POWER Magazine

Bismarck, North Dakota-based Basin Electric Power Cooperative will join Dairyland Power Cooperative and ALLETE Inc. as co-owners of the planned Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC), a combined cycle natural gas power plant proposed for construction in Superior, Wisconsin. The deal between Basin Electric and ALLETE was announced on Sept. 28. Basin Electric will become a […]The post Three Coal-Heavy Utilities Team Up on New Gas-Fired Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The first Russian-made nuclear reactor fuel bundles with experimental ATF (Advanced Technology Fuel) rods have been loaded into Unit 2 at the Rostov nuclear power plant (NPP) in southwest Russia. The reactor resumed operations earlier this month after a scheduled maintenance and refueling outage. The Rostov site is home to four VVER-1000 reactor units (Figure […]The post Experimental Advanced Fuel Rods Loaded in Russian Nuclear Reactor appeared first on POWER Magazine.

An executive and entrepreneur who designed battery packs for SpaceX has partnered with a leader of India’s transportation industry in a venture designed to improve the lifecycle of lithium-ion batteries, and help that country’s transition toward electric passenger vehicles. Porter Harris, a battery engineer known for his work in thermal cooling and heating methodology, and […]The post Former SpaceX Engineer Driving New Battery Technology appeared first on POWER Magazine.

There is no doubt that the energy industry is moving toward decarbonization and renewable sources. But, despite the $2.7 trillion spent on renewables over the past decade, that future is still a long way off. It all comes down to the economics. It’s cheaper to operate an existing fossil fuel plant than build new renewable […]The post Improving Power Plant Efficiency with Nanocomposite Surface Treatments appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Pennsylvania, a major power producer that relied on fossil fuels for 66% of its net power generation in June, plans to maintain its nuclear generation at current levels until it can ramp up other carbon-free supplies to 100% by 2050, the state’s Sept. 22–released 2021 Climate Action Plan suggests. The measures are part of a […]The post Nuclear Is the Bastion of Pennsylvania’s Newest Climate Action Plan appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Poland’s push for nuclear power could include repurposing of coal-fired power plants with small modular reactor (SMR) technology from NuScale Power. NuScale on Sept. 23 announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with two Polish companies, KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. (KGHM), and Piela Business Engineering (PBE), to explore how NuScale’s technology could be […]The post SMRs May Replace Polish Coal; GE Hitachi in Fuel Supply Pact appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Partners developing the 800-MW Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind farm have announced they will swap assets jointly owned by their 50/50 Vineyard Wind joint venture to allow each party to focus on its separate expansion within the burgeoning U.S. offshore wind industry once the 800-MW Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind farm is operational. The Vineyard […]The post On Heels of $2.3B Financial Close, Vineyard Wind Joint Venture Partners Announce Restructuring appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Most people recognize that carbon dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas (GHG), and while not everyone agrees, a majority of climate scientists believe increasing concentrations of GHGs in the atmosphere are causing climate change on Earth. Carbon pricing is a market-based strategy for reducing CO2 emissions. The goal of carbon pricing schemes is to place […]The post Is America Ready to Take a ‘Baby Step’ Toward Carbon Pricing? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A group of energy sector entrepreneurs, supported by a Scottish multi-national energy company, has announced the launch of a business venture focused on rolling out large-scale wind and solar farms across the UK and Europe. Renewco Power on Sept. 22 said it wants to develop more than 4 GW of renewable energy projects in the […]The post SSE Backs Top Power Execs With New UK Renewable Energy Group appeared first on POWER Magazine.

