HILDALE, Utah (AP) — The Twin City power plant, which formerly provided power for the twin polygamist communities of Colorado City, Ariz., and Hildale, will close July 1.
Power manager Lorin Fischer said the wholesale price of natural gas, which fuels the plant, has gone from $1.40 per decatherm when the plant opened in January 1997 to $6.50 per decatherm.
"We lost functionality at $2.50," Fischer told the Hildale City Council this past week. "We are planning on mothballing the plant."
With the exception of three months last summer, the plant has been idle since January 2004.
Fischer said two employees at the generation plant and two working in accounting will be laid off. A lineman also may be laid off.
Fischer said one person would remain at the plant to keep things in running condition if the plant is needed for emergencies, and the power company is seeking to restructure the payments with bondholders.
The company purchases power from other sources to serve the two communities.
In other action, the council unanimously approved appointment of Jonathan Roundy as acting police chief.
Roundy replaces his brother, Sam Roundy, whose certification was revoked by the Utah Peace Officers Standards and Training Council because he allegedly had plural wives.