By MaryHelen Swanson
On Thursday, Oct. 15, the Post Review received a press release from L.S. Power, the New Jersey-based power generation and transmission group that is proposing to build a 780 megawatt natural gas fired electric generating plant in Lent Township.

“Over the past several months, Sunrise River Energy, part of the LS Power Group, has been working closely with the community including state, county and township officials to best define the Sunrise River Energy Station (Project), a proposed natural gas-fired electric generating station in Chisago County. LS Power prides itself in the development of projects that are safe and protective of the environment and in its ability to work closely with communities. These are core principles that LS Power adheres to in every project it pursues,” wrote Blake Wheatley, general manager of LS Power.

Wheatley has been available for many local discussions of the proposal, including making presentations to such entities as the Lent Township board, Chisago County commissioners, North Branch school board, and citizen groups.

There has been significant opposition noted by county residents mainly focused on the use of groundwater, discharge of waste-water used in the cooling process and the installation of additional power lines.

Below you can read LS Power’s most recent statements on those issues:

“First, LS Power is committed not to use any groundwater for combined cycle cooling purposes. Wells will not be drilled into the Mt. Simon-Hinckley aquifer to support the Project. Rather, the Project will use treated effluent from the nearby waste-water treatment plants as its sole water source for combined cycle cooling purposes.

Second, LS Power will not seek to discharge any Project waste-water. This will likely require the installation of a zero liquid discharge system which, in conjunction with the use of treated effluent as a water source, will result in the reduction of pollutants to the rivers. Absent the Project being there, the effluent would otherwise be discharged to nearby rivers. This will include a reduction of phosphorus loading to Lake Pepin, for which it is impaired.

Finally, aside from the transmission line necessary to physically connect the Project to the neighboring substation, LS Power remains committed to not construct any new transmission lines in Chisago County.

Furthermore, LS Power will work with the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO) to ensure the Project will not provide for any new routes or corridors for future electric transmission lines in Chisago County.”

Wheatley will be making a presentation to the North Branch City Council at tonight, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

For more information on L.S. Power, see: www.lspower.com.

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