POWER Magazine

A research team at Xidian University in China announced it has successfully tested technology that would enable a space-based solar power plant that could transmit energy to Earth, akin to similar technology earlier announced by NASA and studied by other groups over the past decade. The “Daily Project” team, led by Duan Baoyan of Xidian […]The post China Group Announces Successful Test of Space-Based Solar Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A demonstration project at Georgia Power’s 2.5-GW natural gas–fired Plant McDonough-Atkinson facility has validated a natural gas fuel blend with 20% hydrogen by volume on one of its six Mitsubishi Power advanced-class gas turbines. The test, one of the largest of its kind to date, provided an approximately 7% reduction in carbon emissions compared to […]The post Southern Co. Gas-Fired Demonstration Validates 20% Hydrogen Fuel Blend appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) on June 15 indefinitely suspended spot markets in all regions of its National Electricity Market (NEM), citing critical power generation supply shortfalls that it said made it “impossible to continue” operations under national electricity rules. AEMO—the independent system operator (ISO) that operates the competitive market serving New South Wales, […]The post Australian Energy Crisis Prompts Suspension of National Electricity Market appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Commercial operation of Olkiluoto 3 (OL3), a nuclear power plant (NPP) unit that has been under construction in Finland for nearly 17 years, will be delayed for another three months due to foreign material issues observed in the turbine’s steam reheater, plant owner Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) reported on June 15. The setback is just […]The post Finnish Nuclear Plant Under Construction Since 2005 Faces Yet Another Delay appeared first on POWER Magazine.

