A Macquarie Infrastructure subsidiary has filed with the city of Chesapeake, Va., to build a 1,400-MW combined cycle plant on the Elizabeth River near the site of Dominion Virginia Power’s retired Chesapeake Energy Center.
The plant would use three turbines and one steam generator. It is to be built on land owned by International-Matex Tank Terminals and fueled by natural gas delivered by Dominion Resources’ planned Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
Macquarie CEO James Hooke said the project was a good fit because the company already owns the industrial land near transmission lines and the planned pipeline. It is one of several similar projects planned by Macquarie, including a power plant to be built in Bayonne, N.J.
More: The Virginian-Pilot
Severe Storm Damages Minnesota Solar Array
A severe storm last week severely damaged Minnesota Power’s nearly completed solar array at the Minnesota National Guard’s Camp Ripley base near Little Falls.
The utility said the 10-MW solar array was supposed to be completed last week; instead, 25% of the 97 rows of solar panels sustained damage from the storm’s high winds that sent debris flying, including a storage container that completely obliterated several rows of panels. The facility was built to withstand golf ball-sized hail.
Minnesota Power plans to file an insurance claim and begin replacing broken equipment. When completed, the $25 million facility would largest of its kind on any National Guard base in the U.S.
More: BusinessNorth
NIPSCO’s O’Leary to Retire After more than 38 Years
Northern Indiana Public Service Co. President Kathleen O’Leary will retire Oct. 3 after almost 38 years working for the company and its affiliates.
Violet Sistovaris, NiSource executive vice president for NIPSCO, will take on the title of president and shoulder many of O’Leary’s responsibilities while still maintaining her existing position. Sistovaris became an executive vice president for NIPSCO last year.
O’Leary was named NIPSCO president in 2012 and currently supervises NIPSCO’s economic development rates, communications and regulatory and legislative affairs.
More: The Northwest Indiana Times
AEP Names Sundararajan to Lead FERC, Regulatory Outreach
American Electric Power has named Raja Sundararajan as its vice president of regulatory services, responsible for interactions with FERC and 11 state regulatory commissions. He replaces Rich Munczinski, who is retiring in December.
Sundararajan joined AEP in 2002 and has been vice president of transmission asset strategy and policy since March 2012. “Raja has proven success in advancing transmission regulatory policy at FERC, with state regulators and in the regional transmission organizations where we operate,” said Bruce Evans, AEP’s chief customer officer.
Sundararajan has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. He also has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland College Park and an MBA from the University of Michigan. He also completed the Executive MBA program at the University of Virginia.
More: American Electric Power
SolarCity Jumps into Austin Market with New Solar Financing Program
SolarCity launched residential service in the Texas capital last week, introducing a new financing program in Austin that offers to install rooftop solar systems with monthly payments starting at $50 a month.
The California-based company recently completed a major solar panel project with grocery giant H-E-B, installing the company’s panel systems at 20 Austin-area stores. It said it would begin hiring workers in the Austin area, starting with 20 to 30 employees with the potential to ramp up to 100 to 120 in the future.
More: Austin American-Statesman
Southern Adds 3rd Facility to Oklahoma Wind Portfolio
Southern Co. subsidiary Southern Power has acquired a third wind farm in Oklahoma, buying the 147-MW Grant Plains Wind facility from Apex Clean Energy. The project is expected to be ready for commercial operation in December.
Southern has already purchased two other wind farms in Oklahoma that were formerly owned by Apex: the adjacent 151-MW Grant Wind farm and Kay Wind, a 299-MW facility in Ponca City.
With the Grant Plains addition, Southern will own more than 2,400 MW of renewable generation from 31 solar, wind and biomass facilities. The company has added or announced more than 4,000 MW of renewable generation since 2012.
More: Enid News & Eagle