Barrick nears start of new power plant

Barrick Gold Corp.

expects to begin producing power from a new gas-fired plant east of Sparks this month.

The 115-megawatt plant will provide power for the company's Goldstrike Mine about 50 miles north of Elko.

Barrick said it's spent $63 million on the plant this year.

The company said last week that it has hired most of the staff it needs, and training has begun.

Barrick built the plant under the terms of a state law that allows major power users to leave the Sierra Pacific Power grid, freeing capacity for other users.