POWER Magazine

There are countless risks associated with power plant operations. For example, the risk of equipment failure is present in virtually every power plant system. In some cases, the risk is very low and could even be inconsequential. In others, it’s much higher and could be catastrophic, not only to plant operation, but also to the […]The post How Power Plants Can Reduce Asset Integrity Risks with Digital Technology appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility in California, already the largest utility-scale battery storage development in the world, is adding more capacity. Vistra, the Texas-based energy company that lists Luminant, TXU Energy, and Dynegy among its subsidiaries, on Jan. 24 said it would further expand Moss Landing, adding a new 350-MW/1,400-MWh battery energy storage system […]The post Vistra Adding More Storage to Moss Landing, World’s Largest BESS appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Nevada utility NV Energy has received approval from state regulators to purchase two solar-plus-storage projects that will replace power generation from the group’s coal-fired North Valmy Generating Station. The 522-MW North Valmy plant is scheduled for closure in 2025. NV Energy in June of last year filed its triennial integrated resource plan with the Public […]The post Nevada Regulators Approve Solar+Storage to Replace Coal-Fired Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The last two years have had a profound effect on businesses in all industries, including power generation. Looking into the future, it’s evident that even more change is on the horizon. To accommodate these changes, one thing has become clear within the realm of finance: Digital transformation is no longer optional. Instead, it’s a necessary […]The post Why CFOs Must Demand Digital Transformation from Their Teams appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Energy Transfer, a major pipeline firm that threatened to terminate natural gas service to five Vistra Corp. gas-fired power plants in Texas next week as part of a $21.3 million penalty payment standoff, has relaxed its ultimatum, though the underlying dispute continues. In a letter filed with the Texas Railroad Commission late on Jan. 20, […]The post Pipeline Company Shifts Ultimatum in Vistra Natural Gas Supply Dispute appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A subsidiary of billionaire Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy has announced it plans to invest another $3.9 billion into renewable energy in Iowa, with a project that would add more than 2 GW of wind power to the state. Des Moines-based MidAmerican Energy on Jan. 19 said the Wind PRIME project also includes solar power […]The post Iowa Utility Proposes $3.9 Billion Renewable Energy Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Two Vistra Corp. subsidiaries have alleged in a complaint filed with the Texas Railroad Commission that a major pipeline firm has threatened to terminate natural gas service to five Texas gas-fired power plants—a combined 2 GW—“at any time” after Jan. 23. If escalated, the issue could pose new hurdles for the state’s electricity security as […]The post Vistra Claims ‘Extortion’ by Pipeline Company, Says Natural Gas Supply to Texas Power Plants Threatened appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A new product from GE Digital will improve the operation of gas turbines through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), resulting in lower fuel consumption and reducing emissions, the company announced Jan. 20. GE Digital in its announcement said turbines “require seasonal adjustment of flame temperatures and fuel splits, which is generally a manual […]The post New GE Digital Software Designed to Optimize Gas Turbine Performance appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The vast majority of 324 electric generation units and transmission facilities in Texas have fully met or “go beyond” new state winter weatherization requirements, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) said in a final readiness report filed with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) on Jan. 18. Onsite inspections at 302 generation units […]The post ERCOT Confident Generators Deficient During Uri Freeze Debacle Ready for Winter appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. International Trade Commission concluded its investigation into a complaint filed by GE against Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) concerning the importation “of certain variable speed wind turbine generators and components thereof.” In its ruling, the commission found that SGRE violated section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and it issued […]The post Ruling Issued in GE’s Legal Dispute with Siemens Gamesa—and the Winner Is? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A power plant in Tennessee is the site of a project using carbon dioxide (CO2) to help manufacture carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which can be used in a variety of products from wind turbine blades to cellphone batteries to lightweight bicycle frames. SkyNano Technologies, a Knoxville, Tennessee-based developer of a manufacturing process to produce carbon-based nanomaterials […]The post TVA Power Plant Supplies Carbon from Flue Gas for Beneficial Use appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts are factoring into merger and acquisition (M&A) deal activity within the power and utilities sector across North America, according to a report issued by PwC, a professional services firm serving the “Trust Solutions and Consulting Solutions” segments. “As policies are clarified and ESG strategies are strengthened, broad investor interest […]The post ESG Aspects Loom Large in Power and Utilities M&A Activity appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Renewable energy’s share of U.S. power generation continues to rise, and the percentage of electricity produced by burning natural gas and coal continues to fall, according to the latest “Short-Term Energy Outlook,” or STEO, from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The EIA on Jan. 18 said it expects U.S. power generation from renewables—mostly solar […]The post Renewables’ Share of U.S. Power Will Keep Upward Trajectory appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The world is changing rapidly as technology advances at breakneck speed. From the fourth industrial revolution and virtual reality to 5G and artificial intelligence (AI), our society is on the brink of tremendous technological upheaval. Although many industries evolve alongside innovations, some, such as utilities, have not moved at the same pace. This is in […]The post Predict, Optimize, Synchronize, Control: How AI Can Fulfill the Promise of Sustainable Energy Resources and Reshape the Future of Utilities appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Japan is furnishing $500 million (59.8 billion yen) to much-watched projects that will develop and demonstrate 100% fuel ammonia combustion technology for gas turbines and 50% co-firing at coal boilers, as part of an effort to build out the nation’s supply chain for fuel ammonia. The country’s national research agency New Energy and Industrial Technology […]The post Japan Bolsters Fuel Ammonia Combustion at Gas Turbines, Coal Boilers appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is pushing forward with offshore wind energy environmental assessments (EA) for coastal areas in California and the Gulf of Mexico. This week, it also set a wind auction date for the New York Bight, an area comprising more than 480,000 acres offshore New York and New Jersey. The Department […]The post BOEM Launches Offshore Wind Actions for California, Gulf Coast, New York Bight appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), which calls itself “the Nation’s Scorekeeper in terms of addressing severe weather and climate events,” reported that there were 20 “weather/climate disaster events” with losses exceeding $1 billion each that affected the U.S. in 2021. These events included one drought event, two […]The post 20 ‘Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters’ Hit U.S. in 2021 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A Texas-based renewable energy company has completed a $180 million solar power project that it said is the largest array by generation capacity in the state of Indiana. EDP Renewables North America on Jan. 13 said the 200-MW Riverstart Solar Park in Randolph County, about 80 miles northeast of Indianapolis, is now fully operational, with […]The post Largest Capacity Solar Farm in Indiana Begins Operation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

