Calpine Corp., San Jose, Calif., said the 540 Mw Sutter energy center near Yuba City has begun operating. Building costs were an estimated $350 million. Separately, Calpine said Florida's Power Plant Siting Board granted approval for its proposed $250 million 529 Mw Osprey gas-fired combined cycle energy center in Auburndale, Fla. Construction will begin later this year. The plant's output is under long term contract to Seminole Electric Cooperative Inc.
A Brazilian consortium formed by Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (40%), Serra da Mesa Energia SA (40%), and Companhia Estadual de Energia Eletrica - CEEE (20%) reported winning a public concession to build the Foz do Chapeco hydroelectric power plant. The 35-year concession was awarded by Agencia Nacional de Energia Eletrica (ANEEL) June 28. The Foz do Chapeco power plant is on the Uruguai River, between the Brazilian states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, and will have a capacity of 855 Mw.
Colorado Interstate Gas, a subsidiary of El Paso Corp., Houston, said it began an open season until July 20 for a pipeline project to transport gas from the Cheyenne Hub in northeastern Colorado to Midcontinent pipeline markets near Greensburg, Kan. Colorado Interstate Gas proposes to construct 380 miles of 30-in. diameter pipeline and 17,000 hp of compression, designed to transport up to 540,000 dekatherms/day of gas.
ADT Security Services Inc., a unit of Tyco International Inc., Bermuda, has agreed to purchase Edison Select, a unit of Edison International, Rosemead, Calif., Edison said. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Proceeds from the sale will be used to pay down debt maturing this year at Edison International as part of a recently announced refinancing plan, it said.
A unit of Duke Energy Corp., Charlotte, NC, said will acquire a 400 Mw merchant generation facility in Union County, Miss., from a unit of Enron Corp., Houston. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Closing is anticipated in early October 2001.
The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada approved an agreement allowing Southwest Gas Corp., Las Vegas, to increase rates $75 million to recover higher gas costs. The agreement increases residential customers' bills $7.92 for 43 therms in southern Nevada and $21.80 for 65 therms in northern Nevada. The purchased gas adjustment request represents a dollar-for-dollar pass-through to customers of costs the company pays for natural gas.
Constellation Energy Group Inc., Baltimore, Md., reported the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved transfer of the Nine Mile Point nuclear station's operating licenses to Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station LLC, a subsidiary of Constellation Nuclear LLC, from Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., the sole owner and operator of Nine Mile Point Unit 1. Niagara Mohawk is operator and a co-owner of Unit 2. Constellation Nuclear applied to the NRC Feb. 1 for transfer of Nine Mile Point's operating licenses as part of its deal to purchase 100% of Unit 1 and 82% of Unit 2.
Northeast Utilities, Berlin, Conn., reported plans to develop a high capacity transmission line from Norwalk, Conn., into Hempstead Harbor, Long Island, NY. The project will tie Connecticut's grid to Long Island's grid using a direct current cable that will allow electricity to flow from Long Island to Connecticut or vice versa. It will also extend two 345 kv transmission lines to the Norwalk area at a cost of about $520 million subject to various regulatory approvals. Finally, the company said it will replace an existing set of seven fluid-filled 30-year-old transmission cables between Norwalk Harbor and Northport, Long Island with nonfluid-filled cables for about $80 million.
The Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, an affiliate of Cinergy Corp., said it will file an application with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to increase base rates for natural gas distribution service by $26 million, or 5.7%/year. If approved by regulators, a typical residential customer's bills will rise $4.90, or 6.1%/month to about $85.50. Rates for nonresidential firm transportation customers would increase about 2.3%, while nonresidential interruptible rates would increase 4.6%.
MDU Resources Group Inc., Bismarck, ND, said it expects to meet the earnings per share guidance of $2.30-$2.50, diluted. Meeting earnings expectations for 2001 will result in earnings that exceed those of 2000 by 25%, the company said. Second quarter earnings will be announced July 25.
TotalFinaElf SA, through its subsidiary Fina Eolia SA/NV, has applied to the Belgian Electricity and Gas Regulatory Commission for a concession to build and operate 40 wind turbines producing 100 Mw of electricity in Belgian waters. The turbines will be connected to the onshore power transmission grid by a subsea cable that will make landfall near the port of Zeebrugge. Operation is expected in 2003 and 2004.
PacifiCorp, a unit of the UK's ScottishPower PLC, is asking the Idaho Public Utilities Commission for an order allowing the utility to transfer PacifiCorp's common stock to a newly formed affiliate PacifiCorp Holdings Inc. that will function as a holding company responsible for PacifiCorp's nonutility businesses. The nonutility functions are services PacifiCorp provided before its merger with ScottishPower. The enterprises are being deemphasized since the company has redirected its focus to strictly electric service.
Shell Renewables, a unit of Royal Dutch/Shell, reached agreement with the Sun Oasis Company Ltd., Beijing, China, to supply solar home systems to up to 78,000 households over 5 years in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of western China. The project is supported by a $15 million grant from the Dutch government, and is part of a Chinese government program to bring electricity to remote communities.
