POWER Magazine

Solar technology is advancing at a rapid rate, making solar easier to adopt. However, there is still a large potential of growth when it comes to the solar market. Looking at global data, solar photovoltaic (PV) generation has steadily increased for the past several years, and showed the second-largest absolute generation growth of all renewable technologies […]The post A Global Look at Residential Solar Adoption Rates appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Southern Co. on July 28 increased its cost estimate for Georgia Power’s share of the two-unit expansion of the Vogtle nuclear plant. Southern, during an investor presentation of the company’s second-quarter financial results, said Georgia Power’s share of capital costs for the project has risen by $52 million, to about $10.5 billion in total. Georgia […]The post Vogtle Expansion Cost Jumps Again; In-Service Dates Set for 2023 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The inclusion of an estimated $369 billion in energy security and climate change investments in a July 27–unveiled U.S. Senate budget reconciliation proposal has prompted optimism from a range of energy sectors. Less than two weeks after negotiations on clean energy and climate provisions within the reconciliation package hit an impasse and suggested their demise, […]The post Energy Security, Climate Change Initiatives Endure with Surprise U.S. Senate Deal appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Global installed hydropower capacity rose by 26 GW in 2021 to 1,360 GW, but that’s far short of the progress needed to achieve the world’s climate change mitigation goals. “We know that to keep climate change below 2°C, or the more challenging 1.5°C net zero target, we will need to see a huge increase in […]The post Experts Say Hydropower Needs to Double by 2050 to Meet Climate Goals appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) and ARC Clean Energy Canada have agreed to collaborate on a two-year joint project to “deliver a technology demonstration for the fuel fabrication process” customized for ARC Canada’s ARC-100, a 100-MWe/286-MWth, sodium-cooled “advanced small modular reactor” (aSMR), the parties announced on July 26. The development marks a pivotal boost for ARC […]The post Canada’s National Nuclear Lab Backs Fuel Development for ARC Fast Reactor appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The world’s nuclear power plants generated a total of 2,653 TWh of energy in 2021, up 100 TWh from 2020. It was the third-highest total ever for global generation from nuclear, just 4 TWh short of the output in 2019 and 7 TWh less than the record set in 2006. The results were reported by […]The post Nuclear Power Plants Report Stellar Performance, but Retirements Could Limit Climate Benefits appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, based on research from Stanford University and the University of British Columbia, addressed the problem of nuclear waste from small modular reactors (SMRs). The study said that many designs for SMRs would increase the amount of nuclear waste in need of disposal, […]The post The POWER Interview: SMR Growth Tied to Plan for Nuclear Waste appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Environment, social, and governance (ESG) reporting has never been easy—and with pressures rising from investors, corporate leaders, and the government, organizations are struggling to meet the needs of all stakeholders. Facility managers must grapple with reaching and documenting progress toward ESG goals that align with the desires of sustainability-minded investors while boards and corporate leaders […]The post Putting AI to Work for Better ESG Data appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. will rely on utility leaders to scale smart grid infrastructure and reduce carbon emissions. Climate change has captured the world’s attention for decades. We’ve seen countless intergovernmental summits, worldwide protests, and documentaries on global warming over the years. Although momentum has been building across the public and private sectors, leaders are preparing for […]The post Here’s How Utilities Are Primed to Lead America’s Race to Clean Energy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) trades make up a significant portion of a construction project’s budget, and MEP scope continues to grow in complexity and size as we get further into the 21st century. Depending on the type of project, the MEP scope can account for upwards of a third of an overall project’s […]The post Ferris State University’s Construction Management Program Expands Its MEP Courses appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The UK government has given the go-ahead for construction of the Sizewell C nuclear power plant in southeast England, which officials have called an important project for the country to meet its net-zero climate goals. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng on July 20 confirmed the government’s support, saying UK officials consider it a major infrastructure project […]The post UK Throws Support Behind Sizewell C Nuclear Plant Construction appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs have become quite prominent in communities across California, and have begun to spring up in other states including Illinois, Massachusetts, and Ohio. Through CCA, communities can purchase electricity on behalf of residents and businesses, in place of investor-owned utilities such as Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), San Diego Gas & […]The post Community Choice Aggregation Provides Renewable Energy at Reduced Costs appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Kairos Power, an advanced nuclear reactor developer, has commissioned a molten salt purification plant (MSPP) that will produce “large quantities” of a high-purity coolant for reactors based on its fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) technology. The MSPP, one of the largest of its kind, is located at materials supplier Materion Corp.’s campus in Elmore, Ohio. […]The post Kairos Commissions Molten Salt Coolant Production Plant for High-Temperature Nuclear Reactors appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Biden administration’s push to accelerate offshore wind deployment formally expanded into the Gulf of Mexico as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on July 20 unveiled two draft wind energy areas (WEAs) off the coast of Galveston, Texas, and Lake Charles, Louisiana. The sites represent a “small subset” of its original 30-million Gulf […]The post BOEM’s First Two Offshore Wind Areas in the Gulf of Mexico Could Feed Texas, Louisiana appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The energy and utilities sector is not just the lifeblood of the world’s economy, but fundamental to society’s existence as a whole. Yet, recent events have highlighted just how volatile and unpredictable it can be. Output is influenced by everything from weather patterns to war, and no business, consumer, or household is immune from the […]The post Digitalisation and Cyber Resilience: Why the Energy and Utilities Sector Is a Top Target for Cybercrime appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A transformer exploded and caught fire at Hoover Dam in Nevada on July 19, according to local officials. Bureau of Reclamation official Jacklynn L. Gould said that at about 10 a.m. local (Pacific) time, the A5 transformer at the site caught fire. The blaze was extinguished at about 10:30 a.m., according to Gould. Gould said […]The post Explosion, Fire Reported at Hoover Dam appeared first on POWER Magazine.

