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November 1, 2007 Section: Local News Page: 3A
Weston3 damage worse than thought Jocelyn Berkhahn
By Jocelyn Berkhahn
Wausau Daily Herald
jberkhah@wdhprint.com
The cost and length of time it will take to fix lightning damage at the Weston3 power plant is greater than initially estimated, Wisconsin Public Service Corp. officials reported Wednesday.
The 321-megawatt generator was struck during a storm at about 4 a.m. Oct. 6. No one was injured.
The Weston3 power plant had been expected to be out of service for about three to four weeks, and initial cost estimates placed repairs at about $2.4 million.
Now it could be the end of the year or the beginning of 2008 before Weston3 produces power again, said Terry Jensky, vice president of energy supply operations for WPSC.
"It's never a good time to have an efficient plant like Weston3 out of service," Jensky said in a statement. "But at least we were through the summer, when peak demand for air-conditioning loads can create an increased electric reliability issue. There is replacement power available to make up for the unscheduled, temporary loss of this plant, however, it will cost more to buy it than it would have to produce it at Weston3."
The estimated $26 million it will cost to purchase replacement power during the downtime is not covered under the company's insurance policy, said Steve Eschbach, vice president of investor relations for Integrys Energy Group, the parent company of WPSC. Those costs could eventually be deferred to customers, though not before 2009, he said.
The estimated $8.3 million it will cost to fix Weston3 is covered under the insurance policy, Eschbach said. The insurance company will pick up the tab after WPSC pays its $1 million deductible.
The Weston3 power plant is located in the villages of Rothschild and Kronenwetter.
Copyright (c) Wausau Daily Herald. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.
