Duke Energy, DTE, Xcel Among Companies Planning Coal Plant Maintenance this Summer

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--U.S. coal stockpiles decreased to 98.7 million tons in February 2019, their lowest value in more than a decade, as the Power Generation Industry continues its long-term shift away from the fossil fuel, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Industrial Info is tracking three dozen maintenance-related projects at coal-fired power-generation units that are set to begin from now through the end of summer. These projects are found in every U.S. market region except the West Coast, where state-level incentives have discouraged the fossil fuel's utilization.

Click on the image at right for a graph detailing the top 10 U.S. states for coal-fired maintenance projects this summer, by investment value.

U.S. coal stockpiles have declined as more coal plants have been closed, according to the EIA. No new coal-fired plants are planned in the U.S., but many areas still depend on coal to keep their lights on. This has made proper, consistent maintenance an important part of the industry, with leading companies such as Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) (Charlotte, North Carolina) and DTE Energy Company (NYSE:DTE) (Detroit, Michigan) preparing for major turnarounds.

DTE has four individual maintenance projects planned for coal units this summer, more than any other company in Industrial Info's project database. All four are in Michigan, where DTE is hosting nearly all of its active capital projects:

• Unit 9 at the Trenton Channel Power Plant in Trenton, which generates 520 megawatts (MW); see project report
• Unit 3 at the Monroe Power Plant in Monroe, which generates 822 MW; see project report
• Unit 12-1 at the Belle River Power Plant in China Township, which generates 85 MW; see project report
• Unit 2 at Belle River, which generates 697 MW; see project report

Duke, which also has a major presence in the Great Lakes region, is at work on a pair of maintenance projects at its Gibson Generating Station in Owensville, Indiana: a series of inspections and repairs to units 2, 3 and 5, set to begin late this summer and stretch into late autumn, and an outage on Unit 1, which is in its final phases. Units 2, 3 and 5 generate 2,004 MW collectively, and Unit 1 generates 688 MW. For more information, see Industrial Info's project reports on units 2, 3 and 5 and Unit 1 at Gibson.

Duke also is planning a turnaround on the unit with the largest capacity of any planned for maintenance this summer: the 1,080-MW Unit 1 at the Belews Creek Steam Station in Belews Creek, North Carolina. The 62-day process is expected to stretch into November and involves an overhaul of a steam turbine and inspections to an opposed-fired, dry-bottom boiler. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

Other major companies that are planning coal-fired maintenance kickoffs before the end of summer include Alliant Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:LNT) (Madison, Wisconsin), which is planning an outage on the 726-MW Unit 1 at the Ottumwa Generating Station near Ottumwa, Iowa; Xcel Energy Incorporated (NASDAQ:XEL) (Minneapolis, Minnesota), which is planning an outage on the 550-MW Unit 1 at the Tolk Power Station in Earth, Texas; and Entergy Corporation (NYSE:ETR) (New Orleans, Louisiana), which is planning an outage on the 850-MW Unit 1 at the Independence Power Station in Newark, Arkansas. For more information, see Industrial Info's reports on the Ottumwa, Tolk and Independence projects.

The EIA said in its most recent Short-Term Energy Outlook that it expects coal stockpiles to remain relatively low throughout 2019. Nonetheless, coal is expected to be the second-highest fuel for U.S. electricity generation this year, providing 24% of total electricity generation. Natural gas is expected to provide 37%, according to the EIA.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 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. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn. For more information on our coverage, send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.com or visit us online at http://www.industrialinfo.com/.