POWER Magazine

Several executives in the energy industry have spoken with POWER in recent months about how utility-scale solar power projects benefit from the addition of energy storage. Many have noted how installing storage systems alongside solar arrays supports the integration of renewable energy to the power grid, and also enhances the economic potential of any such […]The post The POWER Interview: IRA, Economics Support Solar-Plus-Storage Market appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Climate change and the dangers posed to the environment by increasing levels of CO2 have led to a greater focus on a non-polluting energy source: renewable hydrogen. Described as the “most abundant clean fuel in the universe,” the application of hydrogen as a fuel for transportation, including plans for a hydrogen-powered aircraft in the next […]The post Energy Sustainability: The Emerging and Effective Use of Hydrogen appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions (DESS), an arm of major U.S. utility Duke Energy, said commercial operation has begun on the group’s largest solar power plant. DESS on March 8 said the 250-MW Pisgah Ridge Solar farm in Navarro County, Texas, is online, supplying power to at least three groups as part of virtual power purchase […]The post Duke Energy Group Brings Texas Solar Farm Online appeared first on POWER Magazine.

It seems like industry insiders have been lamenting the aging power workforce for decades. Yet, there is still a large percentage of workers in the current workforce that are retirement eligible—some studies suggest the percentage is as high as 40%. Meanwhile, the energy transition has created a large number of new jobs building and operating […]The post Help Wanted: Retirements and the Energy Transition Lead to Job Openings in the Power Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing more stringent discharge standards for three types of coal power plant wastewater as part of an update to its Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELGs). However, the agency also proposed compliance flexibilities, and in a separate direct final rule, moved to extend a deadline to allow more coal plants to […]The post EPA Rolls Out More Stringent Effluent Limitations Guidelines for Coal Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A Utah-based energy developer has filed a final license application for construction of a major pumped-hydro storage project in Nevada. rPlus Hydro on March 8 said it made the filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the company’s 1,000-MW White Pine Pumped Storage installation in White Pine County. White Pine, the first pumped-hydro […]The post Major Pumped-Hydro Storage Project Moves Forward in Nevada appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Vogtle 3, one of two 1,117-MW Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear reactors Southern Nuclear Operating Co. is building in Georgia, has reached initial criticality. The event marks a pivotal milestone for the Generation III+ pressurized water reactor (PWR)—the first of its kind built in the U.S. “Initial criticality is a key step during the startup testing sequence […]The post Vogtle 3 Reaches Initial Criticality, Marking Pivotal Nuclear Startup Milestone appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Texas-based energy company Vistra Corp. is adding to its nuclear power generation capacity. The group on March 6 announced it would buy Ohio-based Energy Harbor Corp. in a $3.4 billion deal that includes ownership of three nuclear power stations. The transaction includes $3 billion in cash, with Energy Harbor shareholders receiving a 15% stake in […]The post Vistra Expands Nuclear Portfolio in $3.4 Billion Deal for Energy Harbor appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Biden administration has pledged another $1.2 billion to help extend the operating life of older or distressed nuclear power plants, with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm saying nuclear power is needed to support the nation’s clean energy goals. The funding, announced by the Dept. of Energy (DOE) on March 2, is the second tranche of […]The post Biden Administration Pledges $1.2 Billion to Keep U.S. Nuclear Reactors Online appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A 1.2-GW hydrogen-capable combined cycle power project that Entergy Texas has proposed to build in Orange County, Texas, will be spearheaded by an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) consortium led by Mitsubishi Power, Sargent & Lundy, and TIC. Construction of the $1.19 billion Orange County Advanced Power Station (OCAPS), which received the Public Utility Commission […]The post Entergy Picks EPC Team for Massive Hydrogen-Capable CCGT Project in Texas appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in California can continue operating while Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) seeks a license renewal for the 2,300-MW facility that would extend its lifecycle. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on March 2 approved PG&E’s request for an exemption to keep Diablo Canyon open past 2025. Thursday’s move is a […]The post NRC Approves Move to Keep Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Open appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Despite a steep hike in the project cost estimate for the proposed 462-MWe Carbon-Free Power Project (CFPP), 26 of 27 public power entities have voted to continue development of the first-of-its-kind six-module NuScale Power VOYGR-6 small modular nuclear (SMR) plant. The 26 project participants—subscribers who could eventually offtake portions of the project’s power—lodged financial commitments […]The post Novel UAMPS-NuScale SMR Nuclear Project Gains Participant Approval to Proceed to Next Phase appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Government officials in Sri Lanka said they will work with Russia to bring nuclear power to the country as part of its effort to increase the supply of electricity for the island nation. Professor S.R.D. Rosa, chairman of the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board, told local media the country is looking at offshore and onshore […]The post Russia Ready to Bring Nuclear Power to Sri Lanka appeared first on POWER Magazine.

