EmberClear Corp., a Calgary, Alberta-based energy developer, said on Sept. 19 that it expects to begin construction on a 300-MW natural-gas-fired generation project west of Allentown, Pa. Construction is set for mid-2013, with plans to have the powerplant on line in 2015.
Originally, the company had proposed building a 270-MW advanced coal and integrated gasification combined-cycle powerplant. However, in May, the firm changed its plan to an estimated $400-million gas-fired plant because of the favorably priced long-term contracts for natural gas, says EmberClear.