POWER Magazine

Assessments are underway to pin down factors that prompted emergencies, tight grid conditions, and even load-shedding by major entities as Winter Storm Elliot bore down on the North American bulk power system (BPS) this past week. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC), and regional entities affiliated with […]The post Bulk Power System Deficiencies During Winter Storm Elliot Prompt Inquiries appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Almost all distribution transformers produced or imported into the U.S. could require amorphous steel cores starting in 2027 under new energy efficiency standards proposed by the Department of Energy (DOE). The measure, unveiled as industry grapples with a crippling shortage of distribution transformers, will serve a longer-term role in boosting grid resiliency as a “strategic […]The post DOE Proposes New Distribution Transformer Standards as Crippling Shortages Persist appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Major wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has announced several deals as the company ends 2022, including what the Danish company calls the largest wind project in Latin America, along with a U.S. onshore wind repowering project. The announcements come as the wind power industry continues to be challenged by several factors, including equipment supply chain problems […]The post Vestas’ Year-End Deals Include Wind Projects in U.S., Brazil, Ireland appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Every month, POWER magazine publishes several articles in its Global Monitor section covering topics important to the electric power generation industry. The articles typically feature interesting updates on progress made at notable projects around the world, big policy changes, or promising research and development (R&D) news. Short notes about major contracts are also touched on […]The post The 12 Most-Read POWER Global Monitor Articles of 2022 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Battery power has never been in greater demand, and a wide range of new applications that require such power are emerging daily. That increased demand is accompanied by the need for more production, which in turn requires the highest degrees of contemporary quality control. Accurate measurement is the key to enabling these new production facilities […]The post Accurate Measurement Is Key to New Power Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A wide range of industries fall under the umbrella of critical infrastructure, and they are all—as the name implies—critical. From energy production and water treatment to transportation and data storage, everything within critical infrastructure serves an essential purpose when it comes to the continued functioning of the nation. Unfortunately, that makes critical infrastructure sites a […]The post Covering More with Less: Securing Renewable Energy Sources appeared first on POWER Magazine.

An agency associated with the World Bank will finance installation of solar and hydropower systems, and support related transmission and distribution infrastructure, to provide more electricity to areas of West Africa. The World Bank Group’s International Development Association (IDA) is investing $311 million into the Regional Emergency Solar Power Intervention Project (RESPITE), an initiative designed […]The post World Bank Group Financing West Africa Power Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

An Arctic blast felt by a large portion of North America is causing reliability turmoil within some segments in its bulk power system, forcing reliability coordinators to declare emergencies, issue conservation warnings, or shed load. TVA, Grappling With Demand Surge, Resorted to Load Shed Temperatures averaging the single digits across the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) […]The post Arctic Blast Roiling Reliability in TVA, MISO, SPP, PJM appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A battery manufacturing company with plenty of high-profile financial backing said it has picked a site for its first factory that will build “iron-air” batteries. Form Energy touts its technology as a breakthrough for long-duration storage of solar and wind power. Form, which counts Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and British tycoon Richard […]The post Billionaire-backed ‘Iron-Air’ Battery Maker Picks WV Site for First Factory appeared first on POWER Magazine.

