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CLEVELAND — CP&L’s informational open house to answer questions about changes the company is considering for itselectric generating plant in Rowan County didn’t draw much of a crowd Wednesday night.
The first meeting, in March 1999, when CP&L first began explaining plans to build a gas-fueled peak generating plant drew about 200 people, packing the cafeteria at West Rowan Middle School. They came early and stayed until the meeting closed, studying exhibits and asking questions.
But Wednesday night the cafeteria held only a couple dozen people, more CP&L representatives than local citizens most of the time, and only one person came early.
CP&L scheduled the meeting after filing a request with the state asking for a new air permit, the first of several permits necessary to operate two combined-cycle steam generators and three peaking units instead of the five peaking generators they originally planned. The plant is located northeast of the intersection of U.S. 70 and N.C. 801.
A series of displays explained the proposed changes and the timetable for acquiring all the permits required. CP&L spokesman Mike Hughes said CP&L would make a final decision about changing plans about a year from now. The company is studying noise and water issues now.
By county ordinance, noise at the plant’s perimeters may not exceed 65 decibels, about the level of normal speech at three feet. “If we can’t meet that, we can’t do it,” he said.
Project Manager Jerry Letchworth said CP&L is working with the city and county to see if it will be possible to economically deliver the additional 5 million to 7 million gallons of water the steam generators would use.
Before the company can make the change, they will have to get another Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the N.C. Utilities Commission, and county commissioners will have to hold another hearing on granting a conditional use permit.
Commissioners have been enthusiastic about the proposed changes in the project because it could mean a total investment of $400 million in the county. County Manager Time Russell, who attended the gathering, has said it would be the single largest investment in county history.
The first phase, now in process, will total about $150 million; phase two with the proposed changes would add another $200 to $250 million, Hughes said.
Commissioner Arnold Chamberlain said approval of the changes is “a no-brainer.” He said he’s “thankful it’s coming our way.” But he said CP&L would have to “jump through every hoop again” to acquire all the permits. “Nothing is going to get away from us.”
Commissioners already have approved an incentive package that rebates 85 percent of the initial taxes for up to five years, minus the cost of getting utilities to the site.
County Commission Chairman Newton Cohen said the new plan “looks like the best thing all-around” and noted that if the changes go through, the plant would burn gas exclusively, while under the original plan it would also use some oil. He said that would be a benefit to neighbors who had worried about heavy trucks hauling in fuel oil.
Charlotte Turner lives about 112 miles from the site and came to the meeting because she was concerned about noise and pollution from the plant if it ran steam generators.
But after talking to CP&L representatives and studying the exhibits, she wasn’t worried. “I don’t think we’ll hear it,” she said, “and they convinced me there shouldn’t be any toxic emissions.”
Ann Powlas, whose family owned part of the land where the plant will stand, also attended the open house and studied the exhibits. She would not comment.
Another man, who asked not to be identified, said he was there hoping to arrange some business at the CP&L site for his contracting company.
John House said he had requested an auditorium-style meeting or public forum and passed out copies of an article from Free American Newsmagazine saying that the open-house format meeting, “Delphi Technique,” gives the illusion of citizen participation while actually squeezing them out of the decision-making process.
Other citizens at the meeting simply asked questions and studied exhibits.
Project Manager Jerry Letchworth said he took contractors Phil Roseman and Gene Myers to Asheville to see a steam generating plant operating. They were concerned that the proposed changes might affect the desirability of spec homes they are building at Parks and Godbey roads.
CP&L spokesman said if all the studies look good, then the company will request state and county permits.
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