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Officials Set to Break Ground on Power Plant: By Bill Modisett Photo By Cindeka Nealy Odessa American

Posted on: Friday, 19 May 2006, 12:10 CDT

By Bill Modisett, Odessa American, Texas

May 19--Groundbreaking for Navasota Odessa Energy Partners LP's $200 million Odessa power plant is scheduled Wednesday in the Odessa business park south of Interstate 20.

The event, which is expected to be attended by various state and local officials, will begin at 10 a.m., according to information from Navasota Energy President Frank Giacalone.

Construction activities on the 550 megawatt, gas-fired combined cycle power plant actually began in early March.

The plant will be constructed in two separate 275 megawatt phases. Once completed, Quail Run Energy Center will produce electrical power that will be transported to other sites via the electricity grid. Navasota officials said earlier that construction of the Quail Run Energy Center at Odessa and the identical Colorado Bend Energy Center southwest of Houston mark the first significant non-utility, natural gas-fired plants started since 2003.

The Odessa Development Corp. was instrumental in bringing Quail Run to Odessa, said Neil McDonald, director of economic development for the Odessa Chamber of Commerce.

"The partnership with ODC, Odessa Industrial Development Corporation, the chamber of commerce and the City of Odessa has made Quail Run Energy possible here in Odessa. We all look forward to this new venture together," McDonald said.

"We were looking for a community that wanted us, and Odessa knew how to respond," Giacalone said. "The economic development staff here really guided us through the process and gave us the opportunity to work with the City of Odessa, Ector County, the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, ODC, OIDC, Odessa Junior College, Ector County Hospital District and other officials.

"We have been very happy with the city's attitude and commitment to economic growth," he said.

The ODC was also responsible for bringing to the city what will now be Quail Run Energy's neighbor, Odessa Ector Power Partners.

Quail Run is located in the newly expanded Odessa business park south of Interstate 20 between Grandview Avenue and Loop 338. Quail Run received its air permit from the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality in February 2006.

Giacalone said the new facility will be designed using state-of-the-art emissions control technology that meets or exceeds all state and federal regulations for a plant of this type.

The initial staff on site will consist of at least 14 highly skilled employees and there will be between 150 and 200 people employed at the peak of each construction phase.

Navasota also will break ground this month on Colorado Bend Energy Center southwest of Houston.

Navasota Energy Partners LP is a Houston-based energy development and asset management company.

"The majority of the state's proposed facilities will not be online until 2010-2011, and Navasota will have the only large plants coming online in 2007 and maybe 2008," said Dan Hudson, chief financial officer for Navasota.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Odessa American, Texas

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Source: Odessa American

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