Bechtel Corp. won a contract to build the 1,100-MW Cricket Valley Energy Center in Dutchess County, N.Y., according to Jan. 25 news release. Bechtel expect to break ground on the combined-cycle project later this month.

The approximately $1.58 billion gas-fired power project is positioned as a likely beneficiary of the planned retirement of the Indian Point nuclear power plant complex outside New York City. The facility is expected to begin commercial operations in early 2020, just in time for the slated retirement of Indian Point 2 in April 2020 and Indian Point 3 in April 2021, barring a reliability extension through 2024 and 2025, respectively.

The plant will purchase natural gas from the Iroquois gas pipeline. The facility will sell energy, capacity and ancillary services into New York ISO's Lower Hudson Valley capacity zone and will meet electricity needs of 1 million homes.

Investors in the proposed project include Advanced Power AG, GE Energy Financial Services and Marubeni Power International Inc., among others.