POWER Magazine

The market for energy storage projects continues to grow as utilities recognize the benefits of storage for demand response, along with the integration of renewable energy resources to the power grid. Incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) for standalone storage provide even more support for the sector. Storage companies are growing, and more deals […]The post The POWER Interview: Challenges, Opportunities for Energy Storage appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The aging energy grid is in need of an upgrade. Converging challenges, such as distributed energy resources, electric vehicles and frequent extreme weather events, are pushing our infrastructure—some of which is over a half a century old—to the limit. As grid modernization efforts move full steam ahead to meet these challenges, security implications are often […]The post Addressing Cybersecurity Concerns During the Grid Modernization Process appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Ansaldo Energia and partners have kicked off the FLEX4H2, a four-year project to design, develop, and validate a highly fuel-flexible gas turbine combustion system based on Ansaldo’s sequential combustion technology that will be capable of operating with up to 100% hydrogen. The FLEX4H2 (or Flexibility for Hydrogen) officially began on Jan. 1 and will run […]The post European Project Launches to Demonstrate High-Volume Hydrogen Gas Turbine Combustion appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Southern Company said in its annual report filing issued on Feb. 16 that remediating certain equipment and component issues will force the projected in-service date for Plant Vogtle Unit 3 to be pushed out to May or June 2023. “The projected schedule for Unit 3 primarily depends on the progression of final component and pre-operational […]The post Vogtle Unit 3 In-Service Date Slides to May or June appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Three major electric power trade groups in a letter on Feb. 15 urged the Department of Energy (DOE) to reconsider proposed energy efficiency conservation standards for distribution transformers, citing “severe and ongoing supply chain challenges that have prolonged and complicated distribution transformer production and availability.” The letter was sent ahead of a public meeting scheduled […]The post Reconsider Distribution Transformer Efficiency Standards, Power Groups Urge DOE appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A new report issued this week by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) says hydropower, which is already the largest source of renewable electricity in the world, must double in capacity if the world is to meet the climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement by 2050. The report says installed hydro capacity must reach […]The post IRENA Says Hydropower Capacity Must Double by 2050 to Meet Climate Goals appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Physical security at power plants has received renewed concern of late, owing to a spate of gunfire vandalism events in the U.S. However, power plants have long-fielded several other physical security risks, including from terrorism, sabotage, natural disasters, insider threats, and physical breaches. Power plants have typically employed a set of physical security tools, such […]The post The POWER Interview: Physical Attacks on the Grid Soared in 2022. What Can Be Done? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A diverse mix of companies and experts in the solar power and energy storage sectors are in Long Beach, California, this week for the annual Intersolar North America (ISNA) and Energy Storage North America (ESNA) conference. The event, which is supported and attended by POWER, provides a look at the latest innovations in solar and […]The post Major Solar and Storage Projects, EVs and More Featured at California Event appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Two more units at a natural gas-fired combined cycle power plant in Iran are producing electricity for the country’s national grid. The Mahtab Kavir plant in Zarand County in Kerman Province now has total power generation capacity of 484 MW after the two new 162-MW units were synchronized with the grid on Feb. 9. The […]The post Iran Brings More Natural Gas-Fired Units Online appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Marking a major milestone, Centrus Energy—a firm under contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to demonstrate production of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) with domestic technology—on Feb. 9 said it completed construction and initial testing of its advanced uranium enrichment centrifuge cascade as well as most of its associated support systems. Once the company […]The post Centrus Competes Construction, Initial Testing of HALEU Demonstration Cascade appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Kenya is readying to kick off construction of the 35-MW Menengai geothermal power project in Nakuru County as part of the first phase of the wider Menengai complex, the country’s second large-scale geothermal field developed after Olkaria. The project is being developed by Globeleq, an Africa-focused independent power producer and project developer that is 70% […]The post Kenya Gearing Up to Build 35-MW Geothermal Power Plant at Menengai Steam Field appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Fermi Energia, a privately held company formed to develop a small modular reactor (SMR) in Estonia, announced that it has selected GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s (GEH’s) BWRX-300 design for deployment. Kalev Kallemets, CEO of Fermi Energia, said in September last year that the company’s nuclear technology selection process had begun in 2019, with a mapping […]The post GE Hitachi’s BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor Gets Another Win appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Several major power companies have launched a software assurance database that will serve as a software bill of materials (SBOM) repository for the power industry. Part of a long-sought solution to address a critical supply chain cybersecurity risk, the collaborative effort announced on Feb. 8 seeks to help vendors identify and remediate vulnerabilities in software […]The post Cybersecurity: Power Industry–Led Vendor Software Assurance Inventory Launched appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Construction of a major solar-plus-storage installation in California has been approved by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Desert Quartzite project, sited on about 3,000 acres near Blythe in eastern Riverside County, will feature a 300-MW solar array along with 600 MWh of energy storage. Desert Quartzite, being developed by EDF Renewables North […]The post Large Solar-Plus-Storage Project Underway in California Desert appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Department of Energy has moved to fund up to seven pilot enhanced geothermal system (EGS) projects to demonstrate different geologic settings, a variety of development techniques, and different well orientations. The U.S. agency on Feb. 8 announced up to $74 million to support the EGS pilots, for which the November 2021–enacted Infrastructure Act designates […]The post DOE Dedicates Funding for Up to Seven EGS Geothermal Pilot Demonstrations appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Rising concerns over climate change have caused a major shift in the energy ecosystem, away from fossil fuels and toward renewable, clean, and sustainable energy. Currently, the earth is about 1.1C warmer than in the late 1800s. As outlined in the Paris Agreement, the goal is to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, limit global warming […]The post Accelerating the Transition to Green Energy with Product Lifecycle Management appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) has announced a new competition designed to support the integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) into the nation’s power grid. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm unveiled the program Feb. 7 during a presentation to attendees of the DISTRIBUTECH 2023 event at the San Diego Convention Center in California. The program […]The post DOE, NREL, EPRI Announce Program to Support Grid Integration of DERs appeared first on POWER Magazine.

