Workers Break Ground on Coal-fired Power Plant

GREAT FALLS – Workers have begun construction of a cooling tower for a coal-fired power plant near Great Falls.

A formal groundbreaking is planned for next week, but workers with Wickens Construction of Lewistown began some earth-moving work Wednesday.

Scrapers dug an area where the foundation of the plant’s cooling tower will be located on the 850-acre site.

Tim Gregori, the CEO of Southern Montana Electric Generation and Transmission, says the project is under a time crunch because construction must begin by Nov. 30 for its state air quality permit to remain valid.

The project still faces a lawsuit over a zoning change.

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