POWER Magazine

Climate change is continuing to drive temperatures to unprecedented levels. In just a single day in late June, the United States set or broke at least 21 high-temperature records. So, what do we do to cool down? We crank up the air conditioner. But with each surge in energy demand, our aging grid is being […]The post How to Prevent Downtime as the Temperature Heats Up appeared first on POWER Magazine.

While much of the world lives life as usual, DTEK—the largest private investor in Ukraine’s energy sector—is focused on providing reliable service amidst war and uncertainty. “Today, the major topic for us is to provide stability in durations of electricity sector in Ukraine and also do everything possible to prepare for winter season,” DTEK CEO […]The post Operating Energy Systems in a War-Torn Country: DTEK Prepares for Winter appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Hurricanes are one of the most destructive forces in nature. Hurricane season in North America runs from June 1 to November 30, peaking between August and September, and 2022 would be the seventh straight year of above-average hurricane activity, if predictions are correct. A typical Atlantic hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and […]The post Preparing the Grid for an Above-Average Hurricane Season appeared first on POWER Magazine.

There’s global growth in energy storage. The latest evidence is a report that BlackRock, the New York-based asset manager and a major player in energy sector, is ready to buy Akyasha Energy, an Australian company that specializes in battery storage and renewable energy projects. BlackRock in an Aug. 16 news release said it would commit […]The post The POWER Interview: Fluence Exec Offers Insight on Energy Storage appeared first on POWER Magazine.

There are no boundaries in cyberspace. That fact has accelerated sharing of threat intelligence across the defenders, but it exponentially raises the threat of cyberattacks. This reality is underscored by the war in Ukraine, “the first major conflict involving large-scale cyber operations,” according to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA). A major concern is […]The post Zero Trust: Protecting Critical Infrastructure and Responding to CISA’s ‘Shields Up’ appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As international travel picks up, energy corporations are turning to mobile employees to fulfill their international staffing needs. However, as mobile work gains steam, tax and compliance risks continue to grow as well—unbeknownst to most corporate leaders. Many businesses, unfortunately, are failing to set up an adequate plan to protect against tax violations in the […]The post Common Mobility Tax Mistakes in the Energy Sector and How to Avoid Them appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Germany’s government is weighing how the closure of the country’s last three nuclear power plants in December 2022 will affect its grid this upcoming winter as the country scrambles to secure sufficient energy supplies amid a decline in Russian gas deliveries. A formal decision on whether or not to keep Isar 2, Emsland, and Neckarwestheim […]The post Germany Mulls Postponing Nuclear Exit appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Entergy Corp.’s chairman and CEO Leo P. Denault will retire in 2023, ending a decade-long role as the head of the New Orleans–headquartered power generating giant. Denault will be succeeded by Andrew “Drew” Marsh, Entergy’s current executive vice president and chief financial officer. Denault, 62, was appointed Entergy’s chairman and CEO in 2013, taking over […]The post Another Power Giant’s CEO Is Retiring: Entergy’s Leo Denault appeared first on POWER Magazine.

President Biden’s signing of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) should provide further impetus for growth of U.S. renewable energy, coming on the heels of a report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that installations of solar and wind power accounted for more than two-thirds of new domestic utility-scale generation in the first six months […]The post Biden Signs Bill to Transform U.S. Energy, Combat Climate Change appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. House on Aug. 12 passed a bill with major implications for the power generation industry, joining the U.S. Senate in supporting the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The bill, which now heads to President Joe Biden for his signature, includes major provisions to combat climate change, including support for a variety of clean energy […]The post Renewable Energy, Electrification Big Winners in Inflation Reduction Act appeared first on POWER Magazine.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed a plan that would keep the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant open into 2035, a decade beyond the facility’s current closure date. The proposal, which in part includes giving plant owner Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) a forgivable $1.4-billion loan, was included in a draft legislative package sent to […]The post California Governor Has Plan to Keep Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Open appeared first on POWER Magazine.

