Local Kodak and government officials recently celebrated the completion of a $75 million dollar new boiler house located in Eastman Business Park.
That was part of the conversion of the utility plants at the industrial park earlier this year from coal to natural gas.
Eric Gottung is project manager. He works for RED-Rochester, the company that runs utilities at the business park.
He says the conversion from coal to natural gas brings a number of advantages including the fact that it’s better for the environment.
“And on top of that, it’s kind of a nice coincidence that as we’re converting from coal to gas, driven by the EPA regulations, we’re finding that gas prices are very good now, they’re very low and they’ll be stable for a long time.”
Gottung says the conversion makes Eastman Business Park more efficient and competitive when trying to attract new companies.
“Because gas is not only the source of the steam and electricity, but all of the utilities here, that sets up a situation for stable utility prices for all the existing customers and new customers coming in over the long haul.”
The power plant provides steam, electricity and refrigeration for the 1,200 acre industrial park. Formerly known as Kodak Park, the operation is now home to nearly 110 companies employing more than 6,000 people.