It’s not uncommon for nuclear power plants to be sited relatively close to large metropolitan areas (within 50 miles, for example), after all, that is where the biggest loads are, but reactors are rarely placed near the center of large cities. This is mainly due to the risks associated with a meltdown, or even a […]The post Is a Nuclear Reactor Headed to the Heart of Your City? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Asset owners want to get the most out of their solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, which is why many today are adding energy storage to an installation or upgrading a project through repowering. Companies working in the space recognize that both new and older solar power systems can be optimized, thanks to innovative technologies and new […]The post The POWER Interview: DC-Coupled Storage Optimizing Solar PV Systems appeared first on POWER Magazine.

X-energy will demonstrate its four-unit 320-MWe Xe-100 advanced nuclear reactor facility under the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) at a Dow site in the U.S. Gulf Coast region by the end of the decade—not in Washington State as originally planned. The shakeup stems from a joint development agreement (JDA) the nuclear […]The post X-energy and Dow Will Deploy a 320-MWe Xe-100 Nuclear Facility at Gulf Coast Site appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Few power-generating resources present the combination of workhouse abilities that combined heat and power (CHP) does. But, powered predominantly by fossil fuels, will CHP find its unique footing within theThe post A Complex Landscape for the Future of Combined Heat and Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Advancements in energy storage, including new battery types and longer-duration batteries, are driving innovation in the sector. Retired power generation plants are being repurposed as storage sites, and theThe post New Technologies, New Sites Supporting Growth of Energy Storage appeared first on POWER Magazine.

