Re: Update on Energy Costs

[RC Macaulay]

Our local state owned electric power plant, Fayette Power operated by the Lower Colorado River Authority of Texas uses mostly Wyoming Coal railed down via some 2500 hopper cars owned or leased  by LCRA. Normal load per train is 100-115 hopper cars with two trains per day. A third of the hopper cars are normally out of service for maintenance.   The railroads are no longer able to keep up the pace of coal shipments so LCRA is importing coal from Mexico via the port of Corpus Christi and trucking to the plantsite approx 250 miles.   The three stack plant has two electrostatic preciptators and one blow to the wind giving them the reputation of one of the dirtiest plants in the US. Not to worry, although my ranch is in the path of the plume, I keep remembering they promised to install a EP on the old stack as soon as they have the money. Meanwhile the state ands the US gov't will kick and stomp any private citizen that dares to dirty our air or water.   They do have the lowest rates around 8 cents. well .. err plus another 2 1/2 cents for adders like trying to balance the energy costs.   Richard