Builds

The Orlando [FL] Utilities Commission (OUC) approved the sale ofthe municipal utility’s 619-MW Indian River Steam Generation Plant(IRP) to Reliant Energy for $205 million.

While power demand hit record levels throughout the Northeastand power prices rocketed to $850/MWh last week, NRG Energycontinued to position itself as a major generator in thepower-hungry region. The subsidiary of Northern States Power landeda major power generation deal with Connecticut Light & Power ofHartford. NRG is snatching up 2,235 MW of generating capacity fromCL&P for $460 million.

While power demand hit record levels throughout the Northeastand power prices rocketed to $850/MWh yesterday, NRG Energycontinued to position itself as a major generator in thepower-hungry region. The subsidiary of Northern States Power landeda major power generation deal with Connecticut Light & Power ofHartford. NRG is snatching up 2,235 MW of generating capacity fromCL&P for $460 million.

Are fuel cells catching on? Plug Power, a pioneer in the fuelcell industry incorporated in 1997 with 25 employees, now has 250.The company broke ground this week for a 50,000 square feetmanufacturing facility that will double its current space.

CMS Energy’s subsidiary CMS Continental Natural Gas said it hascompleted the acquisition of a 750-mile gathering system in northcentral Texas from Koch Hydrocarbon Co. Terms of the deal were notdisclosed.

Duke Energy Trading and Marketing (DETM) added 1 Bcf/d of gassales and 14.07 million MWh of power sales to its marketingoperation with the purchase of NP Energy, which was at No. 20 inNGI’s power marketer ranking by volume in the third quarter. Themove pushes Duke up to No. 3 from No. 5 in gas marketing and to No.4 from the No. 7 spot in power based on third quarter volumes.

Fort Worth-based Richardson Products Co., the marketing arm ofSid Richardson Gasoline Co., is hoping to follow the footsteps ofAquila Gas Pipeline of San Antonio, TX, into third-party gasmarketing. The company is expanding into marketing of third-partynatural gas and adding risk management products. RichardsonProducts recently grew its staff by five, four of whom come fromAquila Gas Pipeline where they started a successful third-partymarketing business. Richardson Products last year marketed 100 to130 MMcf/d of gas last year. Jim Wade, newly hired vice presidentof marketing and business development, said plans are to initiallydouble that number and then market about half a Bcf/d in the firstquarter of next year, all physical gas. Expectations are for abouta Bcf/d in financial volumes.

Dynegy Inc., formerly NGC Corp. has purchased ComptonPetroleum’s Canadian midstream assets, including 78 miles ofpipelines, and the 82 MMcf/d Mazeppa and 15 MMcf/d Gladysprocessing plants in southern Alberta, for C$60 million. The dealalso includes a transportation, processing and revenue sharingagreement whereby Compton is assured processing and transportationcapacity at set rates and is paid a fee for bringing in new wellsand production.

Growth in southeast Texas drilling operations prompted DukeEnergy Field Services to build a new gas processing plant in WestBeaumont, TX, which went on line last week. The plant has capacityof 100 MMcf/d.