U.S. generating capacity expanded by a net 194 MW in August, as 241 MW of new operating capacity went online and 47 MW of capacity was permanently retired, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data.
A total of 16 generation units were brought online, 14 of them solar with 95 MW of combined capacity. A single gas-fired plant and a waste heat recovery plant began operating as well. One biomass plant was retired.
There were no new capacity additions announced during the month.

Completed
The 96-MW Hudson Gas Project in Brazoria County, Texas, was the largest single capacity addition in August. The one-unit gas facility is owned by chemicals manufacturer INEOS USA LLC.
The single-unit 75-MW Palmetto Plains Solar Project in Orangeburg County, S.C., was the next-largest addition by generating capacity. The plant is owned by BBX Capital Corp. subsidiary Cypress Creek Renewables Development LLC. The output is sold under a power purchase agreement with Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc., a Dominion Energy Inc. subsidiary.
Duke Energy Corp. subsidiary Duke Energy Renewables Inc. completed five solar units in Georgia with a combined capacity of 9 MW, with the output sold to Georgia Power Co.

Retired
East Texas Electric Cooperative Inc. retired its 47-MW biomass-powered Woodville Biomass Plant (Hilton Lively) in Tyler County, Texas. The plant began operating in 2014 but was put in mothballed status at the end of 2017 because of low wholesale power prices. East Texas has a 24-MW hydro plant, the RC Thomas Hydroelectric Project (Lake Livingston Project), under construction that is slated to go online in 2020. 
