Power utility PPL Corporation (PPL) is in the process of constructing a new data and operations center in Upper Macungie Township. Located in the Lehigh Valley about 10 miles west of the PPL’s international headquarters in center-city Allentown, the new 115,000-square-foot center is a major investment to reap long-term benefits for both the company and its customers.
With the start of the next-generation data center PPL expects to meet corporate goals comfortably for the next several decades. The operations component of the project will be used by its business unit, PPL Electric Utilities, combining existing transmission and distribution operations centers in the Allentown and Harrisburg areas and host the utility’s new emergency response center.
PPL pointed out that the new building will be ENERGY STAR rated, meaning it will be built according to high energy efficiency standards. The building will also be compliance with the new Building Energy Codes, which took effect in 2009.
PPL said this will be an outstanding electric system operations center, using the latest technology to help ensure unfailing safe and reliable services for the 1.4 million customers of PPL Electric Utilities. Furthermore, the company expects to benefit from the up gradation in data operations that will help provide more efficient and improved service to electric customers.
PPL Corp. said that the new project still awaits land development approval from the township and other necessary permits. The company expects to start construction of the plant this fall and complete work in late 2012. The company plans to employ about 125 to 150 people in the center, most of them currently work in other facilities if the company in the region.
Headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania, PPL Corp. is a diversified utility company, primarily generating energy from power plants, marketing wholesale or retail energy and providing electricity to customers.
Along with its subsidiaries, the company provides regulated utility services to about 10 million customers in England, Wales, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. It controls nearly 19,000 megawatts of regulated and competitive generating capacity in the United States. The company primarily competes with FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) and Exelon Corp. (EXC).
We maintain our ‘Neutral’ recommendation on PPL shares. PPL Corp. currently has a short term Zacks #3 Rank (Hold).
