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North Branch council members check out Chaska generatorBy Barbara Brown Prairie Gen Corp., based in Minneapolis, has asked the city for a conditional use permit to build a 50-megawatt supplemental power generator on property along Co. Rd. 14. The council held a public hearing in December and had a work session devoted to the topic Jan. 30. Residents have raised concerns about potential for air pollution, noise and interruption of ecosystems. Council member Amy Oehlers, Mayor John Pinsonneault, City Planner Al Cottingham and members of the Perrault family, whose properties are adjacent to the planned generator site, joined Ed Benson and John Jaffray of Prairie Gen. Jaffray and Benson pointed out that the plant they have proposed for North Branch would be very similar in size to the Chaska plant, but that it would be totally housed inside a building designed to look like a barn. Benson said the plant would be turned on only when power demand was at its peak, usually on the hottest days of the summer. Prairie Gen would not decide when the plant would be turned on, Benson said. He said the utility companies that buy the power would determine when they needed more energy. Benson said Prairie Genís proposed building and turbine, which essentially is a jumbo jet engine, would cost between $28 million and $30 million. During the field trip, Cottingham used a portable decibel sensor to determine how loud the plant would be when it is running. The day of the trip, the Chaska plant was scheduled for emissions tests and it was running louder than usual, said Cliff Thomas, the Chaska site manager. Measurements directly outside the building were at about 85 decibels. The noise from the plant would be required to reach 55 decibels or less at 1,000 feet, according to state regulations. He said the wildlife do not seem deterred by the plant, and often can be spotted along the fence line. Water usage at the plant was brought up during public testimony at the December discussion before the North Branch council. Residents questioned how much water would be used to clean the turbine. Thomas said about 300 gallons of water were used two times per year to clean dust and dirt from the blades of the turbine. The detergent used to clean the blades is strong, but it is completely biodegradable, Thomas said, and the water does not require any special treatment after the washing is complete. The council is expected to discuss the request for the permit more at its next meeting, Feb. 25. ©ECM Post Review |