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AMP-Ohio News Room
APPA Letter to Eric Solomon, Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, on Tax-Exempt Bonds American Public Power Association
Bond Sale For AMP-Ohio Portion Of The Prairie State Project A Success Release Date: 2008-06-20  Bond Sale For AMP-Ohio Portion Of The Prairie State Project A Success
For Immediate Release American Municipal Power-Ohio (AMP-Ohio) sold long-term, fixed-rate bonds for the Prairie State project to investors June 18-19. The bonds provided capital for AMP-Ohio’s portion of the Prairie State Energy Campus (PSEC) project currently under development in southern Illinois. Retail sales took place June 18 and institutional sales on June 19. At close, bond sales raised approximately $761 million, with $97 million coming from retail sales and the remainder from institutional sales. Orders were received totaling over $962 million but were limited to the $761 million in order to assure levelized debt service for the participants. The bonds carry an A rating across the board with rating agencies with an interest rate of approximately 5.22 percent. This falls below the interest rate estimates in the feasibility study developed for the Prairie State project of 5.5 percent. “This was certainly a great day for AMP-Ohio and for public power,” said AMP-Ohio Chief Financial Officer Robert Trippe. “We were able to raise significant capital for this important project in a volatile credit market. The tremendous investor interest demonstrates an acceptance of coal-fired generation projects by Wall Street. Our strong credit rating and the efforts AMP-Ohio has put forth through the years developing relationships with financial institutions and mutual fund managers has paid off, and our credit scoring program, which enhances the financial stability of our member communities, was recognized by the rating agencies and investors. I want to recognize the efforts of JP Morgan Securities of New York for the job they did for us in underwriting and pricing.” More than 80 AMP-Ohio member communities are participating in the PSEC project.
Draft Permits For AMPGS Facility Issued by Ohio EPA Release Date: 2008-06-18 Draft Permits For AMPGS Facility Issued by Ohio EPA
For Immediate Release The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) has released a draft permit-to-install (PTI) for the American Municipal Power Generating Station residual solid waste landfill (AMPGS Landfill) and the draft National Pollution Discharge Elimination (NPDES) permit for the facility. AMPGS, an approximately 1,000-MW, coal-fired generating facility proposed to be located in Meigs County, Ohio, by American Municipal Power-Ohio (AMP-Ohio) and project partners Blue Ridge Power Agency and Michigan South Central Power Agency, will supply power to customers in five states. The Landfill PTI must be obtained from the OEPA before a residual solid waste area for the AMPGS plant can be established. AMP-Ohio filed the application for this permit on May 4, 2007. AMP-Ohio hosted a public informational meeting on the application, as required by the OEPA permit process, on June 4, 2007 in Meigs County. and a second public information meeting in Meigs County on April 16, 2008. The AMPGS Landfill will receive non-hazardous combustion and process generated waste material from the electric generating facility, primarily fly ash and bottom ash. No hazardous or infectious waste will be placed in the landfill. The total area permitted for waste disposal is approximately 133 acres divided into several phases of development. The NPDES permit is required for any discharge of treated wastewater from the AMPGS facility. AMP-Ohio filed the application for this permit on May 4, 2007. “The AMPGS facility continues to move forward on schedule,” AMP-Ohio President/CEO Marc Gerken said. “Receipt of these two draft permits is another milestone in the development, and while we still have a long way to go, we remain proud of this project and the significant progress we’ve made to date. We are also grateful for the tremendous support this project and AMP-Ohio have received from Meigs County, it is truly appreciated. OEPA has scheduled public information session/public hearing on both permits on August 5, 2008 at the Southern Elementary School. Information about the draft permits, hearing and public comment period is available at the OEPA Southeast District Office, (740) 358-8501. The estimated $2.9 billion AMPGS facility will require approximately 1,600 construction workers at peak and approximately 150 full-time employees once in operation. The facility is conservatively projected to bring approximately $20 million to the local economy on an annual basis. In June 2007, AMP-Ohio announced its commitment to the use of Powerspan ECO-SO2 emissions control technology on the proposed AMPGS. Developed and patented by Powerspan Corp., the ECO-SO2 technology achieves outlet emissions levels at or below those of best available control technologies and produces a valuable fertilizer co-product instead of the synthetic gypsum produced from traditional limestone scrubbing technologies. The AMPGS facility will use the ECO-SO2 technology to control sulfur dioxide emissions with co-benefits for control of mercury and particulate matter. The Powerspan system will be designed with features that allow for future expansion to make the plant CO2 capture ready. Carbon capture with the Powerspan process is going to be tested later this year at FirstEnergy’s RE Burger plant and AMP-Ohio is participating in that study. The OEPA issued the final air permit-to-install for the facility in February, 2008 and the Ohio Power Siting Board issued the Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need in March.
