News
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KCP&L Announces Successful Completion of Testing at New Iatan 2, Coal-fired Unit
LCG, August 27, 2010--Kansas City Power & Light Company (KCP&L) and KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company (formerly Aquila) yesterday announced that the new Iatan 2, electric generating facility completed in-service testing. Both companies are subsidiaries of Great Plains Energy Incorporated.
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TVA Announces Plans Stop Burning Coal in Nine Electric Generating Units
LCG, August 25, 2010--The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) announced yesterday that, beginning next year, it will idle nine coal-fired units that have a combined electric generating capacity of approximately 1,000 MW. One of the units will be considered for repowering, with the fuel switched to biomass. These steps are part of TVA's strategy to replace or retire older, less-efficient, coal-fired units as a means of reducing carbon and other emissions from its generation portfolio.
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Industry News
AEP Finishes Building Texas Wind Farm
LCG, Nov. 20, 2001--American Electric Power Co. Inc. said this morning that it had completed one of the largest wind farms in the U.S. as "the first step toward strategic growth in renewable generation."AEP said it has finished building the 150 megawatt (nameplate capacity) Trent Mesa Wind Project near Abilene, Texas, which began producing electricity last summer. The wind farm, the fourth largest now operating in the United States, includes 100 wind turbines, each standing 328 feet tall on about 13 square miles. Construction of the wind farm cost approximately $160 million, the company said.Before making the investment, AEP made sure it had a buyer for the power. "We are actively working to increase the renewable portion of AEP's generation portfolio, following the same model we use for any generation project -- securing a contract for the power before we build the plant," said Thomas Shockley, chief operating officer.AEP said it expects Trent Mesa to generate more than 590 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, which would represent a capacity factor of 44.9 percent -- probably out of reach for any wind farm. In a 1995 report, the California Energy Commission said the wind farms in that state produced only 18 percent of their nameplate capacity. Some backers of wind power claim that a capacity factor of 35 percent is possible, but production figures over a multi-year period have yet to back them up.Shockley noted that Trent Mesa is the first significant wind farm in AEP's generation portfolio and said it "showcases AEP's wide array of capabilities. We developed the project, determined the appropriate site and negotiated a long-term contract for the electricity."But AEP will not let green power go to its head. "Wind is a viable energy source, but it may not be the right choice for all areas," Shockley said. "It is vital for our nation's energy security that all sources of electricity generation -- coal, gas, nuclear, hydro and wind or other renewables -- continue to play a role in the total generation mix."
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