Combined-Cycle, Waste-to-Energy Projects Top the List for U.S. Southeast's $7 Billion in Fourth-Quarter Kickoffs

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The U.S. Southeast region is looking at an uptick in total spending on projects expected to begin construction in fourth-quarter 2015, with Industrial Info's project database indicating about $7.03 billion in projected kickoffs. Biomass/waste-to-energy and combined-cycle plants are driving much of the growth. More than 80% of the total is attributed to just three industries: Industrial Manufacturing, Power, and Food & Beverage.

Click on the image at right for a graph detailing active projects scheduled to kick off in the fourth quarter of 2015 in the U.S. Southeast by industry.

The Southeast region includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

The Industrial Manufacturing Industry is chugging ahead of all other industries with $2.73 billion in projects set to kick off construction in the fourth quarter, more than half of which is attributed to All Aboard Florida's (Miami, Florida) $1.5 billion, second-phase construction of an intercity passenger-rail project in Miami. The project, which is part of a larger, 235-mile Miami-to-Orlando system, involves building 40 miles of new rail; the installation of a second track; and the construction of a vehicle-maintenance facility and a station to service Orlando Airport. However, many commuter rail projects in the U.S. have their kickoff dates repeatedly pushed out, as government funding is far less than certain. For details on this project, see Industrial Info's project report.

The Power Industry is in a close second place, with $2.48 billion in projects set to begin construction from October through December. The biggest is Duke Energy Corporation's (NYSE:DUK) (Charlotte, North Carolina) long-anticipated, $750 million construction of a combined-cycle power plant in Crystal River, Florida. The 2-on-1 plant will consist of two Mitsubishi 501GAC combustion turbine generator sets, each with a capacity of 270 MW, and inlet air-chilling and supplemental-fired heat-recovery steam generators; and a 280-MW steam-turbine generator set. The project received its last necessary OK earlier this month, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved a permit related to the Clear Water Act. Fluor Enterprises Incorporated (NYSE:FLR) (Irving, Texas) is performing turn-key services. For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.

The Food & Beverage Industry holds a distant third place, with $534 million in projects set to kick off next quarter. Among them is Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Department's long-delayed, $200 million construction of a desalination plant in Miami. The department, which received capital approval for the project earlier this year, plans to construct a facility to process brackish (or brine) water into 20 million gallons per day of potable water. CDM Smith Incorporated (Boston, Massachusetts) is performing engineering services for the project, which is expected to be completed in about two years. For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.

The remaining seven highest-value projects set to kick off in the U.S. Southeast region in the fourth quarter are:

• $600 Million: Energy Answers International Incorporated's Waste-to-Energy Station Arecibo, Puerto Rico
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $205 Million: Georgia Renewable Power LLC's Biomass-to-Energy Plant in Carnesville, Georgia
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $170 Million: Anheuser-Busch InBev's Aluminum Cans & Lids Plant in Jacksonville, Florida
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $160 Million: Duke Energy's Hines Energy Complex in Bartow, Florida
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $160 Million: Global Energy Solutions LLC's Wood Pellet Mill in Epes, Alabama
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $150 Million: Samvardhana Motherson Group's Automotive Parts Plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $143 Million: Duke Energy's Dry Cask Storage Addition in Crystal River, Florida
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.

Nearly half of the region's TIV--$3.38 billion--is related to 82 projects that are now in the engineering stages. The region also has 78 projects worth nearly $3.21 billion in the planning stages, where plenty of factors could increase, decrease or eliminate the expected spending, while 210 projects worth about $435 million already have kicked off the first stage of construction and will kick off the second in the fourth quarter.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, five offices in North America and 10 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.