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About-face: Bowie Power Plant returns to natural gas
By Keith J. Allen/Wick Communications
The developer seeking approval for rezoning to build a power plant in Bowie has decided to stop pursuing a coal-fired gasification cycle as the power source for the facility.
The Phoenix-based SouthWestern Power Group II now plans to use the power source it originally gained approval for in 2002 - natural gas, which is deemed a cleaner fuel source.
"We're making this decision for a combination of reasons," said David Getts, general manager of SouthWestern Power Group, in a news release issued late Friday. "Market economics, regulatory uncertainty, and public understanding are all factors that helped us come to this decision. With natural gas as the fuel source, the Bowie Power Station will provide critical electric infrastructure and do it in a way proven as reliable, cost efficient and environmentally friendly."
The developer made the announcement through the release. On Saturday, the Bowie Power Station web site, which had once shown that the Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle would be used in the plant proposal, said to "please check back shortly" and had Friday's date.
Bowie resident Bruce Brown , a strong proponent for IGCC and Bowie Power Plant, said Monday, "I am pleased to hear that SouthWestern Power Group II will build Bowie Power Station. While I had hoped that the IGCC proposal would have been approved, this commitment to the community of Bowie by SWPG is very much appreciated. The new proposal was more advantageous to the community and to Cochise County, but this will be a welcome addition to Bowie. The community of Bowie has supported the proposal for a long time and SWPG has supported us as well."
As superintendent of tbe Bowie Schools, he added, "Bowie USD looks forward to working with SWPG in providing quality educational programs for the families of the people who will work at the plant."
The three members of the Cochise County Board of Supervisors, who have spent months reviewing the plan and hearing much debate about it, reacted positively to the news.
"It a huge win for all of us who are concerned about having a coal-fired plant in the county," Supervisor Pat Call said.
Call, who said he had been growing more uncomfortable with the coal-fired gasification proposal, said the focus can now be put onto a cleaner source of energy that is "much more preferable."
Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard Searle, whose district includes the site where the power plant would be built, said he was glad the developers still wanted to bring a project into the area - one that could benefit the economy of nearby Bowie as well as the county.
Cochise County Supervisor Paul Newman, who held a Town Hall meeting Aug. 17 that brought together company officials, plant supporters and a host of opponents, said he was "shocked" to hear of the decision.
"It's a victory for everyone in Cochise County," he said, adding, "It's sort of a shock when city hall beats industry."
The three supervisors said they were informed about the developer's change in direction on Friday.
The coal-fired gasification proposal drew complaints from some Cochise County residents and environmental activists who were worried about pollution, noise, water use and lifestyle changes the plant would bring to the area.
Supporters cited the economic benefits of the plant, as well as the idea that the coal-fired gasification technology would be cleaner than traditional coal-fired facilities.
The supervisors said they have heard from both sides during the months-long debate over rezoning request.
"What impressed me more than anything is the number of people doing their research on energy production and its impact on the environment," Call said.
Searle said most of the comments he received from both sides were from people living or who have interests in Cochise County.
People in areas near the plant - Willcox, Bowie and San Simon - were for the general concept of having a power-producing facility built, he said.
The Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle and the tough education process involved with it was an obstacle, Searle said. He thinks the developers probably didn't realize the process would be so difficult to get across to the public.
Newman said he thinks SouthWestern Power Group officials realized they didn't have the answers to the public's questions, including the topics of carbon dioxide sequestration and where power could be sold.
And he said he felt that if the coal-fired gasification plant were approved, some county residents might have been willing to appeal the supervisors' vote to the people, just as happened last year regarding a Diamond Ventures' proposed Smith Ranch housing development near Benson. That plan was defeated by county voters.
"I applaud them for their decision to retrench," Newman said.
SouthWestern Power Group II had been pursuing a rezoning of 1,361 acres it owns off Central Highway about two miles north of Bowie. The rezoning would have allowed about 1,007 acres dedicated to planned development and 614 acres for heavy industry.
While the county Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-4 to approve the plan in March, it has remained under review by the Board of Supervisors. The company also has been paying for a private consultant the county selected to review the project.
