Storage Steps Up

Could batteries affect the way power producers evaluate and operate their generating assets – in particular fossil fired generating assets they currently use to supply ancillary services? Duke Energy's Jeff Gates talks about the Notrees project and the future of battery storage.
Could batteries affect the way power producers evaluate and operate their generating assets – in particular fossil fired generating assets they currently use to supply ancillary services? Duke Energy's Jeff Gates talks about the Notrees project and the future of battery storage.

NTE Energy to Develop the Pecan Creek Energy Center in Texas

NTE Energy plans to develop, own and operate the Pecan Creek Energy Center, located near Sweetwater, Texas. The energy center will utilize the M501GAC-FAST combustion turbine in simple cycle that will be supplied by Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas (MHPSA). The permit applications and its generation interconnection request have been filed with ERCOT. The project is expected to begin construction in the fourth quarter 2014 and become fully operational in the second quarter 2016.

Georgia Power, DOE Finalize Vogtle Nuclear Project Loan Guarantees

Georgia Power secured approximately $3.46 billion in loan guarantees from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) toward the construction of the Plant Vogtle units 3 and 4 nuclear expansion project. The project is the first U.S. nuclear project to receive funding through the DOE program. Along with Georgia Power's portion of the two 1,100-MW reactors, the remaining ownership is split among Oglethorpe Power, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG Power) and Dalton Utilities.

IKEA Plugs-in 4 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations at Chicago-Area Store

IKEA plugged-in four Blink electric vehicle charging stations at one of its Chicago-area stores as part of its partnership with Car Charging Group. This initiative represents the 13th such U.S. project for IKEA, with installation underway at other locations. In all, installation of units currently planned will bring the number of Blink charging stations available at IKEA locations to 54.

SunEdison and MIC Solar Energy Complete 16.4 MW PV Solar Plant on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base

SunEdison and MIC Solar Energy Holdings completed a 16.4 MW PV solar power plant located outside Tucson, Arizona on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AFB). The project was developed with a public/private alliance between Davis-Monthan AFB, SunEdison, The North American Development Bank (NADB), MIC Solar Energy Holdings, Chevron Energy Solutions and local officials. MIC Solar Energy Holdings took ownership of the project and SunEdison Renewable Operation Center (ROC) will manage plant operations through a contract with MIC Solar Energy Holdings.

El Paso Electric, Newman Solar Agree to Build Solar Energy Facility in Texas

El Paso Electric (EPE) and Newman Solar, owned by juwi solar (JSI), have signed an agreement to build a 10 MW solar energy facility in Northeast El Paso, Texas,  next to EPE's Newman Generation Station. JSI will be responsible for developing, designing, building and operating the Newman Solar project. EPE and JSI signed a 30-year PPA for 10 MW of solar photovoltaic energy in which EPE will purchase all of the solar energy, renewable energy credits and associated attributes.

Manitoba Hydro and Great River Energy Announce 600 MW Power Sale Memorandum of Understanding

Manitoba Hydro and Great River Energy signed a MOU to jointly investigate the sale of up to 600 MW of electricity from Manitoba Hydro to Great River Energy, commencing in approximately 2020. Under the MOU, the utilities have agreed to discuss supplying some of Great River Energy's long-term electricity needs from Manitoba Hydro's proposed new hydroelectric stations.

ABB Wins Orders Worth $56 Million From Power Grid of India

ABB won orders worth around $56 million from Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID), to supply power transformers and shunt reactors for substations being built to support the country's ultrahigh voltage transmission grid development. Fourteen 500 megavolt ampere (MVA), 765 kV ultrahigh voltage single-phase auto-transformers based on ABB's technology will be installed at greenfield substations being constructed in Kanpur and Varanasi.

Siemens Completes Estlink 2 Transmission Project

Siemens Energy completed the EstLink 2 project, a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link consisting of converter stations in Anttila, Finland, and Püssi, Estonia. Power is now being transmitted by Fingrid, the transmission system operator in Finland and the Estonian transmission system operator Elering. The new joint transmission capacity between the two countries is now increased from 350 MW to 1000 MW. Siemens was responsible for designing the HVDC system as a monopolar connection with metallic return conductor.

NRG’s Solar Thermal Power Project at Ivanpah Achieves Commercial Operation

NRG Solar’s Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is now operational and delivering solar electricity to California customers. At full capacity, the facility produces a gross total of 392 MW. Ivanpah is a joint effort between NRG, Google, and BrightSource Energy and Bechtel is the EPC contractor on the project. The project received a $1.6 billion loan guarantee from the US Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office. The facility achieved commercial operation on December 31, 2013.