POWER Magazine

The post Live Updates: Power-Related Regulatory Responses to COVID-19 appeared first on POWER Magazine.Federal regulators with oversight over U.S. power matters have issued a series of actions over recent weeks to respond to the potentially devastating impact that COVID-19, the new coronavirus, could have on North American power workforce operations and reliability. POWER will update this post regularly with COVID-19 response news and documents from federal and state […]The post Live Updates: Power-Related Regulatory Responses to COVID-19 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Nuclear Agency Provides Equipment to Detect, Battle Virus appeared first on POWER Magazine.The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on April 2 said it is dispatching a first batch of equipment to more than 40 countries, designed to enable a nuclear-derived technique to rapidly detect the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The program is part of IAEA’s response to requests for support from its members. “IAEA staff are working […]The post Nuclear Agency Provides Equipment to Detect, Battle Virus appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Energy Groups Supply Gear, Donate Millions to Fight COVID-19 appeared first on POWER Magazine.Energy companies and equipment suppliers to the power generation industry have been at the forefront of efforts to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilities have suspended shutoffs of services to customers impacted by the economic crisis, and have instituted protocols to maintain proper staffing levels to ensure the reliable delivery of electricity during a time when […]The post Energy Groups Supply Gear, Donate Millions to Fight COVID-19 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post France Moves to Support Renewables During Pandemic appeared first on POWER Magazine.U.S. renewable energy advocates have warned of industry slowdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic, and decried the lack of support for solar, wind, and other technologies in the recent aid package passed by Congress. It’s a different story in some foreign countries where the federal government has thrown its support behind renewable energy. France’s ecology […]The post France Moves to Support Renewables During Pandemic appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Project to Outfit Natural Gas Power Plant with Carbon Capture Gets Investor Boost appeared first on POWER Magazine.A project to outfit an existing natural gas power plant with a “large-scale” carbon capture facility got its legs on April 2 with the finalization of key investment agreements. Private equity investment firm Starwood Energy Group Global and global investment fund OGCI Climate Investments announced Thursday they had finalized agreements to co-invest in the initial […]The post Project to Outfit Natural Gas Power Plant with Carbon Capture Gets Investor Boost appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post NERC: Power Industry ‘Well-Prepared’ for COVID-19, Aggressively Confronting Pandemic Threats appeared first on POWER Magazine.Industry responses to a Level 2 alert on contingency planning issued by the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) early last month suggest the “vast majority” of registered participants in the North American bulk power system are well prepared for the COVID-19 crisis. NERC, the interconnected bulk power system’s Electric Reliability Organization (ERO), has underscored […]The post NERC: Power Industry ‘Well-Prepared’ for COVID-19, Aggressively Confronting Pandemic Threats appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EPA Under Fire for COVID-19 Temporary Enforcement Directive appeared first on POWER Magazine.The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) unprecedented temporary policy to relax enforcement of noncompliance with certain environmental rules in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has provoked an impassioned response from industry experts, environmental groups, and from the agency itself. As POWER reported, the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) on March 26 adopted a […]The post EPA Under Fire for COVID-19 Temporary Enforcement Directive appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post COVID-19 May Delay Vogtle Nuclear Expansion appeared first on POWER Magazine.Southern Co. in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on April 1 said the COVID-19 pandemic “could disrupt or delay construction, testing, supervisory and support activities” at the Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion project in Georgia. The company in the filing said, “It is too early to determine what impact, if any, the […]The post COVID-19 May Delay Vogtle Nuclear Expansion appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Natural Gas a Powerful Force, Despite Industry Headwinds appeared first on POWER Magazine.Gas prices remain low worldwide, and the challenge for producers is to find a market for their supply. Gas remains the No. 1 source of U.S. power generation, and will continue in that spot for several moreThe post Natural Gas a Powerful Force, Despite Industry Headwinds appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Employer Branding and Onboarding: Keys to Recruiting and Retaining Top Millennial Talent in Power Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.It’s well-known that many of the workers and leaders in the energy sector are approaching retirement age, with 25% eligible in the next 5 years and 50% eligible in