For the progressive development of modern civilization, access to minerals is critical. The main recoverable reserves of such minerals are often located at high latitudes. For example, a significant number of the world’s hydrocarbon deposits are located above 60 degrees North latitude. Our company, Noyabrskie Power Grids, is also located in this area, and its […]The post Frost-Heaving Problems and Solutions for Power Engineers appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Everyone in the power industry is familiar with Siemens Energy. Its technology is behind about one-sixth of the world’s power generation, and even a larger portion than that in the U.S.—roughly a third. Yet, Siemens Energy as currently organized is a fairly new entity. The company was spun off from Siemens AG and began trading […]The post ‘What’s Next’ for Siemens Energy? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Nuclear Advisory Council Deems Commissioning of Holtec SMR-160 by 2030 a ‘Credible Target’ appeared first on POWER Magazine. Holtec International’s ambitions to install its first set of SMR-160 small modular reactor nuclear plants in the U.S. by 2030 may be a “credible target,” the company’s advisory council comprising 20 utility and nuclear industry leaders has reportedly determined. The Holtec Advisory Council, a body that provides Holtec with “input on the technical and commercial merits […]The post Nuclear Advisory Council Deems Commissioning of Holtec SMR-160 by 2030 a ‘Credible Target’ appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post In First for the U.S., Vineyard Wind Achieves $2.3B Financial Close for Offshore Wind Farm appeared first on POWER Magazine. Vineyard Wind 1, an 800-MW phase of an offshore wind project offshore Massachusetts, has achieved financial close. The milestone, a first for a U.S. commercial-scale offshore wind farm, now allows Vineyard Wind to provide its contractors with a notice to proceed with construction. Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between AVANGRID subsidiary Avangrid Renewables and Copenhagen […]The post In First for the U.S., Vineyard Wind Achieves $2.3B Financial Close for Offshore Wind Farm appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Ethiopia Outlines $40 Billion Plan as GERD Hydro Startup Nears appeared first on POWER Magazine. Ethiopian officials have said they are moving closer to commissioning the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) hydropower installation, part of 71 power projects included in a $40 billion investment package to increase the country’s electricity generation over the next decade. The 6,450-MW GERD project, being built on the Blue Nile River and set to more […]The post Ethiopia Outlines $40 Billion Plan as GERD Hydro Startup Nears appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post SCR Design Considerations: Retrofit Challenges and Ratcheting Emissions Level Requirements appeared first on POWER Magazine. Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) projects often focus on the final NOx emissions levels achieved, but a successful project is about much more than that. Facility owners must consider the complete scope associated with an SCR installation, from supply chain issues and ultra-low NOx emissions levels to customization requirements associated with a given application’s pressure drop […]The post SCR Design Considerations: Retrofit Challenges and Ratcheting Emissions Level Requirements appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post SRP Approves Arizona Expansion with 16 Gas-Fired Turbines appeared first on POWER Magazine. The board of directors of Arizona’s second-largest public utility has approved a nearly $1 billion plan to expand the natural gas-fired Coolidge Generating Station, adding 820 MW of generation capacity. The Coolidge station at present is a 575-MW power plant with 12 single-cycle gas turbines; the plant began operating in 2011. The expansion plan approved […]The post SRP Approves Arizona Expansion with 16 Gas-Fired Turbines appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post NRC Backs Storing Nuclear Waste in Texas appeared first on POWER Magazine. Federal regulators have approved a private company’s plan to store nuclear waste in the oil fields of West Texas, the latest move in the continuing saga of where to store spent fuel from U.S. nuclear power plants. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on Sept. 13 issued a license to Interim Storage Partners LLC (ISP), […]The post NRC Backs Storing Nuclear Waste in Texas appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Illinois Nuclear Plants Saved by Last-Minute Vote appeared first on POWER Magazine. The Illinois Senate has approved an overhaul of the state’s energy policy with an eye toward a carbon-free future, with a key part of the package keeping the Byron nuclear power plant operating just hours before Exelon, the parent of Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), said it would begin shutting down the facility. Senators voted 37-17 on […]The post Illinois Nuclear Plants Saved by Last-Minute Vote appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post LNG-to-Power Project, $30 Billion in Offshore Wind Targeted for Vietnam appeared first on POWER Magazine. Power generation projects both thermal and renewable continue to be announced for Southeast Asia, with Vietnam taking a lead role with both onshore and offshore power generation installations. Details of a large liquefied natural gas (LNG)-to-power project were announced Sept. 13, just days after the country’s T&T Group and Denmark’s Ørsted said they are prepared […]The post LNG-to-Power Project, $30 