Another chance to learn about alleged ghosts at Hamilton power plant

HAMILTON — UPDATE, Oct. 20:

Creepy Cincinnati Paraforensics will be giving an encore presentation of “Haunting of the Hamilton Power Plant” after organizers said last week’s events received a “tremendous response.”

The encore presentation of their findings will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Lane Public Library, 300 N. 3rd St.

ORIGINAL REPORT, Oct. 4:

The city of Hamilton, which this year has expanded both its natural-gas-dispensing capacity for vehicles and its production of hydroelectric power, is celebrating both of those utilities this week with a barbecue and a spooky report about possible hauntings of the Third Street power plant.

Both events are part of the American Public Gas Association’s “Public Natural Gas Week” and the American Public Power Association’s “Public Power Week.” Hamilton will celebrate Thursday with two events:

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Hamilton Utilities is inviting the community to a free Customer Appreciation Cookout at the Government Services Plaza, 345 High St., featuring free food and drinks, plus educational displays about the city’s electric- and natural-gas systems. There will be giveaways.

In a ghostly October twist, the city will offer two “paranormal forensics” presentations about possible hauntings at the Hamilton Power Plant. The presentations will happen at the Lane Library, 300 N. Third St. One presentation will happen at 5:15 p.m. and the other will be at 6:45 p.m.

“For a number of years, staff and contractors have reported unexplained ‘visitors’ and other strange occurrences at the City of Hamilton Third Street Power Plant,” the city said in a news release. “Creepy Cincinnati Paraforensics volunteers will share the results of two recently completed investigations at the facility during special ‘Haunting of the Hamilton Power Plant’ presentations.

The presentations will discuss how the ghost hunt was conducted, the equipment used during the investigation, and audio and video recordings obtained at the facility. Light refreshments will be served after the free talks.

The city in late April announced it had signed a five-year agreement with U.S. Gain Clean Fuel to market Hamilton's compressed natural gas station so it sells significantly more than it had since it opened in December of 2014 as the first public natural-gas fueling station in the Greater Cincinnati area.

During 2015, the first full year of operation, it sold about 35,000 CGEs (gasoline-gallon equivalents) of the lower-carbon-emission fuel. U.S. Gain markets the Hamilton station as part of its network, which serves numerous large companies, including Procter & Gamble, Anheuser-Busch and Unilever.

In this year’s first nine months, “the city has sold nearly a total of 41,000 Gasoline Gallon Equivalent (GGE),” said Mike Gurr, Hamilton’s field services superintendent. Because Hamilton owns its own natural-gas utility, it pipes the gas to the site, rather than trucking it in.

Also, the city now has 10 vehicles in its own fleet that use CNG fuel, Gurr said, including nine utility vehicles and one owned by the police.

“Through September, the City has purchased approximately 5,300 GGE for our internal fleet,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hamilton in June dedicated its second hydroelectric power plant on the Ohio River, another source of green power.

“Public Energy Week celebrates the reliable, competitive electric and natural gas service provided to the Hamilton community,” said Kevin Maynard, the city’s director of public utilities. “Public energy puts the people of Hamilton first, and Public Energy Week provides an opportunity to share the advantages of our locally owned utilities that support a strong community.”