Develop

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has announced an accelerated process to develop a standard interconnection agreement to be used by all utilities and regional transmission organizations (RTO) in hooking up generators in the development of an efficient, open access transmission service.

Silicon Valley met the energy crisis and backed off, clearing the way for Calpine Corp. and joint-venture partner, Bechtel, to develop a $400 million, 600 MW, natural gas-fired power plant, the Metcalf Energy Center, at the southern-most end of San Jose, CA. If all goes well, Calpine will begin construction this year and have the power plant running by summer 2003.

Silicon Valley met the energy crisis and backed off, clearing the way for Calpine Corp. and joint-venture partner, Bechtel, to develop a $400 Million, 600 MW, natural gas-fired power plant, the Metcalf Energy Center, at the southern-most end of San Jose, CA. If all goes well, Calpine will begin construction this year and have the power plant running by summer 2003.

Units of Exelon and Peoples Energy announced that they will jointly develop and operate a 350 MW, natural gas-fired peaker electric plant on Chicago’s southeast side. The plant will provide electricity to the city in periods of high electric demand. Exelon’s wholesale power marketing division, Power Team, will market the energy output of the plant for its affiliate Exelon Generation. Peoples Energy Resources, a subsidiary of Peoples Energy, will provide fuel procurement. The plant will operate only during periods of peak electricity use and emergencies to help ensure reliability of the local and regional electricity supply. Also, eight General Electric turbines, equipped with dry, low NOx burner coal technology to reduce emissions, will be installed. Construction of the plant will take about 10 months and it is targeted to begin operations in late spring 2002.

Williams announced plans to develop a 1,230 MW gas-fired power plant near Fairburn, GA, to support a power supply deal the company signed with customers in the state. The plant is scheduled for completion in 2004. “This new facility will assist us in developing our growing portfolio of power agreements in Georgia,” said Bill Hobbs, president of Williams energy marketing. “We recently announced full-requirements power agreement with several Georgia Electric Membership Corporations and this new facility will strategically fit our plan to expand our power portfolio in this market, as well as all of the southeast.” The permitting is expected to take approximately one year to complete before construction of the plant will begin.

California regulators postponed a growing backlog of pendingactions in deference to ongoing legislative efforts to develop acomprehensive solution to the state’s energy woes. Regulators lastweek put off action on an allocation of utility revenues to thestate water resources department, which is buying electricity forconsumers and attempting to sign long-term power contracts.

California regulators postponed a growing backlog of pendingactions in deference to ongoing legislative efforts to develop acomprehensive solution to the state’s energy woes. Regulatorsyesterday put off action on an allocation of utility revenues tothe state water resources department, which is buying electricityfor consumers and attempting to sign long-term power contracts.

Denver-based Forest Oil. Corp. and Shell Canada Ltd. have agreedto jointly explore and develop a 162-square mile area of theSouthern Foothills near Waterton, AB. Forest will have a 40%working interest in the joint venture, and expects to spend $10million to $15 million in the next year.

Developers of what at one time was California’s first merchantpower plant proposal are gearing up for more concentrated effortsto develop natural gas deals and power marketing efforts, assumingthey get final federal government environmental okays for their$350 million, 700 MW High Desert generation plant by mid-summer.Although delayed more than two years, the plant last week gainedits long-sought state approval from the California EnergyCommission (CEC).