AMP-Ohio Awards Turbines And Generators Contract For Hydroelectric Projects To Voith Siemens Hydro Release Date: 2008-06-17 AMP-Ohio Awards Turbines And Generators Contract For Hydroelectric Projects To Voith Siemens Hydro
For Immediate Release (Columbus, Ohio/York, PA) American Municipal Power-Ohio (AMP-Ohio) and Voith Siemens Hydro have executed a contract for turbines and generators on a significant hydroelectric project that will add more than 200 MW of emission-free generation to the region and has the potential to bring green manufacturing jobs to Ohio. AMP-Ohio President/CEO Marc Gerken said the organization will develop three run-of-the-river hydroelectric plants at existing dams on the Ohio River. The sites are Willow Island Locks and Dam near Waverly, West Virginia; Cannelton Locks and Dam near Cannelton, Indiana; and, Smithland Locks and Dam in Livingston County, Kentucky (see attached map). Combined, these three projects have an expected capacity of 208 MW. AMP-Ohio has executed a contract with Voith Siemens Hydro to manufacture eight bulb turbines and generators for the three projects. The contract was awarded following the evaluation of competitive bids by AMP-Ohio and its owner’s engineer, Montgomery Watson Harza. Voith Siemens Hydro President & CEO, E. Mark Garner said Voith Siemens Hydro will manufacture many of the turbine components in York, Pennsylvania and is also considering the possibility of opening a new Ohio manufacturing plant contingent upon appropriate state incentives. "Voith Siemens Hydro is thrilled to be part of this exciting development of renewable energy in the United States. These projects represent the largest order in our 131 year history in the United States. The order value will exceed $300 million. We will create many new jobs in York, Pennsylvania with this important order," Garner said. "We recognize AMP-Ohio as a leader in developing these new hydro projects at existing dam sites," Garner added. "And for these generation additions at existing dams we will do the complete mechanical, electrical, automation and balance of plant supply. This clearly demonstrates our ability of total plant expertise beyond equipment know-how. "AMP-Ohio is a leader in the development of renewable resources in our region," Gerken said. "We understand the importance of a diversified power supply portfolio and work closely with our members to achieve it. Building on our experience in constructing and operating the Belleville Hydroelectric Plant (on the Ohio River at Belleville, WV), we are pursuing an aggressive plan to significantly increase hydro capacity in the region as a part of an asset-based strategy that include fossil fuel, hydroelectric and other renewable resources such as wind and landfill gas generation. These projects will not only increase the capacity of emission-free electric generation, but will also bring jobs to the region." As a wholesale power supplier to municipal electric systems in six states, Gerken said AMP-Ohio is committed to developing projects that diversify member power supply portfolios and reduce exposure to the volatile wholesale market. Eighty-five AMP-Ohio member communities are participating in the hydroelectric projects and have executed contracts to purchase power from the facilities. AMP-Ohio is working with its member communities on the development of additional projects on existing dams with the goal of adding a total of more than 350 MW of hydroelectric capacity. "These projects and the commitment made by AMP-Ohio member communities – show the priority that public power places on renewable generation," Gerken said. "The energy of water flowing over the dams on the Ohio River has been largely untapped. Harnessing this energy will serve the dual purpose of mitigating our members’ exposure to increasing wholesale market prices and bring much needed generation into the region." Gerken said AMP-Ohio is also in final negotiations with contractors to begin cofferdam construction at the three sites, and anticipates the new generation facilities going on-line in 2012. About AMP-Ohio – AMP-Ohio is the Columbus, Ohio-based nonprofit wholesale power supplier and services provider for 122 member municipal electric systems in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky. The organization provides a diverse mix in its wholesale generation resources, which in addition to fossil fuel, includes wind, hydroelectric, landfill gas and distributed generation. www.amp-ohio.org. About Voith Siemens Hydro – Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation is a Group Division of Voith - with a workforce of approximately 3,000 employees and an order intake of more than $1.5 billion in the past year. The company is a world-wide leader in hydro power equipment. About Voith – Voith is setting standards in the markets paper, energy, mobility and service. Founded in 1867, the company has approximately 37,000 employees, a turnover of $6.4 billion and more than 270 locations worldwide, Voith is one of Europe’s large family-owned companies.
AMP-Ohio Closes On Equity Ownership of Prairie State Project Release Date: 2007-12-31 AMP-Ohio closes On Equity Ownership of Prairie State Project
For Immediate Release
614/337-6222 (COLUMBUS) American Municipal Power-Ohio (AMP-Ohio) has finalized arrangements for an equity ownership of the Prairie State Energy Campus. AMP-Ohio has completed a transaction with Peabody Energy to purchase 368 megawatts of the project, which includes an additional 68 megawatts of power, more than 23% of Prairie State’s generating capacity. Project ownership of the 1,600 MW supercritical power plant is fully subscribed. The effective date of the transaction is December 20, 2007. “Participating in Prairie State is core to our strategy of securing a clean, low-cost, long-term supply of electricity to serve our 123 member communities,” said AMP-Ohio President and CEO Marc S. Gerken. “The addition of this new base load electric generation is critical to meeting our customers’ demand for reliable, affordable power and gives our organization its strategically needed base load capacity in the MISO territory.” The Prairie State equity partner group includes the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA), Indiana Municipal Power Agency (IMPA), Kentucky Municipal Power Agency (KMPA), Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission (MJMEUC), Northern Illinois Municipal Power Agency (NIMPA), Prairie Power Inc. Southern Illinois Power Cooperative (SIPC) and Peabody Energy subsidiary Lively Grove Energy Partners. Prairie State is a planned 1,600 megawatt supercritical electricity generating station that will be among the cleanest U.S. coal-fueled power plants generating low-cost electricity to more than 2.5 million people throughout the Midwest and eastern United States. The power plant will begin operation in the 2011-2012 timeframe. The engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contractor, Bechtel Power Corporation, was given full notice to proceed with construction on October 1, 2007. Development and construction of the multi-billion Prairie State Energy Campus will occur in phases, beginning with the civil work, which will be followed by the mechanical and electric work. Initial hiring has already begun and will continue through its peak of more than 2,300 in the second quarter of 2010.######
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News at AMP-Ohio
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