the next 10 years. With fewer and fewer people filling the talent bench and an industry that’s fighting a negative public perception, the situation is only […]The post Employer Branding and Onboarding: Keys to Recruiting and Retaining Top Millennial Talent in Power Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post THE BIG PICTURE (Infographic): U.S. Nuclear Lifetimes appeared first on POWER Magazine.The U.S. has 96 licensed-to-operate nuclear power reactors and two reactors under construction. But the average age of the nation’s 96 licensed nuclear units is about 39 years old. That has been of some concern to the nuclear industry, which has provided roughly a fifth of the nation’s power since the 1990s. About 88 of […]The post THE BIG PICTURE (Infographic): U.S. Nuclear Lifetimes appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Subsea Kite Technology Makes a Big Splash for Marine Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.At first view, marine energy developer Minesto’s novel underwater “kite” technology may be easily dismissed as a fanciful concept, one of dozens introduced over the last decade to reap the immense oceanThe post Subsea Kite Technology Makes a Big Splash for Marine Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Electrification: Too Much of a Good Thing? appeared first on POWER Magazine.Electrification has been a much-touted driver for the global energy transition toward decarbonization. But though an all-electric future could have vast implications for the power and gas sectors, achieving itThe post Electrification: Too Much of a Good Thing? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post New Wind Farm Brings More Power to Senegal appeared first on POWER Magazine.Senegal is among the African nations trying to increase access to electricity for its population. U.S. officials estimate about 35% of the country’s 16 million people do not have access to power. TheThe post New Wind Farm Brings More Power to Senegal appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Water-Lubricated Bearings Offer Benefits for Hydropower Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.Significant operating and economic benefits can be realized by replacing a poorly functioning or damaged oil-lubricated turbine guide bearing with a water-lubricated design (Figure 4), as part of aThe post Water-Lubricated Bearings Offer Benefits for Hydropower Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post POWER Digest [April 2020] appeared first on POWER Magazine.Group Readies Hydrogen Production Plant in Japan. A consortium including Toshiba, Tohoku Electric Power, and Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) in March said it hasThe post POWER Digest [April 2020] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post New Lockout-Tagout Program Improves Safety appeared first on POWER Magazine.As one of the U.S.’s premier energy companies, Southern Company is committed to providing a safe work environment for employees. It regularly implements best-in-class safety procedures to ensure complianceThe post New Lockout-Tagout Program Improves Safety appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post ELECTRIC POWER Conference Postponed appeared first on POWER Magazine.The world has become a very different place over the past few months with the outbreak of a new coronavirus—COVID-19. The virus has forced travel bans and literal lockdowns in several countries. The NCAA andThe post ELECTRIC POWER Conference Postponed appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post PURPA Modernization Promises Sweeping Changes for Utilities appeared first on POWER Magazine.More than 40 years ago, small power production facilities were germinated, fertilized, and have continued to blossom under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), a federal law passed in 1978 as aThe post PURPA Modernization Promises Sweeping Changes for Utilities appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post What Does It Take to Develop Utility-Scale Solar Projects? [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.Constructing a utility-scale solar project requires more than simply buying PV panels and mounting them in a field. It can take years to find the right location, conduct feasibility studies, obtain permits, and align the proverbial stars. A couple of experts, who have managed multiple projects through the process, were guests on The POWER Podcast. […]The post What Does It Take to Develop Utility-Scale Solar Projects? [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post How One Fabrication Shop in Alabama Is Powering Through the Pandemic appeared first on POWER Magazine.Drive one hour south of Birmingham and you will find the not-so-small town of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, county population of more than 207,000. Known as the home of the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa is rich in history, arts, young professionals, rooted families, and famous Southern hospitality. At the heart of this college town is a culture […]The post How One Fabrication Shop in Alabama Is Powering Through the Pandemic appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EU Unveils Key Elements of its Green Deal appeared first on POWER Magazine.The European Commission in December 2019 announced its new European Green Deal, a set of major policy and legislative proposals that position the EU as the global leader on environmental and climate issues. Since then, the Commission has published a draft EU climate law and is seeking stakeholder input on