From the KVII-TV website:
Posted: Wednesday, August 15, 2007 at 4:10 PM
PAMPA, TEXAS -- Babcock & Brown has acquired Celanese's Pampa, Texas facility and intends to convert the world-class infrastructure at the Celanese facility into a new Pampa Energy Center for commercial power generation, as well as evaluate possible future renewable energy projects at the site.
With transmission access available to reach Texas' vast ERCOT market, we intend to develop the site to its full potential, including up to 800 megawatts of coal-based electric generation, to complement our planned 1,000 megawatts of wind generation in the central Panhandle.
New transmission infrastructure is essential to allow all Texans to access the world-class wind resources of the Panhandle, and to allow the existing Celanese infrastructure to help maintain adequate electric generation capacity reserves to meet growing demand.
August 15, 2007
Celanese facility to be converted
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This is really exciting, and just might be the thing to keep me here in this area. I'm wondering how many jobs will be created, not just from the aquisition, but from the massive construction for the project.
Back around '88, guess it was, the plant blew up and it hadn't been too long since the German conglomerate Hoescht bought the Celanese plant. The German head office was considering closing the plant, esp. as it really hadn't had a major upgrade in a long time, but a massive town rally and support helped convince them that they should rebuild.
As of now, the plant produces both acetic acid and acetic anhydride; not for sure about other chemicals, but those are the main two. (and they are both basically industrial vinegar--that's more than an oversimplification, but it's true)
When the wind is out of the southwest, the exact direction the plant is from Pampa, it becomes "Smellanese". (and I've heard some people who work out there say "Know how to pronounce 'Hoescht'?" then they make the sound like spitting up a hawker...ugh.)
I've always wondered how toxic were those "vents" they would do at night, or if it was someone screwing around and releasing poisonous vapor. I know i've smelled it so strong that I was worried that I would damage my lungs.
On the other hand, if they're wanting to tie in a power generating plant with the nearby wind turbines (and the ones planned for the near future) then I'm wondering if they still plan to use coal as the energy source.
They converted to coal a while back, around '78 or so because nat. gas was getting too expensive. The plan was to pipe a coal slurry all the way from Colorado to here but those folks didn't want to turn loose of that much water and I can't blame 'em.
I'm sure it can't do anything but help this town.
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