South Carolina Electric & Gas Co., a unit of SCANA Corp., reported the 417 Mw coal-fired Cope generating station returned to service Apr. 11 after repairs were completed to the plant's generator. It was taken out of service Jan. 3, due to an electrical ground in the generator. The generator had to be dismantled to repair a cooling water system crack and replace a stator bar. Separately, the utility said it will build a $275 million, 500-600 Mw combined cycle gas-fueled power plant in Jasper County, SC, for service beginning in the summer of 2004. Siting and permitting are expected to take place through April 2002, with an estimated 2-year construction schedule, the company said.
PG&E National Energy Group, an affiliate of PG&E Corp., said the 360 Mw gas-fired Millennium power plant, Charlton, Mass., achieved commercial operation. The plant is fueled with gas transported by Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co., a unit of El Paso Corp. Its power will be sold into the competitive New England electric system.
PSEG Power LLC, a unit of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc., has awarded Duke/Fluor Daniel a contract for engineering, procurement, and construction services (EPC) for the Waterford energy facility, a nominal 865 Mw, gas-fired combined cycle merchant power plant in Waterford Township, Ohio, Duke said. Commercial operation of the combined- cycle plant is scheduled for May 2003. Duke/Fluor Daniel is a partnership of Duke Energy Corp. and Fluor Corp. Separately, Raytheon Co. awarded Duke/Fluor Daniel a contract for EPC services for two power generation facilities under construction near Boston, Mass., Duke said. Duke/Fluor Daniel replaces Washington Group International as the EPC contractor for the Mystic project, a 1,600 Mw combined cycle facility, and the Fore River project, an 800 Mw combined cycle facility, Duke said. The two plants are owned by Sithe North America, a 49.9%-owned affiliate of Exelon Corp.
Dominion Resources Inc. said it will become a partner with CME North American Merchant Energy in the proposed development of a $300 million, 800 Mw gas-fired electric generation facility near Dundee, Monroe County, Mich. Jerry V. Llaneza, Dominion's director of business development, said the plant has potential but will need further analysis to develop a timeline for commercial operation.
Japan's Marubeni Corp. and France's ALSTOM (Switzerland) Ltd. (former ABB Power Generation Ltd.) signed a $ 115.4 million contract for Phu My 2 Phase 1 add-on combined cycle power project with state utility, Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) in Hanoi. The contract will be funded by the Vietnamese government, the companies reported. The project will increase output to 450 Mw from 300 Mw and be completed in March 2003.
Consolidated Edison Co. of New York Inc. (Con Edison) said it has enrolled its 100,000th customer in the company's electric retail choice program. Con Edison will continue to deliver the electricity to homes and businesses in its service area. Under the program, now in its third year, all customers are able to purchase electricity and gas from alternate suppliers.
Allegheny Energy Inc. said it will issue 10 million shares of common stock. The offering is expected to be concluded by early May 2001. All or a portion of the net proceeds of the transaction will be used to fund the acquisition of generating facilities, the company said. Any proceeds not used in the acquisition of generating facilities will be used for general corporate purposes.
Sempra Atlantic Gas, a unit of Sempra Energy, said it is reexamining gas distribution plans for Nova Scotia after a Department of Transportation and Public Works decision not to approve Sempra Atlantic's plan to install natural gas distribution pipes in secondary road shoulders and shifts in the North American energy market that also have placed pressure on the company's business plan. Moving construction from the road shoulder adds tens of millions of dollars to overall project costs, the company said.
Thailand's Thaksin Shinawatra Administration's import reduction policy has forced the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) to defer its 3 billion baht ($66.6 million) project to lay an onshore gas pipeline in southern Thailand. The 20-in. 80 km transmission line was set to come on stream in 2003 with a gas throughput capacity of 150 MMcfd. The kingdom's new government has instructed various state enterprises to delay or trim projects which involve major import contents in the face of rapid fall in the country's trade surplus. The delay is prompting the Thai state power utility to reconsider development of its Surat Thani combined cycle power plant.
American Electric Power Co. Inc. said it filed a request with the Kentucky Public Service Commission for authority to install a new emission control system at Big Sandy Unit 2 generating plant near Louisa, Ky. The control system will reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from the 800 Mw unit by 90%.
Thailand's peak power demand reached an all time high of 15,620 Mw Apr. 5, up 4.7% from the year earlier period amid expectation that a new record could be set in May, according to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). With rising temperature and stronger electricity demand in the commercial and manufacturing sectors spurred by economic recovery, Siridat Glankwahmdee, deputy EGAT governor for transmission system, said peak demand may reach 15,946 Mw next month.
Arch Coal Inc. said it filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission a new universal shelf registration statement to allow it to offer, from time to time in the future, up to $750 million in debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares, common stock, and related rights and warrants.Terms will be stated in a prospectus supplement at the time of the offering.
