The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approved petitions of Peoples Natural Gas Co. and Peoples TWP to implement long-term infrastructure improvement plans (LTIIP) in addition to a distribution system improvement charge. Peoples is to replace an average of 47 miles of pipeline per year during the five-year period of the LTIIP. Peoples plans to spend between $55 million and $71 million per year on pipeline, meter and service replacement over the five-year period. Peoples TWP is to replace an average of 28 miles of pipeline per year during the five-year period. Peoples TWP anticipates spending a minimum of $9.1 million per year over the five-year plan.

Rapid City, SD-based Black Hills Corp. on Wednesday began construction of a natural gas-fired 132 MW generation plant near Cheyenne, WY, by its utility units serving the area, Cheyenne Light, Fuel & Power and Black Hills Power. The Cheyenne Prairie Generating Station is to be five miles southeast of downtown Cheyenne, deploying three gas-fired turbines, including one simple-cycle peaking unit. The plant is scheduled to start commercial operations in the fourth quarter of 2014. Black Hills Power will use part of the facility as replacement for 82 MW of coal-fired generation that it has determined cannot be economically retrofitted with emissions equipment to meet more stringent federal regulations.

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