Southern Company to Build 100 MW Biomass Plant in Texas

Oct 14, 2009 - Clean Edge News

Southern Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company that acquires, builds, manages and owns wholesale generation assets, recently announced that it is acquiring Nacogdoches Power, LLC from American Renewables, LLC and will move ahead with construction of the planned biomass power plant in Sacul, Texas.

Groundbreaking of the plant is expected in the fall of 2009 and commercial operation is projected for the summer of 2012. According to the company, the completed project will be one of the largest biomass-fueled electric generating facilities in the U.S., capable of generating approximately 100 megawatts.

The plant's output is committed through a 20-year power purchase agreement with Austin Energy, the municipal utility owned by and serving Austin, Texas.

Souther Power reports that the plant, which will be built on 165 acres, will be fueled with biomass materials, including forest residue from the surrounding areas, wood processing residues and clean municipal wood waste. The project will require approximately 1 million tons of fuel annually, which is planned to be procured within a 75- mile radius of the project site.