Pacific Ethanol plans to reopen Idaho plant

Sacramento-based Pacific Ethanol Inc. said this week it plans to resume production at its plant in Burley, Idaho, pending a review in bankruptcy court scheduled for Dec. 14.

The Burley plant can produce 60 million gallons of ethanol a year. Market conditions drove the company to shutter the plant in February, but the economics of ethanol production have since improved.

Pacific Ethanol owns four large plants with a combined annual capacity of 200 million gallons. It has recently operated only one, in Boardman, Ore.

After large losses in 2008, the company's ethanol-production subsidiaries filed for bankruptcy protection in May.

source: sacbee