The US Department of Energy (DOE) has approved and agreed to participate in Clean Line Energy Partners’ Plains & Eastern Clean Line transmission project.Estimated to cost $2.5bn, the project is due to be the largest clean energy infrastructure project in the US. It will offer 4,000MW of low-cost, clean power from the Oklahoma Panhandle region to customers in Arkansas, Tennessee and other states in the Mid-South and Southeast through a 705-mile direct current transmission line. The power generated is expected to be sufficient for over one million American households.The project will be entirely funded by private investment, and is anticipated to create thousands of jobs in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee. It will include the construction of a 500MW converter station in Arkansas.Clean Line Energy Partners president Michael Skelly said that the regulatory nod will allow construction work to begin in 2017.
Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) has commenced construction work on a new substation project in Monmouth County, New Jersey.The project, part of JCP&L's multi-year $250m transmission system reliability enhancement program, is estimated to cost $124m. Nearly $97m will be spent for the project in 2016.Work will include the construction of a new 16-mile, 230kV transmission line along existing right-of-way with steel pole construction to connect JCP&L substations in Howell and Neptune. The project will also involve the reconstruction of an existing 230kV transmission line connecting substations in Colts Neck and Neptune using steel poles, as well as installation of new equipment in the substations such as circuit breakers and remote-control communications equipment. The new transmission line is due to be operational by June 2017.JCP&L president Jim Fakult said: "This transmission project will make our system in Monmouth County more resilient and help meet the growing demand for electricity in the region. "Along with the greater redundancies provided by the new transmission line, the high-tech substation devices we plan to install will give us the ability to operate the system remotely, automatically resetting the equipment instead of having to send a line crew to investigate the cause of the problem."
Técnicas Reunidas has secured a contract worth $800m from Pemex Transformación Industrial to deliver the second phase of the ultra low sulphur diesel project at the General Refinery Lazaro Cardenas in Minatitlan, Mexico.This phase will include the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of two new refining units - a diesel hydrodesulphurisation unit (30,000bpd) and sulphur recovery plant (150tpd). Expected to be completed within a 36-month period, this phase will also include upgrades to an existing hydrodesulphurisation unit, the corresponding auxiliary services, as well as the integration of the facilities outside battery limits for these plants. Técnicas Reunidas won a contract for the $50m first phase in September 2014. This phase involved the execution of an extended basic design, a detailed estimation of the investment cost and the purchase of long-term delivery equipment. The project is part of the development plans being carried out by Pemex Transformación Industrial within the Fuel Quality Project at their refineries across the country, and entails investment of $5.5bn. The works are expected to create 12,000 direct jobs and 31,000 indirect jobs.
DTE Gas has announced plans to invest $1.4bn to modernise its natural gas pipeline infrastructure in Michigan over the next five years.The investment will be used to upgrade the company’s cast iron and steel main pipelines with newer and more durable material, as well as for installation of new service lines for homes and businesses. Over 100 miles of gas main lines are due to be replaced this year.Work will also involve the relocation of natural gas meters from the interior portion of homes and businesses and replacing them with modernised meters on the exterior, and upgrades to the compressor stations.DTE Gas president and COO Mark Stiers said: "Replacing older gas lines with the latest in pipeline material ensures that our natural gas system remains safe for our customers. The key to maintaining a safe pipeline system is our regular inspections and maintenance of the lines."
Gemma Power Systems has received full notice to proceed to start construction on a 475MW natural gas-fired power plant in Kings Mountain, North Carolina.The company has secured an EPC services contract from NTE Energy affiliate NTE Carolinas for the project, which is expected to be completed in the second half of 2018.The facility will incorporate an advanced Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas M501GAC combustion turbine generator, a Vogt Power International supplementary-fired heat recovery steam generator, along with a Toshiba America Energy Systems steam turbine generator.The power generated by the plant will be sold to nine municipal and state owned utilities in North Carolina and South Carolina, under individual long-term power sale agreements. The project is being funded by a group of nine financial institutions, led by ING Capital and MUFG Union Bank, which offered $387m in various senior secured credit facilities. Capital Dynamics and Wattage Finance-NC, LLC is providing $218m in equity commitments for the project.
Aecom Capital and FFP New Hydro have formed a new partnership to develop and build six hydropower projects on the Muskingum River in southeastern Ohio.The six projects, developed by the Muskingum River Hydro partnership, are expected to produce a total of 23MW, which is sufficient to power 11,500 households. The projects will entail an investment of over $100m.Four of these projects have already secured Federal Energy Regulatory Commission licenses. The low-impact generation facilities will be added to existing lock and dam structures, which are owned and operated by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.The projects are anticipated to commence construction in 2017 and will be operational by 2018. Each project is anticipated to create 100 to 150 jobs during the construction phase, and continued staffing and service employment during operations.Aecom Capital CEO John Livingston said: “Muskingum River Hydro LLC represents an attractive opportunity for Aecom Capital to strengthen our commitment to clean energy projects and invest and develop in new hydropower on existing dams alongside the industry leading team of investors and developers at FFP New Hydro.”
ONEOK Partners has completed the first phase of the Roadrunner Gas Transmission pipeline project in West Texas, US.
Duke Energy Progress has secured approval from the North Carolina Utilities Commission to build two 280MW combined cycle natural gas-fuelled electric generating units in Asheville, North Carolina.
Power and automation technology group ABB has secured a contract worth about $130m from Great River Energy to upgrade a high-voltage direct current connection (HVDC) transmission system in the US.
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has broken ground on three new solar power plants in Florida.