February 14, 2008
Empire State IPP Offered To Buy Mirant Plant
Ogdensburg, N.Y.-based Alliance Energy recently offered to buy Mirant's 183 MW coal- and gas-fired Lovett Generating station in Tompkins Cove in the Hudson Valley. A spokeswoman for Alliance said the offer was subsequently withdrawn, but declined to say why, and the size of the offer could not be learned.
In an advertisement in this month's City Hall, a publication delivered to elected officials in New York and Albany, Alliance referenced the proposal, saying it planned to make the facility run on clean fuel. Last year, Mirant offered to install costly environmental controls on the two coal units, after state authorities alleged nitrogen and sulfur dioxide emissions from the plant violated clean air regulations. Its plans for the unit could not be determined and a spokeswoman for Mirant had no immediate comment.
Separately, Alliance subsidiary Alliance Energy Renewables plans to unveil an acquisition that will double its hydro capacity in New York State. In May it closed on a portfolio of 28 MW of hydro and two gas peakers-a 51 MW unit in Hillburn and 44 MW unit known as Shoemaker in Middletown-from Mirant for $5.1 million (PFR, 5/25). The company is now conducting a feasibility study into a kinetic energy project in the St. Lawrence River.
Alliance otherwise has four gas plants in central and western New York-80 MW Ogdensburg, which it plans to run on biodiesel, 56 MW Batavia, 65 MW Sherrill and 58 MW Sterling. Its 79 MW Massena plant was sold to U.K. IPP Renewable Power & Light last year and now runs on biodiesel with an output of 85 MW.