Planners recommend Surry coal plant’s approval

SURRY

The issue of possibly allowing a mega power plant in Dendron bounced back Monday night to the Town Council and the Surry County Board of Supervisors.

The council had asked the county Planning Department to look at several questions having to do with both localities’ comprehensive plans, where changes would have to be made before Old Dominion Electric Cooperative could build a $6 billion coal-fired power plant.

The Surry County Planning Commission voted 8-2 to send the issue back to the individual boards with a  recommendation for approval on what would be the state’s largest coal-fired energy plant.

It would be called the Cypress Creek Power Station.

Misti Furr , also a member of the Dendron council, and John Stokes voted against the measure.

Stokes said he heard overwhelming opposition to the plant from residents at the board’s last meeting.

“No increase in tax revenue can justify the negative impact of this facility,” Stokes said.

ODEC, a nonprofit cooperative of electric power companies, wants to build the power plant in town, which has a population of about 300 and is in the center of Surry.

The coal would be shipped from the Appalachian Mountains. Water for cooling would be brought from the James River, a few miles away, by a pipe line yet to be constructed.

Much of the infrastructure for the plant is already in place, left over from the Surry Lumber Co. The mill closed in 1927. T he comprehensive plans for both the county and the town would have to be changed to allow for the plant.

The bulk of the plant would be located within the town, but the water intake system and the dump to store fly ash would be in Surry County.

This is no routine land-use question, Cathryn McCue, communications manager with the Southern Environmental Law Center, said before the meeting.

“The action taken by the commission and ultimately the council and board would forever and dramatically change the entire town of Dendron and the adjacent areas,” McCue said.

Opponents are concerned about dangerous emissions from the plant and a negative impact on animals and people in the area.

ODEC estimates that Cypress Creek would employ about 250 people. The company is targeting 2017 for opening the plant, but ODEC would still have to go through more than 50 permitting requirements from local, state and federal authorities, said Stephen Ramine, an attorney representing the company.

Jeb Hockman, spokesman for ODEC, said the company chose the coal-fired plant because ODEC likes to have a diversified portfolio.

“This is just the beginning of a long process,” Hockman said.

Linda McNatt, (757) 222-5561, linda.mcnatt@pilotonline.com