SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - After four years of construction, a new coal-fired plant is producing electricity in southwest Missouri.
The Southwest 2 power plant in Springfield has been producing electricity for more than a week. A dedication for the 300-megawatt plant is planned for Wednesday.
Operators connected the City Utilities plant to the regional power grid for the first time on Nov. 2.
The Springfield News-Leader reports that tests will continue at the $697 million plant until it begins producing power commercially in January.
Scott Miller, CU manager of power supply, says the the plant has been using natural gas during early testing, but will switch to coal power next week.
Springfield voters rejected plans for the plant in 2004. But it was approved two years later, along with a 16 percent rate hike to pay for it.
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Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.news-leader.com