New England Sees More than $10 Billion on the Horizon for Project Kickoffs in 2017

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Proposed natural gas-fired power plants are at the forefront of a long list of projects that could break ground in New England next year. Industrial Info is tracking $10.16 billion in active projects set to begin construction in the region in 2017, more than 90% of which are to be found in four industries: Power Generation, Pharmaceutical & Biotech, Industrial Manufacturing, and Food & Beverage.

Click on the image at right for a graph detailing active projects scheduled to kick off in 2017 in New England, by industry.

The New England region includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

New England's Power Industry has been struggling to keep up with electricity demand, so it's not surprising that it leads all other industries with $5.41 billion in projected 2017 kickoffs. Proposals for natural gas-fired plants account for the bulk of the spending, one such example being NTE Energy's (St. Augustine, Florida) $500 million Killingly Energy Center in Lakeville, Connecticut. As currently planned, the combined-cycle facility would generate 550 megawatts (MW) from a pair of steam turbines. For more details, including contractor contact information and equipment specifications, see Industrial Info's project report.

The Killingly project has faced some skepticism among Connecticutians who are concerned about air pollution. Another such project in neighboring Rhode Island, Invenergy LLC's (Chicago, Illinois) proposed, $700 million Clear Water Energy Center in Burrillville, has faced an even steeper uphill battle, with entrenched local opposition and no certain source of water. With more cities in the area saying no, the currently slated kickoff date of May 2017 is increasingly unlikely. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report and September 28, 2016, article - Rhode Island Power Project has Plenty of Opposition, No Water.

The Pharmaceutical & Biotech Industry, always a strong player in New England, is in second place with $1.87 billion in projected construction starts, one of the largest of which is Siemens AG's (Munich, Germany) $300 million diagnostic test kit and gas sensor manufacturing facility in East Walpole, Massachusetts. The company's Healthineers subsidiary plans to add 250,000 square feet and renovate a portion of the existing facility; additions are expected to space for production, labs, warehouses, offices and a parking garage. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

The Industrial Manufacturing Industry is looking at $1.72 billion in kickoffs, including a big boost from Uncle Sam: The U.S. Navy's Naval Submarine Base New London, also called "The Home of the Submarine Force," is planning a $1.1 billion microgrid addition in Groton, Connecticut. Among other features, an enhanced microgrid will provide backup during outages, better protect the larger grid in the event of a cyberattack, and reduce overall operating costs. The distribution system is expected to have a capacity of about 13 MW. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

The Food & Beverage Industry is slated for $468 million in 2017 project kickoffs, including Trader Joe's (Monrovia, California) proposed $78.5 million grocery distribution center in Bloomfield, California. According to contractor KPMG (Amstelveen, Netherlands), the warehouse would bring up to 700 new jobs to the area, including 150 transportation positions. However, the popular grocery giant also is considering property in New York, and is comparing tax incentives. For more details, including contact information and site specifications, see Industrial Info's project report.

More than 91% of the region's total investment value (TIV)--$9.33 billion--is related to 164 projects that are now in the planning stages, where plenty of factors could increase, decrease or eliminate the expected spending. The region also has 28 projects worth more than $540 million in the engineering stages, while 127 projects worth about $293 million are maintenance-related.

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. 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/.