ARCHBALD, Pa., Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Corporate and government officials
broke ground today for construction of a manufacturing plant that will retain
340 jobs and create 180 new jobs in Lackawanna County and for development of
an industrial park that one day could be home to as many as 5,000 jobs.
PEI Power Corp., a subsidiary of Pennsylvania Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: PNT),
of Wilkes-Barre, is developing PEI Power Park on 275 acres adjacent to the
Archbald Cogeneration Plant.
Groundbreaking was conducted this morning for development of the Park and
construction of Laminations, Inc.'s 200,000 square foot manufacturing plant.
Laminations will relocate a portion of its processes from Scranton to Archbald
and hopes to be in operation there within a year.
The groundbreaking also formally launched development of PEI Power Park.
"We think we are playing a part in helping the region turn a big economic
corner today," Thomas F. Karam, President and CEO of PEI, said before
participating in the groundbreaking ceremony. "What we are standing on was a
potential brownfield site, an unsightly spot on our region's landscape with no
apparent productive future benefit.
"What this site is about to become is an economic engine fueled by
landfill gas," Mr. Karam said. "We believe development of PEI Power Park will
ultimately add millions to the local economy, create thousands of jobs for
northeastern Pennsylvania and improve this area's quality of life."
Also speaking during today's ceremony were Michael T. Lynch, President and
CEO of Laminations, Inc., and James Siddons, President of Archbald Borough
Council.
Mr. Karam addressed about 100 guests who attended the groundbreaking
ceremony. His comments were dominated by words of gratitude to the many
government officials and PEI Power Corp. employees who in nine months turned
the abandoned culm-burning facility into a gas-fired power plant.
Thanked for their work in behalf of the project were retiring U.S. Rep.
Joseph M. McDade, Gov. Tom Ridge, members of the Governor's Action Team, state
Sen. Robert Mellow, state Rep. Ed Staback, Lackawanna County Commissioners
Joseph Corcoran, Ray Alberigi and John Senio and officials of the Greater
Scranton Chamber of Commerce.
Also commended for their support were Archbald borough officials.
"(Archbald officials) have been outstanding in their commitment to bring
this project to reality," Mr. Karam said.
Mr. Karam continued: "We owe a special debt of gratitude to the people of
Archbald, particularly the residents who live closest to the Park. Thank you
for enduring the inconveniences of months of large-scale earth moving.
"The landscape here will gradually be transformed. The mountain of rock
you saw on your way up the hill will be blended with soil and will no longer
be part of the skyline," Mr. Karam continued. "We want to reassure the
residents of Archbald that PEI Power Corp. is committed to being a good
neighbor and we hope your patience will be more than rewarded by the economic
opportunities we believe PEI Power Park will create."
The groundbreaking took place on the 30-acre "pad" where Laminations has
begun construction of its plant. The site was created through the relocation
of more than one million cubic yards of rock and soil.
PEI Power Park straddles the Lackawanna Valley Industrial Highway. The
highway, which will be completed in 1999, will provide Park occupants with a
direct link to Interstate Routes 81, 380 and 84. PEI Power Corp. has a
purchase option on 300 acres adjacent to the present Park property. The Park
could be expanded onto that acreage in the future.
PEI Power Corp. is a non-regulated subsidiary of Pennsylvania Enterprises,
Inc., of Wilkes-Barre (PEI). PEI's regulated subsidiaries are PG Energy and
Honesdale Gas Company. Other PEI subsidiaries are Theta Land Corporation, PG
Energy Services and its subsidiary, Keystone Pipeline Services.
PG Energy Services markets energy and energy-related products in a 26-
county area of northeastern and central Pennsylvania under the name of PG
Energy PowerPlus. PG Energy PowerPlus also markets home and business security
systems, fire detection and environmental hazard monitoring systems and Custom
Care, a service and maintenance contract for gas-fired heating equipment and
appliances.
PEI news releases are available 24 hours a day by fax machine or by
visiting the Company website at http://www.pnt.com. PEI Power Corp. information is
posted on its website at http://www.peipowercorp.com. To receive a faxed copy of our
news release, call 1-800-758-5804 on a touch-tone phone and use PEI's ID #
684209. Follow the prompted instructions to receive a copy of our most recent
news release or a menu of our latest news releases. Company news will be
faxed to you immediately without charge.
SOURCE Pennsylvania Enterprises, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.pnt.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/684209.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 684209
CONTACT:
John J. Hambrose of Pennsylvania Enterprises,
717-829-8756
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