Amid political and environmental conflicts over Texas air quality, International Power announced on June 14 a long-awaited powerplant expansion in south Texas. Barring intercession by the courts, the Coleto Creek Unit Two project is expected to ramp up next year, creating more than 1,000 construction jobs by 2015, when it is scheduled to come online.
The $1.4-billion expansion project will add a 650-MW coal-burning powerplant to International Power’s existing Coleto Unit One. Michael Fields, director of expansion for International Power, says that, after concluding a six-month open-bid period, the company expects to sign an engineering, procurement and construction agreement early next year with the design-build joint-venture team of Zachry Industrial, San Antonio, Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, Mo., and Mitsubishi Power Systems, Lake Mary, Fla.