A delegation of GCC Rio Grande executives will meet with county commissioners today.
GCC Rio Grande cement executives and Pueblo County commissioners will meet today in a bid to reach a final accord on the company’s proposal for building a new cement plant south of Pueblo.
The agreement would clear one of the last hurdles remaining as GCC Rio Grande picks up speed on building the plant, first proposed in 1998, company president Enrique Escalante said.
Talks also remain ongoing between the company and local electric providers Tri-State and San Isabel Electric, and the company also continues to review construction costs, Escalante said.
Fast-rising steel prices continue to push the plant’s construction costs upward.
The company now estimates the plant will cost between $225m and $245m to build, a much higher cost than the $155 million estimated cost when the plant was first proposed in 1999.
The talks also are expected to focus on finalizing a plan for making the Lime Road improvements needed for the construction. (The bulk of the cement shipments will take place by rail.) The plant site is to the east of Interstate 25 on Lime Road.
If an agreement is reached with the county, the company will then focus its attention on resolving outstanding issues regarding the electricity costs and building supply costs, Escalante said.
If all of the final pieces fall into the place, the company expects to present the proposal to its board of directors in coming weeks and construction could begin by January, he said.