potential revisions to the Energy […]The post EU Unveils Key Elements of its Green Deal appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post NRC to Consider COVID-19 Exemptions for Nuclear Plant Work-Hour Controls appeared first on POWER Magazine.The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on March 28 told industry that it is prepared to grant requests from individual nuclear generators for exemptions from work-hour controls specified in its rules to help provide more flexibility to the sector as it grapples with workforce issues related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The objective of the […]The post NRC to Consider COVID-19 Exemptions for Nuclear Plant Work-Hour Controls appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Unit 4 Top Head for Containment Vessel in Place at Vogtle appeared first on POWER Magazine.The two-unit expansion of the Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant in Georgia reached another milestone March 27, with the placement of the Unit 4 containment vessel top head. Friday’s work comes about one year after the Unit 3 containment vessel top was lifted into place. “Placement of the Unit 4 top head is a culmination […]The post Unit 4 Top Head for Containment Vessel in Place at Vogtle appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post NYISO Workers Now Living at Grid Control Centers appeared first on POWER Magazine.The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), one of the nation’s nine regional transmission organizations (RTOs) that operate the power grid, now has some of its staff living at two of its control centers in suburban Albany, New York. The move comes as other RTOs and utilities consider having staff shelter-in-place at their respective operations […]The post NYISO Workers Now Living at Grid Control Centers appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Electricity Demand Decreases Due to Coronavirus Lockdowns appeared first on POWER Magazine.A study published by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) shows peak demand and energy use decreased as much as 21% in some areas as a result of actions taken to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The report—COVID-19 Bulk System Impacts: Demand Impacts and Operational and Control Center Practices—was released on March 27. It reviews […]The post Electricity Demand Decreases Due to Coronavirus Lockdowns appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post POWER Coverage of the Coronavirus Disease COVID-19 appeared first on POWER Magazine.The world is currently under siege by a novel coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19, which has disrupted our entire way of life. Nearly all gatherings of more than a handful of people have been postponed or canceled. A few countries, and even some states, have enacted complete lockdowns of their citizens, with exceptions for only […]The post POWER Coverage of the Coronavirus Disease COVID-19 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EPA Relaxes Noncompliance Enforcement During COVID-19 Pandemic appeared first on POWER Magazine.Adopting a new temporary policy that gives it more “enforcement discretion,” the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said March 26 it does not expect to seek penalties for civil violations of the agency’s rules that result from the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy adopted Thursday addresses concerns that regulated facilities are facing potential worker shortages, travel restrictions, […]The post EPA Relaxes Noncompliance Enforcement During COVID-19 Pandemic appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post FERC, NARUC Want Utility Workers Designated as ‘Essential’ appeared first on POWER Magazine.Two agencies aligned with the power generation industry, including the group representing state public service commissioners who regulate utility services, including energy, telecommunications, and water, are asking state regulators to designate utility company workers as essential to the nation’s critical infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the National Association […]The post FERC, NARUC Want Utility Workers Designated as ‘Essential’ appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post COVID-19 Threatens Outages Scheduled at 97% of U.S. Nuclear Sites in 2020 appeared first on POWER Magazine.Challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. nuclear industry has asked the Trump administration to ensure nuclear workers, suppliers, and vendors will have access to nuclear plants and personal protective equipment (PPE) during the 2020 spring and fall refueling outage seasons and beyond. All but two of the nation’s nuclear sites had scheduled planned outages […]The post COVID-19 Threatens Outages Scheduled at 97% of U.S. Nuclear Sites in 2020 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Sole U.S. Uranium Conversion Plant Secures NRC License Renewal appeared first on POWER Magazine.Honeywell International’s uranium conversion plant in Metropolis, Illinois, has received the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC’s) approval to run for 40 more years. The approval for the nation’s sole conversion facility is key to ensure it can continue supplying uranium hexafluoride (UF6), a basic component of enriched nuclear fuel used in commercial nuclear power reactors. The […]The post Sole U.S. Uranium Conversion Plant Secures NRC License Renewal appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Renewable Energy Advocates Decry Lack of Help in Stimulus Bill appeared