The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued its monthly Energy Infrastructure Update for July 2019. This update covers the news and highlights for energy around the country, in gas, hydropower, and electric generation. In July there were five natural gas pipelines were certified and another five were proposed. One natural gas storage facility was certified. For liquified natural gas (LNG) imports and exports, one export was placed in service, and one import/export was certified.For the year to date, five natural gas pipelines have been placed in service, compared to six at this point in 2018; 19 have been certified, compared to 31 in 2018. No storage facilities have been placed in service this year, as was the case last year as well, but three have been certified, compared to four in 2018. Three LNG import and export facilities have been placed in service, compared to one in 2018; five have been certified, whereas none were at this point last year.

For hydropower, two conventional facilities filed for licenses, and there was no further activity in July. For the year to date, three conventional hydropower facilities have filed for licenses, along with one hydrokinetic facility. One license was issued to a pumped storage facility, and another to a hydrokinetic facility. One 10-MW Exception was issued, and a capacity amendment was issued. Nothing has been placed in service this year.

The electric generation highlights detailed the new and expanded units in July, plus the year to date, and a comparison of this period in 2018. Wind power had three new units this month, bringing the total to 25 for the year; compared to 27 last year. There were also three solar power units in July, bringing that total to 207 for the year; compared to 345 last year. There were no new units for coal, natural gas, nuclear power, oil, water, biomass, geothermal steam, or waste heat in July.

There were a number of proposed additions and retirements of generation units in July; this is all planned to occur by July 2022. Coal had two proposed additions, one that is under construction, and 57 retirements. Natural gas had 224 additions, another 100 under construction, and 109 retirements. Nuclear power had nine additions, one under construction, and nine retirements. Oil had 12 additions, two under construction, and 26 retirements. Hydropower had 220 additions, 84 under construction, and 20 retirements. Wind had 550 additions, 172 under construction, and two retirements. Biomass had 59 additions, 28 under construction, and 28 retirements. Geothermal steam had 18 additions, six under construction, and no retirements. Solar power had 2,622 additions, 580 under construction, and one retirement.

For electric transmissions, in the ≤230 voltage range, there were no lines completed in July, but there were 540 miles proposed to be placed in service by August 2021. In the 345-voltage range, 9.5 miles were completed in July, compared to 39 in 2018. This brings to total for 345 this year up to 299.5, compared to 847.2 in 2018. There were also 752.4 miles of proposed additions. The 500-voltage range did not have anything completed in July, but there were 670 miles proposed to be added.

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