Saturday, February 13, 2010

Town Talk reprints Cleco News Release as "News"

Why are web logs important? Because the newspaper is slower and just a re-print of industry announcements. Don't believe us? Check out this corporate news announcement, issued Friday, from Cleco:


Cleco's Rodemacher Project in Commercial Operation

New rates implemented

PINEVILLE, La., Feb. 12, 2010 - Cleco Power LLC, a subsidiary of Cleco Corp. (NYSE:CNL), today announced that its Rodemacher 3 unit is in service and producing power that will benefit its customers today and into the future.

"Commercial operation of this plant is the culmination of six years of hard work," said Mike Madison, president and chief executive officer of Cleco Corporation. "Our focus, determination and resilience have brought us to a memorable point in our company's 75-year history."

The Shaw Group Inc. has met provisional performance guarantees to achieve commercial operation, and Cleco has accepted control of the unit. Shaw will remain on site to address miscellaneous items as well as to continue optimizing unit operation to ultimately meet performance guarantees.

"Shaw is pleased to have worked with Cleco to deliver the state-of-the-art Rodemacher 3 facility," said Fred Buckman, president of Shaw's Power Group. "We are proud to reach substantial completion on this important project that will benefit our client and its customers."

Commercial operation of the $1 billion project located near Boyce activates Cleco's new rate plan approved by the Louisiana Public Service Commission in October 2009. The new plan allows for recovery of the unit's costs and is the company's first full rate restructuring in over 20 years.

The 600-MW generating unit will use circulating fluidized-bed technology that can accommodate multiple solid fuels to generate power. Initially petroleum coke, an oil refining byproduct, will fuel the unit; however, the plant's technology also allows for the use of renewable products like biomass as fuel. Cleco is currently researching woody biomass as a potential fuel since the new facility is located in a timber-rich area.


So the Town Talk gets around to printing this today, a day after the Cleco announcement:

February 13, 2010

Cleco Corp.'s Rodemacher 3 in service

Town Talk staff

PINEVILLE -- Cleco Corp. announced Friday that its Rodemacher 3 unit north of Boyce is in service.

"Commercial operation of this plant is the culmination of six years of hard work," Mike Madison, president and chief executive officer of Cleco said in a news release. "Our focus, determination and resilience have brought us to a memorable point in our company's 75-year history."

The Shaw Group of Baton Rouge met provisional performance guarantees to achieve commercial operation, the release states, and Cleco has accepted control of the unit.

Shaw will remain on site to complete work and meet performance guarantees.

"Shaw is pleased to have worked with Cleco to deliver the state-of-the-art Rodemacher 3 facility," said Fred Buckman, president of Shaw's Power Group. "We are proud to reach substantial completion on this important project that will benefit our client and its customers."

Commercial operation of the $1 billion project activates Cleco's new rate plan approved by the Louisiana Public Service Commission in October, the company said.

The plan allows Cleco to recoup the unit's costs.

The 600-megawatt generator will use circulating fluidized-bed technology, which can burn multiple solid fuels to generate power.

Initially, petroleum coke, an oil refining byproduct, will fuel the unit.

The plant also can burn renewable products such as biomass as fuel.

Cleco said it is researching woody biomass as a potential fuel, in part because the plant is in a timber-rich area.

Word for word, vigilant reader. So, yeah, thanks TT for more original content and hard-hitting journalism. Care to give us an analysis of the rates? In other news, Mayor Jacques Roy is rumored to be reviewing more of Steve Coco's utility bills and may have an analysis on KSYL radio.