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.

A lobbying group for China’s power generation sector said the country will add about 70 GW of fossil fuel-powered capacity this year, even as renewable energy is set to provide more than half of China’s electricity production in 2023. The China Electricity Council in a report published Jan. 19 said the 70 GW of new […]The post Group Says China Will Add 70 GW of Coal- and Gas-Fired Generation in 2023 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A 6.2-MW solar farm in Foster, Rhode Island, provides 3.35 GWh per year of clean, renewable energy for more than 700 community solar subscribers. The state of Rhode Island has ambitious targets for renewable energy production, including from solar. Many residents—especially those with the most to gain from cost-savings linked to solar power—are unable to […]The post Power for the People: Community Solar Project Achieves High Efficiency and Good Return on Investment appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As fuel and power price volatility continues across the U.S., the push to transition away from fossil fuels to lower-cost renewable, clean energy intensifies. But in order to reach President Biden’s goal of 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035, utilities, developers, and regulators need to align and work together to improve the interconnection process. COMMENTARY Though […]The post The Energy Transition: What Is Needed to Achieve Clean Energy Goals appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Workers at the Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (RIAR) in Dimitrovgrad, Russia, have installed what they call the world’s largest multipurpose fast neutron research reactor, or MBIR, at the site. The group on Jan. 18 said the installation of the MBIR, a milestone in the assembly of the reactor facility, was completed 16 months ahead […]The post Fast Neutron Reactor Installed at Russian Research Facility appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Workers at the W.H. Sammis coal-fired power plant have been notified that a mass layoff will begin “sometime between March 14, 2023, and April 14, 2023.” The announcement was made public through a letter Energy Harbor Corp., owner of the plant, sent to the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services, as required under the […]The post 140 Workers Cut Permanently with Sammis Coal Plant Closure appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A third power substation has been damaged by gunfire in North Carolina, prompting an FBI investigation. The incident on Jan. 17 is part of a spate of gunfire vandalism that has renewed physical security concerns at a federal level. The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office in Thomasville, central North Carolina, said the latest incident, believed to […]The post Third North Carolina Power Substation Targeted by Gunfire as BPS Physical Security Concerns Mount appeared first on POWER Magazine.

JERA Co. Inc., Japan’s largest power generation company, announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) “for potential collaboration for the joint project development and sales & purchase of clean ammonia” with CF Industries Holdings Inc., the world’s largest producer of ammonia. Under the MOU, JERA and CF Industries have agreed “to jointly study […]The post Japan’s Largest Power Generator Signs Deals in Pursuit of Ammonia for Coal Power Plant Co-Firing Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Danish energy developer Ørsted continues to expand its presence in the U.S. market, with the company on Jan. 18 announcing it has signed a deal to acquire Public Service Enterprise Group’s (PSEG’s) 25% stake in the 1.1-GW Ocean Wind 1 project about 15 miles off the coast of New Jersey. The move will give Ørsted […]The post Ørsted Buys PSEG Stake in Offshore Wind Project, Announces Major Texas Solar Farm appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A major power transmission project will proceed in New Mexico after a regulatory group approved a public-private partnership for development of a 400-mile high-voltage direct current line. The New Mexico North Path project could move as much as 4 GW of renewable energy from sites in northeastern New Mexico to the state’s Four Corners region, […]The post New Mexico Transmission Line Will Support Renewable Energy Development appeared first on POWER Magazine.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said his country’s push to be carbon-neutral by 2050 must include construction of more nuclear power generation, in a reversal of his predecessor’s call to move away from the technology. Yoon, speaking Jan. 16 at an event in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said his country would renew its […]The post South Korean President: Country Needs More Nuclear Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A North Carolina-based group that provides battery energy storage and software technology is set to co-locate 420 MWh of storage at four natural gas-fired facilities in California. Durham-headquartered FlexGen Power Systems on Jan. 17 said it would provide energy storage to Middle River Power (MRP), a Chicago, Illinois-based independent power company. MRP was created in […]The post Energy Storage Being Added to California Gas-Fired Peaker Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A six-month-long project to demolish the last coal-fired unit at Lakeland Electric’s C.D. McIntosh Power Plant in Lakeland, Florida, reached a milestone on Jan. 14 with the implosion of the facility’s 260-foot stack and 90-foot selective catalytic reduction unit (video below). Unit 3 at McIntosh, the plant’s last operating coal-fired unit, was closed in 2021, […]The post Watch Implosion Topple Florida Coal-Fired Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A prototype fusion power plant designed by a UK-based architectural and design firm has been approved by local regulators. The South Oxfordshire District Council’s planning committee on Jan. 11 gave the go-ahead to a project led by renowned architect Amanda Levete. Levete’s AL_A group is expected to build the prototype, developed by Canada’s General Fusion, […]The post Officials Give Go-Ahead for UK-Based Fusion Power Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

One of the first U.S.-based wave energy power plants is set to be deployed at AltaSea’s 35-acre campus located at the Port of Los Angeles. Israeli firm Eco Wave Power, which unveiled the project on Jan. 12, said the AltaSea pilot would help the company make inroads in the U.S. Eco Wave’s onshore wave energy […]The post Pioneering U.S. Wave Energy Power Plant Unveiled appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Startup of the first of two new reactors at the Vogtle nuclear plant in Georgia is being pushed back to at least April, one month after officials with Georgia Power had planned to start generating electricity from the unit. Georgia Power, part of Atlanta-based Southern Co., announced the latest setback for the oft-delayed two-unit expansion […]The post Pipe Issue Delays Startup of New Vogtle Nuclear Unit appeared first on POWER Magazine.