General Electric (GE) is again announcing changes to its corporate structure, with the company on July 18 saying its energy and other businesses will operate under new brand names. H. Lawrence Culp Jr., the company’s chairman and CEO, and CEO of GE Aerospace, on Monday said the strategy involves a planned separation into three groups, […]The post GE’s Energy Business Will Have a New Name—Vernova appeared first on POWER Magazine.

European leaders should minimize gas use in the power sector and temporarily ramp up coal- and oil-fired generation while accelerating low-carbon sources to guard against energy market turmoil that has grown “especially perilous,” the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on July 18. “I’m particularly concerned about the months ahead,” wrote IEA Executive […]The post Europe May Need Temporary Coal, Oil Power Increase to Ready for ’Hard’ Winter, IEA Warns appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has called for up to nine nuclear plants to be put into operation to mitigate tight supplies expected this winter. The country could meanwhile resume operation of more than 10 thermal power plants to ensure electricity security this summer, he said. Kishida’s comments at a press conference on July 14 […]The post JERA Readying to Start 1-GW Coal Plant as Japan Scrambles to Secure Power Supplies appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) has entered a joint venture with a nationally-owned power producer in a project to bring additional electricity generation capacity to the island nation. The system will utilize a process featuring liquefied natural gas (LNG) and could eventually be converted to work with hydrogen as the fuel. Singapore-based Twenty20 […]The post Regasification Project Will Provide New Power for Papua New Guinea appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A new $1.1-billion natural gas-fired power plant, built by Kiewit and featuring equipment from General Electric (GE), has entered service in southwest Michigan. The Indeck Niles Energy Center in Niles, a community just north of South Bend, Indiana, will provide 1,100 MW of generation capacity. Indeck Niles LLC, a joint venture among Indeck Energy Services […]The post New 1.1-GW GE-Powered Gas-Fired Plant Enters Service in Michigan appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A series of large solar-plus-storage installations is set for deployment in California and Hawaii, with Clearway Energy Group and Wärtsilä announcing five sites where the companies will install solar photovoltaic (PV) resources along with battery systems. The projects announced July 11 include 500 MWac/2-GWh of power in total, installed at solar power sites operated by […]The post Clearway, Wartsila Partner on Five Large Solar-Plus-Storage Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is urging the development of more diverse solar PV supply chains, suggesting the sector’s heavy reliance on China has led to imbalances that pose risks to its future growth. A dedicated study of the world’s solar PV supply chain issued by the Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organization on July 7 acknowledges that government […]The post IEA Calls for More Diverse Solar PV Supply Chains appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The French government is prepared to take full control of EDF, one of the world’s largest producers of electricity, as the energy group struggles with increasing debt due to problems with its current and future nuclear power fleet. Élisabeth Borne, who took over as France’s prime minister in May, in her first state-of-the-nation speech to […]The post France Set to Take Over Major Power Producer Amid Energy Crisis appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A new 745-MW natural gas-fired power plant in Poland will feature General Electric’s (GE’s) 9HA.02 gas turbine, a model the company said “has the quickest ramp rate in the industry” at 88 MW per minute, and with a DLN 2.6e combustion system “capable of burning up to 50% by volume of hydrogen when blended with […]The post GE Touts Ramp Rate for Gas Turbine at New Polish Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Georgia Power will harvest 9 million tons of coal ash landfilled at its 3.4-GW Plant Bowen station in Bartow County, Georgia, and beneficially use it in concrete for major regional