UNS Energy approved a definitive merger agreement with Fortis, Canada’s largest investor-owned gas and electric distribution utility, that calls for Fortis to acquire all of the outstanding common stock of UNS Energy for $60.25 per share in cash. The $4.3 billion transaction, which includes the assumption of approximately $1.8 billion in debt, would provide additional capital and new resources for UNS Energy’s subsidiaries, including Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and UniSource Energy Services (UES).

PJM approved a $1.2 billion 345-kV double-circuit transmission investment designed to resolve short-circuit concerns in northern New Jersey.

Xcel Energy began work on a new substation in the town of Brunswick, Wisconsin. The substation will tie into an existing transmission line. Xcel Energy received all state regulatory approvals in early November, and construction work began in late November. The substation is scheduled to be in service by April 2014 and is estimated to cost $4 million.

Electric Transmission Texas (ETT) energized the last of seven 345-kV transmission line projects associated with the Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) initiative in west Texas. The Edith Clarke to Cottonwood transmission line was energized to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid on Dec. 4.

Renewable Energy Systems Canada (RES Canada) will construct two 10-MW solar PV facilities for Canadian Solar Solutions (Canadian Solar). The Mighty Solar and Taylor Kidd projects qualify for the province's FIT (feed-in-tariff) program and are scheduled for completion in 2014. The electricity from Mighty Solar and Taylor Kidd will be sold under the 20-year feed-in-tariff contract with the Ontario Power Authority.

KEMA-Powertest added a new test cell, number 9, at its High Voltage & High Power Test laboratory in Chalfont, Pennsylvania. Once completed, the new high power test cell will be the largest test cell in size & volume (34 ' x30 ' x26 ' H) and will provide a safer environment to test and certify the latest Power Utility equipment coming into the marketplace.

EDF Renewable Energy (EDF) and UBS International Infrastructure Fund (UBS) signed a definitive agreement under which UBS will acquire a 50 percent equity interest from EDF in the 161-MW Spinning Spur II wind farm project, subject to completion of construction and customary conditions precedent. Spinning Spur II, located in Oldham County Texas, commenced construction in June 2013 with an expected commercial operation date on or about July 1, 2014. Spinning Spur II will utilize 87 General Electric wind turbines with a rated capacity of 1.85 MW each.

ABB delivered and commissioned a microgrid control solution that enables the island of Faial in the Atlantic Ocean to add more wind energy to its power mix without destabilizing the network. The island of 15,000 inhabitants has an electricity network which operates as a self-contained microgrid, powered by six oil-fired generators that produce up to 17 MW of electric power.