When Sierra Pacific Resources officials last hosted a local open house meeting on the Ely Energy Center project, they were greeted with critical questions and comments from a largely skeptical audience.

Sierra Pacific Resources provided this artist’s conception of the appearance of the Ely Energy Center (EEC). The view is from the intersection of the Duck Creek road and US 93. To make sure the emissions don’t hang in the valley, the stack is designed to be tall, but a bit shorter than the old Kennecott stack. And, the experts predict that the EEC emissions will be less than 5 percent of what Kennecott emitted after it added the available emissions-control technology in the ’70s, which was much less than emissions in the ’50s and ’60s.

But public criticism of the proposed coal-fired power facility was decidedly muted at the latest open house the company held in Ely on July 20.

There were few remarks about the project's potential impacts on regional air quality and the surrounding environment.

Instead, questions from the crowd of about 30 people focused primarily on the project's construction phase.

Bristlecone Alliance President Oskar Atkinson noted that most of the project's estimated 2,000 short-term construction workers would relocate to White Pine County from other areas.

Ely Energy Center Director of Project Development David Sims acknowledged that the influx of workers during the construction phase would have a dramatic impact on the community, but said that the company would work to soften those blows.

Sierra Pacific is focused on designing a secure worker village that would provide these short-term employees with a balance of activities, thus minimizing their collective footprint countywide.

The village, which would be built four to five miles north of the preferred project site near the Duck Creek turnoff, could probably accommodate 85 to 90 percent of all construction workers, he said.

Sims said that Sierra Pacific will work to mitigate impacts to the county's fire protection, police or emergency medical services.

In addition, the Ely Energy Center will have a security force and a fire brigade on site.

Once the construction phase has been completed and the first two 750-megawatt units are up and running, the facility will employ about 150 full-time workers. An additional 100 permanent jobs would be created following the completion of the project's final phase -- the development of two 500-megawatt coal gasification units.

Sims said the facility would provide a broad spectrum of opportunities for local residents, from skilled work to maintenance jobs.

He noted that Sierra Pacific Power's Valmy facility works cooperatively with local community colleges to make jobs available to students in the area, and echoed a common refrain heard from many community members: Parents would like their children to be able to stay and work in White Pine County.

Bristlecone Alliance member Jennifer Brickey asked whether the company planned to offer scholarships to local students interested in the engineering field.

Sims said that the company is committed to finding employees who are willing to stay and work in the community.

“Maybe a scholarship program is a good way to do that,” he said.