Office of Energy Projects 

Energy Infrastructure Update 

For September 2011 

Page 1 of 5 

Natural Gas Highlights 

 The Commission authorized Gulf LNG to place into service its LNG import terminal and connecting pipeline near 

Pascagoula, MS. The Gulf LNG terminal and pipeline will have a sendout and delivery capacity of 1,500 MMcf/d. 

 Transco and Florida Gas placed into service their Pascagoula Expansion and Mobil Bay Lateral Extension Projects 

which will provide 810 MMcf/d and 343 MMcf/d of firm transportation of natural gas from the Gulf LNG terminal in 

Pascagoula, MS. 

 Tricor Ten received authorization to convert a depleted oil and gas reservoir in Kern County, CA to a new natural gas 

storage facility. This storage facility will have a working gas capacity of 22.4 Bcf . 

 Tennessee and Dominion received authorization to construct and operate their Northeast Supply Diversification and 

Ellisburg to Craig Projects located in northern PA and western NY. These projects will provide 250 MMcf/d and 150 

MMcf/d of new capacity for the transportation of Appalachian supplies to northeastern markets. 

 DCP Midstream filed an application to construct and operate its LaSalle Residue Project. This project is designed to 

provide 230 MMcf/d of capacity from a planned processing plant in Weld County, CO to an interconnection with CIG. 

 

Natural Gas Activities in September 2011 

Status No. of 

Projects 

Storage 

Capacity 

(Bcf) 

Deliverability 

(MMcf/d) 

Capacity 

(MMcf/d) 

Miles of 

Pipeline 

Compression 

(HP) 

Pipeline 

Placed in Service 5 2,920.9 58.2 78,000 

Certificated 2 400.0 7.3 10,800 

Proposed 2 330.0 11.3 22,000 

Storage 

Placed in Service 1 0.5 10 0 

Certificated 1 22.4 1,000 42,000 

Proposed 0 0.0 0 0 

LNG 

Placed in Service 1 6.8 1,500 0 

Certificated 0 0 0 0 

Proposed 0 0 0 0 

 Source: Staff Database 

Natural Gas Activities through September 30, 2011 

Through September 30, 2010 

Status No. of 

Projects 

Storage 

Capacity 

(Bcf) 

Deliverability 

(MMcf/d) 

Capacity 

(MMcf/d) 

Miles of 

Pipeline 

Compression 

(HP) 

Pipeline 

Placed in Service 

through September 30, 2010 

21 

17 

11,131.4 

6,472.5 

1,542.7 

413.5 

723,771 

217,818 

Certificated 

through September 30, 2010 

13 

18 

3,107.7 

8,641.4 

268.0 

1,512.7 

203,405 

517,454 

Storage 

Placed in Service 

through September 30, 2010 

7 

11 

33.8 

70.7 

2,555 

4,221 

25,483 

32,180 

Certificated 

through September 30, 2010 

11 

15 

173.7 

125.7 

4,495 

4,864 

143,010 

122,404 

LNG 

Placed in Service 

through September 30, 2010 

2 

1 

23.2 

4.22 

3,500 

400 

0 

0 

Certificated 

through September 30, 2010 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

 Source: Staff Database 
Office of Energy Projects 

Energy Infrastructure Update 

For September 2011 

Page 2 of 5 

Hydropower Highlights 

 On September 1, 2011, Ocean Renewable Power Company, LLC filed a final pilot license application for its proposed 

0.3-MW Cobscook Bay Tidal Energy Project No. 12711. The proposed hydrokinetic project would be located in 

Cobscook Bay, in Washington County, Maine. The application was prepared using the Commission’s licensing 

procedures for pilot projects. 

 On September 14, 2011, an order issuing exemption from licensing (conduit) was issued to George Wenschhof for the 

23-kW Meeker Wenschhof Project No. 14230, located in Colorado. This was the first order issued pursuant to the 

Colorado MOU and was issued in less than 2 months. 

