Idaho regulators are looking at the latest integrated resource plan (IRP) of PacifiCorp’s Rocky Mountain Power unit, which assumes modest 1.1% annual growth and some changes in coal-fired power generation, including the retirement of a unit and replacement with a new natural gas-fired generation facility. Salt Lake City-based Rocky Mountain is the PacifiCorp operating utility in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. Part of the IRP filed with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) calls for Rocky Mountain converting its Naughton Unit 3 coal-fired plant near Kemmerer, WY, to a natural gas-fired plant, and installing emissions control equipment on coal units in Utah (Hunter Unit 1) and Wyoming (Jim Bridger Units 3 and 4). The utility said that these plans are not final, due to the uncertainty of the future federal carbon tax legislation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s final new standards for power plants. The PUC said it is taking comments from the public through Aug. 8.
Assumes
Articles from Assumes
Shale Region Pipeline Costs On the Rise
The cost to build major natural gas pipelines is rising, particularly in the Marcellus Shale, according to a new report.
Penn Virginia Trims Spending, Focusing on Oily Onshore Plays
Onshore unconventional natural gas producer Penn Virginia Corp. said Friday it will concentrate its exploration activities in oily and liquids-rich plays in 2011 and will spend 40% less than it did this year because of a “weak natural gas price environment and outlook.”
Kerr-McGee Assumes $385M 4Q Charge; Calls Leadon Field a ‘Disappointment’
Due to estimated costs related to impairments for the Leadon field and various other fields in the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico shelf, Kerr-McGee Corp. announced Monday that it will take a special after-tax noncash charge of approximately $385 million during the fourth quarter.
FERC Budget Assumes ‘Full Transition’ to Competitive Markets
FERC’s 2003 budget, released last week, requests nearly $200 million to operate, but more important, expects to offer a “new way of operating” in the aftermath of the electricity crisis in the Western United States last year. The Commission said that given the California experience, “it is now clear that our primary emphasis must be to facilitate a full transition to competitive wholesale energy markets as soon as possible.”
PG&E Comes to Terms with 131 QFs, Assumes Contracts
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. signed five-year agreements with 131 of its qualifying facilities (QFs) last week, ensuring the utility and its customers will receive a reliable supply of electricity at an average energy price of 5.37 cents/kWh. The contracts represent nameplate capacity of 2,950 MW compared to PG&E’s total QF contract nameplate capacity of 4,400 MW. On an average annual basis, the company receives 2,400 MW from all of its QFs, and the 131 QFs represent 1,600 MW of the total amount.
Williams Buys Rest of Volunteer Energy
Williams Energy Services has acquired full ownership ofVolunteer Energy Corp., increasing its stake from 50%.
Williams Assumes Full Control of EnergyVision
Williams took a bigger jump into the energy marketing businessyesterday by announcing it has acquired full ownership ofEnergyVision by purchasing the 50% interest in the company that washeld by BEC Energy. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
