Enviva, a biomass fuel producer based in Richmond, Va., said today it plans to build a new wood pellet manufacturing plant in Hertford County that will eventually employ 53 people.

The company expects to invest $52 million over the next three years to convert the former Georgia Pacific lumber site in Ahoskie, about 120 miles northeast of Raleigh.

Enviva will receive a grant worth up to $270,000 from the One North Carolina fund.

The plant is expected to produce 330,000 tons annually for Enviva clients in the U.S. and Europe and the United States.
 
The average annual wage for the new jobs will be $38,736 not including benefits.  The Hertford County average is $27,456.

“With its abundant biomass resources, close proximity to ports, and its wealth of skilled labor, Hertford County was the perfect choice of location for this project," said John Keppler, Chairman and CEO of Enviva.