People around the world are searching for ways to decarbonize, and green hydrogen is a fuel that can help in that effort. Green hydrogen is produced through electrolysis using renewable energy, such as wind and solar power. Although most hydrogen produced today is made from natural gas, often referred to as gray hydrogen, new capacity […]The post Hydrogen Poised to Play Prominent Role in the World’s Energy Transition appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The first of what could be as many as four APR-1400 nuclear reactors at the Shin Hanul site in South Korea is now supplying electricity to the country’s power grid. Unit 1 at Shin Hanul is a 1,400-MW reactor. It was connected to the grid on June 9, just more than two weeks after the […]The post Latest APR-1400 Reactor Now Online at South Korea’s Shin Hanul Nuclear Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Although the electricity generation and transportation sectors account for a far greater share of greenhouse gas emissions than the residential and commercial building sector, policy makers are targeting building electrification as a means for making a significant contribution to economy-wide emission reductions. Federal, state, and local governments are using various policy levers toward this goal, […]The post The Regulatory Structures or Economic Opportunities that are Driving—or Hindering—Building Electrification appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Findings from research led by a team that included a former U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) chairperson and experts from Stanford University suggests small modular reactors (SMRs) will generate more radioactive waste than conventional gigawatt-scale nuclear units. The results were released in a research article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences […]The post [UPDATED] Researchers Say SMRs Will Produce More Waste Than Large Nuclear Reactors, NuScale Disputes Claim appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Department of Defense (DOD) has picked BWX Technologies’ (BWXT’s) microreactor design for its “Project Pele” full-scale transportable prototype. The selection closes out a much-watched contest with X-energy for the contract from the DOD’s Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) to build and operate what could be the nation’s first advanced microreactor. Lynchburg, Virginia-based BWXT will now […]The post DOD Picks BWXT Design for ‘Project Pele’ Prototype Nuclear Microreactor appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) first official loan guarantee for a new clean energy technology project since 2014 will go to the Advanced Clean Energy Storage 1 project in Utah—one of the world’s largest renewable hydrogen energy projects. The DOE on June 8 announced it closed on the $504.4 million loan guarantee for the first […]The post Massive Utah Hydrogen Storage Project Garners Finalized $504M DOE Loan Guarantee appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The first step to solving a problem is recognizing that one is present. An operations team cannot adequately put a sufficient maintenance plan in place if there is no awareness that maintenance is required. One particular area that used to suffer much more regularly from this lack of diagnosis in a power plant setting is […]The post Advantages of Leak Detection Technology in Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Versatile and plentiful, hydrogen could go a long way toward helping the world meet its climate targets. Already, it’s a component in all eight of the European Commission’s (EC’s) net-zero emissions scenarios for 2050. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Department of Energy has initiatives that will spur significant investment in the hydrogen economy—efforts boosted by […]The post Fuel of the Future: How the World Can Build a True Hydrogen Economy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) on June 8 shared an interview with Dr. Kathryn Huff, the DOE’s new assistant secretary for nuclear energy. Huff was confirmed by the Senate earlier this month and takes over a $1.7 billion research and development portfolio for the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE). Prior to her confirmation, she served […]The post DOE Q&A: Assistant Secretary Dr. Kathryn Huff Discusses Top Priorities for Nuclear Energy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The first two GE 7HA.03 machines—the largest 60-Hz heavy-duty gas turbines in the world and the most efficient in GE’s fleet—are now operational at Florida Power & Light’s (FPL’s) newly inaugurated 1,260-MW Dania Beach Clean Energy Center (DBEC) in Broward County. FPL officially declared the Dania Beach Clean Energy Center near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, commercially […]The post GE Debuts First 7HA.03 Gas Turbines at 1.3-GW Plant in Florida appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The White House is moving to support the solar power industry, including U.S. manufacturing of solar panels and other equipment, by pausing tariffs on imported solar panels from four Southeast Asian countries. The 24-month moratorium announced June 6 will exist while U.S. officials continue to look at the practices of Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, […]The post Biden Pausing Solar Tariffs, Pushes for U.S. Production appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) for the past few years has talked about the importance of “building a strong solar manufacturing sector and supply chain in America” to support the nation’s economy, and to help “keep pace with rising domestic and global demand for affordable solar energy.” Recent events, including further disruption of global […]The post The POWER Interview: Solving Issues in the Solar Sector appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Two employees of a company that manages coal-handling operations for Xcel Energy’s Comanche Generating Station in Colorado were killed June 2 when they were trapped in a coal pile that collapsed at the power plant. The collapse happened Thursday morning about 8:30 a.m. Mountain time, according to officials. Rescue crews located the victims Thursday afternoon. […]The post Two Killed in Collapse of Coal Pile at Colorado Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As solar, wind and other renewable resources play a larger role on the power grid, renewables’ essential partner—energy storage—must keep pace to provide power at peak hours when the sun doesn’t shine, and the wind doesn’t blow. Rechargeable zinc batteries offer an ideal energy storage solution; they can release power back to the grid for […]The post Zinc Batteries Power Stationary Energy Storage appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), the Czech State Office for Nuclear Safety (SUJB), and Finland’s Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) have picked France’s NUWARD small modular reactor (SMR) design as a test case for an early joint regulatory review for SMRs. The development marks a notable step by European regulators to align practices in a […]The post France’s NUWARD SMR Will Be Test Case for European Early Joint Nuclear Regulatory Review appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Drought in California could nearly halve the state’s hydroelectric generation this summer, pushing up wholesale power prices in the West, and forcing the state to rely on natural gas generation and out-of-state imports, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects in a new analysis. The EIA suggests in a supplement to its May 2022–released Short-Term Energy Outlook […]The post California Drought Could Severely Limit Hydropower This Summer appeared first on POWER Magazine.

“Cyber-physical systems” are the next generation of closely integrated physical and cyber systems. Several critical systems such as the power grid, autonomous transportation systems, and process control systems are examples of cyber-physical systems. They are liable to be attacked by malicious agents who can compromise the sensor measurements being used to control them. Indeed, there […]The post Security of Cyber-Physical Systems appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A landmark project to test fuel blends of up to 25% volume of hydrogen mixed with natural gas in reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICEs) has launched at WEC Energy Group’s 56-MW A.J. Mihm power plant in Michigan. If successful, the pilot—one of the first of its kind in the U.S.—could provide key insight into how […]The post Much-Watched Reciprocating Engine Hydrogen Pilot Kicks Off at Michigan Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is arriving in a most timely manner to help resolve the world’s energy trilemma—the transition to net-zero, energy security, and energy affordability. For many years, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has been at the forefront of discussions on climate change and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Below, I outline our key takeaways […]The post The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Energy Trilemma appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Significant advances in high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission are in step with rapid changes to energy systems worldwide. Shortly after POWER magazine began publication in 1882, the competitiveThe post The Vital Link: How HVDC Is Modernizing the Grid appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Commercial and industrial (C&I) entities want to ensure they have electricity when they need it. Businesses also are looking at sustainability, decarbonization, and control of their energy costs as factorsThe post Reliability, Resiliency, Cost, and Climate Driving C&I Power Systems appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Vermont doesn’t get a lot of attention outside of Bernie Sanders, but the state’s power system is worth taking a look at as it has undergone a notable shift toward renewable energy. About 80% ofThe post Vermont and ISO-New England Provide an Interesting Renewable Energy Transition Case Study appeared first on POWER Magazine.