If you’ve been in the power industry workforce for any significant length of time, you may have asked your supervisor at some point “Why am I doing this?” regarding a task that you were assigned, only to have them respond, “We’ve always done it this way.” That’s because the power industry has a reputation for […]The post Cutting Costs with Technology-Driven Improvements appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The third unit of the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP) in Pakistan was inaugurated by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Feb. 2, adding another 1.1 GW of power generation capacity to the country’s national grid. Pakistan, like other countries, is battling an ongoing energy crisis with a lack of generation capacity to meet current […]The post Pakistan Inaugurates Third Reactor at Karachi Nuclear Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Japanese power generator JERA has launched commercial operation of the first of three liquefied natural gas (LNG)–fueled 650-MW combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) units that will modernize the Anegasaki Thermal Power Station, a mammoth 3.2-GW, six-unit gas and oil power plant in Chiba Prefecture. The new Anegasaki Thermal Power Station Unit 1, opened on Feb. […]The post First LNG-Fired CCGT Unit Begins Operation at JERA’s Giant Modernized Gas Plant in Japan appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Ontario Power Generation (OPG), GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH), SNC-Lavalin, and Aecon have signed a trailblazing six-year alliance agreement designed to bolster the deployment of a BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) at the Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP) in Clarington, Ontario. The contract unveiled on Jan. 27—a year after OPG selected GEH’s BWRX-300 for the […]The post Major Nuclear Players Team on Innovative Construction Delivery Approach for BWRX-300 SMR at Darlington appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) said it will build a new 190-MW peaker power plant in central Texas to provide additional dispatchable power to the state’s electric grid. A peaker plant is one that is typically used only for brief periods during times when the demand for power approaches or surpasses the amount of […]The post Texas Utility Will Add More Peaking Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Siemens Gamesa chief executive Jochen Eickholt acknowledged equipment failures in both the company’s onshore and offshore wind turbines, leading to higher warranty provisions, contributed to a nearly $1 billion net loss for the company in the last three months of 2022. Eickholt on Feb. 2 said the company’s October to December—the group’s fiscal first quarter—loss […]The post Siemens Gamesa Posts Nearly $1 Billion Quarterly Loss appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A trilemma is a situation that presents three possible choices to a complex challenge. Due to mutual exclusivity of the available choices, achieving them simultaneously is always a daunting task. The overarching objective is to achieve the three possible solutions in a balanced manner. Energy trilemma refers to the need to find a balance between […]The post Energy Trilemma: A Case for Africa Power Utilities appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Distributed generation stands out in the Cuban power system, where there are hundreds of units dispersed throughout the country. In times of contingency, and as usually happens when a hurricane hits the country, distributed generation ensures the vitality of electrical service through interconnected systems in the form of “islands.” Of the slightly more than 6,000 […]The post Distributed Generation in Cuba: Present and Future appeared first on POWER Magazine.

