Exelon Generation Breaks Ground On New 1,000 Megawatt Natural Gas Power Generating Unit At Wolf Hollow Generating Station

New air-cooled generating unit builds on Exelon's commitment to provide clean and reliable energy to Texas

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Jul 09, 2015, 03:10 ET

GRANBURY, Texas, July 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Senior executives from Exelon Generation, Alstom, General Electric and Zachry were joined by community leaders from Hood County, Texas to officially break ground today on the construction of a new low-carbon, combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) at Exelon's Wolf Hollow Generating Station in Granbury. The new CCGT will provide an additional 1,000 megawatts to the existing 704 megawatt natural gas power plant. The new unit will be one of the most environmentally friendly and efficient CCGTs in the state and the nation, using General Electric's most advanced gas turbine technology and an air cooling system, eliminating the use of water to cool the unit.

Executives from Exelon Generation, Alstom, General Electric and Zachry and community leaders from Hood County, Texas officially broke ground on Thursday, July 9, 2015 on the construction of a new low-carbon, combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) at Exelon's Wolf Hollow Generating Station in Granbury, Texas.

Construction of the new unit is a part of Exelon Generation's ongoing growth strategy and will allow the company to offer more low-carbon electricity to the growing Texas market. The new unit at Wolf Hollow is one of two new CCGTs the company is developing in Texas. The other 1,000 megawatt CCGT will be constructed at Exelon's existing Colorado Bend Generating Station in Wharton, Texas, which is approximately 60 miles outside of Houston. Both units are expected to achieve commercial operation in 2017.

"Exelon is a forward-looking company, and what we see is a clean energy future that includes this kind of new technology, which uses little water and produces few emissions while generating electricity at a very low cost," said Ken Cornew, president and CEO, Exelon Generation. "We're delighted to be the first to employ this GE technology, and we're delighted to do it in Texas. This is how Exelon sees the energy future of America – clean, affordable and efficient."

"Hood County is elated to expand upon our successful 'power partnership' with Exelon. Exelon exemplifies our joint commitment to water conservation and energy production," said Hood County Commissioner Butch Barton. "We are excited about the reality of the hundreds of construction jobs and tax revenues, which are the life blood of a county's ability to provide quality of life for the community. We are 'doubling down' on our successful relationship with Exelon."

"Exelon Generation is focused on teamwork to create innovative solutions for our customers," said Corey Hessen, vice president of Generation Development, Exelon Generation. "We are very proud of how our integrated development team of Exelon, Alstom, GE and Zachry created a generation solution that meets the needs of Texas, successfully balancing the need for new sources of power with environmental considerations."

Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC) is the nation's leading competitive energy provider, with 2014 revenues of approximately $27.4 billion. Headquartered in Chicago, Exelon does business in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. Exelon is one of the largest competitive U.S. power generators, with more than 32,000 megawatts of owned capacity comprising one of the nation's cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets. The company's Constellation business unit provides energy products and services to more than 2.5 million residential, public sector and business customers, including more than two-thirds of the Fortune 100. Exelon's utilities deliver electricity and natural gas to more than 7.8 million customers in central Maryland (BGE), northern Illinois (ComEd) and southeastern Pennsylvania (PECO). Follow Exelon on Twitter @Exelon.

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SOURCE Exelon Generation