Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

Digest

ISO New England approves Northern Pass transmission project; Southern California Edison selects Quanta PAR to build Tehachapi transmission line segments; Pennsylvania PUC approves PPL $335 million grid project; Southern Company completes smart grid investments; U.S. Army Reserve contracts ConEdison Solutions for efficiency and maintenance support services; plus announcements and contracts involving Honeywell, Stor Generation, Salt River Project, Landis+Gyr, Abengoa, Constellation, and others.

PUC Approves PPL’s Northeast-Pocono Reliability Project

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approved PPL Electric Utilites’ proposed Northeast Pocono Reliability Project, a $335 million project that involves building new electrical substations and a new 230-kV power line running approximately 60 miles. PPL Electric Utilities submitted the project to the PUC in late December 2012, after soliciting public input at 13 community meetings in the project region. The utility is working with various agencies to secure necessary environmental permits. The project is estimated to be completed in 2017.

FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Utilities File Plans to Purchase Electric Generation Supply Beginning in 2015

FirstEnergy's Metropolitan Edison (Met-Ed), Pennsylvania Electric (Penelec), Pennsylvania Power (Penn Power), and West Penn Power utility companies have filed plans with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PPUC) to procure electric generation supply beginning June 2015 for customers who choose not to shop with alternate suppliers. The procurement process will be managed by CRA International, Inc. (CRA). Under the proposed plan, CRA will conduct auctions on a quarter