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Orrington facility to begin accepting waste, but not yet producing energy

Orrington, Maine -- August 8, 2019 -- The Penobscot Energy Recovery Facility in Orrington.
Linda Coan O'Kresik
/
via BDN
Orrington, Maine -- August 8, 2019 -- The Penobscot Energy Recovery Facility in Orrington.

The new owners of Orrington's shuttered waste-to-energy plant are starting a multi-phase reopening plan.

Eagle Point Energy Center bought the facility in March, and spokesperson Dan Cashman said the company has submitted a transfer station permit application with the Department of Environmental Protection. That will allow the plant to begin accepting waste.

If the transfer station application is approved, the company will then transport the waste to the Juniper Ridge Landfill. Cashman said the waste-to-energy production won't begin until a later date.

"So at this point, the idea of Eagle Point Energy Center opening as a waste to energy facility still exists," he said. "But in the interim, there's a phase in approach where waste will be taken in from communities and private haulers."

In recent months with the facility not accepting waste, towns have been transporting it to Juniper Ridge Landfill separately.

Kaitlyn Budion is Maine Public’s Bangor correspondent, joining the reporting team after several years working in print journalism.