Hydropower Activities in September 2011 

Conventional Pumped Storage Hydrokinetic

Status

No. Capacity 

(MW) No. Capacity (MW) No. Capacity (MW) 

Total No. 

of Projects

Total 

Capacity 

(MW)

Filed 

License 0 0 0 0 1 0.300 1 0.300 

5-MW Exemption 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Capacity Amendment 1 1.700 0 0 0 0 1 1.700 

Conduit Exemption 4 2.927 0 0 0 0 4 2.927 

Issued 

License 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

5-MW Exemption 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Capacity Amendment 2 9.950 0 0 0 0 2 9.950 

Conduit Exemption 1 0.023 0 0 0 0 1 0.023 

Placed in Service 

License 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

5-MW Exemption 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Capacity Amendment 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Conduit Exemption 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

 

Hydropower Activities Year to Date (through September 30, 2011) 

Conventional Pumped Storage Hydrokinetic

Status

No. Capacity 

(MW) No. Capacity (MW) No. Capacity (MW) 

Total No. 

of Projects

Total 

Capacity 

(MW)

Filed 

License 10 342.923 0 0 1 0.300 11 343.223 

5-MW Exemption 4 1.346 0 0 0 0 4 1.346 

Capacity Amendment 9 58.345 0 0 0 0 9 58.345 

Conduit Exemption 12 10.176 0 0 0 0 12 10.176 

Issued 

License 7 72.910 0 0 0 0 7 72.910 

5-MW Exemption 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Capacity Amendment 11 44.847 0 0 0 0 11 44.847 

Conduit Exemption 5 1.748 0 0 0 0 5 1.748 

Placed in Service 

License 2 13.000 0 0 0 0 2 13.000 

5-MW Exemption 2 0.375 0 0 0 0 2 0.375 

Capacity Amendment 1 3.000 0 0 0 0 1 3.000 

Conduit Exemption 4 1.365 0 0 0 0 4 1.365 

 Source: Staff Database 
Office of Energy Projects 

Energy Infrastructure Update 

For September 2011 

Page 3 of 5 

Electric Generation Highlights 

 Southern Montana Electric Generation & Transmission Cooperative’s 45-MW natural gas-fired Highwood Generating 

Station near Great Falls, Montana is online. Southern Montana’s original plan was for a coal-fired power plant but 

switched its fuel to natural gas due to environmental considerations. 

 Vert-I-Go Wind L.L.C.’s 5-MW Clovis Wind Farm in the City of Clovis, New Mexico has come online. Vert-I-Go builds 

midsize vertical-axis wind turbines which are different from most wind turbines which are mostly horizontal-axis. The 

vertical-axis allows for a gearbox and generator to be on the ground, an advantage in maintenance and operation. 

The power generated will be connected to distribution lines instead of transmission lines like most turbines. 

 Iberdrola Renewable’s 20-MW Copper Crossing Solar Ranch in Florence, Arizona has come online. Copper Crossing 

is the largest solar project in Arizona. More than 100 schools in the Valley school districts are purchasing a total 

7,840 kW from the plant for 10 years. Copper Crossing Solar Ranch contains approximately 66,000 solar panels on 

144 acres. 

 Xcel Energy and SunEdison’s first three of five solar power plants project are online. The three projects totaling 32.3 

MW are in Lea and Eddy Counties, New Mexico, including a 10.9-MW photovoltaic farm in Carlsbard, and two 10.7-

MW plants in Jal. The remaining two installations with 21 MW are expected to come online by November 2011. 

When all five sites are completed, SunEdison’s solar project will generate more than 1.9 million MWh over the next 

20-years, enough energy for more than 186,000 U.S. homes. 

 NJR Clean Energy Ventures announced two completed solar projects in New Jersey. The 4.1-MW Vineland Mays 

Landing Solar in Vineland, and the 3.6-MW Village at Manalapan Village Solar. Electricity generated from both 

projects will be sold to the wholesale market. 

