A unit of Enmax Power Corp. has won a contract to build a new transmission station in northeast Calgary, ESBI Alberta, the province's transmission administrator said. The substation is expected to begin operation July 1, 2002. Terms were not disclosed.The purpose of this substation is to convert electricity from high voltage to a lower level for delivery to businesses and homes.
A unit of Williams Cos. Inc. reported it extended the open season on its Kern River natural gas pipeline system through Sept. 18. The open season seeks binding commitments for seasonal and year-round firm backhaul transportation service from Kern River's new interconnect near Elberta, Utah, with Questar Pipeline's ML No. 104 project to markets along the Wasatch Front that are upstream of the new interconnect.
BC Gas Utility Ltd., a unit of BC Gas Inc., Vancouver, BC, asked the BC Utilities Commission to allow it to reduce the commodity charge for natural gas by 15% starting Oct. 1, resulting in a 10% reduction in the total bill for commercial and small industrial customers.
Rapids Power LLC, Grand Rapids, Minn., said it requested a certificate of need from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to construct and own a 309 Mw energy efficient cogeneration power plant adjacent to the Blandin Paper Co. facility in Grand Rapids, Minn. The company said it anticipated that construction of the $200 million project would begin in the fall of 2002 and be completed in 2005.
Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville, Tenn., placed an order for a Distributed Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage solution from American Superconductor Corp., Westborough, Mass, and GE Industrial Systems, a business unit of General Electric Co., the companies reported. The unit is expected to be put in service in November.
Mount San Antonio Community College, Walnut, Calif., has awarded a $5.8 million energy services contract to a unit of CMS Energy Corp., the company said. In recent months, electric rates have increased by as much as 40%. The project will include lighting upgrades, installation of a campus-wide digital energy management system, and replacement of a thermal cooling system with a more energy efficient system. The project is expected to pay for itself in 5 years, the company said.
The director of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission's (OCC) public utility division has filed an application with the commission to review the rates of OG&E Electric Services, the utility unit of OGE Energy Corp. The commission staff requested OG&E submit information in accordance with OCC standard filing requirements by Jan. 4, 2002, for a test year ending Sept. 30.
The UK's ScottishPower PLC said the Utah Public Service Commission granted its US subsidiary, PacifiCorp, a $40.5 million revenue increase. The decision sets new revenues about 5.1% higher than previous base levels. The award is $29.5 million lower than the annual $70 million interim revenue award made in February 2001. As a result PacifiCorp is required to refund $22 million collected from February to October. The company said it is reviewing options for reconsideration and appeal.
Southern LNG Inc., a unit of El Paso Corp., Houston, said it would hold an open season to expand its Elba Island liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal near Savannah, Ga., by about 80%. Southern LNG is offering an additional 3.3 bcf of storage capacity with a send-out rate of 360 MMcfd. Planned in-service date for the expansion is 2005, subject to receipt of adequate firm subscriptions and necessary regulatory approvals.
The New York Independent System Operator said it has begun accepting registrations from market participants for a new "virtual bidding" service scheduled to begin operating Nov. 1 subject to federal regulatory approval. The transactions would permit market participants to hedge load in the day-ahead market and cover the sale in the real-time market.
The UK's Centrica PLC said it filed an application with Texas regulators to offer retail electricity service in the state. The company said it planned to sell power under the Republic Power and Energy America brands. It said it planned to operate in services territories of five utilities.
The US Department of Energy said it will hold workshops in Detroit, Mich., Atlanta, Ga.; and Phoenix, Ariz. to take comment on a National Transmission Grid Study. The study will identify major US bottlenecks , the technical and economic consequences of these electric transmission constraints, and potential solutions to stimulate investment in new transmission facilities.