All of that will halt now that SouthWestern Power Group II has changed its fuel source, Searle and Call said. The consulting firm will be asked to stop its work and give a bill for what it has done.
"I understand where they are coming from," Searle said. "There are uncertainties out of Washington and Phoenix that could have tied them up for years."
Searle said he was told the slow regulatory process on the county, state and national levels was one reason SouthWestern Power Group officials had decided to make the change.
Those uncertainties include the Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle, which is a newer technology now in use at two other facilities in the United States. The cycle differs from traditional coal-fired utilities in that the coal is processed to produce clean-burning synthetic gas, which is used to make electricity.
The cost of building a coal-fired gasification plant was estimated at $1 billion.
"While we continue to believe in the benefits of IGCC technology, we are enthusiastic about building an important project in Bowie and a clean-burning natural gas facility has the best chance of being permitted, constructed and successful within a reasonable time frame," Getts said.
Ian Calkins, a spokesman for the Bowie Power Station, said the developers recognized the drawn-out process in Cochise County may be a sign of things to come at the state and federal levels.
And, Calkins said, the coal-fired gasification plant was proposed two years ago based on what the developers thought the federal government may do in the future regarding carbon dioxide regulation. But the government hasn't acted, which has caused uncertainty.
The gasification cycle byproducts include carbon dioxide and slag.
The developers wanted to sell the slag, which is used in road projects. And they also had proposed sequestering carbon dioxide in a project that would feed the gas into greenhouses and the trees and plants inside. That process, too, raised questions.
Call said he was having problems with the lack of specifics in regards to questions about the Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle technology and the proposed sequestering of carbon dioxide that would have been part of the facility.
Part of Call's concerns was the short track record of coal-fired gasification facilities, of which there are only two similar facilities operating in the United States.
The supervisor said he would not have been able to support a proposal that seemed "speculative," which he said he voiced to the developers early last week.
Newman, too, felt the carbon dioxide sequestering process hadn't been fully explained.
But that is all in the past.
Searle said the announcement of natural gas being the proposed fuel source "changes the whole process."
Part of that change will be how much electricity the facility will be able to produce.
With the coal-fired gasification cycle as a power source, the developers were pursuing at 600-megawatt facility.
The Bowie facility was initially approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission in 2002 as a natural gas-fired plant with two 500-megawatt generators.
After the first unit was built, the private plant would have been required to also build some solar power units, and pay into a fund to compensate nearby growers if they are harmed by the increase in groundwater pumping the plant requires.
But soaring gas prices and questionable supplies forced the company to change the power source to coal.
The natural-gas-fueled project has received a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility by the Arizona Corporation Commission, an air permit by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and a special use permit by Cochise County.
SouthWestern Power Group said it hopes to have the regulatory requirements completed by early next year, with construction to begin soon after.
Calkins said this will involve revisiting the corporation commission and ADEQ officials to discuss the natural gas plant plans.
The county's review of the developers' plans also isn't over.
Searle said SouthWestern Power Group will have to come back to the county to ask for an extension on the special-use permit granted in 2002. That permit expires this fall.
At that time, he said, issues that have arisen since that approval may be addressed. One matter on Searle's mind is water use, which has become a greater concern in the last five years because of the ongoing drought.
Calkins said the permit coming up for renewal also was a factor in the decision to change the project, and the developers are optimistic the permit will be renewed.
Searle said there will likely still be people opposed to a power plant being built in Bowie, even if it uses natural gas.
Newman said that while he is more in favor of the natural gas plant, having voted for it in 2002, he doesn't want to give SouthWestern Power Group "carte blanche" just yet.
A larger debate is at play regarding energy production that does not harm the environment or add to circumstances that lead to global warming.
"Global warming, we need, as a nation, to address it seriously," Call said.
The debate over the gasification plant brought out proponents of solar power and renewable energy. Call said he would support renewable energy projects, though he sees that coming in the future.
"People have reached a point where they are aware of global warming," Newman said.
The supervisor later added, "Coal plants in the Southwest and our beautiful Cochise County wouldn't fly."