Billion in Offshore Wind Targeted for Vietnam appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Chevron Exploring Equity Interest in Mitsubishi Power and Magnum Green Hydrogen Hub in Utah appeared first on POWER Magazine. Chevron is poised to acquire an equity interest in the Advanced Clean Energy Storage project, a developing green hydrogen hub that could support more than 1 GW of electrolysis facilities and store 5,500 metric tonnes of their produced green hydrogen in salt caverns near Delta, Utah. The integrated energy giant on Sept. 9 announced that it […]The post Chevron Exploring Equity Interest in Mitsubishi Power and Magnum Green Hydrogen Hub in Utah appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Siemens Gamesa Launches World’s First Fully Recyclable Wind Turbine Blade appeared first on POWER Magazine. Siemens Gamesa has launched what it says is the world’s first wind turbine blade that can be used at a commercial offshore wind farm and recycled at the end of its lifecycle. The company already has agreements with three major customers—including RWE and EDF Renewables—for the installation of the blades at offshore wind farms. The […]The post Siemens Gamesa Launches World’s First Fully Recyclable Wind Turbine Blade appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post TotalEnergies Seals $10B Deal to Develop Fuel Supplies, Power Generation for Iraq appeared first on POWER Magazine. TotalEnergies, the French oil and gas multinational company formerly known as Total, has bagged deals representing a total $10 billion with the government of Iraq to help the resource-rich country address power shortages. The company said on Sept. 6 that following the agreements with the Iraqi Ministries for oil and electricity and the country’s National […]The post TotalEnergies Seals $10B Deal to Develop Fuel Supplies, Power Generation for Iraq appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Former Prime Ministers Tout Need for Pumped Storage and More Hydropower appeared first on POWER Magazine. Tony Blair and Malcolm Turnbull, former prime ministers of the UK and Australia, respectively, suggested pumped storage and more hydropower will be vitally important to electric grids around the world as more wind and solar are added to the power mix. Speaking on the opening day of the World Hydropower Congress, which began Sept. 7 […]The post Former Prime Ministers Tout Need for Pumped Storage and More Hydropower appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Groups Announce Successful Test to Advance Fusion Energy appeared first on POWER Magazine. A company working to bring fusion energy technology to market joined with a group from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in announcing a successful test of what they call the world’s strongest high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet, technology considered key for development of commercial fusion energy. Representatives of Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), along with researchers […]The post Groups Announce Successful Test to Advance Fusion Energy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Moss Landing Battery Project Offline After Overheating appeared first on POWER Magazine. The first phase of the battery storage project at the Moss Landing complex in California was taken offline after an overheating issue caused some parts of the installation to be damaged. Vistra said the incident happened late on Sept. 4. Fire crews responded to the site, and though no fire was found, officials said battery […]The post Moss Landing Battery Project Offline After Overheating appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Power Restoration Continues After Ida; Storm’s Death Toll Tops 60 appeared first on POWER Magazine. Power restoration efforts continue along the Gulf Coast and in the U.S. Northeast, as utilities work to bring electricity back to areas in Louisiana hit hard by Hurricane Ida, and around New York City and New England due to heavy rainfall from remnants of the storm. The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) in a Sept. […]The post Power Restoration Continues After Ida; Storm’s Death Toll Tops 60 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Entergy: Hurricane Ida Took Out Eight Critical High-Voltage Transmission Lines appeared first on POWER Magazine. Moving quickly after devastating winds from Hurricane Ida on Aug. 29 took out eight critical high-voltage lines and blacked out New Orleans, Jefferson, and two other Louisiana parishes, Entergy hashed out two options. One—the “preferred solution”—was to restore some of the critical transmission lines that tie Greater New Orleans to the larger MISO grid, and […]The post Entergy: Hurricane Ida Took Out Eight Critical High-Voltage Transmission Lines appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Drought-Crippled Hoover Dam, Glen Canyon Hydropower Plants Operating at Substantially Decreased Capacity appeared first on POWER Magazine. The iconic 2-GW Hoover Dam and 1.3-GW Glen Canyon Dam hydropower plants are operating at substantially reduced capacity, paralyzed by enduring drought conditions across the West, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) has revealed. Weeks after USBR on Aug. 16 declared the first-ever federal water shortage at Lake Mead, the agency told POWER this week […]The post Drought-Crippled Hoover Dam, Glen Canyon Hydropower Plants Operating at Substantially Decreased Capacity appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post 3D Printing: More Than Just a Cool Process, It Offers Real Benefits appeared first on POWER Magazine. 