State should hasten power plant approval

Despite the assurances from deregulation proponents in Ohio that what is going on in California won't occur in this state, we find ourselves in agreement with the "Berry" cartoon that ran on the editorial page of Friday's Vindicator.
The bottom line of the cartoon is this: in the whole energy drama now playing out in California and other states, no one can foretell with any degree of certainty what's going to happen as more and more states hop on the deregulation bandwagon. The reality today is that there aren't enough power plants to meet the nation's energy demands.
That is why the plan by Cogentrix Inc. of Charlotte, N.C., to build a $600 million plant in Colum biana County deserves the support of the state of Ohio. The company had initially announced that construction would begin in summer 2002, but it now wants to speed up the timeline.
Cogentrix is seeking a waiver from the Ohio Power Siting Board so it does not have to submit its application to build the plant two years in advance of construction. The two-year lead time is required by state law, which is why a waiver is being sought.
Experience: We urge the siting board to do what it can to accommodate the North Carolina company which wholly or partly owns nearly 30 electric generating facilities, including four that are similar to the one proposed for Columbiana County.
The impact of this $600 million project will go far beyond the borders of Columbiana County. Given America's insatiable appetite for electricity, the national economy needs new power plants.
Yes, conservation must become a part of our everyday lives. Manufacturers of air conditioners, refrigerators and other appliances must double their efforts to make energy-efficiency a top priority, but in the meantime the demand for energy will continue to remain high.
In California, for example, the cost of electricity in the midst of the state's rolling blackouts has gone from 3 cents per kilowatt hour to 25-50 cents per kilowatt hour during peak demand periods.
The plant proposed by Cogentrix is a response to the continuing need for electric generation in Ohio, company officials have said. The 1,100-megawatt facility could produce a maximum output capable of supplying about half a million homes.
The facility, which could be built along St. Jacob-Logtown Road near Hunters Camp Road in Center Township, or along state Route 45 near Eagleton Road in Salem Township, would employ 25 to 40 people and have an annual payroll of more than $1.5 million.
Approval procedure: Because the power siting board and the Ohio Environmental Protection agency must approve the site and design, the waiver to the two-year waiting period would allow the project to move forward quickly.
Ohio has an interest in seeing a power plant going on line as soon as possible.