At least 42 nationally determined contributions (NDCs) submitted under the Paris Agreement as of December 2021 indicate governments plan to utilize carbon capture and storage (CCS), hydrogen and ammonia, andThe post Nuclear, Hydrogen, CCUS Part of at Least 42 Country Ambitions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A project to bring solar and wind energy from a 10.5-GW project in Morocco to the UK will feature what is likely the world’s longest subsea, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables. The importation ofThe post Morocco Project Could Support UK’s Renewable Goals, Hydrogen Economy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

When seeking answers to critical operations problems, consider that multiple root causes may be at play—thus requiring many different solutions. Watch as our heroines track down the culprits! As they trudgedThe post What Is Killing This Biomass Boiler? Marnie and Maya Are on the Case! appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Gaskets and fasteners are vital to plant reliability and efficiency. While basic nuts, bolts, and gaskets haven’t changed much over the years, some of the materials used in them have evolved and designs haveThe post Gaskets and Fasteners: What Sets a Supplier Apart? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As coal plants are retired, power companies must decide what to do with sites. Some old plants have been added to the National Register of Historic Places and repurposed as commercial or office space, whileThe post New Life for Dead and Dying Coal Plants? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

India’s Power Ministry, despite the country facing shortages of electricity in recent years and as recently as the past month, said it plans to reduce the amount of power generation from at least 81 of the country’s 173 coal-fired power plants over the next four years. The agency, in a letter dated May 26 that […]The post India Plans to Reduce Coal-Fired Generation, and Mine More Coal appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Commercial and industrial (C&I) enterprises rely on their power supply. Many facilities, such as hospitals, federal institutions, and military bases—those considered mission critical—have long been at the forefront of finding solutions to keep their lights on. In today’s world, the need for reliable and resilient power is critical for a wide range of industries. Uninterrupted […]The post The POWER Interview: How Solar Can Solve the C&I Power Puzzle appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The potential deployment of a BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan gained a boost with a cooperation agreement between GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s (GEH’s) Canadian subsidiary GEH SMR Technologies Canada and the Saskatchewan Industrial and Mining Supplier’s Association (SIMSA). GEH SMR Canada on May 26 said a memorandum of understanding […]The post Headway for Potential Deployment of BWRX-300 Nuclear Reactor in Saskatchewan appeared first on POWER Magazine.

After more than 50 years of operation, the Palisades nuclear power plant was taken offline for the final time on May 20. The station was scheduled to be permanently shut down on May 31, but plant operators “made the conservative decision to shut down the plant early due to the performance of a control rod […]The post Palisades Nuclear Power Plant Closes After 50 Years of Operation, Employees Leave with Pride appeared first on POWER Magazine.

