Photo Courtesy of Missouri DOT Pennsylvania's Rapid Bridge Replacement Project follows on the heels of Missouri's recent rapid replacement of 802 bridges. Related Links: Bridge Industry Conference Showcases Missouri Innovations $2.6-Billion Ohio River Bridges Project Ramps Up In Louisville Informed by recent public-private partnerships (P3) and accelerated bridge construction (ABC) programs in other states, Pennsylvania is well under way with the process of combining the two concepts into its plan for addressing 614 structurally deficient bridges.The Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation (PennDOT) late last month asked four teams to submit proposals for its Rapid Bridge Replacement Project. In a release, PennDOT
Dodge Construction Momentum Index for March 2014 The Dodge Momentum Index retreated 0.8% in March compared to February, according to McGraw Hill Construction. The index is a monthly measure of the initial reports for non-residential building projects entering the planning stage, a lead indicator of construction spending within the next year. The March index was 113.8, down from a revised 114.8 in February and 118.3 in January. New plans for commercial buildings fell 1%, as declines in offices and hotels offset an increase in retail buildings, Dodge says.Construction Employment Still Heading in a Positive Direction Construction's unemployment numbers continue to
Photo Courtesy of Sunpower Touted as the world's largest solar PV project currently under permit, Solar Star's Rosamand, Calif., 579-MW installation is a beehive of activity, with crews putting in place 5 MW each workday. Photo Courtesy of Sunpower Pre-fabricated design of solar modules facilitates rapid installation as crews become adept of repeating the process. Related Links: The U.S. Energy Policy Finally Emerges California Plant To Double U.S. Solar Thermal Power Production Rooftop Solar Set To Soar When the $2.2-billion, 377-MW Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in California's Mojave Desert commenced commercial operation in December 2013, the facility became the
Related Links: The U.S. Energy Policy Finally Emerges Texas Bullish on Energy Low-Cost LNG, Stricter Air Rules Mean Fewer New Coal-Fired Powerplants Panda Power Funds, capitalizing on the need for highly efficient generating capacity in two key electricity markets, is building and planning more new natural-gas-fired combined-cycle units than anyone else in the U.S. right now. Working with some of the nation's top engineering-procurement-construction contractors in the energy arena, Panda, a Dallas-based private equity firm and independent power developer, is building three 758-MW plants to serve the Electric Reliability Council of Texas region and undertaking four projects, totaling 3,267 MW,
Related Links: The U.S. Energy Policy Finally Emerges California Plant To Double U.S. Solar Thermal Power Production Solar Sees Growth But Clouds Loom In December, MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. placed the world's largest-ever order for onshore wind turbines, estimated at $1 billion for 448 units totaling 1,050 MW, to be installed on five Iowa wind farms. Despite its size, the large capacity is not unusual for Iowa, which already boasts 5,571 MW of installed wind capacity, generating 27.4% of its electricity mix.Amid growth in wind-generation nationwide, Iowa's is the highest proportion for any state. According to the Energy Information Administration,
Photo Courtesy of Southern Co. Four coal units at Alabama Power's Plant Gaston will soon burn gas. Related Links: The U.S. Energy Policy Finally Emerges Utility Seeks Union Assistance As Kemper's Troubles Mount Cost Pressures, Delay Worries Sour Two Southern Co. Projects For decades, Southern Co. has been one of the nation's largest electric utilities and one of the leading consumers of coal. Southern believes coal-fired capacity should remain part of its generation mix. Its Mississippi Power subsidiary—one of four utilities Southern owns—is building what may be one of the last coal-based units in the U.S.: a 582-MW integrated gasification
Related Links: Southern Co. Refuels Coal Fleet With Gas Panda Power Constructing Large Combined-Cycle Powerplants Clouds Start To Lift From the Solar Sector Prices Dropping as More Turbines Turn EPA Unveils Carbon Pollution Rule for New Powerplants Q&A: DOE Loan Officer Jump-Starts Clean Energy Technologies April 10, 2014 Analyst Sterne Agee Report: Support Behind Natural Gas Exports Increasing In January 2001, early in George W. Bush's first administration, Vice President Dick Cheney convened a blue-ribbon energy task force to formulate a U.S. energy policy. Public-interest groups excluded from the process attacked the administration's closed-door approach. When the National Energy Policy
Related Links: Remarks by Deputy Attorney General James Cole at Press Briefing on Settlement Anadarko Statement on Settlement Anadarko Petroleum Group and some of its subsidiaries will pay $4.4 billion for environmental cleanup at several contaminated sites around the U.S. under a settlement reached with the U.S. Dept. of Justice.Announced on April 3, the total $5.15- billion settlement is the largest environmental enforcement recovery in the Justice Dept.'s history, the agency said. It will settle outstanding claims against the company and pay for the cleanup.A bankruptcy court in December found that the Kerr-McGee Corp., a subsidiary of Anadarko, moved its
Related Links: California Utility to Close Troubled San Onofre Nuclear Plant Safeguards Failed in Massive Power Outage in Western U.S., Mexico To replace 2150 megawatts of generation lost by the retirement of a nuclear powerplant, the California Public Utilities Commission has directed two utility companies to procure up to 1,500 MW of new resources. At least 600 MW must be from energy storage and “preferred resources,” which the state defines as renewable power, demand response sources and energy efficiency.Southern California Edison Co. (SCE), Rosemead, must procure 500-700 MW and San Diego Gas & Electric Co. (SDG&E) 500-800 MW by 2022
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