construction projects. The project, announced on June 29, will be the “ single largest beneficial use project of its kind in the U.S., and the largest […]The post Plant Bowen Will Showcase Largest Coal Ash Beneficial Use Project in the U.S. appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has revised eligibility criteria for the first-award cycle of its $6 billion Civil Nuclear Credit (CNC) program and extended its application period to Sept. 6, 2022. The action responds to a request for adjustments from the California governor’s office to better address Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E’s) 2,240-MW Diablo Canyon […]The post DOE Grants California’s Request to Revise Civil Nuclear Credit Program Eligibility, Extends Deadline appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A multi-year, multibillion-dollar undertaking on China’s Jinsha River has achieved several “firsts” for the hydropower sector, earning POWER’s highest honor thanks to its development, design, andThe post Wudongde Project Takes Hydro to New Heights appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Clearway Energy Group reaffirmed its commitment to renewable energy, and to its support of West Virginia’s push for cleaner energy, with a repowering of the Pinnacle Wind Farm. The project extends the windThe post Repowering Project Aims for Pinnacle of Success appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A novel technology that is surprisingly simple in principle promises to significantly reduce water consumption in evaporative cooling tower systems by capturing water from cooling tower plumes. Sonal PatelThe post Harnessing Cooling Tower Plumes to Provide Purified Water appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A Fault Isolation Service Restoration module, part of an Advanced Distribution Management Solution, has improved grid reliability, and reduced outages and outage durations, for customers of PPL ElectricThe post Advanced Power Grid Sensors and Switches Reduce Downtime and Improve System Reliability appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The City of White Plains, New York, enlisted DSD Renewables to design, engineer, develop, construct, and finance a nine-site, 6.8-MW community solar and 1.7-MW/8-MWh energy storage portfolio. TheThe post How a Solar and Storage Portfolio Ramped Up a City’s Sustainability and Financial Outlook appeared first on POWER Magazine.

An innovative project that combines solar power with electric buses is POWER’s Distributed Energy Award winner. The microgrid it created can help the community during emergencies, as well as during peakThe post Turning Public Transit into a Solar Paradigm appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field is revitalizing an earthquake-stricken region and providing a remarkable boost to Japan’s ambitions to launch a hydrogen society. While global interest inThe post Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field Demonstrates Hydrogen Integration appeared first on POWER Magazine.

War rages in Europe. Natural gas prices are through the roof. Drought threatens hydro production. Weather extremes are becoming commonplace. Supply chains are strained. Demand for electricity is headedThe post Risks and Opportunities: It’s an Interesting Time to Be in the Power Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) says momentum is building for nuclear power in many countries amid soaring fuel prices and growing energy security concerns. “In today’s context of the global energy crisis, skyrocketing fossil fuel prices, energy security challenges and ambitious climate commitments, I believe nuclear power has a unique opportunity to stage a comeback,” […]The post Nuclear Power on the Upswing, Numerous Projects Take Shape Around the World appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Supreme Court has curbed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) options for limiting emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) from power plants, an important environmental decision that could impact the federal government’s authority to enforce other regulations. The court in a 6-3 vote, with conservatives in the majority, on June 30 said the EPA does […]The post Supreme Court Limits EPA Authority to Regulate Power Plant Emissions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

