Build Magazine July 2015

Build Magazine 8 Fluor Awarded Contract at Nuclear Plant The firm has been awarded a five year contract by Luminant to provide engineering, maintenance and modifications, and facility services for its Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant. Fluor will book the undisclosed contract value into backlog in the second quarter. The firm already has a strong bond with Luminant, having already been providing ongoing maintenance and modification services at four of Luminant’s power plants since 1984 and since then growing the relationship to support all of the company’s fossil power generation units. Fluor previously serviced the Comanche Peak plant from 1991 until 2006. The nuclear power plant is located in Somervell County, Texas, in close prox- imity to Fluor’s regional Power Services office. Matthew McSorley, President of Fluor’s Power business, made it clear that it was this relation- ship which secured the firm the contract and this is an important aspect of Fluor’s growth. ‘With a relationship history spanning more than 30 years, Luminant has selected Fluor to provide power services for the Comanche Peak nuclear plant. The addition of this important nuclear asset to Fluor’s portfolio enables us to provide integrated solutions and services to Luminant’s generation system.’ Jim Breland, Vice President of Fluor’s power main- tenance division echoed this in his statement. ‘Fluor is an industry leader providing execution excellence in maintenance and outage services to the power generation market. This significant award solidifies our footprint in the nuclear services industry.’ Comanche Peak is Luminant’s sole nuclear gen- eration asset. The plant operates two units which, combined, produce 2,300-megawatts of power – enough energy to power about 1.15 million homes during normal operations and 460,000 homes during periods of peak demand. Stake in Northeast Energy Direct will help relieve New England gas pipeline constraints. UIL Holdings Corporation (NYSE:UIL) will invest in a natural gas transmission pipeline project that, when complete, is expected to alleviate capacity constraints in the system that serves New England and the northeast region. UIL announced its investment in the development of Kinder Morgan’s proposed Northeast Energy Di- rect (“NED”) natural gas pipeline project, which will extend approximately 188 miles of new transmis- sion pipeline from New York State, through Massa- chusetts and New Hampshire. The new pipeline is expected to begin commercial operation in 2018. Under an agreement signed this week, UIL has acquired a 2.5 percent interest (approximately $80 million) in Northeast Expansion LLC. UIL will also have additional options — under limited cir- cumstances — to increase its equity participation. Northeast Expansion is the joint venture responsible for development, construction and ownership of the new pipeline, which will be part of Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Gas Pipeline system. “We are pleased to have this opportunity to partic- ipate in this critical investment in New England’s energy infrastructure,” said James P. Torgerson, UIL’s president and chief executive officer. “The NED project will bring abundant, low-cost and critically needed natural gas supplies to the heart of New England, helping alleviate infrastructure bottle- necks that have resulted in higher energy costs to residents of the New England region.” Earlier this year, regional transmission pipeline constraints led one of UIL’s subsidiaries, The Berkshire Gas Company, to impose a moratorium on new natural gas customers in its eastern region. While UIL’s investment in the NED project was not based on Berkshire Gas’ expansion of service constraints, the company acknowledged the mor- atorium would be lifted as a result of this project’s commercial operation. Public reports have identified natural gas transmis- sion pipeline constraints as a key factor behind win- tertime “spikes” in the price of electricity generated at natural gas power plants. The NED project would supply capacity necessary to help meet New England’s growing residential, commercial and industrial demand for natural gas, while also providing a reliable supply of fuel for power generation. In March 2015, Kinder Morgan announced mul- tiple “anchor shippers” for the project, including UIL subsidiaries Berkshire Gas, The Southern Connecticut Gas Company and Connecticut Nat- ural Gas Corporation, as well as other natural gas distribution companies. Currently, Kinder Morgan has executed commitments to transport more than 550,000 dekatherms per day of incremental natural gas supplies. “The addition of UIL Holdings as an equity investor further demonstrates the importance and value this project will bring to New England in the years ahead, meeting the energy demand for business and residential customers, and furthering economic growth in the Northeast,” said Kimberly S. Watson, president of Kinder Morgan’s East Region Natural Gas Pipelines. UIL Holdings to Invest In Regional Energy Solution