West Deptford Power Plant Breaks Ground Next Week

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Local officials say the key is sitting in the ignition of an economic engine for the region, and it'll get its first crank eight days from now, as West Deptford Energy is set to break ground on the site of its 738-megawatt power plant on Paradise Road next week.

The excitement was palpable when Freeholder Director Robert Damminger referenced the Jan. 17 official kickoff of the project during his speech at the county board's reorganization Friday, and he had just one word to describe what he felt with the groundbreaking just days away.

“Psyched.”

Damminger, who credited state Senate President and fellow West Deptford resident Stephen Sweeney's “foresight and gumption” with helping get the power plant deal closed, said the estimated 650 construction jobs associated with the project should be a huge boost to the economy.

“In this economy, the way things are going, the best thing we can do–and that we're dedicated to doing–is jobs, jobs and more jobs,” Damminger said.

New West Deptford Mayor Ray Chintall echoed the freeholder director's feelings on the economic side of things, and said it's a great start to both a year and a new administration.

But besides the obvious benefits of jobs and a bump to local businesses who may see extra traffic from workers at the site, Chintall said the project has the potential to be the kick start to something bigger.

He said a project of the power plant's size gives an incentive for other businesses to ramp up with the success of such a major initiative.

“It increases the spirit everyone's been waiting for,” Chintall said.

And, of course, there is the $107 million in payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) to consider, which Chintall said doesn't hurt, given the budget constraints West Deptford faces this year, as debt service payments rise more than $3 million.

It's not just money and jobs, though, as Damminger pointed out.

“It solves many problems,” he said. “It not only brings us affordable energy, it enables us to retire out-of-date coal-burning power plants.”

Those benefits are still well in the distance, since company officials don't expect the plant will begin producing electricity until 2014.

In the meantime, Chintall said he'd like to see West Deptford Energy officials give some kind of public presentation on the project that goes beyond what's been discussed at various planning and zoning board meetings.