Power generation briefs

Pump Industry Analyst

ENTERGY

BIDS FOR

LONDON ENERGY

Entergy Corp, the US energy group, has made a US$2.1 billion cash bid to acquire London Electricity plc, UK. London Electricity serves approximately 2 million customers in the London region. Its board of directors has recommended the offer to its shareholders. ITALY'S POWER

I-L)

In a bid to encourage extra capacity and reduce imports, Italy's energy sector continues to attract private international investment. An agreement to finance an US$800 million power station at Falconera on the Adriatic coast has recently been reached. In a separate project, a 15-year US$1.3 billion loan for Italy's largest integrated gasification and combined cycle power plant has been approved. The loan will fund a 551MW power station at the Sarroch oil refinery on the south-east coast of Sardinia.

POWER GENERATION BRIEFS •

•

II

oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela SA, have signed an agreement to develop a world-scale grassroots olefin complex in Venezuela. The US$1.6 billion complex includes an 830 000 tons-peryear ethane-based ethylene cracker and facilities to convert the ethylene into 480 000 tons-per year of polyethylene and 430 000 tons-per-year of ethylene glycol. Construction will begin in 1998, with completion scheduled for 2000.

PUIA ~ A N D PAPER

PRIVATE

INVESTMENT

<

power industry. The first of 12 nuclear reactors could be closed by 2000. Following a referendum in 1980, a commitment was made to phase out Sweden' s nuclear power capability by 2010. Conoco Global Power Inc, The Wing Group and the Sindicato Antioquefio are to invest in a 160 MW natural gasfired power plant in-Barrancabermeja, Colombia. The Asian Development Bank has approved a US$134.4 million loan to develop the Dhaka, Bangladesh power sector.

PLANTS ATTRACT FURTHER

©

January 1997

GE Capital, a subsidiary of General Electric, has signed a US$250 million agreement with the Shanghai power bureau to upgrade and operate a 400MW gas turbine power plant. Sweden is nearing agreement to begin the decommission of its nuclear

PETROCHE~,ll-

CAI,S AND RI~FININ(;

SLOWER

CAPACITY

GROWTH PREDICTED

FOR US

PULP AND PAPER INDUSTRY

ASSIDOM~N EXPANDSIN

CZECH

REPUBLIC

AssiDomiin is to invest SKr200 miIlion in a new corrugated packaging plant in the Czech Republic. The plant will be located southwest of Prague and is expected to come on stream in mid-1998. The plant is part of AssiDom~in's campaign to expand its presence in central and eastern Europe. AssiDom~in already has a plant in Vilnius, Lithuania and a new corrugated packaging plant is planned for St Petersburg, The company has had a presence in the Czech Republic since 1995, through a 39 per cent ownership of Sepap as, a manufacturer of liner, sack paper and sacks.

QATAR VINYL COMPANY

Qatar General Petroleum Corporation (QGPC), Qatar Petrochemical Company Ltd, Norsk Hydro ASA and Elf Atochem SA have signed a joint venture agreement to form Qatar Vinyl Company. The new venture will produce 338 000 metric tons of ethylene dichloride, 200 000 metric tons of vinyl chloride monomer and 60 000 metric tons of caustic soda per annum. Production is expected to begin in the first half of 2000. MOBILIN VENEZUELAN VENTURE

Mobil Chemical Company, a division of Mobil Corporation, and Pequiven, the petrochemical affiliate of Venezuela's state-owned

According to the annual capacity survey carried out by the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), US pulp, paper and paperboard capacity is expected to increase 1.5 per cent per annum over the next three years. This is well below recent growth levels achieved by the sector. Between 1986 and 1995, paper and paperboard capacity increased at an average annual rate of 2.6 per cent, rising to 3.5 per cent during 1996. In terms of tonnage, capacity is expected to increase from the 1996 level of 99.1 million tons to 103.7 million tons in 1999. In addition, the industry will increase its reliance on recovered paper as a source of fibre. Consumption of recovered paper is expected to increase 2.9 per cent per annum between 1997 and 1999.

AF&PA'S ENVIRONMENT

AND

ENERGY ACHIEVEMENTS AWARDS

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA)

is accepting entries for its 24th Annual Environment and Energy Achievement Awards. The awards recognize significant innovation and accomplishment during 1996. There are six award categories: Air pollution control; Water management and pollution control; Solid waste management; Energy management and innovation; Forest management; and Pollution prevention. All pulp, paper, paperboard, forest and wood companies in the United States are eligible. Information on last year's winners are included