New distributed energy resources (DERs) are being added to the power grid every day. However, DERs don’t automatically provide owners with the greatest value possible. In many cases, that requires the help of an aggregator, that is, a company that specializes in managing DERs owned by a pool of clients and optimizing performance of the […]The post A Win-Win-Win Solution for DER Owners, the Power Grid, and the Environment appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said it has dismissed a license application for one of the first advanced nuclear reactor designs to be considered by the agency. The NRC on Jan. 6 said it could not make a judgment on the merits of the design of Oklo Inc.’s 1.5-MW advanced fission power system, known […]The post NRC Dismisses Application for Oklo Advanced Nuclear Reactor appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Evergy, a Kansas City, Missouri–headquartered energy provider serving about 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri, announced plans on Jan. 5 to build a 10-MW solar array at the company’s Hawthorn power plant. “Our Hawthorn power plant is a prime location to showcase Kansas City’s commitment to renewable energy and our city’s forward-thinking progress,” said […]The post Evergy to Build Solar Array at Kansas City Coal Power Plant Site appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As New York this year readies to build the 132-MW South Fork Wind Farm—its first offshore wind project—the state will dedicate $500 million in funding to enable offshore wind manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure. The investment announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul as part of New York’s 2022 State of the State plan is just one […]The post Readying for First Offshore Wind Farm, New York Launches New Procurement, Infrastructure Investments appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Ethiopia is reportedly gearing up to begin testing hydropower generation at its flagship 5.2-GW Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), despite a continued diplomatic row about its potential implications on water consumption on the Blue Nile. Citing unnamed project sources, Capital, a weekly Ethiopian business newspaper, reported this week that work to begin test power generation […]The post Ethiopian GERD Mega-Dam Readying to Test Power Production appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Engineering designs for functional safety systems used in the process industry sector are typically thorough, detailed, and follow a stringent safety life-cycle process. In a non-digitized execution model, the valuable information needed to enable an efficient safety process is not always readily available. Consider the following example: A refining plant has had an unplanned trip […]The post How to Enable the Protection of Your Safety Life-Cycle Systems appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A company active in the hydropower sector is working on a new project to build a pumped-hydro storage facility at the site of a former coal mine in Kentucky. Boston, Massachusetts-based Rye Development, which has a current in-design or operational portfolio of 25 projects in 10 states, on Jan. 4 announced it was developing the […]The post Former Coal Mine Will House New Pumped-Hydro Storage Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A leaked draft of the European Commission’s proposal to label some natural gas and nuclear power plants as “transitional” or “green” investments has prompted pushback from some European Union (EU) members. Criticism is also mounting in South Korea, where liquefied natural gas (LNG) was included in its new green taxonomy guidelines—but nuclear was left out. […]The post Nuclear and Natural Gas Taxonomy Battles Brewing in Europe and S. Korea appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Behind the digital tools that make the industrial internet of things (IIOT) in the power generation and chemical process industries are people. The 2021 Connected Plant Conference in Austin, Texas recognized the achievements of several individuals and companies who are fast risers in the field. Through insight and experience, these “Game Changer” champions have contributed […]The post 2021 Connected Plant Conference Game Changers Award Winners appeared first on POWER Magazine.

