Plan progresses to build Estill coal-burning plant

By Andy Mead - amead@herald-leader.com

An often-delayed proposal to build a 110-megawatt coal-fired generating plant in Estill County is moving forward, the project manager said Thursday.

Estill County Energy planned to file a permit application with the state Division of Air Quality for the plant, which would burn waste coal, Dell Jaggers said.

The company filed a similar application in 2004 but withdrew it because it could not obtain financing to develop that application and others necessary to get approval to build the plant. Jaggers said he now has that financing.

Another potential hurdle faces the company: The Kentucky State Board on Electric Generation and Transmission Siting gave the company a certificate in 2004, but the agency said the certificate would not become effective until a dispute over portions of the Estill County property is settled.

Estill County Energy is negotiating with another company and a trust that claim ownership of part of the property.

Enough waste coal is on the site to run the new plant for 30 years, Jaggers said. After that, it could burn wood or other fuels to produce electricity.