California’s State Legislature has passed a bill that could extend the operating lives of existing generating facilities slated for retirement, potentially providing a new lifeline for the 2,240-MW Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP), which has a premature closure date in 2025. Both houses on June 29 passed AB-205 Energy, an energy trailer bill that Gov. […]The post California Legislature Passes Bill to Support Reliability Reserve, Lifeline for Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Landsvirkjun, the national power company of Iceland, on June 28 announced it intends to capture and reinject carbon dioxide (CO2) from Þeistareykir (Theistareykir) Geothermal Station, and at the same time reduce CO2 emissions from Krafla Power Station through enhanced well management efforts at that site. Construction of the project, called Koldís, is expected to begin […]The post Iceland National Power Company Details New Carbon Capture Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

SaskPower has chosen GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s (GEH’s) BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) technology for Saskatchewan’s first two nuclear units, which the provincial utility plans to deploy by the mid-2030s. The announcement on June 27 wraps up a four-year process to evaluate specific SMR designs and furthers planning for SaskPower, a Crown corporation, which has […]The post SaskPower Picks SMR Technology for First Two Potential Nuclear Units appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Swedish-based renewable energy developer OX2 has taken another step toward construction of its Aurora offshore wind farm, a 5.5-GW project sited between the islands of Gotland and Oland in the Baltic Sea. OX2 on June 27 announced it had submitted a permit application to build the wind farm under the auspices of Sweden’s Exclusive Economic […]The post Swedish Group Moves Ahead With World’s Largest Single Offshore Wind Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The use of microgrids to produce a reliable and resilient supply of power continues to grow, with several companies delivering new and innovative technologies to provide electricity for a growing number of industries. Microgrids have always been front and center at POWER’s Distributed Energy Conference (DEC), with the event featuring case studies over the past […]The post The POWER Interview: Schneider Electric’s New Microgrids Leader Plans for the Future appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Renewable energy in Turkey will get a boost from a hybrid wind and solar power installation led by GE Renewable Energy. The project will integrate a 30-MW solar array with a 32-MW wind farm that was commissioned in 2020 by Sertavul, a Turkish energy company. Sertavul chose GE and Inogen, GE’s regional partner, to build […]The post GE Leading Hybrid Wind and Solar Project in Turkey appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) on June 22 initiated the first step to lift a suspension of its National Electricity Market (NEM), citing a “clear improvement in market conditions.” The measure comes more than a week since it indefinitely suspended spot markets in all regions of its NEM, given critical power generation supply shortfalls […]The post AEMO Begins Cautious Lift of Australian Electricity Market Suspension appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Three teams comprising some of the most prominent engineering and technology firms in the U.S. will provide initial designs for a fission surface power (FSP) system as part of a federal project to demonstrate a 40-kW nuclear reactor for power applications on the moon. NASA and Battelle Energy Alliance—the contracted entity that manages and operates […]The post NASA Picks Three Nuclear Power Concepts for Demonstration on the Moon appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Legislation passed in Rhode Island will commit the state to procure 100% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2033. If Gov. Daniel McKee, as expected, signs the bill into law, the Ocean State could have the nation’s fastest timeline for a 100% renewables procurement. The New England state’s legislature on June 17 approved […]The post Rhode Island Targets 100% Renewables Procurement by 2033 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

POWER magazine has always held a special place in my heart. After my father left the Navy, he became a power engineer and a loyal subscriber to the magazine. As a kid, I remember stacks of the publication all over the house. At the high point my father had hundreds of issues amassed over decades. […]The post Addressing the Challenges Presented by a Retiring Utility Workforce appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A federally backed effort to advance enhanced geothermal system (EGS) technologies in Utah marked a significant milestone with successful completion of its first large-scale 10-day stimulation in a deep-deviated well. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Utah Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE), which is sited near the town of Milford on the western […]The post Large-Scale Enhanced Geothermal System Trial Successfully Completed appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A leading German economic official said the country must increase the burning of coal for power generation and reduce its use of natural gas to avoid an energy crisis later this year. German Economy Minister Robert Habeck in a statement on June 19 said the country’s move away from receiving natural gas from Russia due […]The post Germany Set to Increase Coal-Fired Generation in Face of Gas Crunch appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The third unit of the Barakah nuclear power plant (NPP), the first such facility in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Arab world, is ready to begin fuel loading, according to a statement issued by the country’s nuclear regulatory agency on June 19. The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) on Sunday said it […]The post Unit 3 at Barakah Nuclear Plant Licensed, Set to Load Fuel appeared first on POWER Magazine.