With the meadowlarks chirping in the background and the sun shining bright, ground was officially broken this morning for Emporia Energy Center, Westar Energy’s peaking power plant that will be built about six miles northeast of Emporia.
Local and Westar officials were on hand with gold shovels to break ground on the site of the new plant on Road 200 just east of Road S near the company’s existing Lang Substation. The plant will use natural gas to generate power during peak power usage times such as heavy-use summer days. Westar announced in August its plans to build the plant, which would invest $318 million in Lyon County. Emporia was among 29 communities that expressed interest in the plant.
The new plant will have an initial generating capacity of up to 300 megawatts, with additional capacity to be added in phases, bringing the total capacity to 600 megawatts. The initial phase of Emporia Energy Center is scheduled to begin operation in the summer of 2008 with the second phase coming into operation in 2009.
Jim Haines, chief executive officer of Westar, spoke at this morning’s ground breaking.
“The breaking ground of this center is an important step for Westar,” Haines said. “This step is an important step in the Westar Energy plan.”
Haines said the annual rate of growth in energy demand is about 2.6 percent. On July 17 of last year, a new record was set of a demand of 4,822 megawatts, 3.3 percent higher than the previous peak in 2003. Two days later, that record again was broken with a peak of 4,914 megawatts.
“The need for added capacity is evident,” Haines said.
Lyon County Commission Chairman Marshall Miller also spoke during this morning’s ceremony.
“We know that this project will have a major economic impact to this area,” Miller said.
Miller said he appreciates the efforts that are being made to improve Roads U and 200.
“We hope to start that construction project very soon,” Miller said.
Residents of Emporia and parts of Lyon County are fortunate to have Westar Energy as their energy provider, said Jeff Longbine, chairman of the Regional Development Association.
“Westar has knowledge and people that are involved in our community,” Longbine told audience members this morning.
Kent Heerman, RDA president, said he was excited when he heard the announcement last summer that Westar had chosen Lyon County as the location for their peaking power plant.
“We thank Westar Energy for its commitment to this county and to the state,” Heerman said. “I look forward to the ribbon cutting in late spring 2008.”
Construction is set to begin at the end of this month.