I haven’t always believed carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology would play a big role in the energy transition. While I knew the technology was sound and has been used atThe post Deployment of Carbon Capture Technology Likely to Explode in Coming Years appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A pioneering horizontal, six-nozzle Pelton turbine developed by Voith Hydro at the 326-GWh Gerlos 1 pumped storage facility in the Ziller Valley, Austria, is setting new benchmarks for the 140-year-oldThe post Trial Operation of Innovative Horizontal Pelton Hydropower Turbine Underway in Austria appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The energy crisis in South Africa has prompted continued calls for government action, and officials in January said an energy action plan announced last year is starting to be implemented. The plan was laidThe post South Africa Energy Crisis at Critical Stage as Load-Shedding Continues appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The power system is changing and electricity suppliers need to adapt or get left behind. Experts weigh in on what leaders should be focusing on and how these items will affect utilities in the future. TheThe post The Challenges and Opportunities Facing Power Companies Today appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Hydrogène de France (HDF Energy) has entered into a partnership with the government of Kinshasa, a city-province and capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Africa, for construction and operationThe post Solar Power/Hydrogen Project Underway in DRC appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Power companies across the nation are being pressured to retire fossil-fueled power plants and transition to cleaner energy resources. But many existing fossil plants have not been completely paid off orThe post Understanding How Securitization Can Help with Power Plant Retirements appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A California-based group said it has completed the first-ever hydrogen-boron fusion experiments to produce a sustainable fuel for utility-scale fusion power. TAE Technologies on Feb. 28, in a peer-reviewed paper published by the scientific journal Nature Communications, said its research supports the path to providing electricity from nuclear reactors fueled with hydrogen-boron, also known as […]The post Group Touts Milestone for Hydrogen-Boron Fusion Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Madagascar has significant hydropower potential, but to date less than 20% of the country’s energy comes from hydroelectric facilities. The Economic Development Agency of Madagascar (EDBM) estimates the island nation, located in the Indian Ocean off the cost of Southeast Africa, could produce as much as 7.8 GW of power from hydro resources, but at […]The post Madagascar Ready to Ramp Up Hydropower Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A new report from a two global energy research groups found that China last year approved its most new coal-fired power generation projects since 2015. The report from the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and Global Energy Monitor (GEM) shows the Chinese government approved permits for 106 GW of new coal-fired […]The post China Approves 106 GW of New Coal-Fired Capacity appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The global market for energy storage is driven by several factors, with power producers continually looking for ways to improve their storage systems and enhance performance. Battery technologies for energy storage are becoming more important as project developers look for ways to control costs and optimize battery energy storage systems (BESS). Advancing technology supports lowering […]The post The POWER Interview: Chemistry Crucial for Global Growth in Energy Storage appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Ammonia could be a potentially lower-cost alternative fuel for gas turbines in Japan than liquid hydrogen if the full import value stream is considered, suggests a joint study between GE Gas Power and Japanese heavy industry manufacturer IHI Corp. As part of the year-long study, the companies mapped a value stream for hydrogen and ammonia […]The post Ammonia Gas Turbine Combustion Has Economic Potential, GE-IHI Study Suggests appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Indonesia’s efforts to decarbonize the country’s power generation sector took a major step on Feb. 22 as the government launched the first phase of mandatory carbon trading for coal-fired power plants. Officials in the capital of Jakarta have said they want to increase electricity production from renewable energy resources and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by […]The post Indonesia Begins Carbon Trading Program for Coal-Fired Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Biden administration on Feb. 22 announced the first-ever lease sale for offshore wind power development in the Gulf of Mexico. The Dept. of the Interior, through its Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), said it would open more than 300,000 acres in the Gulf, an area that long has been a major part of […]The post Biden Administration Announces First Offshore Wind Lease Sales for Gulf of Mexico appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The first phase of a new natural gas-fired power plant has been brought online in the Dominican Republic (DR), a project designed to support demand for electricity across the island nation. The SIBA Energy plant, located in Boca Chica in Santo Domingo province, is owned by a consortium led by SIBA Energy Corp. The group […]The post Dominican Republic Adds to Power Capacity With New Gas-Fired Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Westinghouse and Poland’s Polskie Elektrownie Jadrowe (PEJ) have finalized a contract for pre-design work on what would be that country’s first nuclear power plant (NPP). The agreement announced Feb. 22 moves forward a project that began late last year when Westinghouse was selected by the Polish government to build a nuclear plant using AP1000 reactor […]The post Poland Moves Forward With Country’s First Nuclear Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has broken ground on the Generation 3 Particle Pilot Plant (G3P3), a novel concentrating solar power (CSP) facility at Sandia National Laboratory that will use sand-like ceramic particles instead of molten salt to produce and store high-temperature energy. When completed in 2024, the “multi-megawatt” solar thermal pilot project will utilize an existing […]The post DOE Breaks Ground on Next-Generation Concentrating Solar Power Pilot appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The joint venture (JV) of an Irish energy developer and two Spanish companies has announced its second large floating offshore wind project. IberBlue Wind, a JV created to develop gigascale arrays in waters near the Iberian Peninsula, on Feb. 17 said it would build a 990-MW project off the coast of Figueira da Foz. IberBlue, […]The post Major Offshore Wind Array Planned off Iberian Peninsula appeared first on 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.