Jeffrey Rader Corporation has been awarded a significant contract to supply a complete biomass fuel material handling system to GEMMA Power Systems, LLC for the ETEC Woodville Renewable Power project in Woodville, TX.

The system will be part of a 49.9MW biomass fueled power plant. The plant will provide power to members of several electric cooperatives that are part of East Texas Electric Cooperative (ETEC). "This is a significant project for the biomass energy industry in the USA and a major project for the Engineered Systems Group at Jeffrey Rader Corporation," said Tony Lubiani, vice president of engineered systems at Jeffrey Rader Corporation.

The material handling system is designed to unload and store just under 3,000t a day.

Because this is a power plant that will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the fuel handling system has to be highly reliable, low maintenance and have a high percentage of availability.

The biomass material handling system by Jeffrey Rader Corporation includes truck dumpers, processing equipment, an open stockpile for storage, underpile traveling screw reclaimers, all interconnecting belt conveyors, structures and associated equipment. Delivery of the equipment will begin in April 2013. The power plant is scheduled to complete operation in late 2014.