The U.S. Department of Energy will make $15 million in grants available to those willing to buy early versions of market-ready fuel cells. DOE will provide $1,000 per kilowatt, or up to a third of costs. Assistance will target buyers that want to purchase between 100 and 3,000 kilowatts. The first round of awards will be made by September 30. The application package is available on the Internet at http:/www.metc.doe.gov/business/ solicita.html. A diskette version (WordPerfect 5.2) may be requested by fax: (304) 285-4683, attn: R. Diane Manilla, M.S. I07.

Duke/Louis Dreyfus, LLC and Lykes Energy, Inc. have formed a new company that will provide energy services to Florida wholesale and retail customers. Lykes-Duke/Louis Dreyfus, Ltd. will market electricity and fuels; own, lease, or operate generating plants; and offer systems engineering and design, among other services. Florida's energy market revenues are projected to exceed $10 billion by 2005, with annual growth pegged at 3 to 5 percent.

The East Coast Natural Gas Cooperative has selected Tejas Power Corp. for gas supply, risk management, and marketing services. Tejas will determine the best use of the cooperative members' firm transportation, given their storage assets. Tejas also will make offsystem sales.

South Carolina Electric & Gas Co.'s V.C. Summer Nuclear Station has begun its ninth refueling outage and some work that will increase the plant's electricity output. About a third of the plant's 157 uranium fuel assemblies are replaced every 18 months. SCE&G has asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to "uprate" the company's license from 900 to 960 Mw.

Florida Power Corp. has ordered technology from Westinghouse Electric Corp. to build a 470-Mw power plant. Westinghouse Power Generation will supply two combustion turbines, two heat-recovery steam generators, and a steam turbine for the Polk County Combined Cycle Project near Bartow, FL. Natural gas will be the primary fuel, with fuel oil as backup. The project will start up at the end of 1998. t

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