What would a Dover power plant mean?

DOVER — Following a public presentation in Amenia, it remains unclear how a 1,000 megawatt combined-cycle natural gas power-plant proposed to be built in Dover would impact surrounding communities.

Cricket Valley Energy, a subsidiary of Boston-based energy development company Advanced Power, is proposing to utilize an existing industrially zoned site off Route 22, which was used most recently in the 1990s to store tires for a recycling plant. A massive fire destroyed much of the pre-existing structures in 1996.

Cricket Valley is proposing to level the site and embark on a $1 billion project (750 construction jobs and between 25-30 permanent positions would be created) to construct a power plant facility they say will utilize energy much more efficiently than traditional coal or fuel oil-burning plants. Through the combined cycle process, an additional step produces electricity through a gas turbine generator, with the wasted heat used to make steam to generate more electricity through a steam turbine.

The efficiency of a combined cycle plant, relating to the amount of power output from the heat energy input, is between 55 percent, compared to approximately 35 percent for an oil fuel/coal-burning plant.

Cricket Valley’s proposed plant would utilize the nearby Iroquois natural gas pipeline, which runs from eastern Canada to the New York City area.

The State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) process was initiated in November of 2005. Cricket Valley has been hosting public hearings and forums on the application and project, which are required through state law, as well as additional public presentations such as the one held at The Maplebrook School on Feb. 2 through the Harlem Valley Chamber of Commerce. In attendance from Cricket Valley was Project Manager Bob De Mayere and Associate Project Manager Matthew Martin.

The second half of the presentation was opened to the public for questions or comments.

When asked what effect the plant would have on a resident’s energy bill from NYSEG (New York State Electric & Gas), De Mayere said it was hard to determine exactly how much of an impact it would have, but since costs would be lower for the electric companies those savings could result in lower energy bills. NYSEG, Central Hudson Gas &  Electric and Orange & Rockland Utilities would all be effected by the plant. The power produced by the plant would be routed through the New York Power Authority’s Pleasant Valley substation.

Audience questions revolved mainly around environmental concerns and the project’s financial impacts on the area. Cricket Valley explained that the project would be built on an existing 131-acre site with views that are naturally mitigated by trees, and that no additional power lines will be needed to operate. The proposed project will incorporate a zero liquid discharge system, meaning there will be no processed water discharged.

More specific information could be obtained from the engineers and experts working for the company through a series of working group meetings held at Cricket Valley’s office at 5 Market Street in Dover. The last workshop is scheduled for Feb. 17; call 845-877-0596 for further details.

Members of the audience said they would need more information before coming to any kind of a conclusion about the project.

“I think it’s a good idea,†said Amenia resident Bill Carroll after the meeting, “but it doesn’t really affect Amenia too much. Dover’s tax base will benefit pretty well. I enjoyed [the presentation], but I was surprised that there weren’t more people there.â€

“It doesn’t have much effect in Millerton, let alone Amenia,†said Millerton resident Jay Reynolds. “But the negatives are probably minimal and the positives would be creating jobs.... But right now it’s a pipe dream. They’re where Silo Ridge was three years ago. They’ve got so many hurdles to get over yet. Don’t get excited.â€

It has yet to be determined whether the town of Dover or the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will be named as lead agency under SEQRA. There is a scoping hearing scheduled to occur at the Dover High School in a few months, the applicants said, and the applicant hoped to submit a Draft Environmental Impact Statement by May of this year. The DEIS is part of the SEQRA review.

Visit cricketvalley.com for more information, or townofdover.us.