POWER Magazine

While investor interest in U.S. coal production is seeing a revival, President Donald Trump can do little to directly help the flailing industry, coal producers and investors said at CERAweek by IHS Market, which is taking place in Houston this week. After a period of financial calamity that was prompted by the collapse of natural […]The post Coal Industry Cautious About Future Growth, Trump Rhetoric appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The epic recovery from the 2011 accident at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant, already predicted to take decades and cost at least $35 billion, is encountering delays as a series of robot probes have failed due to encountering more difficult conditions than expected, plant owner Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) said this month. TEPCO’s head of […]The post Fukushima Cleanup Hitting Snags as Robot Probes Fail appeared first on POWER Magazine.

With a vote of 62–37, the Senate on March 2 confirmed former Texas governor Rick Perry as the new secretary of energy. Perry received the support of 10 Democratic senators: Mark Warner (Va.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Tom Udall (N.M.), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Jon Tester (Mont.), […]The post Perry Confirmed as Secretary of Energy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Regardless of recent federal support for a revitalization of coal in the U.S., “the economics are challenged,” Lynn Good, CEO of Duke Energy, said March 1 during a presentation at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) Energy Innovation Summit. “I think coal continues to be an important part of a […]The post Odds Are Against a Coal Comeback, Duke CEO Says appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. is in around “100th place” worldwide when it comes to efforts to automate the grid, Thomas Siebel, chairman and CEO of C3 IoT, said March 1 during a keynote presentation at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) Energy Innovation Summit. “They’re not even in the game, and I […]The post U.S. Lagging in Efforts to Automate the Grid appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Bipartisan lawmakers in Minnesota want utilities in that state to procure 50% of power sold by 2030 from renewable sources. The measure, if passed, could put the state’s renewable efforts on par with California’s. The bipartisan bill introduced in the Minnesota Legislature on February 27 seeks to double the state’s renewable energy standard, which is […]The post Minnesota Looks to Double Renewable Energy Standard to 50% by 2030 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A bill signed by Minnesota’s Gov. Mark Dayton (D) on February 28 allows Xcel Energy to build a 786-MW combined cycle gas-fired power plant without approval from state regulators. The governor signed Chapter 5, House File 113, a bill that had bipartisan support of the state’s legislators, to allow the Minneapolis-based power company to move […]The post Minnesota Governor Allows Xcel to Bypass Utility Commission Oversight for Major Gas-Fired Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Edward Hyatt hydroelectric plant at the damaged Oroville Dam in northern California, shut down earlier this month after its spillway nearly collapsed, may reopen soon, officials with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) said on March 1. The plant was forced to shut down after severe erosion from the dam’s spillway deposited large […]The post Oroville Dam Power Plant May Reopen This Week appeared first on POWER Magazine.

An executive order signed by President Donald Trump on February 27 authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to rewrite a contentious rule asserting federal authority over small bodies of water. The Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule, also known as the “Clean Water Rule,” finalized by the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers […]The post Trump Orders WOTUS Rule Rewrite appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The Big Picture: Shunning Coal appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Power generation need not be another source of strain on diminishing freshwater resources. Well-established water reclamation technologies are enabling producers to conserve resources—and money. Meeting theThe post Reclaimed Water Reduces Stress on Freshwater Supplies appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The boom in renewable energy, spurred by dramatically falling costs, has led some experts and political figures to begin talking seriously about what was once science fiction: A world powered entirely by renewable generation. But is it truly feasible or economic? One series of studies suggests it is—with some important caveats. In the first half […]The post A 100% Renewable Grid: Pipe Dream or Holy Grail? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Cooling towers serve the vital role of cooling water for power plant heat exchange equipment. Sustaining excellent system performance is important because a one-degree increase in water temperature can cause a 2% increase in energy usage. Proper maintenance and a few upgrades could improve a cooling tower’s efficiency, while also saving water in the process. […]The post Cooling Towers: Efficiency Waiting to Happen appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Reducing emissions from the electricity sector continues as a primary transformational goal of government policy-makers, and the private and public companies managing electricity generation in Canada. Impressive progress has been made. National Overview Emissions from electricity generation made up just 11% of Canada’s total in 2014. Over 79% of generation is non-emitting: hydropower (63%), nuclear […]The post Progress on GHG Emissions Reduction in Canada’s Electricity Sector appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Risk is inherent in all businesses, but power plants face unique perils that require the right protection. Property and casualty insurance may not be enough; equipment breakdown, business interruption, weather risk transfer, and cyber coverage are just a few examples of insurance that may also be worth considering. The right coverage could mean the difference […]The post New and Improved Insurance Offerings Provide Power Plants with More Options appeared first on POWER Magazine.

