A tough legal and financial terrain is confronting producers, utilities and regulators.
LG Chem will integrate six large-scale batteries in STEAG power plants. As part of the world's largest ESS (energy storage systems) project, STEAG GBS (Großbatterie-Systeme) plants belonging to the German power supplier in North-Rhine Westphalia and Rhineland Palatinate will be modernized. With 140-MW hours of power, the storage systems will deliver enough energy to supply 10,000 households per day with electricity.
Shareholders of AGL Resources voted to approve the proposed merger with Southern Company announced on August 24, 2015. Additionally, AGL Resources shareholders approved the proposed executive compensation that may be paid or may become payable to the Company's named executive officers in connection with or following the consummation of the merger. The merger remains subject to federal and state regulatory approvals, and the transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2016.
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) energized and brought into service a new 500-kV transmission line in southeastern Washington. The 38-mile, single-circuit line connects BPA's Central Ferry Substation near the Port of Central Ferry in Garfield County, Wash., to BPA's Lower Monumental Substation in Walla Walla County. The line increases the electrical capacity of BPA's transmission system in response to requests for transmission service in this area.
ABB won an order worth around $40 million in the United States, from Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) to supply gas insulated switchgear (GIS) to two substations and help strengthen grid reliability. The order was booked in the third quarter of 2015. Hillsdale substation in Bergen County is a 50-year-old air-insulated switchgear (AIS) facility that will be upgraded to protect the infrastructure and prevent power outages for residents during severe weather.
Dominion Energy acquired Amazon Solar Farm U.S. East, an 80-MW solar facility in Virginia from project developer Community Energy. Construction is expected to begin later in 2015. The facility would enter service in fall 2016. The facility's construction was enabled through a long-term PPA with an affiliate of Amazon's cloud computing business, Amazon Web Services (AWS). Interconnection agreements have also been secured with Delmarva Power.
Siemens was awarded an order for the delivery, installation and commissioning of 12 direct drive wind turbines at the Les Gourlous wind farm in France. The SWT- 3.2-113 turbines for the wind farm in the Champagne-Ardennes region in France will have a total capacity of 38.4 MW. Siemens will be providing long-term service for the new project within a 20-year service and maintenance agreement. The new project is scheduled for commissioning in November 2016.
MidAmerican Energy Company's new wind farm in Adams County, Iowa will include a first for the company - a concrete wind turbine tower. MidAmerican Energy has contracted with Siemens for the supply and construction of its new concrete tower design. The 2.3-MW concrete tower turbine at the Adams wind farm will measure 377 feet from ground to hub, compared to 263 feet for most of the turbines in use at other MidAmerican Energy wind farms. The concrete turbine is one of 64 wind turbines planned for the Adams wind farm.
With the very foundation shifting beneath the feet of the energy sector, the industry’s players are trying to figure out their next moves. As with any economic transition, the changes are unsettling, bringing both hope and pain.