Over 20 years ago, I worked as a reliability engineer for GE on an integrated gasification combined cycle power plant in Schenectady, N.Y. The output was electrical power rather than synthetic gas because the gas was to be burned in a high efficiency gas turbine/steam turbine combined cycle electric power plant. The only difference between the IGCC plant and the proposed South Heart plant is that the South Heart plant feeds a natural gas pipeline instead of an electrical grid. In my opinion, that is a lot more efficient way to transport our energy for sale out of state.

Over 20 years ago, the Department of Energy chose to "demonstrate" coal gasification with a World War II-era technology plant in North Dakota. Short term, it was perhaps a failure; however, long term it is a resounding success. When the price of energy increased enough, even the WWII technology plant was economically feasible. GE folks thought DOE should have used a more modern gasification technology and didn't give the demonstration much chance for success. I think DOE simply wanted to use a "mature" technology.

I'm not surprised that Great Northern Power Development is short on plant design details this early in the game; however, from what I've read, they say they will provide those details when they are available in a firmed-up design of the plant. Mary Hodell said, "GNPD spokesman Neal Messer opened (last Wednesday's) meeting with the line, 'This is the first of many public meetings.'" That's all we can expect.

Certainly their plans have changed since their last public meeting four years ago. After all, it's a gasification plant rather than an old inefficient steam power plant. It's environmental impact should be much lower in every way. Most important, perhaps, is the ability to efficiently separate CO2 for sequestration, probably in oil fields, as a valuable byproduct.

I live 25 miles downwind of the site, but, if it's designed right, I have little fear of a change in my environment. It should be a clean, efficient source of synthetic gas from North Dakota's most abundant energy source: lignite coal. It's about time.