American Electric Power’s (AEP’s) long-serving chairman, president, and CEO, Nick Akins, will step down as CEO on Jan. 1, 2023, and has already passed the company’s presidency to Julie A. Sloat, AEP executive vice president, and chief financial officer (CFO). Sloat, 53, will become the power generating company’s CEO in January, making her the first […]The post AEP CEO Nick Akins to Step Down, Julie Sloat Tapped as Next Company Head appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) survey suggests U.S. utility members expect to add up to 90 GW of new nuclear generation by the 2050s, including more than 300 new small modular reactors (SMRs) in the U.S. over the next 25 years. The nuclear industry group’s survey, unveiled on July 29, sought to gather input from […]The post U.S. Utility Survey Suggests Industry Mulling Additions of 90 GW of New Nuclear appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Hybrid power plants continue to be deployed across the U.S., with almost 300 such facilities (all with 1 MW or more of generation capacity) operating at the end of last year. An August 2022 report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, based on research funded by the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) and […]The post Report Notes Continued Growth of Hybrid Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Lofty goals have been established in the U.S. for the offshore wind industry. The U.S. Department of Energy, Department of the Interior, and Department of Commerce announced a national goal in March 2021 to deploy 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030. That would mark a significant increase from the 42 MW of offshore […]The post How to Overcome Challenges to the U.S.’s Offshore Wind Energy Goals appeared first on POWER Magazine.

From powering the first combustion engines to becoming a vital part of the modern-day refining industry, the relationship between hydrogen (H2) and energy spans centuries. It is the most abundant element on our planet. The gas burns clean, it’s light, energy-dense, and we’re only just beginning to uncover its true potential. Hydrogen could well be […]The post How Hydrogen Can Enhance Renewable Energy Grids appeared first on POWER Magazine.

For decades, gas-insulated substations (GIS) have been used primarily in densely populated metropolitan areas. They take up only 10% of the footprint of outdoor or air-insulated substations and provide reliable medium- and low-voltage service where space needed to service areas for industrial locations, hospitals, and housing may be limited. However, as rural environments become desirable […]The post A New Approach for Gas-Insulated Substations appeared first on POWER Magazine.

California officials have taken a major step toward establishing the state’s offshore wind energy industry, setting a goal of installing as much as 5 GW of generation capacity this decade, and 25 GW by 2045. The California Energy Commission (CEC) on Aug. 10 put out a report detailing the state’s plan for offshore wind, which […]The post California Sets Goals for Buildout of Offshore Wind appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Chicago’s public buildings could all be powered by renewable energy under a plan announced by Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Aug. 8. The mayor, along with Illinois Gov JB Pritzker, on Monday said the city has an agreement with Chicago utility Constellation Energy, along with Massachusetts-based Swift Current Energy, a renewable energy developer. The two spoke […]The post Chicago Announces Plan to Power City with 100% Renewable Energy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Environmental officials in Illinois have signed off on construction of a 1,100-MW natural gas-fired power plant sited near Springfield, the state capital. EmberClear, an energy company with offices in Houston, Texas, and Moosic, Pennsylvania, is behind the $1 billion project, which will be located near Pawnee in Sangamon County. The Lincoln Land Energy Center will […]The post Illinois EPA Issues Permit for New 1.1-GW Gas-Fired Facility appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Norway-based energy major Equinor could continue to operate its natural gas-fired Mongstad power plant to support the country’s electricity supply. The company recently said it may reconsider its decision to close the plant by the end of August. Norway, which like many other countries has suffered drought conditions over the past several months, is experiencing […]The post Equinor May Postpone Closure of Norwegian Gas-Fired Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

(Updated): The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is growing increasingly alarmed by military action at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant, warning that artillery shelling at the plant site on Aug. 5 underlines a “very real risk of a nuclear disaster.” IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi in a statement on Aug. 6 said new information about […]The post IAEA: Shelling at Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Plant Raises ‘Real Risk’ of Nuclear Disaster appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is readying a regulatory sweep targeting more stringent limits on traditional pollutants that could accelerate coal power plant closures. A coal trade group estimates that even without new rules, 86 GW of coal generation is slated to retire by 2030. While the U.S. Supreme Court in June curtailed the EPA’s […]The post Group: EPA’s Coordinated Regulatory Assault on Coal Power Could Push Retirements Beyond 86 GW by 2030 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

High temperatures in river water are reportedly forcing Electricite de France SA (EDF) to cut power generation at some of its nuclear plants. The news is particularly troubling as several European nations struggle to cope with an energy crisis caused by gas cuts made by Russia in retaliation against sanctions placed on it due to […]The post Nuclear Power Production Curtailed in France, Worsening Europe’s Energy Crisis appeared first on POWER Magazine.

