Mississippi Power has filed for a certificate of public convenience and necessity at the Mississippi Public Service Commission to build a 582MW integrated gasification combined-cycle power plant in Kemper County, Mississippi.
According to the company, the Kemper County integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) project, estimated to cost approximately $2.2 billion, will be owned and operated by Mississippi Power and will serve the demand for electricity among its customer base.
Pending the Mississippi Public Service Commission (MPSC) approval, construction is expected to begin in 2010 with operational start-up of the facility expected by late-2013. The company said that it expects the project to create approximately 260 new permanent jobs from the plant and mine operations, plus 1,000 jobs during peak construction.
Anthony Topazi, president and CEO of Mississippi Power, said: “This plant will diversify our fuel sources and will produce energy at lower and stable costs than other fossil fuel option.
“By creating an additional fuel alternative, Mississippi lignite, this project creates energy cost reductions for our customers.”
Mississippi Power, a Southern Company subsidiary, claims to serve customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy and others, Southern Company has for years conducted research on advanced clean coal technologies at the Power Systems Development Facility (PSDF) near Wilsonville, Ala.