W.Va.Utility Making $ 1.2B Solar,Gas Investment to Supplement Coal Plant

摘要

A utility in the heart of West Virginia coal country is embracing the”all of the above”strategy for generating electricity by adding substantial gas and renewable power to its portfolio.Maidesville-based Longview Power already has a 710 megawatt coal-fired facility that is considered one of the most efficient plants of its type in the 13-state PJM Interconnection.Now,Longview is ready to invest $1.2 billion to build additional capacity,set to come on line by 2022,to serve future growth in its coverage area in West Virginia and other parts of northern Appalachia.Longview President and CEO Jeffery Keffer said $900 million of the investment will go toward the development of a 1,200 MW gas-fired,combined-cycle plant that will be located near the coal plant.About $70 million is tagged for a 50 MW solar farm and $30 million for a gas pipeline to supply fuel to the energy center.When all three parts are on line,it will have a nameplate generation capacity of 1,980 MW.The gas plant will be smaller than the typical combined-cycle facility”but more efficient in a lot of ways because of the type of equipment that's used,”Keffer said,referring to the turbines.”We'll be using the latest types of these so that we will have high efficiency.Again,the same idea that went into Longview-the latest equipment,most advanced technology and a fuel that's abundant and easily available.”The gas plant will be fed by a 6.2 mile,20 inch pipeline that will run from Pennsylvania to connect with TransCanada's Columbia 1804 interstate transmission line.Keffer said all rights of way have been secured,and environmental studies and permitting procedures with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission are under way.