California’s excess of solar power challenges the statewide independent system operator’s ability to balance its system without curtailing low-carbon supplies and ramping up natural gas generation. It’sThe post Duck Hunting at the California Independent System Operator appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Many informative articles have been published about options for treating flue gas desulfurization wastewater, but new technologies are rapidly changing the treatment possibilities. This article reviews key economic considerations and introduces an innovative treatment solution that lowers costs and the amount of waste generated. Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater varies widely depending on the source […]The post Lowering Cost and Waste in Flue Gas Desulfurization Wastewater Treatment appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Meeting the requirements of the Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELG) means careful consideration of the various options. Both biological treatment and zero liquid discharge (ZLD) approaches have their place, but ZLD may offer more flexibility for the future. On September 30, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the final effluent limitation guidelines (ELGs) rule for […]The post A Comparison of ELG Compliance Options for Flue Scrubber Wastewater appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Using reclaimed water as a makeup supply for cooling tower systems has become a popular option for reducing impacts on local water resources, but it comes with its own challenges because of its uniqueThe post Using Reclaimed Water in Power Plant Cooling Applications appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the next four years is going to be a very different beast than the EPA under the presidency of Barack Obama, newly confirmed EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said on February 25 while addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). “We’re going to restore power back to the people. We’re […]The post Pruitt Pitches New Era of EPA at CPAC appeared first on POWER Magazine.

California utility San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) on February 24 officially put into service what is currently the largest lithium-ion storage battery in the world, wrapping up a fast-track procurement process that began less than a year ago. The 30-MW, 120-MWh system (Figure 1) supplied by AES Energy Storage and located in Escondido about […]The post SDG&E Unveils World’s Largest Li-Ion Storage Battery appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Full operation of CGN Power’s Taishan nuclear power plant, an $8.7 billion effort to construct two EPR reactors in Guangdong province, China, has been pushed back six months, the company said in an announcement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange February 20. Completion of Taishan Unit 1 had been expected in the first half of […]The post Taishan EPR Nuclear Reactor Project Delayed appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Donald Trump administration can look to the energy sector to increase federal revenue and offset the national debt in numerous ways, but there are pros and cons to everything, according to a panel presenting at the Cato Institute February 22. Carbon pricing has long been the preferred economic means of mitigating carbon emissions. A […]The post Experts Debate Carbon Pricing, Leasing Federal Lands appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Southern Co.’s Kemper County integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) project, stricken by steep cost increases and an in-service date delayed again to mid-March, isn’t economically viable in the face of projected long-term natural gas prices, the company said. Southern Co. subsidiary Mississippi Power reported that integrated operation of the facility’s two gasifiers and combustion turbines […]The post Kemper IGCC, Delayed Again, May Not Be Economically Viable appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Financially hemorrhaging in 2016 due to uneconomic power plants in its fleet, FirstEnergy Corp. said it may exit the competitive generation business by mid-2018, and shutter its nuclear plants in Ohio, even though it will back legislation to subsidize nuclear power. In a fourth quarter earnings call on February 22, officials from the Akron, Ohio–based […]The post FirstEnergy Looks to Exit Competitive Business, Shutter or Sell Ohio Nuclear Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Fossil Energy has awarded a total of $5.9 million to seven projects focused on novel uses of carbon dioxide (CO2). The projects were selected under the DOE’s carbon storage program. “This portfolio will develop and test novel approaches that convert CO2 captured from coal-fired power plants to […]The post DOE Selects Seven Projects for CO2 Utilization Funding appeared first on POWER Magazine.

More than 7,500 pages of emails and other records released by the Oklahoma attorney general’s office to the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) reveal a “close and friendly” relationship between the former office held by Scott Pruitt, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) new administrator, and the fossil fuel industry, the CMD alleged. The emails […]The post Emails Withheld by Oklahoma AG’s Office Made Public as Pruitt Begins Role as Head of EPA appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In a final 52–46 vote, the Senate on Friday confirmed Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The vote was mostly along party lines. Every Republican present except Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) voted for Pruitt (Sen. John McCain [R-Ariz.] did not vote because he is at […]The post Pruitt Confirmed as Head of EPA appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A state court ordered Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to turn over more than 2,500 emails his office withheld from open records requests relating to communications with coal, oil, and gas corporations. The order came a day before the Senate is poised to confirm him as President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection […]The post Judge Orders Release of EPA Nominee Scott Pruitt’s Emails with Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Security issues are second only to cost concerns when energy generators consider the risks related to implementing connected technology at their power plants, according to a February 15 poll of the audience at POWER’s Connected Plant Conference. However, continued improvements in available cybersecurity systems are quickly reducing those risks, Stan Schneider, CEO of Real-Time Innovations, […]The post Cybersecurity a Main Concern for Connected Plants, but Tech is Improving appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The utility owners of the Navajo Generating Station (NGS) in Arizona have voted to shut down the 2,250-MW coal-fired power plant in December 2019. The decision to close the plant on tribal land near Page along the border with Utah was based on the “rapidly changing economics of the energy industry,” which has seen natural […]The post Utility Owners Vote to Shut Down 2.2-GW Navajo Generating Station appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A large swath of the central U.S. set a North American wind penetration record of 52.1% early in the morning on February 12, the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) reported. The regional transmission organization (RTO), whose footprint spans 550,000 square miles from the Canadian border in Montana and North Dakota to parts of New Mexico, Texas, […]The post SPP Becomes First U.S. Grid Operator to Record Greater Than 50% Wind Penetration appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A group of power companies have filed a federal lawsuit against the State of Illinois, challenging a recently enacted law that creates subsidies for Exelon’s uneconomic nuclear power plants. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed on February 14 in the Northern District of Illinois are the Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA), Dynegy, Eastern Generation, NRG […]The post Generators Sue to Block Illinois Nuclear Subsidies appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Remote and online monitoring of plant performance parameters is an important step toward a fully connected plant, but alone it’s not enough to exploit the real value in the Industrial Internet of Things, speakers at POWER’s inaugural Connected Plant Conference on February 15 in Dallas said. Randy Bickford, president and CTO of software firm Expert […]The post Don’t Just Connect Your Plant—You Need to Model It, Experts Say appeared first on POWER Magazine.

