PCCA Journal|1
st
Quarter 2010
32
News Briefs
Continued from page 30
T
he Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) recently
approved Florida Gas Trans-
mission’s (FGT) $2.45 billion
Phase VIII Expansion Project to
serve natural gas-fired electric gen-
erators and utilities in Florida.
In authorizing the project, FERC
imposed 43 conditions requiring FGT
to mitigate any potential adverse
environmental impacts identified by
FERC staff after its analysis of the
proposal.
FGT will add more than 483 miles
of pipeline loops, laterals, and main-
line and install 213,600 horsepower
of compression at eight existing
and one new compressor stations.
The company also will acquire the
existing 22.7-mile Martin Lateral,
currently owned by Florida Power &
Light Company (FPL), that will serve
power plants located in Manatee,
Martin, Miami-Dade, and Suwannee
counties. The expansion will create
820,000 MMBtu per day of capacity
on FGT’s system from Alabama to
Florida.
FGT will initiate service in two
phases timed to meet customers’ en-
ergy needs. The Phase 1 facilities are
scheduled to begin service by July 1,
2010, and involve construction and
operation of the Manatee Lateral and
the FPL Manatee Metering and Regu-
lating Station to serve FPL’s Manatee
Power Plant in Florida.
Phase 2 service is scheduled to
start by April 1, 2011. It involves
construction and operation of the
remaining Phase VIII Expansion
Project facilities.
centers and establish four new
computer centers.
North Carolina, MCNC:
•
$28.2
million infrastructure grant with
an additional $11.7 million in
matching funds and in-kind
contributions to build a 494-mile
middle-mile broadband network
passing almost half the population
of North Carolina in 37 counties.
The network will build new rings
in the western and eastern regions
of the state, which will connect
to 685 miles of existing infra-
structure in the urbanized central
region, expanding the reach of
the North Carolina Research and
Education Network, an established
broadband service for community
anchor institutions in the state.
NTIA recently announced that a
second round of BTOP applications
will be accepted through March 15.
FERC Explores Efficient
Integration of Renewables into the Grid
T
he Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(FERC) announced in January that it is taking a
fresh look at regulatory policies to integrate the
rapidly increasing number of variable energy
resources into the nation’s power grid in the most ef-
ficient and non-discriminatory manner while maintain-
ing power system reliability.
FERC issued a Notice of Inquiry seeking public com-
ment on whether to reform any of its rules or proce-
dures as the nation’s generation portfolio expands to
include more variable energy resources such as wind,
solar, or non-storage hydro generating plants. Growing
use of these types of facilities presents unique chal-
lenges to the electric power industry, such as location
constraints and limited ability to dispatch, but also
offers benefits such as low marginal energy costs and
reduced greenhouse gas and other emissions.
“We are seeing a rapid expansion in the use of re-
newable energy technologies around the country that
have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and electricity costs for consumers,” FERC Chairman
Jon Wellinghoff said. “To accommodate that expan-
sion, it is our job to ensure that FERC has in place the
market and operational reforms necessary to ensure
that all wholesale electricity tariffs are just, reasonable,
and not unduly discriminatory.”
Commenters should take a broad look at the is-
sues concerning the integration of variable generation
resources and should address any effects of variable
energy resources on the following subject areas:
Data and reporting requirements, including accurate
•
forecasting tools,
Scheduling flexibility and incentives for accurate
•
scheduling of variable energy resources,
Forward market structure and reliability commit-
•
ments,
Balancing Authority Area size and coordination,
•
Suitability of reserve products,
•
Capacity market reforms, and
•
Redispatch and curtailment practices.
•
FERC Approves Florida Gas Expansion Project