Tom Henry, Toledo Blade.
Sep 23: OEPA employee responds to e-mail controversy
COLUMBUS -- "The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency employee who wrote what has become a much talked about inter-office e-mail about a permit regarding American Municipal Power-Ohio’s proposed power plant has spoken to The Daily Sentinel... Last month the Ohio EPA maintained the e-mail, which was referenced at a public hearing on the permit by Nachy Kanfer of the Sierra Club, has been misconstrued and misunderstood. Kanfer felt the e-mail showed 'that Mike was confused about how to subvert his own judgment.' Yandrich, who has been with the agency for 13 years but only with the Division of Surface Water for four, told The Daily Sentinel on Friday his e-mail was 'definitely taken out of context by the Sierra Club...no one (from the Sierra Club) contacted or asked me what the e-mail was about. I think it was taken out of context to serve their purposes,'" Beth Sergent, Pomeroy Daily Sentinel.
Sep 22: Hearing on AMP-Ohio coal permit postponed until August 2009
CLEVELAND -- "The Environmental Review Appeals Commission moved back a scheduled hearing on AMP-Ohio's proposed coal plant by six months in an order issued on September 11, 2008. The Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, and Ohio Environmental Council have appealed the permit, stating that it violates the basic requirements of the Clean Air Act. The hearing, originally scheduled for February 2009, is now slated for August 3 through August 21, 2009. Costs of coal and construction have been rising rapidly over the past few months -- who knows what the cost of this plant will be by August 2009?," Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
Order from the Environmental Review Appeals Commission
Sep 22: Student coalition addresses implications of proposed power plant
ATHENS -- "The Sierra Student Coalition at Ohio University is working to inform students about the possible environmental effects of the American Municipal Power-Ohio’s proposed coal-fired power plant in Meigs County. The coalition is concerned with the plant’s potential land, air and water pollution, which may affect the surrounding streams and land, said Natalie Fox, events coordinator for the coalition. 'Coal-fired power plants have dangerous implications from clouds of pollution to toxic waste spilling into local streams and city water,” she said,'" Jessica Neidhard, The Post.
Sep 17: Public power braces for change - leadership roundtable
AURORA, CO -- "'I’m president and CEO of American Municipal Power of Ohio in Columbus, Ohio, which deals with 122 municipal electric systems in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan and Kentucky... We just raised over $900 million for the Prairie State Project, so the investment world does want to invest in coal plants. But it’s been an uphill battle. Every time we turn around if it’s not Citizens Actions it’s the Sierra Club, it’s the Natural Resources Defense Council, and they paint a very pessimistic view of public power and the ability to manage these large projects,'" Martin Rosenberg, EnergyBiz.
Sep 15: Sierra Club questions OEPA response
POMEROY -- "The Sierra Club is questioning the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s explanation of an inter-office e-mail as being misinterpreted. The April 10 e-mail is from Mike Yandrich of the Ohio EPA, who worked on the draft wastewater permit for the pulverized-coal power plant proposed by American Municipal Power-Ohio. The e-mail reads: 'Don’t have the SEJ (social/economic justification report) done. I am struggling personally and professionally with this, as I cannot in good faith provide any type of positive social or economic justification...' 'These e-mails don't show that Mike was confused about how to compile an SEJ report,' Kanfer said. 'They show that Mike was confused about how to subvert his own judgment, given that Ohio EPA seemed to be focused only on getting the permit approved, not on protecting public health and the environment,'" Beth Sergent, Pomeroy Daily Sentinel. Published September 14.
Sep 8: Lansdale opposes Senate bill on electricity rates
LANSDALE, PA -- "Lansdale Borough Council has officially registered its disapproval with a bill in the state Senate that could lead to higher electricity prices... Manager F. Lee Mangan said the legislation, introduced by state Sen. Michael W. Brubaker, R-36th District, would allow the Columbus-based company to defray its costs in the production of coal-fire-generating plants in Indiana and Ohio by raising prices on the consortium of communities, which include Leighton and Quakertown, according to Mangan. Why should we be responsible for the business practices of AMP Ohio? Mangan asked. If one of those plants is closed for environmental concerns, why should we have to foot the bill?,'" Bradley Schlegel, The Lansdale Reporter. Published September 6.
Sep 3: Coal plans go up in smoke
Environmentalists in the US have halted a huge new wave of coal-fired power stations. What lessons can Europe learn from them?
LONDON, UK -- "One day, historians might speculate that it was the ambition of the companies that sought to profit by building coal-fired power stations that triggered the beginning of the end for humans' most polluting habit. Four years ago, campaigners in the US raised concerns over plans to build 150 coal-fired power stations nationwide. Today, nearly half those plans have been defeated in the courts or abandoned, while half of the remaining proposals are being actively opposed. Just 14 of the 150 plants are being developed, and environmental lawyers are all still pursuing them," Juliette Jowit, The Guardian.
MORE ON COAL FIRED POWER
Aug 26: Ohio EPA: E-mail on AMP permit misunderstood
COLUMBUS -- "The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency denies an internal office e-mail written by one of its employees reflects that employee's personal issues with a draft permit concerning American Municipal Power-Ohio's proposed power project. Nachy Kanfer of the Sierra Club's Columbus office produced the April 10 e-mail at a recent public hearing on the waste water draft permit in Racine. The e-mail is from Mike Yandrich of the OEPA who worked on the draft permit. The e-mail reads: 'Don't have the SEJ (social/economic justification report) done. I am struggling personally and professionally with this, as I cannot in good faith provide any type of positive social or economic justification.' Kanfer said he interpreted the email as meaning 'even staff members inside the OEPA whose job was to find an economic and social justification for this plant found the costs too high,'" Beth Sergent, Pomeroy Daily Sentinel.
