Mississippi Power says lignite plant will help stabilize rates

Mississippi Power CEO Ed Day projects rates will go up 30 percent or less over the next 10 years to support construction of its Kemper County lignite plant, rather than the 45 percent claimed by the Sierra Club. Day told the Sun Herald he believes prices could balloon 130 percent if the company relies on natural gas to supply power rather than building the lignite plant, which will gasify coal, instead of burning it, to produce power. The company will sell byproducts, including carbon dioxide, from the production process to hold down rates and reduce emissions, Day said. The Kemper plant will be the first plant in the country to capture 65 percent of carbon dioxide produced, he said.