Hydroelectricity deal in the works

By ERIC GROSSO
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEWTON FALLS -- The city has an agreement with American Municipal Power-Ohio designed to bring hydroelectric power here.
Council voted Monday to take part in the development phase of AMP-Ohio's New Martinsville, W.Va., Willow Island HydroMatrix Project. Phil Meier, AMP-Ohio's chief information officer, said the project will use smaller and more turbines than normal in conjunction with current dams.
Meier said the starting price point offered with the project will be between 42 cents and 53 cents per kilowatt hour delivered. He noted the price is lower than the current market cost. That cost was not revealed at the meeting.
Meier said the current estimated cost of the developmental phase is $1 million. Newton Falls will fund roughly $11,000 of that project.
"It's a wonderful project because it's a clean source of power and won't run out," said council member Phil Beer.
The phase should take six to 12 months. Engineering feasibility, estimated labor and expenses costs, and legal approval will be completed during the phase.
Because they use current dams, hydromatrix structures don't involve heavy civil engineering, cost about 60 percent of conventional construction on hydroelectric structures, have less environmental impact, and cost about one cent per kilowatt hour less than other energy-generating methods, Meier added.
City Manager David Watson said he likes the project because the city doesn't have to commit to buying any equipment and can opt out after the developmental phase is over.
Newton Falls joins about 60 other communities that have already signed up as part of the project's developmental phase.
After that phase is over and it is deemed feasible, the city will decide whether to take part in the project. If it does, the city will own part of the structure along with the other communities involved.