Taking advantage of the hot market for natural gas-firedgeneration TXU Electric put six gas-fired generating plants with acombined capacity of 3,116 MW on the market last week.

The Texas utility said the six plants it is offering for salerepresent about 15% of TXU’s overall capacity in Texas. The plantsconsist of 14 gas-fired units, three diesel generators and allassociated generating assets, including land, lakes, water rights,air permits, emission allowances and fuel transportation contracts.

Bidders may offer for an individual plant or any combination ofplants. The plants are scattered and include Mountain Creek andParkdale in Dallas, North Main in Fort Worth, Lake Creek andTradinghouse near Waco and Rivercrest outside of Mount Pleasant.

“Texas is recognized as a very attractive market in which tooperate when competition begins, and many entities are expressinginterest in owning generating facilities in the state, TXU said. Aspokesman said the utility expected to get a good price sincegas-fired generators are in demand.

The TXU announcement was just one of several involving gas-firedpower plants last week as Arizona Public Service’s parent, PinnacleWest Generating Corp. announced it would build a 2,120 MW gas-firedmerchant generating plant alongside its Palo Verde nuclear unit andCalpine Corp. announced plans to build and operate an 800 MWnatural gas fired cogenerating facility at Bayer Corp.’s chemicalplant in Baytown, TX.

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