Mirant to build power plant in North Carolina

An Atlanta company will invest $ 500 mm in a natural gas-fired power plant in Gastonia, NC, the company announced. Mirant selected Gastonia for its transmission lines and supply natural gas along the Interstate 85, said David Payne, company spokesman.
Construction on the combined-cycle 1,200 MW power plant is to begin in early 2002, with operation scheduled for summer 2004. The plant can provide electricity for roughly 1.2 mm homes a year. "This is a substantial investment," he said, adding it will be one of the company's largest plants.
The company wants to own or control 35,000 MW in North America by 2005 and continues to look throughout the Southeast. York County is being considered by at least three companies, including Calpine of San Jose, California.

Calpine is building a simple-cycle plant in Cherokee, where Duke Power also announced plans recently to build natural-gas fired plant. One plant is being built in Greenville and two in Anderson.
A combined-cycle creates electricityon a generator similar to an airplane engine. The exhaust steam is captured and sent through a steam turbine. Waste heat is not recovered on a simple-cycle plant, which is used during high demand.
Mark Farris, director of the York County Economic Development Board, said at least two companies are getting close to making a decision. "It looks good," he said. "But we're not unique. They're looking everywhere." Lancaster County has been considered by two or three companies, according to Ray Gardner, director of the Lancaster County Economic Development Board.