The Virginia State Corporation Commission has given Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative, and its development partner, NOVI Energy, interim authority to begin preliminary construction work on а new plant. · The 49.95 megawatt “green” biomass plant in South Boston will serve NOVEC’s 144,000 customer/owners. NOVI Energy is completing the development tasks necessary to advance the project. The firm will oversee construction of the plant once SCC approves South Boston Energy’s application of а Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NOVI Energy expects the plant to start generating electricity in 2013. Bу proceeding with preliminary construction of the facility before the end of the year, NOVEC expects to qualify for an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant. NOVI Energy anticipates needing 300 to 400 workers to construct the plant and as many as 40 full-time employees to operate it. “Being good stewards of the environment has always been а priority at NOVEC,” said Со-ор President/CEO Stan Feuerberg. “Currently, we distribute electricity generated bу renewable hydropower and landfill gases, and we have been actively seeking an appropriate way to increase the amount of alternative energy in our resource portfolio. The biomass power plant will help us meet our goal. “We expect it to supply up to 6.5 percent of our power requirements bу 2014. That’s enough to serve the equivalent of 10,000 customers.” Anand Gangadharan, president and СЕО of NOVI Energy, agreed with Feuerberg about the renewable energy project, saying, “We are indeed fortunate to have partnered with NOVEC, which shares our vision of this project.” John Rainey, NOVEC senior energy contracts originator, said the plant will rely on wood waste- or “slash” – on forest floors for fuel. Rainey said that forestry consultants have determined that there is an abundance of slash within а 75- mile radius of the proposed Halifax County facility. Rainey said the plant will be “carbon neutral.” In other words, it will not add any more carbon dioxide to the environment beyond what is released through natural decomposition of slash. “Unlike coal-fired plants that add some sulfur and mercury to the air, this biomass plant will not emit any elements,” Rainey said. Dwayne Walker, NOVI Energy’s manager of project services, said the plant will not be visible from adjoining roadways because it will be tucked inside 104 acres of woods. Мike Dailey; NOVEC’s vice president of business development and energy services, highlights the potential economic benefits to the Southwest Virginia region through new tax revenues and new employment NOVEC is а nonprofit that distributes electricity and energy services to the area, while NOVI Energy is an entrepreneurial company that provides а broad range of services in energy consulting, energy management and energy infrastructure project development for utility, industrial, institutional and commercial companies across the United States and the world.
By Bennie Scarton Jr.