Aug 25: AMP Ohio announces participants committee for coal plant
RACINE -- "AMP-Ohio announced on Friday that it has formed the participants committee for its proposed new coal plant in Meigs County, Ohio. The committee will be chaired by Cleveland Public Power Commissioner Ivan Henderson. AMP-Ohio announced it had reached 750 megawatts in commitments for power sales from its members. AMP-Ohio has not provided any further public information about the projected costs of the plant. Electric ratepayers in the communities whose elected officials have written a blank check for this plant would be well served in asking 'how high is too high?,'" Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
- AMP-Ohio
Generating Station participants committee formed, chair elected,
press release, AMP-Ohio.
Aug 23: Xcel ditching 2 coal plants, going to solar
PUC approves plan to help meet 2020 goal
DENVER, CO -- "State regulators gave the go-ahead to Xcel Energy's plans for a green makeover: shutting down two coal-fired power plants in the state and building one of the world's largest utility-scale solar power plants. After days of deliberations, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel's voluntary decision to shutter electricity generating stations in Denver and Grand Junction - making it the first utility in the nation to do so in order to reduce pollution emissions," Gargi Chakrabarty, Rocky Mountain News. Published August 20.
Aug 13: AMP-Ohio coal plant future in jeopardy
CLEVELAND -- "Five months after AMP-Ohio pressed its member cities to pass ordinances to invest in a new coal plant, its proposed new pulverized coal plant looks a good deal shakier than advertised. A Cleveland Public Power official confirmed to me this week, in response to a public information request, that AMP Ohio still has not signed the contract for the plant with Cleveland, its biggest member city. The contract for the proposed new 1,000 megawatt coal plant was supposed to go into effect when AMP-Ohio reached total commitments for 750 megawatts worth of purchases. Since AMP-Ohio President Marc Gerken testified in February that 85 AMP-Ohio members, including Cleveland, had voted to sign contracts and 'they do total over 750 megawatts.' (DVD of hearing, available from Cleveland TV 23), why hasn't AMP-Ohio signed the contract? And why hasn't AMP-Ohio announced the formation of a Participants Committee, also triggered when it reaches the 750 megawatt mark? On August 6, 2008, an article in the Daily Sentinel about the hearing on AMP's landfill and water permits ended up with the following quote: As for the overall project, (AMP-Ohio Vice President of Public Affairs Jolene) Thompson said: 'We'll have a better idea if this is a go or no go by fall.'
Electric ratepayers in AMP-Ohio's communities, who will be stuck with the bill for the ever-climbing costs of the $2.9 billion-plus plant, should ask their city council members and utility officials to find out what is going on behind the scenes at AMP-Ohio," Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
Aug 8: Next American Municipal Power Ohio meeting changed
RACINE -- "The public hearing concerning transmission lines associated with American Municipal Power-Ohio's pulverized coal plant has been changed from Sept. 17 to Oct. 22, according to the Ohio Power Siting Board's official website. The meeting's time, 6 p.m., and place, Southern Elementary School, remain the same. Last month attorneys for AMP-Ohio requested a continuation on the matter after submitting modifications to the application. AMP-Ohio asked for a 45 day continuance of the hearing dates. The adjudicatory hearing was in turn moved to 10 a.m., Oct. 27 in Hearing Room 11-C at the offices of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, 180 East Broad Street, Columbus. The originally date for the adjudicatory hearing was Sept. 22," Beth Sergent, Pomeroy Daily Sentinel.
Aug 6: American Municipal Power coal plant hearing becomes divisive
RACINE --
"[Mary Beth Lohse of Pomeroy] questioned AMP needing such a large
landfill if they were using Powerspan technology which is meant to cut
down on landfill reductions. She also questioned why the use of
Powerspan was not in AMP's air permit. [Elisa Young of Racine] spoke
about no human health studies being in the permits and spoke about the
threat of global warming, specifically how it might destabilize the
Ohio River and affect localized flooding," Beth Sergent, Pomeroy
Daily Sentinel.Jul 17: Public finance expert refutes American Public Power Association on bonds for proposed AMP Ohio coal plant
CLEVELAND -- "Ohio Citizen Action today sent the U.S. Treasury Department an extensive memo explaining why the department should investigate the use of tax-exempt bonds for coal-fired power plants. The memo, authored by Thomas Sanzillo, former assistant comptroller of the State of New York, refutes a June 19, 2008 letter from the American Public Power Association which said, 'we do not believe it is necesssary for Treasury to conduct a review of the risks associated with tax-exempt bonds,'" Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
- Cover letter, Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action, to Eric Solomon, Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury, July 16, 2008.
- Response to APPA Letter on Tax-Exempt Bonds, Tom Sanzillo, Senior Associate, TR Rose Associates, Inc., memo to Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action, July 16, 2008.
- Executive profile, Thomas Sanzillo.
- Letter, Mark Crisson, President and CEO, American Public Power Association to Eric Solomon, Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 19, 2008.
Jul 11: California Treasurer questions use of tax-exempt bonds for coal plants
SACRAMENTO, CA -- "California
State Treasurer Bill Lockyer has asked the U.S. Department of the
Treasury to examine the use of tax-exempt bonds
for coal-fired power plants. He states, 'I believe that proejcts that
use tax-exempt financing should result in
significant net benefit to the public. Studies point to numerous
long-term harmful effects of coal emissions to our health, and our
environment, and regulatory uncertainty imperils the investment.'
Lockyer is well-known nationally
for his campaign to cause the major bond rating agencies to treat
government bonds with the same standards as corporations," Sandy
Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action.- Letter, Bill Lockyer, Treasurer of California, to Eric Solomon, Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury, July 8, 2008, 292 KB pdf.
Jul 8: Power plant protest ends with arrests
COLUMBUS
-- "Several people were arrested late Monday morning while protesting
plans for a proposed coal-fired plant in southeast Ohio.
Police were forced to subdue protestors after they entered the
headquarters of American Municipal Power, located on Airport Drive in
east Columbus, 10TV News reported. Dozens of members with the group,
Earth First, were at the headquarters protesting plans to build a new
power plant in Meigs County.
Video from Chopper 10 showed the activities gathering outside the
building.
