Vestas, the Danish wind turbine maker, has recently signed a contract with Atlantic Energias Renovaveis of Brazil to supply wind turbines for Renascenca V (30 MW) and Eurus II (30 MW).

American Electric Power (AEP) is terminating its cooperative agreement with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and putting on hold its plans for commercial-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS), citing uncertain US climate policy and the weak economy.

Spain’s Iberdrola Ingenieria y Construccion has started work on a 430 MW cogeneration power plant in Salamanca in Mexico’s Guanajuato state.

Venezuela is promoting wind farm projects in an effort to generate low-carbon energy, but some believe the current tariffs make these projects economically unfeasible, according to a report by El Nacional.

According to Ronald Beare, vice president and general manager of forestry company UPM Uruguay (formerly Botnia), if Uruguay’s population keeps growing at this rate, it will pose a very important energy challenge to the country.

The authorities in Ecuador are seeking to close this year with electrical losses no higher than $200m, according to a report in El Comercio newspaper.

Spanish company Endesa is planning to invest $1bn in wind projects in Brazil as it competes in an auction set to open in July, according to a report by El Economista.

Wood Group GTS has been awarded a $4.5 million contract from Consorcio Camisea to provide overhaul and technical support for eight Solar Centaur 50 SoLoNO_x gas turbines in two Peruvian gas plants.

The Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) is currently in discussions with US company GTherm about using their technology in a 12 MW geothermal pilot project.

Despite continued opposition Brazil's Institute of the Environment (IBAMA) has given the go ahead for the installation of the preliminary infrastructure for the construction of the massive Belo Monte hydroelectric dam in the Amazon jungle.

Element Power has started construction works on the 50 MW Macho Springs wind power project in Luna County, New Mexico.

Iberdrola Ingenieria completed modernization work on the Laguna Verde nuclear power plant in Mexico.

Venezuela is planning to invest $5bn in its power generation sector through to 2012, according to Business News Americas.

Atucha 1, one of the two nuclear plants in Argentina, reached record electricity production in 2010 when it generated an annual capacity of 95.49 per cent, beating the previous record of 93.10 per cent in 2007.