DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) – It was a full house at the Scott County Board meeting on Tuesday, with residents raising concerns about the proposal to build a natural gas power plant near Maysville.
A proposed $400 million natural gas power plant in rural Scott County has sparked debate between energy cooperative leaders and concerned residents.
Central Iowa Power Cooperative wants to build a 240-megawatt, natural gas-fired, electric generation facility near Maysville to meet peak energy demands for other electric cooperatives across Iowa.
Company cites location benefits
The power cooperative said they picked the location because it’s near both electrical transmission lines and existing natural gas pipelines.
“Electrons like to go the shortest distance to serve people, and so that’s what makes this area critical to build a plant that enhances reliability and serves everybody for years into the future,” said Kerry Koonce, vice president of communications and corporate relations at Central Iowa Power Cooperative.
However, some Scott County residents are concerned it could impact the environment with a lack of safeguards.
Residents voice concerns at meeting
Residents worry the plant primarily benefits the cooperative’s members, not local residents.
Central Iowa Power Cooperative leaders admit the plant would generate electricity for its members but said there is a need in Scott County.
“Scott County does not have any real utility-level generation in that area. There’s very little wind, solar, or any of that, and that’s one area where we have a lot of growth, and as a utility you want to put your resources as close to the area of need as possible,” Koonce said.
Scott County resident Linda Golinghorst is concerned about the 80 acres that the cooperative is seeking.
“Don’t allow such an application to take up more acres than what they initially need, so they would have to come back and go through the permitting process again for any additional wattage or whatever additional acres they need,” she said.
Job creation questions
Company leaders say the plant will create 200 construction jobs and five to seven permanent operational positions. However, residents want to know if those workers will be located in the Quad Cities.
“Our concern is what kind of jobs it’s going to create in the construction industry. Unfortunately, when Central Iowa Power Cooperative built the solar farm down in Wapello, there was no commitment to use local workers, and we saw what happened. Over 80% of the workers were imported from outside even the Midwest; they were paid substandard wages, safety standards weren’t there, and that’s concerning to us,” said Ryan Drew, business representative with Operating Engineers Local 150.
The approval process continues
This project is still in its very early stages. The Scott County Planning and Zoning Board has approved an ordinance change to allow for thermoelectric generation facilities, but the County Board of Supervisors still needs to vote on it.
After that, company leaders would still need to apply for a special-use permit, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa Utility Commission will also weigh in.
The next board meeting is Thursday at 5:00 p.m.
There they will have another public hearing on the matter and could possibly vote on the ordinance to allow construction of an electric generation facility.
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