According to police, five demonstrators entered the building and
chained themselves up,"
Denise Yost, 10TV. COLUMBUS -- Women climb flagpole in power plant protest, Denise Yost, NBC4.
COLUMBUS -- Utility protest ends in arrests, Amanda Dolasinski, Columbus Dispatch.
COLUMBUS -- Dear King Coal, we’re not kidding! 8 arrested in Ohio coal plant fight, It's Getting Hot in Here.
Jul 7: AMP transmission line hearings set
POMEROY --"A non-adjudicatory hearing on the proposed transmission line for American Municipal Power-Ohio’s coal-fired power plant has been set for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at Meigs High School. The hearing will be conducted by the Ohio Power Siting Board, which earlier this year granted AMP-Ohio its permit to build the actual plant. The hearing for the transmission line will allow the public to voice either support or opposition to AMP-Ohio’s proposal by presenting oral or written testimony," Beth Sergent, Gallipolis Daily Tribune.
Jul 2: Georgia order seen hurting U.S. coal investment
Georgia Power's Plant Bowen in Euharlee, Ga. On Monday, a Superior Court judge blocked the construction of a coal plant near Columbus, Ga.
HOUSTON ,TX -- "Developers of coal-fired power plants in the U.S. will face yet more obstacles since a Georgia court overturned an air permit for a new coal plant, saying the plant needed to limit emissions of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. Environmental groups predicted Monday's ruling would discourage investment in coal plants while supporters of the fuel said the ruling was unlikely to be seen as a legal precedent in other states. While the legal importance of the Georgia decision remained cloudy, financial community reaction may be more visible, said Matt Preston, principal analyst with Hill & Associates, a Wood Mackenzie company focused on coal. 'This adds to the uncertainty as if that was needed,' Preston said. 'Until there is a more clear path for coal projects with regard to climate change, it will be more difficult to raise money for coal projects,'" Eileen O'Grady and Timothy Gardner, Reuters.
Jun 27: Ohio Citizen Action asks Treasury Department to investigate risks of AMP-Ohio coal project
CLEVELAND
-- "[New York City]
Comptroller [William] Thompson’s letter raises questions about the
increasingly speculative
nature of these investments. If it were clear to me that the local
officials who are making these decisions were fully informed on these
issues I would have to be content that they were made in good faith.
However, the issue of rising construction costs and rising coal prices
have been swept aside by the project developer as if they are under
control. They have never been able to give communities a solid number
on how much this electricity would cost them. Transparency is
non-existent. The regulatory vagaries that caused the Rural Utility
Services to suspend coal plant lending are being ignored. We urge you
to investigate this situation, and would be happy to provide you with
further information," letter, Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio
Citizen Action, to Eric Solomon, Assistant Secretary for Tax
Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury, 48 KB
doc.CHICAGO, IL -- Tax-free financing for coal power plants under attack. "Environmental activists and others are opening a new frontier in their fight against coal-fired power plants by questioning the use of tax-exempt bonds to help fund such projects. . . Sandy Buchanan, executive director of Ohio Citizen Action, which has protested AMP-Ohio's coal projects, said the issue is both environmental and financial. The chief concern her group has is that Ohio law allows municipal power plants to raise customer rates without question. Not only could AMP-Ohio raise rates if it stumbles into higher construction costs, she said, but also if it needs to pay off its tax-exempt debt," Reuters.
COLUMBUS -- AMP hails permit release, "American Municipal Power-Ohio recently referred to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s release of a draft permit-to-install (PTI) for the American Municipal Power Generating Station residual solid waste landfill (AMPGS Landfill) and the draft National Pollution Discharge Elimination (NPDES) permit for the facility as 'another milestone.' AMP-Ohio President/CEO Marc Gerken said of the most recent development: 'The AMPGS facility continues to move forward on schedule. Receipt of these two draft permits is another milestone in the development, and while we still have a long way to go, we remain proud of this project and the significant progress we’ve made to date,' " Beth Sergent, Gallipolis Daily Tribune, article dated Jun 26.
Getting an Ohio EPA permit is about as hard as getting renewal stickers for your license plate. Most people would not think of renewal tags as a "milestone." What would be a milestone would be getting straight answers from AMP-Ohio to these questions about the trouble-plagued project.
Jun 19: Ohio EPA issues AMP-Ohio draft permits
COLUMBUS -- "Kent Carson, director of communications for AMP-Ohio] also gave an update on the project, saying the company was in the final stage of choosing a preferred UPC contractor to build the plant. . . Carson also said overall the project remains on schedule," Beth Sergent, Pomeroy Daily Sentinel.
Jun 17: Don't use tax-exempt bonds for coal plants: N.Y. official
WASHINGTON, DC --"Building coal-fired power plants has 'significant and unprecedented financial and environmental risks,' and construction should not be funded by tax-exempt bonds, New York City's comptroller wrote in a letter released on Monday... Thompson singled out American Municipal Power of Ohio's interest in Prairie State Energy Campus Project's power plant as a matter of concern. On Thursday, the 37-year-old affiliation of 81 public power systems plans to sell $300 million of revenue bonds to permanently fund a 25 percent ownership in the future plant," Reuters.
Jun 16: New York City Comptroller questions use of tax-exempt bonds for coal plants
NEW
YORK, NY -- New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. has
called on the Department of the Treasury to urgently review the
financial and environmental risks associated with the use of tax-exempt
financing for the construction of new coal-fired power plants. Thompson
noted that because of the financial and environmental risks associated
with the construction of coal-fired power plants, the USDA’s Rural
Utility Services has instituted an effective moratorium on new coal
plants through at least 2009. Despite this prudent and cautionary
action, several high-profile coal-fired power plants are moving forward
with tax-exempt support, assuming that ratepayers will simply pay any
price increases without question.Jun 4: Parties agree on AMP appeal hearing date
COLUMBUS
-- "All parties involved in the appellant hearing regarding the Ohio
Environmental Protection Agency's issuance of a final air
permit-to-install for the coal-fired power plant proposed by American
Municipal Power-Ohio have agreed on a date for that hearing. According
to the Ohio Environmental Review Appeals Commission, all parties are
agreed on Feb. 2, 2009 as the date for the actual hearing at ERAC's
offices in Columbus. A spokesperson said even though the parties have
agreed to a date, ERAC must issue an order to finalize the plan," Beth
Sergent, The Pomeroy Daily Sentinel.
