IKEA plans to increase the solar array atop its Detroit-area store that opened eight years ago in Canton, MI. In September, IKEA began work on a 44,000-square-foot expansion to the store, atop which new panels will be installed beginning spring 2015, with a completion by summer. The 40,000-square-foot solar addition will consist of a 240.9-kW system built with 765 panels, and will produce 287,490 kWh more of electricity annually for the store.

Algonquin Power & Utilities achieved commercial operation of the 24-MW Phase I St. Damase Wind Project (St. Damase I) in Quebec under the terms of the PPA with Hydro Quebec. The project was completed on time and on budget. St. Damase I consists of 10 Enercon E-92, 2.35 MW wind turbine generators. The total capital cost of the facility was approximately $49 million, net of the Canadian Renewable and Conservation Expense tax incentive that was used to partially fund the project.

FERC issued an order approving construction of Constitution Pipeline’s proposed pipeline to increase natural gas supply to New York and New England markets, subject to certain conditions that will ensure the protection of natural resources. FERC on Dec. 2, 2014 issued its certificate of public convenience and necessity for the 124-mile Constitution Pipeline.

ABB designed, manufactured, installed and commissioned a 1,200-kV circuit breaker the highest AC voltage level in the world. Once the 1200-kV ultrahigh-voltage switchgear is fully operational, it will have a switching capacity of 10,400 MW - a switch capable of turning ON' or OFF' the electricity generated by 10 large power plants or the combined average annual electrical load of Switzerland and Denmark, within milliseconds.

Siemens was awarded an order for turn-key erection of a combined cycle power plant to be equipped with the Siemens H-Class gas turbine. Customer for the 596-MW plant in Płock is PKN Orlen, Eastern Europe's largest mineral oil company. Commissioning of the plant is scheduled for the end of 2017.

ONEOK Partners completed the acquisition of natural gas liquids (NGL) pipelines and related assets from affiliates of Chevron for approximately $800 million. ONEOK Partners now owns an 80 percent interest in the West Texas LPG Pipeline Limited Partnership (West Texas LPG) and 100 percent interest in the Mesquite Pipeline (Mesquite), which collectively consists of approximately 2,600 miles of NGL gathering pipelines extending from the Permian Basin in southeastern New Mexico to East Texas and Mont Belvieu, Texas.

Montana-Dakota Utilities, a division of MDU Resources Group, signed an agreement to purchase a North Dakota wind farm to be developed by ALLETE Clean Energy. The wind project, located near Hettinger, N.D., and comprised of 43 turbines producing 107.5 MW of electricity, is anticipated to be completed in December 2015. The project's cost is approximately $200 million and the purchase is subject to regulatory approvals.

FERC approved the proposed merger of Exelon and Pepco Holdings. The companies announced their proposed merger on April 30. The combination of the companies will bring together Exelon's three electric and gas utilities - BGE, ComEd and PECO - and Pepco Holdings' (PHI's) three electric and gas utilities - Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco - to create the leading mid-Atlantic electric and gas utility.