NET Power will combine with Rice Acquisition Corp. II (RAC II), a decarbonization solutions special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in a new business direction designed to accelerate the deployment of NET Power’s much-watched novel natural gas–fired power plant technology. When the business combination transaction closes as expected in the second quarter of 2023, the new company, […]The post NET Power Consolidates Business to Gear Up for Allam Cycle Power Plant Deployment appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As the world looks toward innovative technology to help reduce the carbon footprint, scarcity of resources has become a significant challenge. With no single technology being enough to accommodate the green transition, we’re seeing massive investments in both fuel cell- and battery-related technologies. Some large-scale investments include new battery technologies for electric vehicles (EVs), wind […]The post Fuel Cells vs. Batteries: What’s the Difference? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) has submitted a Generic Design Assessment (GDA) entry application for its BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) to UK authorities, kicking off a key regulatory process that could give the advanced nuclear technology a competitive edge as the country races to potentially triple its nuclear capacity to up to 24 GW by […]The post GE Hitachi Formally Enters BWRX-300 SMR in UK Race for New Nuclear appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Vattenfall, the Sweden-based multinational power company, will build and operate Finland’s first gigascale offshore wind farm as part of a joint venture with Finnish state-owned seabed and forest management group Metsähallitus. The project announced Dec. 20 is the 1.3-GW Korsnäs plant in the Bay of Bothnia, which sits between Sweden and Finland in the Baltic […]The post Vattenfall Will Build 1.3-GW Offshore Wind Farm Near Finland appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A new report from industry group SolarPower Europe shows that solar installations in the European Union increased by almost 50% year-over-year in 2022, to a record 41.4 GW of generation capacity. “The numbers are clear. Solar is offering a lifeline amid energy and climate crises,” said Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe. “No other energy […]The post New Report Shows EU Solar Installations Rise Nearly 50% appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The announcement that scientists at a California laboratory achieved a net energy gain from a fusion reaction sparked plenty of debate about what it means for the power generation industry. The breakthrough at the world’s largest nuclear-fusion site—the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at the Lawrence Livermore lab—which occurred on Dec. 5 and was publicly announced […]The post Fusion Breakthrough Brings Cheers, Though Challenges Remain appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Major French utility Electricite de France SA (EDF) said it will again extend maintenance outages at some of its nuclear reactors by several months, meaning France will continue to import power and putting more strain on the country’s supply of electricity. EDF has returned some nuclear units to service in the past several weeks, but […]The post Energy Crisis Deepens as Nuclear Reactors Remain Offline in France appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Hitachi Energy will spearhead the modernization of a key high-voltage direct current (HVDC) system in Canada to support the transmission of 1,500 MW of renewable power between Quebec and New York state’s electrical networks. Hydro-Québec, Canada’s largest power utility, on Dec. 15, picked the global technology firm to supply a “back-to-back” converter station at Châteauguay, […]The post Hitachi Energy Will Modernize HVDC System, Boost Delivery of Canadian Hydropower to U.S. appeared first on POWER Magazine.

General Electric (GE), which has restructured its operations in recent years and in July announced its energy and other businesses would have new brand names, on Dec. 15 said its energy group would be headquartered in Massachusetts. GE Vernova, the company’s portfolio of energy divisions, will have its main office in Cambridge, just a few […]The post GE’s New Energy Business Announces HQ Site appeared first on POWER Magazine.

EY earlier this month released the findings from its Energy Consumer Survey 2022. The report is “focused on how energy impacts the lifestyles and wallets of consumers,” according to the company. EY is the trade name for Ernst & Young, the multinational professional services group headquartered in London, UK. The report is based on a […]The post The POWER Interview: What Energy Consumers Want from Utilities appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Countries’ timelines to becoming energy secure and reaching net-zero targets have shortened. Major contributing factors include COVID-19’s impact on supply chains and the war in Ukraine. Alongside this are external influences such as COP27, or the landmark U.S. Climate Bill, which will direct almost $370 billion toward rapidly scaling renewable energy production and reducing emissions. Already, intergovernmental […]The post Increasing Energy Security: Optimizing Today’s Energy Operations and Investing in Renewables for the Future appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The first nuclear fusion reaction to result in a net energy gain has been successfully completed by scientists at a laboratory in California, a milestone in the decades-long pursuit of a way to produce unlimited energy with no carbon emissions or nuclear waste. U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm made the official announcement Dec. 13 during […]The post DOE Confirms Fusion Energy Milestone at California Lab appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As a result of legislative actions across the U.S., acquiring permits for greenfield natural gas-powered plants has increasingly become a challenge. In New York, for example, state officials denied permits for two proposed natural gas-powered plants because they were seen as hurdles to achieving greenhouse gas emissions goals. In 2020, the New Mexico Public Regulation […]The post Caution! When Retrofitting Older Turbines, Upgrade Gas Control Valves appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A Maryland-based power generation development group said its new 1.8-GW combined-cycle natural gas-fired power plant in West Virginia will include carbon capture technology, as the company continues to expand its decarbonization platform. Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) on Dec. 12 said the new CPV Shay Energy Center will be located in Doddridge County, West Virginia. CPV […]The post New CPV Gas-Fired Power Plant Will Include Carbon Capture appeared first on POWER Magazine.

U.S. scientists reportedly have carried out the first nuclear fusion experiment to achieve a net energy gain. The Department of Energy (DOE) is expected to announce the breakthrough on Dec. 13, according to news reports late Sunday. The nuclear power industry has pursued fusion technology for decades, with a renewed emphasis for those efforts in […]The post U.S. Officials Set to Announce Fusion Energy Breakthrough appeared first on POWER Magazine.