3D printing is a process used to create an object by sequentially adding build material in successive cross-sections, one stacked upon another. It is a form of additive manufacturing. Once considered more of a novelty, 3D printing has evolved into an incredibly valuable production method used to create very intricate designs, including gas turbine components […]The post 3D Printing: More Than Just a Cool Process, It Offers Real Benefits appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Sun Shines on FPL’s Solar Program appeared first on POWER Magazine. Florida provides a wealth of opportunity for utilities building a solar power portfolio, and Florida Power & Light has taken a lead role with its dozens of solar energy centers. Power generation companiesThe post Sun Shines on FPL’s Solar Program appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post What’s Your Heat Exchanger Maintenance IQ? appeared first on POWER Magazine. Heat exchangers are at the heart of many critical industrial systems. From power plants to industrial chemical plants and everything in between, the heat exchanger in all its forms is a critical aspect of heat management systems. Therefore, organizations must take heat exchanger maintenance extremely seriously. A heat exchanger failure can be a potentially deadly […]The post What’s Your Heat Exchanger Maintenance IQ? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The Human Side of Digital Adoption appeared first on POWER Magazine. A pervading theme at the ongoing 5th annual Connected Plant Conference has been to explore the human side of digital adoption. Attendees have so far heard from several experts who are deeply involved in the future of the power plant workforce. Steven Ford, Compliance and Support manager at Southern Co.’s Plant Barry, in his presentation […]The post The Human Side of Digital Adoption appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Winds of Change Revitalize West Texas appeared first on POWER Magazine. A major wind farm sited on 200 square miles across two Texas counties is part of that state’s commitment to renewable energy, part of an energy transformation in a region once known for its oil boomtownsThe post Winds of Change Revitalize West Texas appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post A Big Splash for Marine Power: Minesto’s Underwater Kite appeared first on POWER Magazine. After more than a decade of development, Minesto’s novel underwater “kite” technology kicked off commercial operation with a 100-kW project in the Faroe Islands. Despite some hiccups, the pioneeringThe post A Big Splash for Marine Power: Minesto’s Underwater Kite appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Red Rock Hydroelectric Project: Successfully Generating New Power from a Pre-Existing Dam appeared first on POWER Magazine. There are challenges to adding power generating capability to a dam built for flood control, but the Red Rock Hydroelectric Project shows that the obstacles are not insurmountable. With the right team, successThe post Red Rock Hydroelectric Project: Successfully Generating New Power from a Pre-Existing Dam appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Energy Transition Facing Potentially Debilitating Critical Mineral Supply Gap appeared first on POWER Magazine. Building new solar PV plants and wind farms, and supporting an expansion of electric vehicles (EVs) and green hydrogen as is planned to meet decarbonization goals, will dramatically expand demand for copperThe post Energy Transition Facing Potentially Debilitating Critical Mineral Supply Gap appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Types of Power Purchase Agreements and Why Each PPA Might Be Used appeared first on POWER Magazine. Stakeholders are increasingly pressuring corporations to become more sustainable, and often that means using renewable energy to help meet their electricity needs. Most non-power companies don’t want to takeThe post Types of Power Purchase Agreements and Why Each PPA Might Be Used appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Hydropower Experiencing Climate Impacts From Drought, Flooding appeared first on POWER Magazine. The impacts of climate change are being experienced across the power generation industry, and certainly in the hydropower sector, with generation directly tied to the ebbs and flows of precipitation. AreasThe post Hydropower Experiencing Climate Impacts From Drought, Flooding appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Types of Coal and Fuel Blending Tips for Coal Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine. There are a handful of reasons why coal-fired power plant managers may want to blend fuel, but often the driving factor is economics. While the cost of the delivered coal is an important aspect, there could beThe post Types of Coal and Fuel Blending Tips for Coal Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post NRC Cites Problems at Vogtle, May Increase Project Oversight appeared first on POWER Magazine. Continuing issues with the two-unit expansion of the Vogtle nuclear power plant in Georgia have led federal regulators to say they are considering increasing oversight of the project. