An operator of wood pellet production facilities, US-based Wood Fuel Developers, is developing its second plant in Richmond, Virginia.

Plans for the new $8.6 million (€6.3 million) plant come after the company’s first Virginia-based plant was announced earlier this year in Greensville County.

Planned for Sussex County, the facility will create an estimated 28 jobs for the local residents.

‘If you want to talk about big deals, this is like finding oil in Texas for us,’ says George Morrison, County Administrator. ‘It might be only 28 jobs but it feels like 28 million jobs, given all that we’ve been through.’ The area has been without a new industry since it was hit hard by the economic recession. 

Work will begin on the plant immediately, before operations start in August 2011.