Westar Energy plans to build a $330 million plant near Emporia to help ensure that air conditioners continue to run in Lawrence and other growing Kansas communities.

The plant, expected to start construction this spring and be operational in May 2008, is being designed to help the utility provide enough power during peak periods – particularly when temperatures are at their highest, forcing air conditioners statewide to be running longest.

Such demands can stretch the capacity of Westar’s coal-fired plants, such as the Lawrence Energy Center at the northern edge of Lawrence. The new plant, being planned for a rural area six miles northeast of Emporia, would draw its power from turbines fueled by natural gas.

“This is a peaking unit, which can be fired up very quickly and taken down very quickly,” said Karla Olsen, a Westar spokeswoman. “It’s a matter of minutes.”

The new plant would help the utility keep up with regular increases in demand, prompted by the construction of new homes, businesses and other institutions in Topeka-based Westar’s service area, she said.

The new plant would have an initial capacity of 300 megawatts, with plans to double the capacity in the future. Westar has more than 650,000 customers in Kansas.

As with all company expenses, all costs for the plant’s construction will be borne by ratepayers, Olsen said. But any push by the company to increase its rates would need approval from the Kansas Corporation Commission.

The company does not know when or whether it would need to seek a rate increase to finance the plant, she said, considering that other Westar equipment will be depreciated in the coming years.

“But will it be considered? Most likely yes,” Olsen said.

The site near Emporia was among 53 sites in 29 communities that were considered for the plant. None were in Douglas County, Olsen said.