Article published Jun 1, 2007

Coal questions

When buying a car, we ask questions even a complete idiot would ask, "What's the cost, and what gas mileage does it get?" When buying a coal plant, besides what's the cost, wouldn't the next questions be "What's the efficiency rate of this plant, and how does that compare to other new plants?"

Some older plants are only around 30 percent efficient, and most of the heat from the burned coal is lost. More efficient plants rate 80 percent or higher. As a taxpayer, I would like to know how this plant rates and how much bang I'm getting for my buck. Wouldn't you?

The City has paid over $80,000 on studies to find out all about this plant. Yet when asked, Electric City Power responded that those questions are too technical and would take more than "a few minutes" to answer, and so didn't. R.W. Beck also responded they couldn't answer those questions.

Other questions neither one could answer: Do the existing equipment contracts contain cancellation penalties if the plant isn't built? At what cost does it become economical to mine coal locally instead of shipping it in?

What is Beck's estimated 2011 regional wholesale electricity price? How can these questions be too technical?

Excuse me, but even minimal due diligence would include these basic questions. Mr. Lawton stated all questions about the coal plant would be answered. Or, Mr. Lawton, did you mean questions you want to answer would be answered and "technical" sounding questions wouldn't be answered?

— Carol Fisher, Great Falls