A year after community opposition stopped the Salt River Project from expanding a natural gas plant in Pinal County, residents and the utility have come to a compromise.
The Arizona Corporation Commission is scheduled to consider the amended plan at a meeting next week.
The small historically-black community of Randolph, near Coolidge, and environmental groups had fought against SRP increasing natural gas generation at this facility. A year ago, the ACC voted against allowing the project to move forward.
Since then, SRP has continued to negotiate with some of the 150 residents in the area and their attorneys.
The utility agreed to reduce the number of new generation units from 16 to 12. The expansion would also occur farther away from houses than initially planned.
The residents of Randolph would also receive more than $23 million in concessions for the betterment of their community. These commitments would include money for a community center, money to repair homes and provide in-home air quality monitoring, scholarships and job training.
