Power in My Backyard?
What a surprise to learn of a proposed 500-acre power plant project behind the Landfill near Davis. The permit request is for a plant with more electrical capacity than Mt. Storm, less than two miles from Davis and Thomas! With the months, if not years, of planning required, it’s hard to believe every local and state official–it seems–was taken by surprise: not a fault or criticism of the officials, rather, a testament to the planners’ ability to keep this quiet.
Why choose this location, so close to Davis and Thomas, while thousands of acres of barren, reclaimed land lie adjacent along Rt. 48? There are so many questions, the most basic of which is WHY. Some have inferred a Data Center. This is too remote from the Tier 1 fiber backbone at Ashburn, VA, creating too much latency; plus, there is no reference to running fiber to Ashburn. My guess is cyber-currency mining. Or someone suggested AI, but this again requires connectivity.
So many concerns: no public meetings, County Commissioners in the dark, mayors of Davis and Thomas unaware, local political representatives not advised, and no environmental impact study. It is hard to imagine this project is anywhere near ready for a permit.
Let’s pick one huge concern: heat. A power plant equivalent in size to Mt. Storm generates a tremendous amount of heat, requiring a lake-size body of water for cooling: Think: Mt. Storm Lake. Where is that on the drawing? Or, perhaps, a cooling tower? Cooling towers can be upwards of 600 feet tall and 300 feet in diameter–but none is depicted in the drawings released so far.
I intend this article to alert those who have not heard of this project. Last week, Dan Parks, Country Roads News, wrote an extensive article. There is much too much we do not know.
Please ask questions. We, as citizens of Tucker County, deserve to know much more before a project such as this gets the go-ahead. Mayor Tomson has scheduled an open meeting in the Davis Fire Hall this coming Sunday, April 13th, at 2 p.m.
William Peterson