Ground broken on new power plant

Mountain View Power, Inc. has commenced construction of the Bennett Mountain Power Plant in Mountain Home.

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held Tuesday in the city's Mountain View Industrial Park, located just north of I-84 and east of State Highway 20.

Mountain View Power is under contract to build the power plant and then turn it over to Idaho Power Company in the spring of 2005.

MVP has hired Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation as its general contractor for the plant.

The power plant will consist of a Siemens Westinghouse 501FD turbine generator and ancillary equipment, and will be capable of generating 162 megawatts of electricity.

Idaho Power anticipates needing and using the plant beginning in the summer of 2005.

Bob Looper, president of Mountain View Power, credited the city of Mountain Home for helping MVP win the Idaho Power bid.

"The city and it's economic development office, led by Ron Swearingen, were our true partners in the project;' said Looper. "They had a long-range vision for the city, anchored by the industrial park, and they stuck to that vision."

The city of Mountain Home is a long term supporter of the power plant project.

"The MVP power plant will give the city and the industrial park an economic shot in the arm" said Mountain Home Mayor Joe B. Neal.

"Property tax revenues from the power plant will be significant and the plant should help us diversify our economic base here in Mountain Home and in Elmore County."

Mountain View Power, Inc. is an Idaho based energy development company with two of its principals, Bob Looper and Ron Williams, residents of Boise.

MVP shareholders are experienced power plant developers and have originated, completed, and sold over 3,500 MW of electric generation projects in the last four years, including projects with and for industrial companies, investor-owned utilities, and electric cooperatives.

For more information, contact Ron Williams at 344-6633.