Last year, Lafayette Utilities System was prepared to retire the coal-burning power plant Rodemacher 2. Now, the plant looks to have a new lease on life.
Rodemacher 2, a power plant located near Alexandria, was scheduled to close by 2027. But this week, the Lafayette Public Power Authority voted to pursue bonds for a potential renovation or conversion. Delays in building a new plant and increased demand for power have changed the system’s calculation, making the plant more valuable.
The process for $95 million in bonds has already started. The LPPA, made up of the same members as the City Council, voted unanimously to allow Lafayette Consolidated Government to pursue them with the state bond commission…