Aldermen green light power plant

RIDGELAND — Aldermen have approved a conditional use permit for a new natural gas power plant 

The 500-acre parcel is off West County Line Road and will include a substation.

The item went before aldermen during a well-attended, specially-called meeting Tuesday night at City Hall. 

“It was a standing-room-only crowd,” Alderman-at-Large D.I. Smith said.

The conditional use permit concerns a parcel of land located at 1972 County Line Road West. MCEDA looks to work with Entergy to build a natural gas power plant on the property. 

The permit was approved unanimously by the aldermen at the meeting despite a recommendation from the Zoning Board to deny the application.

Concerns have been raised by both residents of Ridgeland and Jackson who live along West County Line Road. Several spoke at the meeting on Tuesday.

Concerns included an adverse impact on property values, potential health risks, and excess noise in the area.

Based on the evidence presented at Tuesday’s meeting, Smith said that he saw no risk of property values being affected.

He went on to say there was no evidence provided that there were potential health risks associated with the facility. Smith said the evidence of adverse effects submitted included “old data” from “old studies” that did not match the specifics of this proposed building.

“This is a modern building with new technology,” Smith said. “It does not bear a resemblance to a facility built 40 or 50 years ago.”

Finally, Smith said, Entergy officials have promised the facility will not be easy to see from the road and will not produce any loud noise or foul smells.

Entergy officials have used the phrase, “You are not going to be able to smell it, hear it, or see it.”

Smith added that the project would not move forward without further scrutiny from the city.

“There are more steps to go through,” Smith said.

These steps include a site plan and architectural review, which the city must approve.

MCEDA Executive Director Joseph Deason said the project will be a boon for the area.

“This will provide power for Madison County, Hinds County, the city of Jackson, the Jackson metro area and beyond,” Deason said.

MCEDA and Entergy officials have met with the public to provide information about the effects of the plant, including at a town hall held at Stronger Hope Church off of Beasley Road in Jackson earlier this month, as well as a public hearing held by the Zoning Board on April 17.

“We want to make sure everyone is comfortable,” Deason said.

Another selling point for the power plant, according to Deason, is that the project would likely lead to improvements of County Line Road west of Highway 51 to accommodate the project, though that is also still in the planning stages.