West Virginia IGCC plant pending approval

NEW HAVEN, W.Va., June 19 (UPI) -- A proposed West Virginia integrated gasification combined cycle coal plant could be completed as early as 2012 if approved by regulators in coming weeks.

Appalachian Power's $2.23 billion proposed project in New Haven, W.Va., will seek approval from the Virginia State Corporation Commission before the end of the summer. The 2012 estimate comes from testimony filed with the Public Service Commission of West Virginia, announced Monday.

The 629-megawatt plant will likely cause electric rates in West Virginia to rise about 12 percent in order for the American Electric Power subsidiary to recoup its losses.

"With restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions expected in the future, IGCC technology represents an important advancement for power generation and for the coal industry," said Michael Morris, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Ohio-based AEP.

"Appalachian Power has a clear need for additional generating capacity," said Dana Waldo, president and chief operating officer of Appalachian Power. "We have not added base-load generating capacity since the Mountaineer Plant was completed in 1980."

Though it has yet to be demonstrated commercially, IGCC proponents say it emits less nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, particulates and mercury, and there a number of plants proposed across the United States including FutureGen, a public-private cooperation between the Department of Energy and industry.