Speakers assure public 2nd power plant offers many benefits to Lordstown

LORDSTOWN

Many of the 23 speakers at a public hearing Tuesday night at the high school added layer upon layer of public benefit to be realized by the construction of a second Clean Energy Future power plant in the Lordstown Industrial Park.

They talked up clean air, revenue to prevent Lordstown residents from paying more for schools, billions of investment, millions in wages earned, money to help reduce social ills, low-cost energy to attract other businesses, even a lift for hopes of landing a $4 billion defense system at Camp Ravenna.

Mixed in were assurances from the Lordstown police chief, fire chief and the president of council that a second 940-megawatt, gas-powered energy plant would not negatively impact the quality of life in the community.

During 90 minutes of testimony before the Ohio Power Siting Board, several residents also expressed concerns – mostly about the possibility that cooling water used in the plant and discharged into nearby Mud Creek might add to flooding problems.

The hearing was part of the permitting process by the siting board, which also will have a proceeding in the Public Utilities Commission offices in Columbus at 10 a.m. Aug. 10 before deciding whether to approve the project.

Read more about the proposed project in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.