An evolving regulatory environment, expanded tax credits, and moves for more reliability and resilience in the power space are impacting the growth of solar-plus-storage installations. Several state utilityThe post New Rules, Incentives Shaping Solar-Plus-Storage Market appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Spun out of Exelon Corp. a year ago, Constellation Energy’s competitive generation and customer-facing energy businesses represent a new power company paradigm that conforms to decarbonization. But the company that today holds the largest nuclear fleet in the U.S. will still face a unique array of challenges.The post Why Constellation Energy, a Nuclear-Heavy Giant, Is Primed for Power Futurity appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced on Dec. 13 “the achievement of fusion ignition.” The milestone is a major scientific breakthrough, decades in the making. Fusion, of course, is the process byThe post What Will a Fusion Power Plant Look Like? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In July 1968, the U.S. Army sent the world’s first floating nuclear power plant, the Sturgis, to the Panama Canal to help overcome a regional hydroelectric power plant shortage, which was driven by a severeThe post Floating Nuclear Power Buoyant on New Prospects appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The number of power plant operator jobs is shrinking, but paradoxically, the number of job openings in the field is growing. Managers have their hands full finding and retaining the people they need. In thisThe post Power Industry Jobs Outlook and How to Find the Best Talent appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A resurgence in the use of biomass to produce energy is underway, in part as a way for countries to continue the transition away from fossil fuels for electricity production. Groups are working on ways to burnThe post Researchers Exploring Ways to Expand Use of Biomass appeared first on POWER Magazine.

An estimated 91% of the world’s population had access to electricity in 2020, marking substantial progress toward goals to ensure universal access to power. Still, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), 733 million people remain unserved. Off-grid and decentralized energy systems may be emerging as an alternative to facilitate energy access and resilience, […]The post The Big Picture: Off-Grid Power [Infographic] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

With the U.S. government funneling billions of dollars into new grid infrastructure, and private companies rolling out new systems to mitigate outages and developing artificial intelligence that can predictThe post The Journey to a Smart Grid: Funding and New Technology Make It Possible appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Most major utilities and energy generators have by now committed to cutting carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions in order to meet both government and corporate targets and ultimately avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Decarbonizing the energy sector, which contributes 35% of the world’s total emissions, is thus a critical aspect of […]The post Curtailment Challenge: How Long-Duration Energy Storage Improves Solar Utilization and Delivers Immediate Carbon Reductions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Interrupting power grids is one of the most effective ways to cripple a town or a city. If a region can’t keep the lights on, pretty much everything must come to a halt until the issue is remedied. For this reason, the power and energy industry has become a prime target for cyberattacks on operational […]The post Keeping the Lights On: How Plant Operators Manage Cyber Risk appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Improving processes and unlocking future innovations relies on new ideas. Many of the engineers of tomorrow who will deliver these breakthroughs are currently learning their craft at universities around theThe post Engineering the Next Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

New technology requires new ways of thinking, especially because safety is paramount. This is even more true for any situation where an established industry experience base is lacking. “Did you have a goodThe post Marnie Surfaceblow: When Exploring Unknown Territory, Bring a Guide [FICTION] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A joint venture featuring three energy companies is developing an 840-MW natural gas-fired power plant at the Aegean port of Alexandroupolis, Greece. The plant will be linked to the liquefied natural gas (LNG) floating terminal at the port. It is expected to supply electricity to Greece and also to markets in southeastern Europe. Damco Energy, […]The post LNG Floating Terminal Will Supply New 840-MW Gas-Fired Plant in Greece appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As plant owners accelerate the Industry 4.0 digital transformation, attention is increasingly being focused on the evolution of Distributed Control Systems (DCS) to enable them to become more flexible and adaptable. There are many key initiatives that are helping to set the standard for systems offering new levels of openness, security and interoperability. COMMENTARY Originally […]The post Power of Integration—Users Shaping Future of Distributed Control Systems appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Cynics might argue that it’s impossible to operate the power grid economically with 100% renewable energy on an hourly basis, but a model developed by Peninsula Clean Energy, a community choice aggregation agency that serves San Mateo County and the City of Los Banos, California, suggests it’s possible. To prove it, Peninsula Clean Energy intends […]The post Is Delivering 100% Renewable Energy on an Hourly Basis at Cost-Competitive Rates Achievable? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

