February 11, 2000

$5 million power plant planned near Snake River in southeast Washington

STARBUCK, Columbia County (AP) -- Two energy companies are looking at land near the Snake River in the southeast corner of Washington to build gas-fired power generating plants.

Representatives of Northwest Power Enterprises Inc. of Bellevue met this week with Columbia County and Starbuck city officials to present an outline of their $5 million project.

Planning for a second power plant near Lyons Ferry is in the preliminary stages, a spokesman said.

Lyons Ferry Power Co. has a contract to buy a farmer's land near Lyons Ferry if the project proceeds, Richard Laukhart said.

Development of the power plants is spurred by the sites' proximity to high-capacity power lines and a natural gas pipeline, as well as pending deregulation of power companies, John C. Barratt of Northwest Power told the Columbia County Commissioners on Tuesday.

Power produced by the plants would feed into Bonneville Power Administration transmission lines for sale to communities in the Northwest and California.

Northwest Power plans a plant capable of generating 1,100 megawatts of electricity -- much more than the typical 400 megawatts produced by nearby Little Goose Dam but less than the state's only commercial nuclear reactor near Richland, rated for 1,200 megawatts.

The plant would be built on 100 acres near the Lyons Ferry grain elevator on the Snake River.

Northwest Power has secured an option for as much as 45 million gallons of water per year from Starbuck's annual water right.

While the plant is developed, the company will pay $6,000 a year for up to five years to hold the water option. If the plant is built, the city would receive the same rate per thousand gallons for its water as residents pay.

Northwest Power has been investigating the feasibility of building a gas-fired generator at the site for about six years. Efforts to obtain permits to take water from the Snake River have been rejected by the state Department of Ecology.

A survey of cultural resources has been conducted at the site, but a number of other studies remain to be done, said Marlena Guhlke, an environmental services manager with CH2M Hill Engineers.

It will be two years before construction could begin and at least 3.5 years before the plant is operational, Barratt said.