General Electric (GE) has been awarded two projects from the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) as it continues to develop and test equipment and systems needed for hydrogen combustion in gas turbines. GE on May 25 announced the proposals, which were selected by DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, are worth more than […]The post DOE Awards GE Two Projects to Test Hydrogen Combustion appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A new natural gas-fired power plant project being developed by Wisconsin-based WEC Energy Group will use seven Wärtsilä 50SG gas engines. The Finland-based technology company on May 24 announced the equipment order, with the engines expected to be used at a planned 128-MW facility located near Wausau, Wisconsin, that would be built at the site […]The post Wartsila Engines Will Power New Wisconsin Gas-Fired Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The winner of the Philippines’ presidential election earlier this month has made another move in support of reviving nuclear power in that country, holding talks with South Korea about enlisting help to restart a nuclear power plant project that was abandoned nearly 40 years ago. President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met with Kim Inchul, South Korea’s […]The post Philippines May Restart Bataan Nuclear Plant Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions last year announced plans to develop a new carbon capture and storage project across the Midwest. The project seeks to capture carbon dioxide emissions that otherwise would be emitted into the atmosphere from biorefineries, such as ethanol plants, compress the captured carbon dioxide, and transport it through a pipeline to North […]The post Is Carbon Management the Key to Reaching Net Zero? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The perfect storm of crises and policy directives have converged to create the energy storage moment. Between the drive to reduce carbon output to “net zero” over the coming decades and the commodity crisis created by the conflict in Ukraine (including its impact on the supply and price of oil and natural gas), the pressure […]The post Solving the Intermittency Problem with Battery Storage appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. government has set out to fast-track technology development enabling hydrogen and ammonia combustion in power-generating gas turbines, furnishing six novel industry-led projects with a combined $24.9 million on May 19. Projects include development of hydrogen-ready combustion technologies for F-class retrofits, more efficient hydrogen and ammonia burners, and a potential demonstration of a rotating […]The post Hydrogen, Ammonia–Fired Gas Turbine Development Gets U.S. Government Fast-Track Boost appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Several groups are studying the impact of electrification on the U.S. power system, including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado and its research partners, which include the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and national laboratories such as Lawrence Berkeley and Oak Ridge. NREL, as part of its Electrification Futures Study, has used what […]The post The POWER Interview: EVs Lead Charge for Electrification appeared first on POWER Magazine.

An unprecedented array of risks—ranging from capacity shortfalls, extreme weather, extended drought, supply chain issues, cybersecurity, solar PV tripping, fuel constraints, to wildfires—could imperil the reliability of nearly every North American bulk power system (BPS) region west of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) this summer, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) warned in […]The post NERC Warns of Mounting Reliability Risks, Urges Preparation for Challenging Summer appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Rosatom announced that it has started the fourth irradiation cycle of fuel assemblies with VVER-type fuel rods in the MIR research reactor (Figure 1) at the Research Institute of Atomic Reactors in Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanovsk Region. The reactor tests have been ongoing since early 2019. The rods have four combinations of cladding and fuel matrix materials. […]The post Russians Achieve Milestone with New Nuclear Fuel appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District (SRP) is seeking a rehearing and reconsideration of the Arizona Corporation Commission’s (ACC’s) denial of a major gas power plant expansion, which the public power utility has stressed will be crucial for near-term system reliability and long-term renewable integration. In a filing on May 16, SRP urged […]The post SRP Warns Arizona Regulator Reliability at Risk by 2024 Without Gas Plant Expansion appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Enel, a multinational power company with operations in 30 countries and more than 90 GW of power generation capacity in its portfolio, is leveraging its global expertise as the world’s largest privately owned operator of digitally managed power distribution grids, by expanding its Gridspertise business to the U.S. market. First launched in Europe and Latin […]The post Enel Launches Gridspertise Business to U.S. Market, Expects to Accelerate Digital Transformation of Power Grids appeared first on POWER Magazine.

(Updated—May 19, 2022): The Department of Energy (DOE) is poised to decide whether it will build the 300-MWth Versatile Test Reactor (VTR), a fast neutron national user facility that could provide the nuclear industry with a much-needed high-performance testing capability for advanced reactors and existing commercial reactors. The DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) on […]The post DOE’s Decision to Build Versatile Test Reactor Coming Soon appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As a clean and renewable power source, wind offers massive potential for alleviating some of the growing challenges that countries worldwide are looking to address through the development of new forms of energy generation. At ABB, we look at how developments in electrical system design are helping to turn wind into a major source of […]The post How Developments in Electrical System Design Are Helping to Tackle the Challenges of Wind appeared first on POWER Magazine.