Zond Development Corp. will supply MidAmerican Energy Co. with 45 MW of wind-generated power per month for 20 years. Terms of the agreement were not released, but Zond will begin supplying energy within three years of regulatory approval. The contract helps fulfill the utility's alternate energy requirements under Iowa law. Zond will generate the power from about 150 wind turbines planned for Buena Vista County. The windmills will interconnect with the MidAmerican transmission system at a nearby substation.
The Georgia Public Service Commission approved Catula Generating Co.'s plans to either resell power to Georgia Power or produce its own electric by building the state's first "independent" power plant. Catula, an affiliate of U.S. Generating Co., will supply capacity at 100-percent availability and will dispatch energy based on Georgia Power's requirements. Catula, however, has made it clear that it intends to build a plant to become a competitor in the wholesale power market (em right in line for the anticipated restructuring of the state's marketplace in 2001 or 2002. Operational in 2000, the plant would provide at least 215 MW.
Itron Inc. signed two agreements that better its place in the automatic meter reading market. A contract with Missouri Gas Energy, a division of Southern Union Gas Co., calls for Itron to install 470,000 meter modules over 16 months. Itron also signed a "master agreement" for AMR services with Pacific Gas & Electric Co. Under the agreement's terms, Itron may submit proposals that meet "established economic criteria." PG&E will review the proposals, then decide whether to negotiate for specific projects.