While some sectors of the power industry are struggling to stay relevant, there are many more segments that are thriving. As new technologies are developed and perfected, there is more reason than ever forThe post Optimism Is Warranted in the Power Industry in 2022 and Beyond appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The fog of uncertainty that hangs over the global power industry is getting larger and denser as generating companies and utilities navigate ever more complex challenges. The post Power Sector Risks Loom Large Over the Energy Transition appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Improvements in nuclear power technology are being driven by research into safer reactor designs and new fuel types, including smaller reactors that offer flexible siting options with modular constructionThe post Climate Ripe for Nuclear Advancements appeared first on POWER Magazine.

While 2021 unfolded with some relief from the chaotic global pandemic that jolted the world in 2020, the year may be remembered for its extraordinary series of energy crises. After a cold snap prompted massThe post Disorderly Transitions: Eight Enduring Global Power Sector Trends appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The new year is obviously a time when many people reflect on the past and make resolutions for the future. Surveys have shown that exercising more, improving one’s diet, losing weight, and saving money areThe post New Year’s Resolutions: 10 Ways to Improve Coal Power Plant Operations appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A years-long energy project in El Salvador recently reached a milestone, as technology company Wärtsilä in November announced the installation and successful operation of a floating storage andThe post Long-Awaited FSRU Project Nears Operation in El Salvador appeared first on POWER Magazine.

For more than three decades, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has led the power industry in developing, advancing, and demonstrating cost-effective heat rate improvements via new technologies, hardware, software, and best operating/programmatic practices for enhancing efficiency at minimal cost and maximum reliability. As the power industry moves toward net-zero carbon emission goals, heat rate […]The post Utilities and Industry Continue Learnings Around Benefits of Heat Rate Improvement appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Water and steam are the lifeblood of a power plant, but contamination in a water system can lead to corrosion, scaling, and pitting on critical equipment including turbines, boilers, pipes, and heat exchangers. Controlling high purity water treatment requires accurate analytical measurements of a wide range of analytics, including conductivity, dissolved oxygen, sodium, silica, and […]The post Test Your Knowledge: Water & Steam Cycle Chemistry Monitoring appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Proper water chemistry has always been important for dependable steam plant operation, but it may be even more critical today due to changes in operating routines and increased plant cycling. Failure not onlyThe post Water, Heat, Metal: A Crucial and Difficult Dance appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The end of the year will bring the end of power production for three of Germany’s final six operating nuclear power plants. The 1,410-MW Brokdorf unit in Schleswig-Holstein, the 1,360-MW Grohnde unit in Lower Saxony, and the 1,288-MW Gundremmingen C unit in Bavaria will all be permanently taken off the gird on Dec. 31. That […]The post Three Nuclear Plants Close in Germany, Final Three to Be Retired in 2022 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

While 2021 kicked off short on optimism given chaos from the COVID-19 pandemic, the year was characterized by an extraordinary series of critical energy crises. Power blackouts, brownouts, interconnection mismatches, severe fuel shortages, and near-misses affected nearly every region in the world. Here’s a brief look back at some of the events that characterized 2021. […]The post 2021: A Dark Year for Electricity Security, Reliability appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) first conditional loan guarantee offered to a non-nuclear project since 2016 will finance the expansion of a pioneering commercial-scale “turquoise hydrogen” and carbon black production facility in Nebraska. The agency’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) on Dec. 23 offered a commitment to guarantee a loan of up to $1.04 billion under […]The post DOE’s First $1B Loan Guarantee in Years Seeks to Bolster Turquoise Hydrogen Process appeared first on POWER Magazine.