May 7: Report: Uncertainties surround proposed AMP-Ohio coal plant
CLEVELAND -- "American Municipal Power –Ohio (AMP-Ohio) has proposed to build a new, 1,000 megawatt pulverized coal plant in Meigs County, Ohio. AMP-Ohio actively pressed its member communities in Ohio, Michigan, Virginia, W. Virginia, Kentucky and Pennsylvania to pass ordinances allowing them to enter into 50-year take-or-pay contracts for the plant by March 1, 2008. In the face of public opposition, AMP-Ohio representatives insisted at City Council hearings that the project was solid, and that AMP-Ohio had already received sufficient commitments from its member communities to move forward," Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
May 7: Reynolds, Stroud, Turner win
Newcomers unseat council incumbent
MARTINSVILLE,
VA -- "Current
Vice Mayor James Clark attributed his defeat mainly to the public’s
displeasure with decisions made by the council during his term to
pursue purchasing the local Adelphia cable television franchises — an
effort that failed and cost the city roughly $700,000 — and enter into
long-term contracts with American Municipal Power-Ohio for the purchase
of wholesale electricity. He voted against the latter. But 'I knew it
would be an uphill battle (to get re-elected) due to the stigma the
council has had for the last ... year and a half' in the public’s eye,
he said," Mickey Powell, Martinsville Bulletin.Apr 23: Cleveland Public Power's bright idea
The controversial coal-plant deal is part of an ambitious (and decades-late) expansion plan
American Municipal Power employees negotiate at the Cleveland City Council subcommittee on Cleveland Public Power February 22, 2008. Photo by Jeff Buster.
CLEVELAND -- "If CPP was to survive bitter competition with First Energy and be a progressive utility, everything needed to change. As CPP's Commissioner Ivan Henderson told the Public Utilities Committee, which Zone chairs, in February: 'To be clear, the battle we're in is the battle for CPP's survival.' The coal plant was the immediate answer, Henderson explained at the time. It would provide the cheap, stable rates that would allow CPP first to subsist, then to create the foundation for long-term, tide-shifting change. City Council voted 19-2 to approve the coal plant... An analysis commissioned by Ohio Citizen Action, an environmental activist group, concluded that this committee's authority was limited and may turn out to be 'neither meaningful nor enforceable,'" Charu Gupta, Cleveland Free Times.
Apr 21: Candidates Q&A:
Lower power rates needed
MARTINSVILLE -- "Martinsville City Council candidates say the city should look for ways to reduce electricity rates, whether it is through studying available options or considering new energy sources when possible. In an attempt to lower electric rates, Martinsville City Council voted Feb. 26 to enter into 40-year contracts to buy wholesale power generated by three American Municipal Power-Ohio power plant projects — two in Ohio and one in Illinois... The Martinsville Bulletin asked candidates for city council in the May 6 election, 'How should the city handle its future needs for wholesale electricity? Should the electric department be sold and, if so, under what conditions?,'" Mickey Powell, Martinsville Bulletin. Published April 20.
Apr 14: Utilities amassing landfills
Tougher air standards send tons of plants' sludge, coal ash into ground
 American Electric Power's Conesville plant |
|---|
Mar 31: Mountain Justice takes on King Coal in Columbus
COLUMBUS-- "On Friday afternoon, student activists with Ohio Student Environmental Coalition and members of Mountain Justice occupied the lobby of American Municipal Power and forced an impromptu meeting with CEO Mark Gerken – who was not a happy camper. AMP is planning to build a 1000 MW pulverized coal power plant in Meigs County, Ohio – one of the most impoverished counties in the state, with some of the highest lung cancer and premature death rates due industrial pollution in the country. There are already 4 coal power plants within 10 miles of Meigs and the coal barons of the Midwest are planning on building five more – the largest and dirtiest being the AMP project," Ananda, The Understory, blog of Rainforest Action Network. Published March 29.
BATTLE CREEK, MI -- Guaranteed electric power, Justin Hinkley, Battle Creek Enquirer.
MORE ON AMP OHIO
Mar 20: Banks hope to expand carbon rules to public utilities
NEW
YORK, NY -- "Lenders also fear that expensive plants built without
explicit disclosure of carbon risks could become white elephants, like
nuclear plants a generation ago. If their costs became too great,
regulators might expect utility shareholders or bondholders to absorb
part of the expense in order to insulate customers from rate shocks...
In a letter to AMP-Ohio three days after the guidelines were announced,
J.P. Morgan justified the exclusion of public utilities by noting that
'forward-thinking utilities like AMP-Ohio' already do their own risk
evaluations. Mr. Carson said that when the utility was considering the
Prairie State deal, it factored in a potential cost of $5 to $15 per
ton of emissions for carbon allowances and the deal still appeared
economical," Rebecca Smith, Wall Street Journal. Subscription required. KANSAS CITY, MO -- Cost of coal power is rising, Steve Everly and Karen Dillon, Kansas City Star.
Mar 19: Locals should question AMP-Ohio plan
WARREN -- "Niles, Hubbard and Newton Falls are considering buying into American Municipal Power-Ohio’s proposed new 1,000 megawatt pulverized coal plant in Meigs County... However, the Trumbull County communities should examine this proposal thoroughly because it comes with risks. According to Ohio Citizen Action, a consumer watchdog group, the cost of electricity from AMP-Ohio’s proposed new plant could be as much as 40 percent to 50 percent higher than what AMP-Ohio has told officials Niles, Hubbard and Newton Falls. Ohio Citizen Action bases this projection on a report produced by Scott Balice Strategies, a financial advisory firm in Chicago," Editorial, Warren Tribune Chronicle. Published on March 10.
