Washington, DC  -  Sylacauga’s new power plant will help grow East Alabama’s economy and create a stable and reliable source of electricity for generations to come, Congressman Mike Rogers said today.

“It creates jobs and infuses our economy with untold millions of dollars,” Rogers said during the speech. “It also helps us tell the business community we want their business.”

Rogers made the remarks this morning in Sylacauga at the ground breaking for a new natural gas power generating station built by the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA). The new plant will supply power to AMEA’s eleven member cities, Sylacauga included, and help provide excess generating capacity for the future growth of East Alabama.

Rogers also discussed the need to update our nation’s energy policy, commenting that the current policy has not been updated since the oil crisis of the 1970s. The energy bill, which is stalled in the U.S. Senate after passing the House in April, would help decrease the nation’s reliance on foreign oil and increase the county’s use of natural gas, which will fire the Sylacauga facility.

“Recent events in the Northeast have demonstrated to us once again our country lacks a sound energy policy,” he said. “I hope my colleagues from both the Senate and the House on both sides of the aisle come together to help forge a new consensus.”

The Third District representative added the new facility will become the largest customer for the Sylacauga Utilities Board, after Honda, and will help create jobs in Talladega County and throughout East Alabama.