Sevier power plant may burn natural gas instead of coal

A company that wants to build a power plant in Sevier County is now considering using natural gas instead of coal, a switch that opponents contend will eliminate some but not all opposition to the project. Representatives of Sevier Power and its corporate parent, NEVCO LLC, said the company is "crunching the numbers" to determine if changing the fuel for the proposed 270-megawatt power plant makes economic sense. Sevier Power expects to make a decision within the next month. The proposed coal-fired plant has been a source of contention and controversy in Sevier County for most of the past decade. The project's promoters were handed a huge setback in December when the Utah Supreme Court required Sevier Power to update the air-pollution permit for the $600 million plant. Complying with the ruling, which basically required that the company ensure it would use the cleanest possible technology, potentially could cost the company millions and delay construction by months, if not years. The Salt Lake Tribune