RESIDENTS ASK QUESTIONS, PROVIDE FEEDBACK
ABOUT REPLACING LCRA'S FERGUSON POWER PLANT

About 70 residents, elected officials and media representatives attended open houses hosted by LCRA in May and June to inform the public about the possibility of replacing the Thomas C. Ferguson Power Plant near Marble Falls.

LCRA is studying the feasibility of replacing its aging Ferguson Power Plant with a combined-cycle power plant that would be more efficient, be more reliable and have improved environmental controls. LCRA began the year-long evaluation in April 2010 to decide whether replacing Ferguson is a financially and technically feasible option.

LCRA hosted open houses in Horseshoe Bay, Granite Shoals, Marble Falls and Kingsland.

"Overall response to the project was largely positive," said Robert Cullick, manager of LCRA Strategic Communications. "But we learned something new at each open house."

For example:

"At the open house in Horseshoe Bay, neighbors were concerned about the aesthetics and local impact of the replacement power plant. In Granite Shoals, residents were interested in the economics of electricity generation. In Kingsland, open house attendees asked a variety of questions, including some about flooding in the area. And at the final open house in Marble Falls, residents asked about the economic impacts of the proposed project," Cullick said.

Local officials also encouraged LCRA to consider other large construction projects in the area, such as the replacement of the U.S. 281 bridge over Lake Marble Falls and the new hospital planned for Marble Falls, and the combined impact these projects could have on the community should the construction schedules overlap. LCRA staff committed to working closely with the community to coordinate construction activities and minimize impacts to area residents to the extent possible.

"These open houses provided valuable opportunities for us to hear directly from the nearby communities and respond to their questions about this project," said Cullick. "We will consider this feedback over the coming year as we complete the feasibility study that will shape our recommendation whether to proceed with replacing the Ferguson Power Plant."

Preliminary evaluations indicate that replacing the 35-year-old Ferguson unit will help LCRA manage wholesale power costs over the long-term because a new, combined-cycle generation facility will be about 35 to 40 percent more efficient. LCRA is conducting the feasibility study to gather additional information about the long-term costs and benefits of the proposed project. The LCRA Board of Directors in spring 2011 will decide whether to proceed with the project. If LCRA does not proceed, it will continue to operate and maintain the existing Ferguson Power Plant to help meet growing power needs in the Hill Country area.

In the coming weeks, LCRA will update the frequently asked questions posted on the project's website to include answers to questions staff received at the open houses. In the meantime, more detailed information about the project is available online.