More than 2,600 MW of new electric power generation came online during October with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Watts Bar 2 nuclear plant leading the way, according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
The FERC Office of Energy Projects released its monthly Energy Infrastructure Update on Dec. 6.
The long-anticipated TVA Watts Bar 2 nuclear facility in Tennessee, which is listed with 1,270 MW in nameplate capacity, came online during October. Watts Bar 2 becomes the first new nuclear power plant to start commercial operations in the United States since 1996.
The next-largest conventional power plant to come online during October was the Pio Pico Energy LLC’s 321-MW gas-fired Pio Pico plant in San Diego County, California. Pio Pico sells its power to Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE) utility San Diego Gas and Electric under a long-term contract.
A total of 2,697 MW of new electric capacity came online during October, according to the FERC report. Between January and October of this year, there were 17,418 MW of new capacity deployed during the first 10 months of 2016. That compares to 13,248 MW installed during the first 10 months of 2015.
Here are other power generation projects that entered service during October, according to FERC:
• Arcelor Mittal Warren LLC’s 16.5 MW Warren Natural Gas Project in Trumbull County, Ohio is online.
• Hoosier Energy Rural Cooperative’s 16 MW landfill gas-to-energy Orchard Hills Generating Station Project in Ogle County, Illinois is online.
• Wabash Valley Power Association’s 12.8 MW landfill gas-to-energy Liberty III Generating Plant Project in White County, Indiana is online.
• Moapa Southern Paiute Solar LLC’s 350 MW Moapa Southern Paiute Solar Project in Clark County, Nevada is online. Of the power generated, 250 MW is sold to Los Angeles Department of Water and Power under long-term contract.
• North Star Solar PV LLC’s 100 MW North Star Solar Project in Chisago County, Minnesota is online. The power generated is sold to Xcel Energy (NYSE:XEL) under long-term contract.
• Eastern Shore Solar LLC’s 80 MW Oak Hall Solar Project in Accomack County, Virginia is online. The power generated is sold to Vadata Inc. under long-term contract.
• Roswell Solar LLC’s 70 MW Roswell Solar Project and Chaves County LLC’s 70 MW Chaves County Solar Project, both in Chavez County, New Mexico are online.
• Platte River Power Authority’s 30 MW Rawhide Flats Solar Expansion Project in Larimer County, Colorado is online.
• Bison Solar LLC’s 30 MW Bison Solar Project in Larimer County, Colorado is online.
• DG Colorado Solar LLC’s 10 MW Clear Springs Ranch Solar Project in El Paso County, Colorado is online. The power generated is sold to Colorado Springs Utilities under long-term contract.
• Southern Co.’s (NYSE:SO) Southern Power saw its 300 MW Wake Wind Farm Project in Floyd County, Texas come online.
• Chopin Wind LLC’s 10 MW Chopin Wind Farm Project in Umatilla County, Oregon is online. The power generated is sold to PacifiCorp under long-term contract.