More companies are providing software and automation technology to the power generation sector, particularly as newer forms of electricity production increase their market share. Emerson is among those groups, with its technology providing a single, integrated, secure platform that is independent of plant type or the equipment originally installed at a generation facility. James Fraser, […]The post The POWER Interview: Emerson Exec Talks Hybrid Facilities appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In 2023, U.S. utilities have a multipronged ambition to realize: how to provide customers with reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy, and safe water. However, increased pressure around decarbonization and the adoption of cleaner energy sources, electrification, and related infrastructure needs, and customer-driven disruption will make this energy trilemma even more difficult to balance. Management at […]The post Four Forces Shaping U.S. Utilities in 2023 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Many experts believe small modular reactors (SMRs), which are generally classified as nuclear power reactors with an electrical output of 300 MW or less, offer great promise for supplying the world with carbon-free energy. Several SMR designs are under development by companies around the world including NuScale Power, GE-Hitachi, Terrestrial Energy, TerraPower, Toshiba, X-energy, and […]The post Small Modular Reactors Aren’t Difficult Nuclear Waste Generators appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Power generators are exploring how they can retrofit coal-fired power plants to enable co-firing with ammonia, part of their strategy to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). The latest project to look at the concept is led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), which on Dec. 7 announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) […]The post Co-Firing with Ammonia Project Set for Chilean Coal Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Are today’s Distributed Control Systems ready for what tomorrow could bring? Johan Björklund of leading global technology company ABB believes they are. Here he looks at how the DCS is adapting to meet the changing demands of users. Distributed Control Systems (DCS) have been around for nearly half a century. Of course, both industrial processes […]The post Evolution and Continuation: How Distributed Control Systems Will Change and Adapt appeared first on POWER Magazine.

GE Gas Power announced on Dec. 6 that it has deployed an “innovative technical solution” on four TM2500 aeroderivative gas turbines at the California Department of Water Resources’ (DWR’s) sites in Yuba City and Roseville, California (Figure 1). The solution reportedly reduced nitrogen oxide (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by more than 90%, surpassing […]The post GE Releases New Option to Cut Emissions on Its Mobile Gas Turbines appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Two countries seeking to expand development of their nuclear power programs have announced new projects. Iranian officials on Dec. 3 said construction of what would be that country’s second nuclear power plant has begun. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s government on Dec. 4 said it is looking for investors to support development of what would be the country’s […]The post Iran Building New Nuclear Plant; Indonesia Seeks Investors for its First appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Mitsubishi Power is expanding its geothermal infrastructure in Indonesia. The company has received an order from PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE), a subsidiary of the state-owned oil and gas group PT Pertamina, for construction of a 55-MW unit at the Lumut Balai Unit 2 geothermal power station. The order is for a steam turbine, generator, […]The post Mitsubishi Power Will Build New Geothermal for Indonesia appeared first on POWER Magazine.

According to Elon Musk, solar and batteries go together like peanut butter and jelly. The sustainability of renewable energy relies on the deployment of energy storage systems for the storage of energy harnessed by renewable sources. The reduction in the cost to manufacture battery energy storage systems (BESSs) has catapulted the use of these types […]The post The Tales of Battery Energy Storage System Permitting Process appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Competition for a new unit of up to 1.2 GW at the Czech Republic’s Dukovany nuclear power plant site has stepped up, with France’s EDF, South Korea’s Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), and a Westinghouse-Bechtel team submitting initial bids, Czech utility ČEZ, said on Nov. 30. Elektrárna Dukovany II, a. s. (EDU II), a […]The post Three Nuclear Giants Will Vie for Czech Republic’s Dukovany Expansion appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Solar + wind, solar + storage, wind + storage—even fossil fuels combined with renewable energy—are supporting the growth of hybrid power plants that are breaking the norms of traditional power generationThe post Hybrids Combine Technologies to Enhance Electricity Production appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Japanese have been hesitant to re-embrace nuclear power following the triple reactor meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in 2011, but there are indications that nuclear power could ramp up again inThe post Nuclear Power Is Finally Poised to Ramp Up Again in Japan appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Global Energy Monitor (GEM), an organization dedicated to enhancing understanding of climate change data, in a recent report, estimated that about 89.6 GW (or 13%) of the 692 GW of global gas-fired capacity in development are coal-to-gas conversions or replacements. East Asia has the most coal-to-gas conversions or replacements in development (29.6 GW). By […]The post THE BIG PICTURE: Global Coal-to-Gas Switching appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The world’s oil and gas majors, along with some of the largest utility companies, continue to invest in renewable energy as they develop diversified power generation project portfolios. Among the latest isThe post Major Energy Players Seal Big Deals for Renewables appeared first on POWER Magazine.

