Colorado utilities panel hears support, opposition to power plant growth plan
The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo. --Sep. 24
Sep. 24--The Colorado Public Utilities Commission normally has to make sure customers of the states' energy monopolies pay a fair price, but in Pueblo Thursday night, nearly two dozen people implored commissioners to consider other costs.
As expected, most of the testimony in Pueblo dealt with environmental issues
with opponents outnumbering supporters by almost two to one.
About 120 people packed the council chambers at City Hall for the three-hour
session and at times had to be quieted by commission Chairman Greg Sopkin who
warned them not to applaud speakers.
Most of the opponents complained of increased mercury emissions from the
additional unit and urged the commission to steer Xcel toward cleaner
technology, alternative and sustainable power sources and energy efficiency.
Supporters pointed to the economic benefits of the plant including about 40
new permanent jobs at Comanche, about 1,000 construction jobs and increased
property tax.
There were no speakers from city or county governments which have offered $33
million in tax breaks to convince Xcel to build the plant here instead of in
Brush, Xcel's other potential site.
Alan Hamel, executive director of the Pueblo Board of Water Works, did speak
in favor of the plant and said that the board was encouraging Xcel to use a
low-water method even though the board would be able to supply an additional
8,800 acre feet of water to the new unit.
One of the opponents, St. Charles Mesa area resident Tom Colson, said that
Xcel should exchange water from the Platte basin to make up for what it will
turn into steam in Pueblo.
Other supporters came from Pueblo's business community including builder Nick
Pannunzio, U.S. Bank executive Alice Birch and property developer Louie Carleo.
All praised Xcel for its support of the community as did Rod Slyhoff, president
of the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce.
Boney Cosyleon, chairman of the Pueblo Economic Development Corp., also spoke
in favor of the project.
Penrose resident Neil Hall, business manager of the Colorado Building and
Construction Trades Council, asked the commissioners to consider mercury
pollution and global warming and to "listen to the concerns of the Pueblo
community."
Building trades officials have joined environmentalists in support of an
integrated gasification combined cycle plant instead of the pulverized coal unit
Xcel plans.
Labor unions like the IGCC plan because the construction would be drawn out
over a longer period of time, giving local workers a chance to get jobs instead
of bringing in large numbers of itinerant laborers.
Xcel officials say the technology is unproven and doesn't work well with the
low-sulfur coal mined in the West. Xcel supporters at the hearing also said the
technology won't work at high altitudes.
Another labor representative, John Sena of IBEW Local 111, voiced support for
the plant. His local represents the electricians who work in power plants.
Many of the opponents tried to point to economic disadvantages, referring to
Pueblo's already high health insurance premiums and tying that to a large number
of people facing respiratory problems here.
Larry Howe-Kerr of Better Pueblo called the plan "wrought with enormous
costs Xcel will not be required to pay."
The most impassioned plea came from Nadine Triste of Salt Creek. On the verge
of tears, she talked of how her family jokes about leaving their home to their
daughter Alicia when she gets old.
"But when I look around at my neighbors, we seem to have a lot of
respiratory problems. It just doesn't seem so funny anymore.
"We won't be using that energy but we most likely will be living in its
waste," she said.
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