News
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CPUC Approves Contract for Biomass Repowering at Coal-fired Facility
LCG, February 5, 2010--The California Public Utilities Commission approved a power purchase agreement between PG&E and Mt. Poso Cogeneration Company, LLC for renewable energy from the Mt. Poso Cogeneration facility, located near Bakersfield, California.
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Record Year for New Wind Power Installations in the U.S.
LCG, January 29, 2010--The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) announced the U.S. wind industry set a new record by installing nearly 10,000 MW of new generating capacity last year. With the additions, the wind turbine generating capacity in the U.S. now totals over 35,000 MW.
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Industry News
Cost Estimate Increases for Duke's IGCC Project
LCG, November 25, 2009--Duke Energy Indiana (Duke) yesterday announced that design modifications and growth in the scope of its coal-fired, Edwardsport integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) project are expected to add approximately $150 million to the prior cost estimate of $2.35 billion.
Duke submitted the new cost estimate with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) as part of its semi-annual update and is requesting the IURC to schedule a separate proceeding by next March, following additional engineering efforts and a revised cost estimate, together with associated rate impacts. The IRUC must approve any cost increase for the project.
Construction on the project commenced last year at Duke's existing Edwardsport Generating Station near Vincennes, Indiana and is scheduled for completion in 2012. Once the new, 630-MW power plant is operational, the old facilities, which include coal and oil units that have a capacity of 160-MW, will be retired.
With the IGCC design, synthetic gas created from coal is used in a gas turbine to generate electricity. The hot exhaust gas from the turbine heats water to produce steam to power a steam turbine and generate electricity a second time.
The gasification process offers the potential for lower cost solutions to capture and sequester CO2, which may assist in efforts to thwart global warming. Duke has a request pending before state utility regulators to study permanent underground carbon storage in geologic formations of a portion of the plant's carbon dioxide emissions.
Duke filed an application for a "Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity" (CPCN) with the IURC to build the plant in September 2006. In November 2007, the IURC directed Duke to develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) studies for the project, and Duke filed its plans in May 2008, together with the $365 million cost increase request. In January 2009, Duke received favorable rulings from the IURC that approved the revised cost estimate of $2.35 billion.
The project is expected to receive more than $460 million in local, state and federal tax incentives that will reduce the cost impact on Duke's customers.
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