Jasper to consider tearing down power plant
Over 20 requests for interest in the Jasper Power Plant have been sent out around the country, according to Utilities Manager Bud Hauersperger, but only a couple have come back with any interest.
“They have wanted us to purchase the power but we can’t do that with our contract with IMPA (Indiana Municipal Power Agency),” he told the Jasper Electric Commission today. “That was a deal breaker for them.”
Other than power production, the only other interest in the building has been from companies wanting to salvage it. “They seem real optimistic about the plant from the salvage aspect,” Hauersperger said. “I had a guy pull out his checkbook and want to write me a check right there, but I had to tell him that isn’t how we do things.”
At least five salvage companies have shown an interest in the property. These companies will take the parts like the boiler and turbine and find other companies or entities, such as another power plant, that can use them. Steel used in building the plant could be sold as well. The salvage could even bring money in for the city.
Based on the lack of interest in the power plant being used to generate electricity, the Jasper Utility Service Board will consider seeking bids for its salvage at the meeting Tuesday, January 20, in the council chambers at City Hall.
Prior to seeking bids, the city will have a list of requirements for the final disposition of the power plant property if it is salvaged. The requirements have not been discussed by the Utility Service Board.
Also, due to the power plant not being in operation, the city’s insurance broker has suggested they not insure it as power plant. The change in status could save the city over $20,000 in insurance premiums.
For the longest time, I have been having trouble with the arguments over the power plant. Jasper has a coal-fired power plant, and Dubois County has coal in Boone Township. That’s sort of like having a generator and full fuel tank in your back yard.
Several years ago, when Kentucky had their big ice storm, those folks came all the way to the Jasper Home Depot looking for generators. Thousands in Kentucky were without power for weeks during that winter hell. Well, here we have a generator capable of keeping the entire city running (and its industry) in such an event.
So, what’s the problem? The problem is clean air, not coal, not switchgrass. Let’s figure out how to run our “generator” on local coal in a clean way.
Nobody wants dirty air. I spent time in East Germany after the wall fell and folks were still burning coal for heat. I remember watching those little East German cars driving through the coal smoke with it swirling in their headlights. I remember blowing my nose before going to bed and looking at a puddle of black in my tissue from coal soot. Nobody wants that, or anything remotely close to it. But, we are the most technologically advanced country in the world (yes, we still are) and we have the technology to produce clean air from a coal operation. What are the citizens of Jasper and Dubois County willing to pay for a reliable “backup generator” that could sustain them in an emergency?
The companies in Jasper should incorporate that power plant into their risk management and business continuity planning. And, some of the people of Jasper need to get off their Political Correctness high-horse and and start seeing that power plant as an asset and spend their time helping Bud learn how to clean up coal smoke. If the industry and people of Jasper would put their heads together, I am pretty sure they could all come up with a way to make that power plant operate in a clean way … even though it might cost a little extra (insurance always does).
Tearing that power plant down would be the dumbest thing Jasper ever did. Right now it is cool to hate energy, and especially coal. I’m not in favor of destroying the environment, but you cannot have industry and our way of life without energy (sorry, kids). There is no reason the two side cannot come together and develop a plan that would work for all parties. The problem is clean air, so solve that problem, not the current administration’s and pop culture’s hatred of coal, energy and industry in general.
Mr. Fawkes has a very good point about it all.
Just thing if they could get the plant up and going with clean air. The city could find some place to sell the electricity too. Sent a long time contract with that place too have a steady flow of income into the city every month. I understand that there is a lot of info structure that would have to go in place to do all that.
But there maybe some where out there where they could apply for a grant or money from the federal government to help paid for that.
Like Mr Fawkes said if people would just get off there horse and work together and not against each other we could find a way to save the power plant so that it can help the city of Jasper and all the people and business.
Also help outside the city and Dubois County.