 Constellation Energy’s 4.8-MW photovoltaic West Vineland project in Vineland, New Jersey is online. The electricity 

generated will be sold to Vineland Municipal Electric Utility under a 25-year power purchase agreement. 

 NRG Solar’s 2-MW solar installation at Redskin’s FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland is online. The project includes 

8,000 solar panels which will provide shaded parking in an 842-car lot, and provide 20 percent of the electricity 

needed on game days. 

New Generation In-Service (New Build and Expansion)

September 2011 January – September 

2011 Cumulative 

January – September 

2010 Cumulative 

Primary Fuel Type No. of 

Units 

Installed Capacity 

(MW) 

No. of 

Units 

Installed Capacity 

(MW) 

No. of 

Units 

Installed Capacity 

(MW) 

Coal 0 0 12 1,680 24 6,382 

Natural Gas 1 45 72 8,812 71 5,108 

Nuclear 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Oil 0 0 3 7 7 205 

Water 1 0.15 9 19 11 23 

Wind 1 5 82 3,515 47 2,094 

Biomass 0 0 52 226 60 278 

Geothermal Steam 0 0 2 23 0 0 

Solar 12 70 128 393 43 120 

Waste Heat 0 0 1 135 4 96 

Other 0 0 9 20 0 0 

Total 15 120 370 14,831 267 14,305 

Source: Data derived from Ventyx Global LLC, Velocity Suite. 
Office of Energy Projects 

Energy Infrastructure Update 

For September 2011 

Page 4 of 5 

Total Installed Operating Generation Capacity

Primary Fuel Type Installed Capacity (GW) % of Total Capacity 

Coal 343.80 30.03% 

Natural Gas 476.67 41.63% 

Nuclear 108.36 9.46% 

Oil 52.70 4.60% 

Water 99.52 8.69% 

Wind 43.43 3.79% 

Biomass 13.59 1.19% 

Geothermal Steam 3.40 0.30% 

Solar 1.55 0.14% 

Waste Heat 0.97 0.08% 

Other 1.03 0.09% 

Total 1,145.01 100.00% 

Source: Data derived from Ventyx Global LLC, Velocity Suite. 

Electric Transmission Highlights 

 The Federal Government’s Rapid Response Team for Transmission (RRTT) selected seven transmission projects for 

an accelerated permitting process. The seven transmission projects selected focus on bringing renewable energy to 

the market. 

 In September, the Bonneville Power Administration plans to begin construction of the $185 million, 500-kv Big EddyKnight transmission line. The 28 mile long project will connect the Big Eddy substation in Oregon to the new Knight 

substation in Washington. It is expected to be completed in February 2013. 
Office of Energy Projects 

Energy Infrastructure Update 

For September 2011 

Page 5 of 5 

 In September, the Western Electricity Coordinating Council released a 10-year regional transmission plan for the 

Western Interconnection. The assessment included 44 transmission projects totaling 5,500 miles with an estimated 

cost of $20 billion. 

Transmission Projects Completed Proposed Transmission Projects 

In-Service by September 2013 

September 2011 September 2010 High Probability of 

Completion All Voltage (kV) 

Line Length (miles) 

≤230 0 44.0 3,039.6 5,909.2 

345 0 50.6 4,246.8 5,680.4 

500 0 0 1,706.8 6,000.5 

Total U.S. 0 94.6 8,993.2 17,590.1 

Transmission Projects with a Proposed 

In-Service Date by September 2013 Transmission Projects 

Completed in September

Sources: Data derived from Staff Database and U.S. Electric Transmission Projects ©2011 The C Three Group, LLC 

Disclaimer: This Report contains analyses, presentations and conclusions that may be based on or derived from the data sources cited, but do not 

necessarily reflect the positions or recommendations of the data providers.