Construction Underway at Rothschild Biomass Plant | The Boldt Company

ROTHSCHILD — One month into construction of the joint We Energies-Domtar biomass power plant in Rothschild, timing already is essential. To quality for federal tax credits, the $255 million plant that will burn the tops and limbs of trees to produce energy and steam must be operational by the end of 2013.

Bob DeKoch, president of Boldt Construction, the Appleton firm managing plant construction, said the project has an "ambitious schedule."

As Domtar and We Energies host a "community appreciation day" at the Rothschild Pavilion this weekend, folks who drive by the paper mill might not notice much progress. But things are moving quickly, DeKoch said.

The contractor handling excavation for the plant’s foundation and a retention pond planned for the rear of the property began work about two weeks ago, and the number of workers on site gradually will grow to 400 in the next year.

The plant will burn 500,000 tons of biomass each year, producing energy for We Energies to sell and steam for use in Domtar’s paper-making process. Domtar gave approval for the project to begin in June, setting construction in motion after more than a year of state and local review.