Gas-Fired Power Plant Near Scranton Nears Startup; Yellow Smoke
Invenergy is currently building the Lackawanna Energy Center, a 1,480 megawatt plant in Jessup, PA (near Scranton) that will cost “well over $1 billion” according to an exclusive MDN source working on the project. When the plant is completed (first phase now done), and when it goes online (to be determined), it will be Pennsylvania’s largest natural gas-fired electric generating plant. As with all fossil fuel-related projects, there is a dedicated (small) group of antis attempting to stop the project. They frequently conduct smear campaigns, making all sorts of wild claims, in their futile attempt to stop the project. Here’s the latest example. The plant is, this week, going through a “short” commissioning stage–a time when they test the machinery in preparation to begin operations. As part of the commissioning, there is a “visible vapor plume and audible noise”–but NO chemicals are involved. Yet a local, well-known anti, upon seeing a waft of “yellow smoke” coming from the plant, immediately claimed she felt “burning [in] my nose, throat, sinuses and chest”–even though no chemicals were used during testing. What does that tell you about the veracity of the antis opposed to the plant?…
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Last December MDN told you about the bastardization of our justice system. The New York University (NYU) School of Law is paying to hire radical (Democrat) attorneys to work inside the offices of the Attorneys General in 10 different states–Pennsylvania being the latest (see
The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) needs fixing. That fact is acknowledged by everyone. The question (or rather disagreement) is in how to fix it. The DEP can’t seem to get its act together with respect to approving simple erosion permits. Turnaround from the time a permit is requested until it is supposed to be approved is, by DEP’s own statutory standards, 14 days. Last year it was taking over 250 days in some areas of the state (see 


Pin Oak Energy Partners is an interesting company. As we reported in early February, the company recently closed on several deals to acquire 70,000 Utica acres in both Ohio and Pennsylvania, adding to its portfolio (see 
Pennsylvania ended 2017 with a bang–at least with respect to natural gas production. Yesterday, the PA Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) released their latest quarterly Natural Gas Production Report for Oct-Dec 2017 (full copy below). It shows natgas production rose 9.8% compared to the same period last year. It also shows the number of producing wells is up 9.2% from last year. Total natural gas production volume was 1,401.8 billion cubic feet (Bcf) and the number of producing wells in 4Q17 was 8,268…

In February, Sunoco Logistics Partners agreed to pay a massive (historically high) $12.6 million fine to the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) for “permit violations related to the construction of the Mariner East 2 pipeline project” (see