Port Westward construction could bring 1,000 jobs
Friday, July 30, 2004 11:42 PM PDT
By Courtney Sherwood / The Daily News
Printable version
E-mail this articleNearly 1,000 construction workers could have jobs at Port Westward by next spring as three industrial projects in the works for several years get underway.
Portland General Electric and Westward Energy LLC say they recently obtained the last state and federal permits for their two power plants, although PGE is still waiting for Oregon to approve changes to its original plans.
In addition, financing for a long-delayed $230 million ethanol plant could be in place by October, allowing construction to begin, according to its proponents.
Although hurdles still remain before crews can start moving dirt, officials behind all three projects say they expect preliminary work to begin by the end of 2004.
"You could see upwards of 900 people going out to Port Westward every day," said Paul Langner, industrial properties manager for the Port of St. Helens, which manages Port Westward, which is north of Clatskanie along the Columbia River.
Last week, the Oregon Department of Energy gave Westward Energy tentative approval to halve its plant's power output, which project manager Tom Cameron said the company may do if it can't find buyers for the full 520 megawatts it originally planned to generate.
Working out agreements with those electricity buyers is all that remains before Westward Energy breaks ground, Cameron said Tuesday, and negotiations are currently underway to sell power from the $300 million gas-fired plant.
"Current plans are to commence construction by Oct. 3," he said.
PGE already has the go-ahead to break ground. However, it is waiting for Oregon to rule on its request to build only half its proposed 650-megawatt plant, with the right to build the rest later if it can find buyers for the power. It's a request likely to be approved, said Sam Sadler, Oregon Department of Energy senior analyst assigned to the project.
PGE is not discussing the cost of the plant while it negotiates with contractors who will build the plant.
Cascade Grain Products LLC which wants to produce fuel additive ethanol at Port Westward, has had all its permits in place for months, but it has needed financial backing to fund construction. Charles Carlson, general manager for the company, said Tuesday he expects to have financing in place by October.
Once financial negotiations close the company is ready to build, said Carlson, who predicted groundbreaking this fall.
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