Binghamton Power Plant Is In Operation

The steam that's rising from a 199-foot-tall stack in Binghamton's First Ward is a visible indication that a 47-megawatt electricity generating plant is back in business.

California-based Wellhead Electric Company decided to repower the Charles Street facility, which was retired by its previous owner in February 2012.

Wellhead chief financial officer Colin Clements says the company spent some time considering "very carefully" whether it should reactivate the plant.

Clements said the region's energy needs were studied. He also said the current low price of natural gas, which is being used to fuel the facility, was a "significant factor" in the company's feasibility study.

The plant had been built to provide energy for the Anitec manufacturing site.

The facility started operations last week after a successful test run in mid-December. It's expected to operate for up to 3,000 hours a year. About a half-dozen people are expected to work at the site.

Although natural gas is the primary fuel for the plant, it could switch to oil as a back-up.

Steam coming from the tall stack at the generating station is visible for miles, especially on extremely cold winter days.