Danskammer plant on Hudson to restart with gas

NEWBURGH — The new owners of an idled power plant on the Hudson River say they plan to restart operations with natural gas instead of coal.

The owners of the 500-megawatt Danskammer power plant in Newburgh say Tuesday they hope to be producing power later this year. The old coal-fired plant was shut down in Nov. 2012 after being damaged by Superstorm Sandy.

The announcement from Danskammer Energy LLC comes more than a week after state utility regulators approved a transfer of ownership. The owners say they will create at least 50 new jobs, cut local electricity costs and reduce emissions.

Barred from using coal, the plant's two larger units will be fueled entirely by natural gas. Two smaller units will be fueled by natural gas, with fuel oil as a backup.