SV Herald Managing Editor Keith Allen can be reached at (520) 515-4610.
The Phoenix-based SouthWestern Power Group II now plans to use the power source it originally gained approval for in 2002 - natural gas, which is deemed a cleaner fuel source.
"We're making this decision for a combination of reasons," said David Getts, general manager of SouthWestern Power Group, in a news release issued late Friday. "Market economics, regulatory uncertainty, and public understanding are all factors that helped us come to this decision. With natural gas as the fuel source, the Bowie Power Station will provide critical electric infrastructure and do it in a way proven as reliable, cost efficient and environmentally friendly."
The developer made the announcement through the release. On Saturday, the Bowie Power Station web site, which had once shown that the Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle would be used in the plant proposal, said to "please check back shortly" and had Friday's date.
Bowie resident Bruce Brown , a strong proponent for IGCC and Bowie Power Plant, said Monday, "I am pleased to hear that SouthWestern Power Group II will build Bowie Power Station. While I had hoped that the IGCC proposal would have been approved, this commitment to the community of Bowie by SWPG is very much appreciated. The new proposal was more advantageous to the community and to Cochise County, but this will be a welcome addition to Bowie. The community of Bowie has supported the proposal for a long time and SWPG has supported us as well."
As superintendent of tbe Bowie Schools, he added, "Bowie USD looks forward to working with SWPG in providing quality educational programs for the families of the people who will work at the plant."
The three members of the Cochise County Board of Supervisors, who have spent months reviewing the plan and hearing much debate about it, reacted positively to the news.
"It a huge win for all of us who are concerned about having a coal-fired plant in the county," Supervisor Pat Call said.
Call, who said he had been growing more uncomfortable with the coal-fired gasification proposal, said the focus can now be put onto a cleaner source of energy that is "much more preferable."
Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard Searle, whose district includes the site where the power plant would be built, said he was glad the developers still wanted to bring a project into the area - one that could benefit the economy of nearby Bowie as well as the county.
Cochise County Supervisor Paul Newman, who held a Town Hall meeting Aug. 17 that brought together company officials, plant supporters and a host of opponents, said he was "shocked" to hear of the decision.
"It's a victory for everyone in Cochise County," he said, adding, "It's sort of a shock when city hall beats industry."
The three supervisors said they were informed about the developer's change in direction on Friday.
The coal-fired gasification proposal drew complaints from some Cochise County residents and environmental activists who were worried about pollution, noise, water use and lifestyle changes the plant would bring to the area.
Supporters cited the economic benefits of the plant, as well as the idea that the coal-fired gasification technology would be cleaner than traditional coal-fired facilities.
The supervisors said they have heard from both sides during the months-long debate over rezoning request.
"What impressed me more than anything is the number of people doing their research on energy production and its impact on the environment," Call said.
Searle said most of the comments he received from both sides were from people living or who have interests in Cochise County.
People in areas near the plant - Willcox, Bowie and San Simon - were for the general concept of having a power-producing facility built, he said.
The Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle and the tough education process involved with it was an obstacle, Searle said. He thinks the developers probably didn't realize the process would be so difficult to get across to the public.
Newman said he thinks SouthWestern Power Group officials realized they didn't have the answers to the public's questions, including the topics of carbon dioxide sequestration and where power could be sold.
And he said he felt that if the coal-fired gasification plant were approved, some county residents might have been willing to appeal the supervisors' vote to the people, just as happened last year regarding a Diamond Ventures' proposed Smith Ranch housing development near Benson. That plan was defeated by county voters.
"I applaud them for their decision to retrench," Newman said.
SouthWestern Power Group II had been pursuing a rezoning of 1,361 acres it owns off Central Highway about two miles north of Bowie. The rezoning would have allowed about 1,007 acres dedicated to planned development and 614 acres for heavy industry.
While the county Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-4 to approve the plan in March, it has remained under review by the Board of Supervisors. The company also has been paying for a private consultant the county selected to review the project.
