TXU announced a $10 billion plan to double its number of coal-fired units, converting some natural gas plants in the process. Proposed additional capacity totals 8,600 MW. The plan includes 11 new units at nine existing sites that will use a variety of coals. Texas lignite would be used at the previously announced plants - Oak Grove 1 & 2 and Sandow 5. TXU will also form TXU Renew to focus on renewable energy capacity - primarily wind - as an integral element to its capacity expansion plans. TXU will also invest $2 billion to install BACT for NOx, SO2 and mercury capture at new and existing plants.
A consortium composed of Dominion Resources, AEP Appalachian, Blue Ridge Power, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative and Virginia Municipal has tentatively decided to build a $1 billion circulating fluidized bed coal-fired plant at the site of a reclaimed surface mine near Virginia City, Va. If built, the plant would burn coal as well as waste coal and wood waste.
GE Energy and the University of California will study the effect of higher levels of intermittent renewable power generation on the state’s power grid. The project is aimed at ensuring reliability and quality while accommodating more wind and solar energy.
Union Pacific and BNSF will expand capacity on their jointly owned rail line serving the Southern Powder River Basin coal fields. The railroads plan to build more than 40 miles of third and fourth main line tracks to meet demand for Wyoming PRB. Fourteen miles of a third main line track was completed in Spring 2005. A additional 19 miles of the third main line is scheduled for full operation this September.
Plans were announced for the nation’s largest offshore wind farm - 500 MW from as many as 500 turbines - to be built off Texas’ Padre Island seashore. Earlier this year, a 50 turbine wind farm was announced to be built off the coast of Galveston, Texas.