AECI to dedicate plant in southeast Missouri

Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. and Duke Energy Corp. will Sept. 29 dedicate a new $124 million generating facility at its St. Francis Power Plant.

The new facility is the first such expansion for Associated in 17 years. Its St. Francis Power Plant is in southeast Missouri, west of Glennonville.

"St. Francis signals a new way of generating electricity at Associated for two reasons," said Jim Jura, chief executive officer and general manager, in a release. "First, it is a major part of our entry into the use of natural gas for electric generation. And second, it establishes a strategic alliance with Duke Energy."

The St. Francis plant is a 250-megawatt combustion turbine. Associated said the turbine produces nitrogen oxide emissions that are among the lowest in the state.

Duke and Associated have agreed to develop a second 250-megawatt, natural gas-fired power generator at the St. Francis Power Plant. Construction of the second unit, as with the first, will be overseen by Siemens Westinghouse Power Corp. Completion is scheduled for summer 2001.

"Combining As-sociated's exper-ience in plant operations and wholesale elec-tricity markets and Duke Energy's expertise as a pipeline and fuels and power marketer, we will have a strong alliance in the marketplace," Jura said.

"St. Francis Unit 1 represents a significant capital investment in southeast Missouri," said Bruce Stone, special assistant to the general manager at Associated. "Operation of this power plant and energy sales will continue to contribute to Missouri's economy. And the power plant employs 19 skilled operations personnel, who will contribute economically and socially to area communities in southeast Missouri."