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on Aug. 26, in a letter to Southern Nuclear, which is leading the project along with its sister company Georgia Power, […]The post NRC Cites Problems at Vogtle, May Increase Project Oversight appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post JERA Kicks Off Hydrogen Co-Firing Pilot at LNG Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine. JERA has received the Japanese government’s green light for a pilot project to demonstrate 30% hydrogen co-firing at an existing large-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) thermal power plant by 2025. The project is Japan’s “first initiative to use a large amount of hydrogen as fuel in a large-scale commercial LNG thermal power plant,” the company […]The post JERA Kicks Off Hydrogen Co-Firing Pilot at LNG Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Japanese Firm Unveils Ship Dedicated to Storing and Transmitting Offshore Wind Power appeared first on POWER Magazine. A Japanese firm has set out to shake up energy storage and transmission with a freshly launched “power transfer vessel” concept that is designed to carry electricity from offshore wind farms to shore. The company’s first electric ship model, which will have an energy storage capacity of 200 MWh, is slated for completion in 2025. […]The post Japanese Firm Unveils Ship Dedicated to Storing and Transmitting Offshore Wind Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Reliable Air Compressors for Power Generation: Malaysian Hydroelectric Case Study appeared first on POWER Magazine. Malaysia, one of the Tiger Club Economies, is dissociating from fossil energies and has put its Ulu Jelai Power Station into operation. The hydroelectric power station successfully contributes to peak load coverage and power supply stabilisation. With its high-performance compressors, Sauer Compressors is part of this sustainable showcase project. The machines generate the compressed air […]The post Reliable Air Compressors for Power Generation: Malaysian Hydroelectric Case Study appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Standardized Software Bill of Materials Needed to Power Energy Cybersecurity appeared first on POWER Magazine. COMMENTARY Supply chain security is top of mind these days for policymakers and regulators focused on protecting the utility industry and other critical infrastructure. A cyber vulnerability with a single supplier can take down an entire supply chain network and the entities that use its products. The organizations that support and supply products and […]The post Standardized Software Bill of Materials Needed to Power Energy Cybersecurity appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The Benefits of Mobile Aero-derivative Gas Turbines for Power Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine. If you’ve flown on a commercial airplane, you’ve likely sat within a hundred feet of an operating gas turbine engine. Gas turbines have been used to power aircraft since the 1940s. But gas turbines like those on airplanes are also used for generating electricity. These designs are known as aero-derivative gas turbines and occupy a […]The post The Benefits of Mobile Aero-derivative Gas Turbines for Power Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Regulators Rattle AEP’s Plans to Operate 4.2-GW of Coal Power Through 2040 appeared first on POWER Magazine. The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) on Aug. 23 rattled American Electric Power’s (AEP’s) plans to operate the 2.9-GW John Amos and 1.3-GW Mountaineer coal power plants through 2040 when it partly denied cost recovery for expenses that the West Virginia plants need to comply with the federal Steam Electric Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELG) rule. The […]The post Regulators Rattle AEP’s Plans to Operate 4.2-GW of Coal Power Through 2040 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post ‘Smart Grid Ready’ Generator Changes Game for Backup Power appeared first on POWER Magazine. Residential applications for smart grid technologies continue to grow as electricity customers take more control of their energy usage and costs. Homeowners with rooftop solar have been selling power back to the grid for years, and more opportunities for power customers are coming as electric vehicle owners tap into the market via energy storage. Homeowners […]The post ‘Smart Grid Ready’ Generator Changes Game for Backup Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Record Growth Continues for Renewable Energy Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine. The pace of installations of renewable energy projects across the first six months of 2021 hit a new high for the sector, according to a report released Aug. 24 by the American Clean Power Association (ACP). ACP, which works with solar, wind, energy storage and power transmission companies to promote renewable energy, said the U.S. […]The post Record Growth Continues for Renewable Energy Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post California Will Add Gas-Fired Units to Increase Power Supply appeared first on POWER Magazine. The California Energy Commission (CEC) has approved licenses for gas-fired power units to help the state cope with continued electricity shortages. The move comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier declared a state of emergency for California’s power grid. The state’s Dept. of Water Resources is procuring what it called five temporary gas-fueled generators, each with […]The post California Will Add Gas-Fired Units to Increase Power Supply appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Breakthrough: Laser-Powered Fusion Experiment Nears ‘Ignition’ appeared first on POWER Magazine. An experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL’s) National Ignition Facility (NIF) appears to have approached fusion ignition as it recreated the extreme temperatures and pressures at the heart of the sun for a tiny fraction of a second. The momentous step has fueled new optimism for fusion energy. The experiment on Aug. 8 “was […]The post Breakthrough: Laser-Powered Fusion Experiment Nears ‘Ignition’ appeared first on POWER Magazine.