Zimmer´s owners -- The Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company, The Dayton Power and Light Company, and American Electric Power Company - expect to create a significant environmental benefit by converting the by-product from the unit´s sulfur dioxide scrubber into synthetic gypsum, rather than landfilling it. The amount of material placed in the station´s landfill, which averages approximately 1.7 million tons per year, can be reduced by as much as 77 percent, cutting annual landfill costs by approximately $5 million.
Synthetic gypsum from Zimmer will be sold to the Lafarge Gypsum Division of Lafarge Corporation, based in Reston, Va. Lafarge announced today that it intends to build a $90 million wallboard manufacturing plant in Silver Grove, Ky., about 17 miles down the Ohio River from Zimmer. The Zimmer owners and Lafarge have signed a contract under which Zimmer will sell up to 850,000 tons of synthetic gypsum annually to the plant. Financial terms were not disclosed.
"This is one of several ways in which we can use the by-products of burning coal in a way that benefits the environment and the marketplace," said James E. Rogers, vice chairman, president and chief executive officer of Cinergy Corp. (NYSE:CIN), the parent company of CG&E. "Our agreement with Lafarge also creates an excellent economic development opportunity for the region."
"This is an environmentally-smart investment that DP&L and our partners have made," said Allen Hill, President and CEO of DPL Inc. (NYSE:DPL), the parent company of DP&L. "It eliminates the need to landfill a by-product and, at the same time, has a positive economic impact on the area."
"This is truly a good news story for all involved," said E. Linn Draper Jr., chairman, president and chief executive officer of American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP). "We´re announcing new investment in our community, the creation of jobs, improvements to the environment and revenue for our companies. A lot of people will be smiling today."
The new investment at Zimmer will include specialty tanks and equipment for the production of synthetic gypsum and new barge loading facilities to transport the product to the Lafarge plant. Production of synthetic gypsum is expected to begin in March 2000. The Zimmer Generating Station is a 1,300 megawatt coal-fired facility located on the Ohio River in Moscow, Ohio. It became commercially operational in 1991 and is one of the most efficient generating units in the U.S.
For More Information, Contact:
Deb Strohmaier
American Electric Power
614/223-1656
Steve Brash
Cinergy
513/287-2226
DP&L
937/224-5940
Deb Strohmaier
American Electric Power
614/223-1656
Steve Brash
Cinergy
513/287-2226
DP&L
937/224-5940