A glut of gas flowing out of the shale field has helped fuel a surge in power plant construction in the northeast. A glut of gas flowing out of U.S. shale fields is fueling a power plant construction boom in several northeastern states, despite fierce competition that has caused wholesale electricity prices to plummet. The key for electricity producers is location, location—preferably close to cheap natural gas. By building there, firms can access nearby fuel supplies and tap transmission lines to move megawatts to market. In Pennsylvania and Ohio, which sit above the prolific Marcellus Shale formation, companies including Invenergy LLC and Calpine Corp.  are building gas-fired power plants capable of generating a combined 8.6 gigawatts and expected to come online between now and 2020, according to federal data. That’s enough […]