City breaks ground for gas power plant
By next year, the Coldwater Board of Public Utility will have 13 megawatts (MW) of generation “behind the meter” to provide local power in an emergency should the grid go down — and to possibly also provide heat and carbon dioxide to Mastronardi greenhouses if an agreement can be reached.
At a groundbreaking Tuesday officials from the city, Michigan South Central Power Agency and the contractors and engineers gathered to turn the ceremonial shovel of dirt on the already-leveled site next to Fillmore Road.
The three 4.3 natural gas-fired generators will replace the city’s old World War II diesels as well as nine MSCPA diesel units that were sold off when they could not be economically brought up to current federal environmental regulations.
The city bought three of General Electric’s J624 two-stage gas engines, which were recommended by Inland Power Group as being the ideal replacement. The new engines will provide enough electricity to power the equivalent of 13,000 homes.
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