Mar 11: Environmental groups and parks association appeal permit for AMP-Ohio coal plant
COLUMBUS -- "Four organizations -- the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Ohio Environmental Council, and National Parks Conservation Association -- have appealed the air pollution permit Ohio EPA granted to AMP-Ohio for its proposed new Meigs County coal plant. The appeal, filed on March 6, 2008, states that the AMP-Ohio permit was 'unreasonable and unlawful' in at least fifty different ways. The appeal will be heard by the Environmental Review Appeals Commission, an agency of the state government," Ohio Citizen Action. 32 Kb pdf.
CLEVELAND
-- 'Mountain
Top Removal' is an eye-opening film about coal mining,
Julie Washington, Cleveland Plain Dealer.The most recent version of AMP-Ohio's plans indicates its proposed new plant would use coal from the Central Appalachian Region, where mountaintop removal is taking place.
Mar 4: Board approves Meigs power plant
CHARLESTON,
WV -- "The Ohio Power Siting Board has just approved construction of a
coal-fired electric generating station in Meigs County.
The 960 megawatt facility will be owned and operated by American
Municipal Power-Ohio and be located near Letart Falls.
The Siting Board says its staff recommended 34 specific conditions to
minimize environmental, social and cultural impacts to the area, and
AMP-Ohio has agreed to follow these conditions.
Approximately 12,000 tons of coal will be burned per day when the plant
is operating at full capacity.
It will utilize emissions control technology to regulate sulfur dioxide
and particulate levels," WSAZ. Feb 28: Coal oriented
CLEVELAND
-- "Greenhouse gases are bad, sure, but come on: Coal is still a pretty
cheap date.
Cleveland City Council showed that rational detachment Monday night, by
voting 17-2 not to rescind a contract between Cleveland Public Power
and AMP-Ohio, officially becoming the largest city so far to sign onto
the construction of a new $3.4 billion coal-fired power plant down in
Meigs County. That means every year for the next half-century,
Cleveland will get at least 80 megawatts (hovering around one-third) of
its energy needs directly from the source," Dan Harkins,
Cleveland Free Times. PORT CLINTON -- Village stays with agreement with power company, Port Clinton News Herald.
COLDWATER, MI -- Michigan Senate passes HB 5834; Bill now awaits Gov. Granholm's attention, Don Reid, Daily Reporter.
Feb 27: Council reconsiders: Will join power project
MARTINSVILLE
-- "Martinsville will buy wholesale electricity from three American
Municipal Power-Ohio power plant projects for 40 years despite heavy
public opposition.
Following a public hearing at which both supporters and opponents
voiced their opinions, Martinsville City Council on Tuesday approved
documents to participate in the projects in separate votes for each
project.
Each vote was 3-2. Vice Mayor James Clark and Mayor Kimble Reynolds Jr.
were the dissenters on each vote," Mickey Powell,
Martinsville Bulletin.Feb 26: Utility stays with contract
CLEVELAND
-- "Cleveland Public Power will stick with a 50-year contract to buy
energy from a new coal-fired power plant. American Municipal Power-Ohio
of Columbus has proposed a 1,000-megawatt plant on the Ohio River in
Meigs County. Cleveland City Council tentatively approved a deal
between Cleveland Public Power, which is owned by the city and does not
generate its own electricity, and the Amp-Ohio last fall. Council had
until March 1 to opt out of the commitment without penalty.
Environmentalists have raised concerns about the cost and cleanliness
of coal, as well as the length of the contract," Cleveland
Plain Dealer. HUNTINGTON, WV -- EDITORIAL: Coal's future is problem that must be addressed, Huntington Herald Dispatch.
PARKERSBURG, WV -- AMP-Ohio update, Lauren Hall, WTAP.
Feb 24: Coal-fired plant keeps most supporters
Wadsworth, Falls, others still part of project raising environmental concerns
CLEVELAND -- "Plans for a new coal-burning power plant in southern Ohio are moving forward, despite strong opposition from environmental groups. Oberlin in Lorain County has pulled out of the $2.9 billion American Municipal Power-Ohio (AMP-Ohio) project, but it is the only northern Ohio community that has changed its position on participation. The plant, near Racine in Meigs County, is being funded by more than 80 communities in Ohio and four other states, including Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, Wadsworth, Orrville, Seville, Lodi, Brewster and Beach City. Last fall, the communities pledged to build the plant with AMP-Ohio, a Columbus wholesale power supplier, and to purchase the electricity that would be available starting in 2013," Bob Downing, Akron Beacon Journal.
MARTINSVILLE, VA-- Power issue hearing slated, Mickey Powell, Martinsville Bulletin.
Feb 23: Cleveland Public Power contract vote is Monday
CLEVELAND
-- "American Municipal Power-Ohio estimates its Meigs County plant will
cost at least $3 billion to build. The Columbus company plans to supply
electricity to about 90 cities in three states. CPP would be the
largest subscriber. Opponents aren't happy about the prospect of such a
long contract with a coal plant. They want more renewable energy
sources. They also worry that coal could become more expensive if the
next president supports taxes on carbon dioxide emissions. 'It's clear
the cost of this project is going to soar,' said Sandy Buchanan,
executive director of the Ohio Citizen Action
group. 'It's like a variable-rate mortgage for coal,'" Henry J Gomez, Cleveland
Plain Dealer . COLUMBUS -- Ohio coal-fired plant planned, Associated Press.
Feb 22: Oberlin Council looks anew for power options
OBERLIN -- "City officials said the real work started Wednesday after City Council voted 4 to 3 the night before to back out of taking part in a proposed $2.9 billion coal-fired plant on the Ohio River. The slim Council majority was not willing to go along with a 50-year commitment to buy coal-fired electricity from American Municipal Power-Ohio (AMP-Ohio), Council President David Sonner said. The decision came after about four hours of discussion by an overflow crowd. 'It was a prolonged exercise of democracy,' Sonner said. 'There’s a sense of exhilaration we’re not only doing the right thing, but the best thing economically,'" Cindy Leise, Lorain Chronicle-Telegram.
