A West Texas utility says it's received federal approval to move forward with construction of a power plant in El Paso.
El Paso Electric on Tuesday said it intends to build a natural gas plant. The initial two units for the Montana Power Station are scheduled to come online by May 2015.
The approval process for two additional units will begin in the fall.
The utility said in a news release that a permit issued by the federal Environmental Protection Agency took effect last week when no appeals were filed against the project.
Utility executives say the 352-megawatt Montana station will cost $372 million and will power up to 150,000 homes. It's part of ongoing efforts to meet a growing demand for electricity in the region.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
