PPL Corp. will file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a 125 MW expansion project at the Holtwood hydroelectric plant on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. PPL withdrew an initial application to expand capacity at the same site in December, citing economic concerns, energy prices and tightening credit markets. The estimated $440 million project is subject to FERC approval, stimulus funding availability and contract negotiation. Construction could start in February 2010. PPL reconsidered the project in view of the tax incentives and potential loan guarantees for renewable energy projects in the federal economic stimulus package. The Shaw Group's nuclear unit and Westinghouse Electric Co. received full notice to proceed from Southern Nuclear, a unit of Southern Co., on its engineering, procurement and construction contract for two Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear power units and related facilities. The contract was first announced in April 2008. This past March 17, Georgia regulators certified Southern Co. unit Georgia Power Co. to build Units 3 and 4 at the existing Vogtle Electric Generating Plant. Oglethorpe Power, Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and Dalton Utilities also own the plant.

The Shaw Group's maintenance division renewed its existing contract with Entergy Nuclear, a unit of Entergy Corp., to provide nuclear maintenance services to 1 1 nuclear units at nine power stations. Shaw's scope of work includes maintenance and modifications, refueling outage services and capital construction. The value of Shaw's six-year contract, which will be included in the company's third quarter backlog of unfilled orders, was not disclosed.

Sempra Generation plans to build at least 300 MW of solar power projects on land it owns in Arizona. Construction could start next year. Sempra plans to build solar projects on 4,000 acres near Phoenix, where it also already has a 1,250 MW natural gas power plant. The Arizona solar plant, called Mesquite Solar, would be built over many years. The company did not say how much money it would spend on the plan or the size of the first project.

FirstEnergy Corp. plans to retront units 4 and 5 at its coal- fired R. E. Burger Plant in Ohio to generate power with biomass. The project will cost about $200 million and will not change the plant's current 312 MW capacity. FirstEnergy said the project will feature a closed-loop system, using biomass derived from an energy crop grown specifically for use as a fuel source. This energy crop would act as a carbon sink, removing as much carbon dioxide from the environment when it is growing as it releases when it is burned.