COLUMBUS -- Environmentalists debate emissions as AMP-Ohio members mull $2.9B plant, Jeff Bell, Columbus Business First.
Feb 21: Oberlin says no to coal-fired power plant
Oberlin utilities director Steve Dupee standing beside a chart comparing alternative energy portfolios, including renewable energy.
OBERLIN -- "Oberlin has become the third city in the state to turn down a 50-year contract to help pay for a new coal-fired power plant in southern Ohio. About 2-dozen other Northeast Ohio communities must decide whether to stay in or opt out of the 2.9-Billion dollar project before the March 1st deadline," Karen Schaefer, WKSU.
DOVER -- Residents should demand Dover pull out of contract, Letter to the Editor, Kyle Valentini, New Philadelphia Times Reporter.
Feb 20: Oberlin rejects AMP-Ohio coal plant
 Alternative Baseload Generation Portfolios Click on image to view full chart |
Meanwhile, Painesville City Council voted 5-2 against reconsidering their participation in the AMP coal plant.
Feb 20: Dirty Dancing
Cleveland talks about going green but considers a 50-year marriage to Coal
 |
Feb 19: AMP-Ohio communities: Are you about to buy into 50 years of Appalachian mountaintop removal?
CLEVELAND -- Communities that buy into the proposed AMP-Ohio coal plant may be unwittingly buying into 'mountaintop removal,' a method of coal extraction that literally decapitates Appalachian mountains. If your community is considering it, please take 8 minutes and 23 seconds to view the following video:
Feb 19: Cleveland City Council to vote Friday on AMP Ohio coal plant
CLEVELAND -- Cleveland City Council's public utilities committee will hold a hearing on Friday, Feb. 22 at 9:30 a.m. at Cleveland City Hall to decide whether Cleveland Public Power should sign a binding 50-year contract for the proposed AMP Ohio coal plant
- Action Alert with Council phone numbers, 41 KB doc.
- Announcement of meeting in Cleveland on Thursday, February 21 with Elisa Young, Meigs County Citizen Action Now, 674 KB pdf.
CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Public Power considers coal, WCPN. Aired February 18.
DOVER -- Council upholds decision on plant, Joe Mizer, Dover-New Philadelphia Times Reporter.
Feb 18: Meigs resident shares concerns about proposed AMP-Ohio generating station
 Elisa Young explains the devastation of coal fired power plants in Athens last year. |
|---|
DOVER -- "A Meigs County
resident took her concerns about environmental effects of a proposed
power plant to Dover Sunday afternoon. Elisa Young, a
seventh-generation resident of her 144-acre farm in Meigs County, spoke
to about 27 people during two public sessions in the Salvation Army
Citadel at Dover. Young appeared at the request of Dover resident
Amanda Comstock, who is opposing Dover’s participation in the
construction of the American Municipal Power Generating Station on the
Ohio River near Pomeroy... 'How many Meigs County lives does it take to
produce one megawatt of electricity?' Young asked," Joe Mizer, Dover-New
Philadelphia Times Reporter.
COLUMBUS -- Final
air permit issued for proposed Meigs County, Ohio power plant,
Don Reid, Daily Reporter. Published February 15.
HILLSDALE, MI -- BPU
sticking with Ohio power plant, "But the plant
is drawing some criticism from an Ohio advocacy group, Ohio
Citizen Action, which is saying the plant could cost 40
percent more than what AMP–Ohio officials are telling people it will
cost because of construction prices," Benjamin Ray and Don Reid, Hillsdale
Daily News. Published February 15.
MARTINSVILLE, VA -- Electric
rate comparison finds AMP-Ohio option bill lowest,
But city says figures are only projections, Mickey Powell, Martinsville
Bulletin. Published February 15.
Feb 14: New
R.W. Beck feasibility study shows AMP-Ohio costs out of control
 AMP-Ohio headquarters in Columbus. |
- The risks of participating in the AMPGS coal plant, David Schlissel, Synapse Energy Economics, February 13, 2008, 1.8 MB pdf.
- Letter, Marc S. Gerken, AMP-Ohio CEO, to Sandy Buchanan, Ohio Citizen Action, February 13, 2008, 2.8 MB pdf.
Feb 13: Projected construction cost of AMP-Ohio coal plant has been rising by $2 million a day -- every day for the last two years
CLEVELAND --
"The projected construction cost of the proposed AMP-Ohio coal plant
has now reached $2.9 billion, according to a new study by R.W. Beck
engineering consultants. This does not include financing costs.
AMP-Ohio learned of the latest half-billion dollar cost increase in
January, but kept it under wraps. Ohio Citizen Action obtained a copy
yesterday through an Ohio public records request. Since the projected
cost of the plant was $1.2 billion in October 2005, that means that the
construction cost of AMP-Ohio coal plant has been rising by $2 million
a day -- every day for the last two years. Further, there is no
guarantee that the cost increases are over. R.W. Beck has confirmed
that 'the final cost will not be determined until early 2009' in
testimony to the Ohio Power Siting Board," Sandy Buchanan, Executive
Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
- Full page cost chart with sources.
- Ivan Clark, Principal and Senior Director, R. W. Beck, testimony, Ohio Power Siting Board, January 4, 2008, page 26, 4.88 MB pdf.
- American Municipal Power Generating Station Initial Project Feasibility Study Update, R.W. Beck, January, 2008, 3.57 MB pdf.
Feb 12: AMP-Ohio coal plant dilemma: A modest proposal
CLEVELAND
-- "I have a modest proposal to settle the matter: Let’s ask the market
to tell us whether there are better options available than the AMP-Ohio
plant. 'Power marketers' are companies that buy and resell electric
power. Some are affiliated with electric utilities, but most do not own
generating facilities. They know the market better than anyone does...