AVANGRID announced it has finalized a deal to operate and manage the Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind project, an 800-MW installation being built off the coast of Massachusetts. Vineyard Wind 1 is owned in a joint venture between AVANGRID, part of the Iberdrola Group, and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. Construction of what would be the first […]The post AVANGRID Will Operate, Manage Major U.S. Offshore Wind Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has given Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) the green light to load fuel and begin the operation of an AP1000 nuclear reactor at Vogtle Unit 3. The authorization moves Vogtle 3 out of the NRC’s construction reactor oversight program and into the operating reactor oversight process—effectively making Vogtle 3 the first […]The post Vogtle 3 Gets NRC’s Approval to Begin Operation in Significant Regulatory Milestone for U.S. Nuclear Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A new contractor has been named to finish construction of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant. Russia’s state-owned energy giant Rosatom on July 30 said it had chosen TSM Enerji, a company owned by three Russian groups and incorporated in Turkey, as the project’s new engineering, procurement, and construction lead. The Turkish government has said it […]The post Rosatom Picks New EPC Lead for Turkey’s First Nuclear Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Osaki CoolGen Corp.’s complex three-phase demonstration project in Hiroshima Prefecture seeks to achieve highly efficient coal-fired power generation with near-zero emissions by integrating carbonThe post A Japanese Project Demonstrates a Carbon Neutrality Pathway for Coal Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

China’s rapid buildout of new power plants, needed to satisfy the country’s increasing demand for electricity, includes several gigawatts of coal-fired generation. The first 1-GW unit of an eventual 4-GWThe post Shanghaimiao Part of China’s Push for More Efficient Coal Plant Designs appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Atlanta-based energy giant Southern Co. has rapidly evolved to keep in step with the evolution of power. As part of its corporate growth, the company has notably pioneered technologies that have reshapedThe post Southern Company: A History of a Prolific Power Technology Pioneer appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Did you know that more than 90% of the potential energy that exists in fuel rods when they’re loaded into commercial nuclear reactors still remains in the fuel after five years of operation? Well, that’sThe post Spent Nuclear Fuel: A Valuable Resource—Not a Waste appeared first on POWER Magazine.

New technologies to monitor power lines are emerging worldwide, part of continuing efforts to harden the power grid and increase reliability and resiliency. Utilities and other operators of electricityThe post Upgrades to Line Sensors Support Reliability of the Power Grid appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Holtec International, an equipment provider that specializes in the design and manufacture of parts for nuclear reactors, in May unveiled a “green boiler” technology that is designed to repurpose existingThe post Holtec Unveils Green Boiler Designed to Repurpose Coal Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Steadily increasing demands leading to excessive cycling and starts/stops can cause heat rate loss, poor unit performance, and increased plant outages. See as Marnie and Maya demonstrate that even relativelyThe post Combined Cycle Plants: Know Your Limitations and Keep Your Plant Both Online and Operating Efficiently appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A project executed from conception through commissioning with the ideals of shared risk and shared success offers a unique approach to project execution, which could be replicated to keep other power plants inThe post Station Life Extension Through Coal-to-Gas Conversion appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Longtime Southern Co. CEO Tom Fanning plans to announce his retirement, perhaps by the end of this year, stepping down after leading the company since 2010. A Bloomberg report on July 29, citing “people familiar with the matter,” said the U.S. utility giant already has launched a search to find Fanning’s replacement. Bloomberg reported that […]The post Southern CEO Fanning Set to Step Down appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has indicated it will certify NuScale’s 50-MWe (160 MWth) small modular reactor (SMR) design, marking another definitive milestone for the reactor vendor and its technology prospects. The NRC on July 29 said it directed staff to issue a final rule that certifies the standard SMR design, for which NuScale submitted […]The post NRC Moves to Issue Final Design Certification for NuScale Nuclear Module appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Vietnamese officials said a U.S. utility company plans to develop a $13 billion, 4-GW offshore wind farm that would be sited off that country’s central province of Binh Thuan. Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade in a statement issued July 29 said AES Corp., a Virginia-based utility that operates in 15 countries, is behind the […]The post Group Says U.S. Utility Will Build $13 Billion Offshore Wind Project in Vietnam appeared first on 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.