By: Erin Smith
The former Cogentrix Electric plant site in Elizabethtown may soon become a memory.
According to Mayor Sylvia Campbell, the Elizabethtown Town Council learned at their noon work session on Monday that a demolition company representing Georgia Renewables visited town hall on Friday and requested information on obtaining the permits necessary to demolish the facility.
“It’s closed and it’s gutted. I certainly hate it. We met with them back in the summer and they were very optimistic about opening the plant,” said Campbell.
According to Town Manager Eddie Madden, Bladen County Economic Development Director Chuck Heustess contacted town officials in the summer and arranged a meeting between town officials and company representatives.
“A year ago Chuck asked the Mayor and myself to meet with the new owners of the Elizabethtown Power Plant,” said Madden.
Madden said that at the time, the company had also obtained two sister plants in Lumberton and Kenansville. He said officials with the company told town officials they were planning to some up-fitting at the plant and had plans to convert the plant to a clean energy plant that would burn wood chips, chicken litter and peanut shells.
Madden said the company indicated in the meeting that once the other two plants were converted and operating, Georgia Renewables would then turn its focus to the upgrades needed at the Elizabethtown facility.
“We thought that was still the case until we were visited by the demolition company,” said Madden.
When contacted on Monday afternoon, Heustess said that his office had not been contacted by any officials with Georgia Renewables regarding the possible demolition of the Elizabethtown power plant.
Madden said that the empty facility doesn’t generate much in revenue for the town as it has depreciated considerably. The current value is about $6 million, said Madden.
“It is a tremendous setback for us. In addition, we were expecting them to make a multi-million dollar investment in the site which would have increased their tax liability,” said Madden.
He said the town staff is disappointed in the company’s decision to demolish the facility rather than completing the conversion.
“The investment that would have been made was considerable,” said Madden.
Heustess added that having a permitted facility was a “big deal” and it is disappointing news that the company is exploring the possible demolition of the facility.
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