In every city considering a fifty-year 'take or pay' commitment to pay
these prices, the council, the mayor, or the law director, or the
utilities director, can contact private power marketers and ask them to
see if they can find a better deal. Could somebody besides AMP offer
your city a twenty-year contract for reliable power, if the guaranteed
price starts at 6.5 to 7 cents per kwh and rises to 11 cents or more?
Could somebody offer a better price and, if so, why not take it? If
not, then the community can still go with the AMP-Ohio proposal," Sandy
Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action,
letter to officials in AMP-Ohio communities. 39 KB doc.
- Power Marketers in the AMP-Ohio region, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. 27 KB doc.
COLUMBUS -- Ohio students ask leaders to stop coal plants, and need your help!, Mattie Reitman, It's Getting Hot in Here.
UNION CITY, MI -- Union City OKs power pact, Justin Hinkley, Battle Creek Enquirer.
Feb 11: Financial expert questions AMP-Ohio contract
NEW YORK, NY -- "The contract
documents raise significant concerns. Municipal electric systems
(Participants) are asked to cede considerable current and future
control over their operations and to agree to pass on costs to the
residents and businesses they serve based on a poorly designed contract
package. The types and level of control each Participant is required to
cede to AMP-Ohio (and to accept the risk for) under this contract need
to be clarified and weighed against the benefits and efficiencies that
are achieved from agreeing to it," Tom Sanzillo, Senior Associate, T.R.
Rose Associates, AMP-Ohio Contract Analysis. 93 KB doc.
- Executive profile of Thomas Sanzillo, 50 KB doc.
- An interview with Thomas Sanzillo: The proposed AMP-Ohio generating station contract, 37 KB doc.
- Relevant audits and reports from the New York State Comptroller, 30 K doc.
DOVER -- Meigs County woman to speak on effects of coal power plants, "Elisa Young, a resident of Meigs County, will be at the Salvation Army at 301 N. Wooster Ave., Dover, on Sunday to discuss the effects of coal power plants and the coal mining industry on her community," Dover-New Philadelphia Times Reporter.
MARTINSVILLE, VA -- Power plant issue revived, Consultants now recommending city OK plans, Mickey Powell, Martinsville Bulletin. Published February 10.
MARTINSVILLE, VA -- Martinsville reconsiders AMP-Ohio options, WDBJ. Published February 8.
Feb 8: 1,000 MW coal plant receives Ohio air permit
TULSA, Oklahoma -- "The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has issued a final air permit for the 1,000 MW, $2.5 billion coal-fired American Municipal Power Letart Falls station. The EPA says the permit requires AMP-Ohio to use the best available control technology to limit emissions of carbon monoxide, particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and a variety of other pollutants. The agency said the mercury emission limit is more stringent than what is required for any other power plant in Ohio," Power Engineering International.
Feb 7: AMP-Ohio keeping new study under wraps: New coal plant cost jumps by a half billion dollars
 Marc Gerken PE, President,
CEO, American Municipal Power |
Feb 5: Dover Mayor defends support of AMP coal plant
 Dover Mayor
and president of the Ohio Municipal Electric Assn. Richard Homrighausen |
|---|
Feb 4: Oberlin Council to discuss AMP coal plant tonight
OBERLIN
-- "Oberlin City Council will discuss AMP-Ohio's proposed coal plant at
its meeting tonight. The council is considering two ordinances: one to
withdraw from participation in the plant and one to participate at a
level of 10 megawatts.
Nathan Engstrom, Coordinator of the Office of Environmental
Sustainability at Oberlin College, has provided the Council members
with this fact
sheet which he prepared along with community members and
college students. The meeting will take place at Oberlin City Hall at
7:30 p.m.," Cindy Leise, Chronicle-Telegram.OBERLIN -- Oberlin’s power struggle may stunt expansion, "company that supplies equipment to greenhouses all over the world wants to expand its plant in Oberlin’s Industrial Park, but is hesitating because of concerns about whether the city will be able to provide dependable power at an affordable price," Cindy Leise, Chronicle-Telegram.
Feb 1: Richlands seeking new 50-year contract for electricity
RICHLANDS, VA -- "The town of Richlands is seeking a new 50-year contract for the purchase of wholesale electric power. The town, which stopped purchasing electricity from Appalachian Power Company about 15 years ago after the deregulation of the electrical industry, currently purchases electricity off of the market on a wholesale basis. However, the town is now seeking a new contract with American Municipal Power-Ohio, or AMP-Ohio. Town council will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 7:15 p.m. at the council chambers, to receive input on the proposed contract.," Charles Owens, Bluefield Daily Telegraph.
BERLIN, PA -- Berlin examines electricity options, Rick Kazmer, Somerset Daily American.
Jan 31: NEW REPORT:
Cost of power from AMP-Ohio coal plant could be 50% higher than predicted
CHICAGO, IL -- "The cost of the electricity from AMP-Ohio’s proposed new plant could be as much as 40 - 50% higher than what AMP-Ohio has told city officials, according to a report just released by the independent Scott Balice financial advisory firm in Chicago. The report compares AMP-Ohio’s assumptions of the costs of construction, carbon regulation, coal purchase, and financing to industry standards and utiltity expert forecasts," Scott Balice Strategies. 211 KB pdf.
Jan 28: Oberlin reconsiders power source
 Aerial view of Oberlin |
|---|
Jan 25: Council says no to coal plant
YELLOW SPRINGS -- "After four months addressing a complex energy issue that sparked intense community interest, Yellow Springs Village Council on Monday night came down on the side of combatting global warming. In a vote of 3–2, Council said no to an ordinance to sign on to a 50-year contract for a coal-powered plant to provide the Village’s baseload power needs. Council members Lori Askeland, John Booth and Judith Hempfling voted against the ordinance that would have committed the Village to a contract with AMP-Ohio for the proposed AMPGS coal-fired plant in Meigs County," Diane Chiddister, Yellow Springs News. Published January 24.