John Stevens Cabot Abbott, the 19th century American historian perhaps best known for writing History of Napoleon Bonaparte and History of the Civil War in America , is attributed with the quote, “War is theThe post War and Nuclear Power: Stakes Are High for People, Environment, and Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The UK has a broad plan to develop a hydrogen economy as a feature of its commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Energy analysts have said hydrogen not only could fuel the country’sThe post Projects Underway as Part of UK’s Hydrogen Plan appeared first on POWER Magazine.

GE has been operating a monitoring and diagnostics center for the power generation sector for more than 25 years. From modest beginnings, the facility now monitors about 1,000 power plants around the worldThe post How Monitoring and Diagnostics Centers Benefit the Power Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.

It’s always difficult to select winners from the field of nominations submitted to POWER for its annual awards, and this year was no exception. The Wudongde Hydropower Station was the big winner, whileThe post Large Hydro Station Wins POWER’s Highest Honor, 21 Additional Outstanding Projects Recognized in 2022 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A nearly two-day-long boil water order that shuttered schools and businesses and affected as many as 2.2 million customers in Houston—the nation’s fourth-largest city— was caused by a power outage stemming from the failure of two city-owned transformers. The incident began on Nov. 27 at 10:30 a.m. when “a ground trip and current overload” tripped […]The post Transformer Failures Disrupted Water Supplies in Houston For Nearly Two Days appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Tuas Power Generation will upgrade two of the four operating turbines at a gas-fired power plant in Singapore, part of the company’s efforts to make the facility more efficient and support government efforts to decarbonize the country’s power generation sector. Mitsubishi Power, part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, on Nov. 30 said it received a contract […]The post Mitsubishi Will Upgrade Gas Turbines at Singapore Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The UK government will bolster a proposal to build Sizewell C with a £679 million ($815 million) investment, giving the twin EPR nuclear power plant project—a combined 3.2 GW—new flexibility to proceed. The UK Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on Nov. 29 said that with the final investment decision, it intends to […]The post UK Government Steps Up as 50% Owner of 3.2-GW Sizewell C EPR Nuclear Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Two Chinese companies announced production of the largest offshore wind turbine built to date, a 16-MW unit developed by China Three Gorges (CTG) and Goldwind. The groups on Nov. 24 showed off the turbine at a factory in Fujian province. The turbine has a 252-meter rotor diameter, with a 50,000-meter sweep area. The hub height […]The post Chinese Groups Unveil World’s Largest Offshore Wind Turbine appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Biden administration has reversed a controversial Trump-era rule that barred plan fiduciaries from considering climate change and other environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors when choosing retirement investments and exercising shareholder rights, such as proxy voting. A final rule issued by the Department of Labor (DOL) on Nov. 22 removes restrictions issued in two […]The post Labor Department Shuns Trump-Era ‘Anti-ESG’ Measures appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Uranium has been one of the best-performing asset classes in 2022, according to data supplied by HANetf’s Sprott Uranium Miners UCITS ETF (URNM). In fact, the uranium spot price has increased 24.12% during the year through Oct. 31, according to the fund. October was a particularly strong month for uranium oxide (U3O8), which is used […]The post How Does Uranium Price Increase Affect Nuclear Power Plant Profitability? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) first round of funding from its $6 billion Civil Nuclear Credit (CNC) Program is poised to go to Diablo Canyon Power Plant, California’s only operational nuclear plant. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Diablo Canyon’s owner, could receive up to $1.1 billion in credits to extend the 2.2-GW plant’s operation for […]The post DOE Grants First-Round Civil Nuclear Credit Award—$1.1B—to Diablo Canyon appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Energy storage systems (ESS) are expanding far beyond the batteries being deployed at power plants, at substations, in microgrids, or at locations along the power grid to support the electricity transmission and distribution network. Systems for commercial and industrial enterprises, and increasingly by homeowners for residential use, are helping lead the expansion of energy storage. […]The post The POWER Interview: Energy Storage for Commercial, Residential Electrification appeared first on POWER Magazine.