An explosion at EDF Energy’s Flamanville nuclear power station in France has been controlled, the utility said. The blast, which rocked Unit 1 at the nuclear plant on France’s northern coast at around 9:45 a.m. local time on February 9, stemmed from a fire originating from a fan located under the generator, EDF Energy said […]The post Explosion Rocks Flamanville Nuclear Power Plant in France appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Former President Barack Obama’s regulation-heavy Climate Action Plan was inefficient and should be replaced with a carbon tax, a group of senior Republican statesmen told White House officials during a February 8 meeting. The new pitch is laid out in a paper by the Climate Leadership Council — whose membership includes former GOP Treasury Secretaries […]The post GOP Statesmen Pitch Carbon Tax at White House appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) in North America is about to have its year, Julio Friedmann, senior adviser for energy innovation at the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, said during the February 8 Global CCS Institute’s annual Americas Forum. “We are just now like fully deployed and hopefully that will finally quash […]The post 2017 Will be the Year for North American CCS, Expert Says appeared first on POWER Magazine.

President Donald Trump’s drive to roll back federal regulations, especially from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will not be simple or smooth, a veteran Washington, D.C., attorney said at a utility conference on February 8. Speaking at the Energy, Utility, and Environment Conference (EUEC) in San Diego, Calif., Thomas Lorenzen, a partner with D.C.–based law […]The post Trump’s Regulatory Rollback May Hit Roadblocks appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Denmark’s DONG Energy is the latest in a string of power companies that are shunning the use of coal in future generation fleets. The company said on February 8 it will stop burning coal completely by 2023 in its power stations, replacing it with sustainable biomass. The measure is part of a company-wide transformation towards […]The post DONG Energy to Phase Out Coal Use in Power Plant Fleet appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As House Republicans issued a bill to dismantle the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week, a House committee held a hearing on how to make the agency “great again,” and former EPA employees expressed serious concerns about the looming nomination of Scott Pruitt to head the agency. The bill (H.R. 861), which seeks to […]The post Republicans Take Aim at EPA in Science Hearing, New Bill to Abolish Agency appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Pairing energy storage with rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems has been widely touted as the path for greater deployment of renewable energy, but a new study from researchers at the University of Texas suggests doing so may actually increase overall energy consumption and emissions. The study, “The Impacts of Storing Solar Energy in the Home […]The post Solar-Plus-Storage Could Increase Consumption and Emissions, Study Suggests appeared first on POWER Magazine.

What do we know as of February 1 about key Trump appointees responsible for administering White House policies affecting the power generation industry? Not much. As the Trump administration settles in, how his teams at energy and environment agencies will implement his policy agenda remains unclear, as does his agenda. At the end of January, […]The post As Trump Takes Over, Who Wields Power? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee are digging their heels in, refusing to allow a vote on President Donald Trump’s nominee for administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt. Pruitt’s nomination was due to come to a vote February 1, but when it came time to gavel […]The post Dems Boycott Pruitt Committee Vote, Perry, Zinke Proceed to Full Senate appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In a step that it hopes will be emulated by developers of new natural gas generation facilities in the U.S., NTE Energy has voluntarily committed to drastically slash greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the proposed 550-MW Killingly Energy Center facility in Connecticut—and to shut it down by 2050 unless it operates with no net GHG […]The post Developer of 550-MW Gas Power Plant Commits to Voluntary GHG Emission Reductions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post THE BIG PICTURE: The Nuclear Fuel Cycle appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The United States has just joined the offshore wind community with the commissioning of the Block Island Wind Farm in Rhode Island. As this community continues to grow, any decision of a common law court that provides guidance on the interpretation of contractual terms, or of the application of established common law to this new […]The post “Fitness for Purpose” Obligations for the Offshore Wind Sector appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A variety of approaches have been used to capture new benefits from combined heat and power (CHP) facilities. Some owners have transitioned to new fuels or added renewables to the mix, while others haveThe post CHP 2.0: New Fuels and New Business Models appeared first on POWER Magazine.