Calpine Corp. of San Jose, CA, acquired the rights to build, ownand operate a 545-MW gas-fired power plant in Ontelaunee Townshipin eastern Pennsylvania. The proposed Ontelaunee Energy Center willserve users throughout the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland (PJM)power pool. Permitting for the proposed $285 million facility isnow underway, with construction scheduled to begin in early 2000.The plant, which is scheduled to start production in late 2001,will burn 85,000 to 90,000 MMBtu of gas per day.

The PJM power pool currently has a peak-load requirement ofabout 50,000 MWs. The deregulated PJM market is expected to requirethe addition of 24,000 MWs of new generation between 2000 and 2015due to internal load growth and the retirement of nuclear and oldercoal plants.

The proposed energy center will be built on a 20-acre parcel ofindustrial-zoned land. The facility is sited near a large electricsubstation and directly borders three Texas Eastern transmissionlines.

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