Report: Harrison Power- EmberClear plant may be around the corner

BY JD LONG jim@harrisonnewsherald.com

HARRISON COUNTY— After years of lingering rhetoric, press releases with little substance, and a lack of materialization of the proposed Harrison Power plant, EmberClear’s natural gas-fired power plant might be around the corner. However, cautious optimism would probably not be disputed by residents or county officials considering statements from the past.

But per an unnamed source involved in the oil and gas industry and knowledgable on power plants (who spoke privately from the Shale Insight Conference in Erie, Pennsylvania this past week), they heard from two reliable sources that the plant could break ground in the “second quarter of next year.” The individual wished to remain anonymous and relayed from their sources that EmberClear is attempting to reel in at least one more investor. Coming from an industry insider, the report could hold weight on the power plant’s future.

“We are hopeful and optimistic it will be built,” commissioner Paul Coffland said this week. “These deals are complex and take time.” He added that they have also heard “bits and pieces” of this type of information in the past. Just last month, the commissioners acknowledged that EmberClear put their notice into the Ohio Power Siting Board for a construction phase for gas lines.

“So, we don’t know any more than that. We’re assuming that that’s a gas line from some transmission line somewhere to the site,” Coffland stated. Commissioner Don Bethel also commented on the positivity of the proposed plant. “This has been a very long process but will be well worth the wait when jobs are offered and filled by our citizens who need and want employment. Patience is a virtue, and we’re trusting our patience pays off for future generations,” Bethel said.

In other news, EmberClear continues paying the lease on the Industrial Park property — the plot proposed to house the plant eventually.

“The Project has strong support from the local community and Harrison County. The Project will be constructed in the Harrison County Industrial Park on a 100-acre site zoned for a power plant. All water/wastewater pipelines will be built, owned, and operated by the County; thereby, reducing capital expenditures and mitigating risk for the Project. In order to minimize water usage and discharge, Harrison Power Project will employ air-cooled condensing, enhancing our commitment to the environment,” a statement reads from the EmberClear website (emberclear.com/harrison).