Bechtel Gets Go-Ahead to Build New Power Plant in New York State

Bechtel, a global leader in engineering, procurement, and construction, will soon begin work to transform an abandoned industrial site in Dover, New York into one of the cleanest, most efficient, power-generation facilities in the United States.

Cricket Valley Energy Center LLC has awarded Bechtel a contract to design and build the new, natural-gas fired power plant, which will provide electricity for one million homes and create approximately 1,100 jobs at peak construction. The Cricket Valley Energy Center, a 1,100-megawatt (MW) combined-cycle plant to be completed in 2020, will have a low-impact design and will use advanced emissions-control technology.

“We are committed to helping New York State meet its growing energy needs sustainably and we will support the local supply chain by hiring local craft and suppliers,” said Scott Osborne, global sector lead for Bechtel’s power business. “The addition of Cricket Valley to our portfolio of projects firmly establishes Bechtel as the leading engineering contractor for combined-cycle power generation in the U.S.”

Bechtel is responsible for the engineering, procurement, and construction of the generating facility, which will use General Electric power generation equipment including three combustion turbines, each paired with a heat recovery steam generator and steam turbine generator. Bechtel’s financing and development arm, Bechtel Enterprises, partnered with Cricket Valley Energy Center LLC to complete the development of the project.

The new natural-gas fired power plant will provide electricity for one million homes and create approximately 1,100 jobs at peak construction.

“The Cricket Valley Energy Center is an important step for America’s move forward into cleaner energy production,” said Tom Spang, Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Power, Cricket Valley’s developer. “We look forward to breathing new life into this dormant site as we move from development into construction. This facility will not only create a new clean energy source; it will provide significant stimulus for the economy of Dutchess County.”

Cricket Valley is the second combined-cycle power plant that Bechtel has undertaken for Advanced Power. Construction of the first plant, the Carroll County Energy Facility in Ohio started in 2015 and is due to be completed later this year.  Bechtel is also currently building combined-cycle power facilities in Pennsylvania and Virginia, and recently completed three similar plants in Texas ahead of schedule.

Cricket Valley Energy Center is an approximately 1,100-megawatt natural gas fired electric generation facility located in Dover, New York scheduled for operation in 2020. The facility is owned by JERA Co., Inc., TIAA Investments, Advanced Power AG, BlackRock Financial Management Inc., Development Bank of Japan, Inc. and NongHyup Financial Group.