FAQ

Cricket Valley Energy is a proposed 1,000 megawatt (MW) combined-cycle, electric generating plant in Dover, NY. The natural gas-fired facility would use state-of-the-art, environmentally-responsible turbine technology, and would be among the cleanest in New York, with the ability to generate electricity for nearly one million homes.

Advanced Power has identified the Cricket Valley property as a smart site for this project. It is industrially-zoned and adjacent to existing energy infrastructure, including electric power lines and a natural gas pipeline. In addition, it provides a natural buffer of trees and topography to minimize visual impacts to the surrounding community. The site provides an opportunity to revitalize a dormant property, create jobs, and generate tax revenues for Dover.

Visual

Existing trees and a natural hill buffer reduce the visual impact of the Cricket Valley facility. Visual aids will be developed to provide an accurate view of exactly what will and what will not be seen.

Noise

Modern power plants are surprisingly quiet. The facility will be designed to meet the local noise ordinance of 50 decibels at the property line – the same as quiet conversation or rainfall.

Smell

The plant will have no odors and there will be no smell associated with operations.

Yes. Combined-cycle, electric generating plants have excellent safety records. The facility will include
state-of-the-art control systems with top-of-the-line fire detection, alarm, and suppression mechanisms that will be developed in consultation with Town of Dover fire and emergency officials. In the unlikely event of an emergency, or at the sign of any irregularity, advanced technology and sensitive instrumentation will automatically shut down the facility and fuel supply.

Cricket Valley is a proposed $1 billion, privately-financed facility with significant benefits to Dover and Dutchess County. It would provide approximately 750 construction jobs with annual salaries totaling $50 million, and up to 25 highly-skilled positions, with a combined $2 million in annual salaries during operation. In addition to new jobs, Cricket Valley would stimulate the local economy with the purchase of locally-sourced materials and services. Cricket Valley would add up to $4 million in taxes to the school system, the Town of Dover, and Dutchess County.

Cricket Valley has initiated environmental analysis and engineering design to ensure that this facility is the right fit for the Dover community. The project will undergo a detailed and comprehensive review through the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) process. The overall approval process will include the Town of Dover, the Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Public Service Commission, in addition to a robust Public Involvement Plan to solicit input and guidance from local residents.

Yes. In addition to informational meetings, the project will have a Community Outreach office in Dover to respond to questions, receive ideas, and share materials. This Web site will be frequently updated to reflect new information as it develops and to provide easy access to details about upcoming meetings and comment periods. Advanced Power is developing a specific plan for public outreach that will detail ways the community can be involved now and in the future.

The Cricket Valley facility is designed to obtain water from deep underground wells to prevent impact on the Swamp River and surface aquifer. The project plans to utilize air-cooled condensers, which reduce water use by up to 95% compared to traditional cooling methods in comparable facilities. In addition, the facility has designed a zero liquid discharge system which means that no water will be released to the area surrounding the site. Finally, a stormwater management plan, including native landscaping, would minimize runoff from rainfall.

These approaches will be reviewed and assessed in detail during the Environmental Review Process in order to identify potential impacts and mitigations.

Cricket Valley would use Best Available Control Technologies (BACT) or a Lowest Achievable Emissions Rate (LAER) to ensure minimal emissions and preserve local air quality.

Natural gas is the cleanest burning fossil-fuel, with significantly lower emission than conventional electricity sources such as coal or oil. Natural gas releases about 40% less carbon dioxide (CO2) than coal, and releases smaller proportions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and almost no sulfur dioxide (SO2).

The electricity produced at Cricket Valley would feed into the high-voltage electric lines immediately next to the site. From there, the electricity moves to nearby electric substations to be distributed to meet local needs. Electricity generated at the plant would be sold on the wholesale market, and could be bought by local utilities such as NYSEG, Central Hudson, or other utilities buying power from the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), which runs the state power grid. Any excess electricity would go to the nearest demand, ensuring the reliability of New York’s electric grid.

Natural gas is part of the solution to America’s energy needs. We support New York’s long-term energy policy goals – 30% renewable capacity by 2015 – but we must also renew our aging generation fleet with more efficient and cleaner solutions. As legislation sets aggressive targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, natural gas will play an essential role: shouldering the needs of the electric grid, helping displace dirty, inefficient coal and oil-fired generators, and aiding the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Cricket Valley will strengthen the value of the Dover community through increased tax revenues, job creation, and ongoing support for local organizations, businesses, and schools. A recent review of other communities with similar energy plants showed no negative impact on property value resulting from the plants.

Cricket Valley will use North American natural gas – 98% of all gas consumed in the U.S. is produced in North America – making it a domestically-sourced alternative that will help the U.S. achieve energy independence.

Advanced Power is a subsidiary of Advanced Power AG, a leading international energy developer that develops power generation and related infrastructure projects throughout Europe and North America. Advanced Power’s management has a proven track record, developing more than 9,000 megawatts of power generation projects worldwide.