With Russian forces having damaged many power plants and power lines in parts of Ukraine, linemen and plant workers have persevered, repairing and rebuilding equipment and systems needed to keep the lights on and critical facilities in operation. But the job is not easy, and much of the country’s power generation capacity is currently unavailable. […]The post Ukrainian Workers Fight to Keep Power Available for Critical Infrastructure and War-Stricken Communities appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed barring six coal-fired power plants in various states—a combined 11 GW—from disposing coal ash into unlined surface impoundments. The agency, however, also proposed to provide disposal extensions if the coal plants are needed to maintain grid reliability. The EPA’s proposed determinations, issued on Jan. 25, fall under its […]The post EPA Moves to Deny Coal Ash Disposal at Six Massive Coal Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The president and CEO of Florida Power & Light (FPL) announced he will step down from his role as leader of the utility. Eric Silagy, who became FPL’s president in 2011 and was named CEO in 2014, on Jan. 25 said he will move into a transitional role with the utility next month. Silagy, 57, […]The post FPL CEO Retiring Amid Probe Into Utility’s Political Actions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A Utah-based company is developing a pumped hydro energy storage project in the heart of coal country, one of several renewable energy deployments being sited in Wyoming in an effort to diversify that state’s energy and power portfolio. Officials with the 900-MW Seminoe Pumped Storage Project, being developed by rPlus Hydro, part of rPlus Energies, […]The post Milestone for Major Pumped Hydro Storage Project in Wyoming appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Utilizing energy storage with a solar power system is a way for power generators to help balance the supply of energy with demand for electricity. Energy storage can be used during periods when the sun isn’t shining, and it also help support periods of high demand for power along the grid. Many residential and commercial […]The post The POWER Interview: Benefits of Adding Storage to Solar Power Systems appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Oklo has kicked off regulatory activities for a first-of-its-kind nuclear fuel recycling facility that could produce commercial material from used light water reactor (LWR) fuel before the decade’s end. The advanced nuclear technology firm in December submitted a licensing project plan (LPP) to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for its Fuel Recycling Technologies facility. The […]The post Oklo Readying to Deploy Commercial-Scale Nuclear Fuel Recycling Facility appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Long-time POWER readers may remember Marmaduke Surfaceblow, a fictional character whose engineering escapades were brilliantly portrayed in hundreds of stories published within POWER magazine’s pages over more than 30 years beginning in 1948. Today, the story continues through Marmy’s granddaughter, Marnie, who is an engineering wiz in her own right. Marmaduke Surfaceblow was a crusty […]The post POWER Icons: The Adventures of Marmaduke and Marnie Surfaceblow appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has denied a request from California utility Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) to renew a review of an operating license application for the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant. The move at least temporarily puts on hold plans to extend the operation of two reactors at Diablo Canyon, the last operating […]The post NRC Rejects New Review of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Operating Extension appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is in the midst of an energy transition, moving away from its nearly exclusive use of natural gas-fired power generation to a strategy based on renewable energy resources. The country has an abundance of natural gas, and it also has significant solar power potential. The UAE also is adding nuclear […]The post The POWER Interview: Abu Dhabi’s Plan for Renewable Energy in the UAE appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The largest municipally-owned electric and gas utility in the U.S. will close its remaining coal-fired power units by 2030. The board of trustees for San Antonio, Texas-based CPS Energy on Jan. 23 voted 4-1 to approve a plan to shutter the last two coal-burning units at the J.K. Spruce power plant. The plan, known as […]The post Texas Utility Will Close Remaining Coal-Fired Units appeared first on POWER Magazine.