(In the above video, Gov. Jack Markell talks about the role of clean energy in the state).
Calpine has dedicated the Garrison Energy Center, a new 309-megawatt combined-cycle power plant at the Garrison Oak Technology Park in Dover as natural gas becomes a bigger part of the region’s electrical generating mix.
“Today’s celebration is a credit to the innovation and ingenuity demonstrated by Calpine’s team, which continues to be a national leader in transitioning to cleaner and more efficient energy resources,” Gov. Jack Markell said. “This facility also affirms our state’s guiding principle that what’s good for our environment is also good for our economy.
Construction of this project put hundreds of Delawareans to work and supported Calpine’s business in Delaware while also building on our state’s dramatic transition to cleaner energy that is more cost-effective for consumers and helps fight climate change.”
“As public policy increasingly recognizes the importance of investment in environmentally responsible technology, flexible and efficient turbines utilizing clean, domestic natural gas will fill an even more significant role in supporting the nation’s power grid. Calpine is proud to bring the state-of-the-art Garrison Energy Center online to help Delaware achieve the emission reductions targets set in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recently announced Clean Power Plan,” Calpine CEO Thad Hill said. “In addition, Garrison will also be equipped with dual-fuel capability to help ensure power reliability for the Delmarva Peninsula in the event of extreme weather.”
Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen stated that “today’s dedication of an advanced, energy-efficient electric generating facility at the Garrison Oak Technical Park fulfills a longstanding vision for Dover.” He added, “Calpine has enhanced the generating supply infrastructure, increased electric reliability and afforded Dover the opportunity to obtain cost-effective power. All of these factors continue to help make Dover a great place to manufacture, and a preferred location to live, work and play.”
More than 450 local craft workers helped build the new power plant, the development of which has helped attract other new tenants to Garrison Oak Technology Park. A $2.5 million grant from the State of Delaware’s New Jobs Infrastructure Fund helped fund the construction of a six-mile natural gas pipeline extension to the park to serve the power plant and improve the availability of natural gas for other businesses and consumers in the region.
The power plant comes as a combination of stiffer emissions standards and stable prices for natural gas leads to fewer coal-fired power plants in the region. Delaware is now down to one unit at NGR’s Indian River plant in Sussex County.
In addition, Old Dominion, the electric supplier for Delaware Electric Cooperative is building a plant in Cecil County, MD. about 30 miles west of Newark, DE. That plant is about three times larger than the Dover generating site.
Calpine also operates a natural gas generation plan in Edgemoor, near Wilmington and operates plants throughout the U.S.
