With site prep work well underway the ribbon was officially cut today to begin construction of the long-awaited Lordstown Energy Center in Trumbull County.
Jack Morse, business manager for IBEW Local 573 in Warren, was on-hand as a representative of the local electrical union, whose workforce will be kept quite busy throughout the project.
Permanent construction is set to begin later in June on the Lordstown Energy Center, a 2.5 year project that will require significant manpower from local IBEW electricians.
“The Lordstown Energy Center represents two-and-a-half to five years of good employment for our members,” Morse said, referring to a potential spin-off plant after the main one is built.
“Permanent work will be started by the end of this month, and some of our local union electrical contractors are well-positioned to get some subcontracting work out here, too,” he said.
Lordstown Energy Center representatives said the facility is a $900 million investment in the community and will utilize the latest high-efficiency gas turbine power generation technology. The plant will produce enough power to supply 800,000 homes and provide 20 full-time permanent staff.
Expected completion is 2018.
NECA-IBEW Electricians is an association of Youngstown and Warren area union electrical contractors and members of IBEW Local 573 in Warren and IBEW Local 64 in Youngstown.