All of that will halt now that SouthWestern Power Group II has changed its fuel source, Searle and Call said. The consulting firm will be asked to stop its work and give a bill for what it has done.
"I understand where they are coming from," Searle said. "There are uncertainties out of Washington and Phoenix that could have tied them up for years."
Searle said he was told the slow regulatory process on the county, state and national levels was one reason SouthWestern Power Group officials had decided to make the change.
Those uncertainties include the Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle, which is a newer technology now in use at two other facilities in the United States. The cycle differs from traditional coal-fired utilities in that the coal is processed to produce clean-burning synthetic gas, which is used to make electricity.
The cost of building a coal-fired gasification plant was estimated at $1 billion.
"While we continue to believe in the benefits of IGCC technology, we are enthusiastic about building an important project in Bowie and a clean-burning natural gas facility has the best chance of being permitted, constructed and successful within a reasonable time frame," Getts said.
Ian Calkins, a spokesman for the Bowie Power Station, said the developers recognized the drawn-out process in Cochise County may be a sign of things to come at the state and federal levels.
And, Calkins said, the coal-fired gasification plant was proposed two years ago based on what the developers thought the federal government may do in the future regarding carbon dioxide regulation. But the government hasn't acted, which has caused uncertainty.
The gasification cycle byproducts include carbon dioxide and slag.
The developers wanted to sell the slag, which is used in road projects. And they also had proposed sequestering carbon dioxide in a project that would feed the gas into greenhouses and the trees and plants inside. That process, too, raised questions.
Call said he was having problems with the lack of specifics in regards to questions about the Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle technology and the proposed sequestering of carbon dioxide that would have been part of the facility.
Part of Call's concerns was the short track record of coal-fired gasification facilities, of which there are only two similar facilities operating in the United States.
The supervisor said he would not have been able to support a proposal that seemed "speculative," which he said he voiced to the developers early last week.
Newman, too, felt the carbon dioxide sequestering process hadn't been fully explained.
But that is all in the past.
Searle said the announcement of natural gas being the proposed fuel source "changes the whole process."
Part of that change will be how much electricity the facility will be able to produce.
With the coal-fired gasification cycle as a power source, the developers were pursuing at 600-megawatt facility.
The Bowie facility was initially approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission in 2002 as a natural gas-fired plant with two 500-megawatt generators.
After the first unit was built, the private plant would have been required to also build some solar power units, and pay into a fund to compensate nearby growers if they are harmed by the increase in groundwater pumping the plant requires.
But soaring gas prices and questionable supplies forced the company to change the power source to coal.
The natural-gas-fueled project has received a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility by the Arizona Corporation Commission, an air permit by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and a special use permit by Cochise County.
SouthWestern Power Group said it hopes to have the regulatory requirements completed by early next year, with construction to begin soon after.
Calkins said this will involve revisiting the corporation commission and ADEQ officials to discuss the natural gas plant plans.
The county's review of the developers' plans also isn't over.
Searle said SouthWestern Power Group will have to come back to the county to ask for an extension on the special-use permit granted in 2002. That permit expires this fall.
At that time, he said, issues that have arisen since that approval may be addressed. One matter on Searle's mind is water use, which has become a greater concern in the last five years because of the ongoing drought.
Calkins said the permit coming up for renewal also was a factor in the decision to change the project, and the developers are optimistic the permit will be renewed.
Searle said there will likely still be people opposed to a power plant being built in Bowie, even if it uses natural gas.
Newman said that while he is more in favor of the natural gas plant, having voted for it in 2002, he doesn't want to give SouthWestern Power Group "carte blanche" just yet.
A larger debate is at play regarding energy production that does not harm the environment or add to circumstances that lead to global warming.
"Global warming, we need, as a nation, to address it seriously," Call said.
The debate over the gasification plant brought out proponents of solar power and renewable energy. Call said he would support renewable energy projects, though he sees that coming in the future.
"People have reached a point where they are aware of global warming," Newman said.
The supervisor later added, "Coal plants in the Southwest and our beautiful Cochise County wouldn't fly."
SV Herald Managing Editor Keith Allen can be reached at (520) 515-4610.
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