Open houses set for May 3 and May 10

LCRA and Fluor Corporation invite the public to learn more about LCRA’s new power plant construction project by attending “come-and-go” open houses on Thursday, May 3, in Horseshoe Bay, and Thursday, May 10, in Marble Falls.

The May 3 open house will be from 5 to 8 p.m. in Horseshoe Bay at the Quail Point Community Center, 107 Twilight Lane. The May 10 open house will be from 5 to 8 p.m. in Marble Falls at the Lakeside Pavilion, 307 Buena Vista Drive.

LCRA is replacing its 37-year-old Thomas C. Ferguson Power Plant in Horseshoe Bay with a new natural gas-fired power plant that will be one of the most efficient and environmentally responsible electric generating facilities operating in Texas. The 540-megawatt combined-cycle natural gas plant will use about 35 percent less fuel than the existing plant by combining a gas-turbine system and a steam-cycle system to generate electricity. The combination of the cycles creates a highly efficient power plant with lower fuel costs and fewer emissions.

"When we visited with the public during open houses in 2010, we were studying the feasibility of building a new power plant and we told folks we would come back once we made a decision and had more information to share with them," said Michael McCluskey, manager of LCRA Resource Development. "Now we have much of that information and we look forward to sharing it with people and answering their questions."

Artist renderings of the new plant and other displays will be available for viewing at the open houses. LCRA and Fluor staff members also will be available to answer questions from the public.

Fluor began preconstruction activities in spring 2012. The project schedule includes a two-year construction phase to bring the new power plant on-line in 2014.

LCRA sends periodic email updates on Ferguson Replacement Project construction activities to people who have signed up to receive the free electronic newsletter. To subscribe or to learn more about the project, go to www.lcra.org/fergusonreplacement