Presentation to Yellow Springs City Council by Natural Resources Defense Council, January 15, 2008, 992 KB pdf.
Jan 23: Yellow Springs votes down AMP Ohio coal plant
 City Manager Clarence Monday addresses the Martinsville City Council on Tuesday night at the city municipal building. Council members abandoned the idea of participating in two AMP-Ohio power plant projects. |
|---|
MARTINSVILLE, VA -- AMP projects rejected, "Public opposition led Martinsville City Council on Tuesday to abandon the idea of participating in two power plant projects as a potential way to curb future spending on wholesale electricity," Mickey Powell, Martinsville Bulletin.
MARTINSVILLE, VA -- Council members: The public deserves to have a say in city’s power options, Former Councilman Teague: Not going with AMP-Ohio would be a mistake, Josh Stegall, Martinsville Report.
Jan 21: Proposed plants face opposition in Meigs
 Sunflower Electric Cooperative’s coal-fired power plant in Holcomb, Kan. churns out electricity. The company wants to expand its generating station with two 700-megawatt coal-fired power generators. |
|---|
ATHENS -- "Two proposed
coal-burning power plants under development in Meigs County are among
dozens of such projects nationwide under attack from environmental
groups. American Electric Power plans to build a 629-megawatt power
plant in the Great Bend area along the Ohio River, while American
Municipal Power-Ohio is seeking approval of a 960-megawatt power plant
in Letart Falls. Opposition to the AEP proposal so far seems to be
substantially less than that of the AMP-Ohio project, which several
local, state and national environmental and consumer groups oppose,"
Richard Heck, Athens Messenger. Published January
20.
MARTINSVILLE, VA -- Council
to vote on AMP, Power projects on agenda,
Mickey Powell, Martinsville Bulletin.
MARTINSVILLE, VA -- Power
vote looms for city, APCo competitive but no
proposal by Tuesday, Mickey Powell, Martinsville Bulletin.
Published January 20.
 Bill Callahan |
CLEVELAND -- "Cleveland City Council's Public Utilities Committee, which is debating whether Cleveland should become the largest municipal owner of AMP-Ohio's proposed 1,000 megawatt pulverized coal plant, held one in a series of hearings about the future of Cleveland Public Power (CPP) on January 16. Bill Callahan, a Cleveland Public Power customer, provided City Council with testimony about the risks of purchasing the coal plant: 'But to recruit new customers away from CEI, CPP needs a selling point. Traditionally that selling point has been price. Unfortunately, CPP no longer has a significant price advantage to offer. And we're concerned that buying into the AMPGS plant will make CPP's competitive position even worse, permanently," Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action.
MORE ON AMP OHIO
Jan 17: Villagers say no to coal-fired power plant
YELLOW SPRINGS -- "'The moral and
economic cost of coal is too great,' was the prevailing sentiment in
the room of more than 50 people who came to Village Council’s special
meeting Tuesday, Jan. 15, to talk about coal-fired power generation.
Council members scheduled the special meeting to get more information
before the decision they are scheduled to make on the 50-year contract
with AMP-Ohio’s proposed AMPGS coal plant next Tuesday, Jan. 22.
Council heard a presentation from AMP-Ohio leaders recommending their
new plant last September, and this week, Council heard from
representatives of the Natural Resource Defense Council, Green Energy
Ohio and the Smart Growth Task Force, all of whom oppose the plant," Lauren Heaton, Yellow Springs News.
MARTINSVILLE, VA -- Power study in; review set, Mayor Reynolds to see about releasing it today, Mickey Powell, Martinsville Bulletin.
Jan 16: Former mayor: No assurances with power plant decisions
MARTINSVILLE, VA -- "When the Martinsville City Council makes decisions on whether to invest in three American Municipal Power-Ohio power plant projects, council members will not be able to tell if their decisions were right immediately, former mayor George Adams said Tuesday. Because of volatility on the wholesale power market, AMP-Ohio likely cannot tell cities exactly what their power costs will be in the future, Adams said. So, he added, 'I don’t know if there is any way you could guarantee' Martinsville would see lower prices in the future if it invests in the plants," Mickey Powell, Martinsville Bulletin.
Jan 15: Reader's Viewpoint: Contract with AMP-Ohio is a bad bet for Dover
DOVER -- "Dover City Council has signed on with AMP-Ohio, our electric provider, to help fund the estimated $2.5 billion construction of a new pulverizing coal plant and to purchase a fixed amount of power from AMP – regardless of need – for 50 years. We will be forced to fund this construction – and any additional cost increases – through our electric bills. Is this idea 'sound'? AMP’s $2.5 billion estimate is more than double its 2005 estimate of $1.2 billion. Nationally, construction costs of coal plants have increased 60 percent in three years. Who pays if costs continue rising? We do," Amanda Comstock, letter to the editor, Dover-New Philadelphia Times Reporter.
MARTINSVILLE, VA -- Monday: Time 'tight' for studying power projects, Mickey Powell, Martinsville Bulletin.
UNION CITY, MI -- Union City looks at power deal, Justin Hinkley, Battle Creek Enquirer.
Jan 14: AMP-Ohio: Power control key
MARTINSVILLE, VA -- "A spokesman for American Municipal Power-Ohio said Martinsville residents may be opposed to the city spending funds to help build three power plant projects and committing to buy some of the power they will produce because they do not understand the intent of the projects. During a Martinsville City Council public hearing Dec. 20, six people voiced opposition to the expenditure, and one person asked questions about the projects. None of the seven speakers voiced support for the proposal," Mickey Powell, Martinsville Bulletin.
UNION CITY, MI -- Union City to decide on 30-year power agreement Monday, Battle Creek Enquirer.
MARTINSVILLE, VA -- Power analysis expected, consultants' report due this week; city council decision due Jan. 22, Mickey Powell, Martinsville Bulletin. Published January 13.
For more information:
Older AMP-Ohio news
2008
2007