It’s been another news-filled year in the power industry. The following stories were the top 10 traffic-getters posted in 2021 on POWER’s website. Did you see them all as they were released? 10. Mitsubishi Power Developing 100% Ammonia-Capable Gas Turbine Mitsubishi Power is developing a 40-MW class gas turbine that can directly combust 100% ammonia […]The post Top 10 Power Industry News Stories of 2021 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A Chinese power company said the first of four 1,000-MW units at a new coal-fired power plant in a northwestern region of Inner Mongolia has entered operation. The Guodian Power Shanghaimiao Corp., part of the state-owned China Energy Investment Corp., on Dec. 28 said Unit 1 of the Shanghaimiao plant is online after a 168-hour […]The post First 1-GW Unit of Major China Coal-Fired Plant Comes Online appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Solar power paired with energy storage is expected to lead capacity additions in the U.S. power generation sector over the next two years, according to the latest Electric Monthly Update from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The EIA in its December report, which includes data through October 2021, said it projects the U.S. will […]The post Solar+Storage Will Lead New U.S. Generation Capacity appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The power and energy sector is one of the most critical areas of our country’s infrastructure, making it a prime target for cybercriminals increasingly looking for ways to infiltrate and disrupt the sector and ultimately the national grid. In fact, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report in early 2021 that found the […]The post What History Tells Us About the Future of Cyber Vulnerabilities in the Power Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As required by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on Dec. 21 launched a new office—the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations—to “supercharge” its work to demonstrate hydrogen, carbon capture, energy storage, and advanced nuclear technologies. The new office will leverage $21.5 billion of the combined $62 billion allocated to the DOE […]The post Infrastructure Act Power Technology Demonstrations DOE’s Newly Dedicated Office Will Manage appeared first on POWER Magazine.

About six years ago, I was excited and eager to have regular opportunities to get out from behind my computer-aided design (CAD) workstation and visit our utility’s substations, transmission line right of ways (ROWs), and telecom sites throughout our service area in Texas. Most of us engineers and technicians looked forward to these inspections as […]The post The Case for Lightweight Flame-Resistant Clothing appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Earlier this month, AES Corp. unveiled Atlas, a first-of-its-kind solar installation robot. The cutting-edge, artificial intelligence–enabled technology behind Atlas is a major advancement for the industry, making it faster, more efficient, and safer to construct new solar facilities, the company said. The innovative robot was designed by AES through a multi-year process and built in […]The post Robots and Modular Designs Lead to Faster and Safer Solar Farm Construction and Maintenance appeared first on POWER Magazine.

What is a microreactor and why would you want one? The definition could be debated, but nuclear reactors in the 1 MW to 20 MW range generally fit the bill, and there are countless possible applications for the technology. “This could be used for disaster relief. This could be used for mines, remote communities—on a […]The post How Microreactors Could Change the Nuclear Power Industry (and the World) appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Netherlands is set to install that country’s largest energy storage system in an effort to support power grid stability. Technology group Wärtsilä on Dec. 20 said it will supply a 25-MW/48-MWh storage system to GIGA Storage BV, a Netherlands-based energy storage company with multiple projects under development, including several hybrid renewable energy-plus-storage systems. The […]The post Netherlands Will Install Country’s Largest Energy Storage System appeared first on POWER Magazine.

If you’ve paid attention to the cleantech news cycle this year, you know it’s been a roller-coaster ride. I’ve been in the cleantech/energy transition sector for 20 years and wrote the first history on the term cleantech 15 years ago. I’ve seen the many ups and downs surrounding the industry. Today’s current playing field is […]The post Was 2021 the Year of EVs, Hydrogen, or Energy Storage? And What to Expect in 2022 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a request for information (RFI) on a planned temporary federal program to ensure enough high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) will be available to jumpstart deployment of a new fleet of advanced nuclear reactors. Comments received over the next month in response to the DOE’s Dec. 14–issued RFI will inform […]The post DOE Begins Fleshing Out Availability of Advanced Nuclear Reactor Fuel appeared first on POWER Magazine.