first on POWER Magazine.The $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill passed by the U.S. Senate on March 25 should provide some economic relief to the nation’s households and businesses, but the renewable energy industry is disappointed the bill does not extend investment tax credits and other incentives to keep wind, solar, and other projects moving forward. Clean-energy industry groups […]The post Renewable Energy Advocates Decry Lack of Help in Stimulus Bill appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The POWER Interview: GenCell’s CEO on Importance of Clean Energy appeared first on POWER Magazine.The coronavirus pandemic is expected to slow the growth of renewable energy in 2020, owing to supply chain disruptions and an economic recession. It could make hitting targets for clean energy adoption more difficult, particularly in the short term. Will government officials look to adjust their goals for renewable energy? Perhaps, but with most of […]The post The POWER Interview: GenCell’s CEO on Importance of Clean Energy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post COVID-19 Response: Electric Power Industry Closely Coordinating With Federal Partners appeared first on POWER Magazine.WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 23, 2020) – The nation’s investor-owned electric companies, public power utilities, and electric cooperatives are working together to protect the energy grid and ensure continued access to safe and reliable electricity during the COVID-19 global health crisis. The electric power industry has been planning for years for an emergency like the COVID-19 […]The post COVID-19 Response: Electric Power Industry Closely Coordinating With Federal Partners appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post NRC Preparing Rule Changes Due to Coronavirus appeared first on POWER Magazine.The agency that regulates nuclear power in the U.S. is preparing to allow reactor operators to work longer shifts, and could also issue new rules that would let facilities put off some maintenance and plant inspections. The actions are in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Comments during a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) conference call on […]The post NRC Preparing Rule Changes Due to Coronavirus appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post PG&E Pleads Guilty to 84 Involuntary Manslaughter Counts in 2018 Fire appeared first on POWER Magazine.Pacific Gas & Electric has agreed to plead guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of unlawfully causing a fire after it was blamed for the 2018 Camp Fire in Northern California, the deadliest wildfire in state history. The utility reached the agreement with the Butte County District Attorney’s office on March […]The post PG&E Pleads Guilty to 84 Involuntary Manslaughter Counts in 2018 Fire appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Utilities Plan to Keep Key Staff Housed at Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.U.S. electric utilities and other energy companies are preparing to have key personnel remain at power plants and operations centers to ensure the facilities remain online during the coronavirus pandemic. The federal government considers power plants part of the nation’s critical infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for working with power […]The post Utilities Plan to Keep Key Staff Housed at Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Wind Energy Group Says $43 Billion at Risk from COVID-19 appeared first on POWER Magazine.Energy groups continue to assess the industry disruption caused by the coronavirus, with the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) on March 19 saying the global pandemic is putting $43 billion of wind industry investments and payments at risk. Utilities, grid operators, and other have been altering their routines as state and local governments call for […]The post Wind Energy Group Says $43 Billion at Risk from COVID-19 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post PLM, ERP, EAM, Digital Twin: What Do They All Mean? [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.The power industry and technology worlds are filled with acronyms. It’s often hard to know what they all mean. Mark Reisig, director of Product Marketing at Aras, was a guest on The POWER Podcast. He explained how digital technology is being utilized to bring products to market and track assets throughout their lifecycle. The process […]The post PLM, ERP, EAM, Digital Twin: What Do They All Mean? [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Oklo Submits First Non-LWR Combined License Application to NRC appeared first on POWER Magazine.Oklo, developer of the 1.5-MW Aurora micro-reactor, has submitted the first-ever combined license application (COLA) for an advanced non-light water reactor (LWR) to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The move formalizes the start of a new era for nuclear regulation in the U.S. The Silicon Valley company, which last year received a first-of-its-kind site use […]The post Oklo Submits First Non-LWR Combined License Application to NRC appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Power Industry Weighs Impacts of Coronavirus appeared first on POWER Magazine.Utilities and power generators worldwide are altering their business practices and developing strategies for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s particularly critical for the power industry, as a reliable supply of electricity is essential to prevent even more economic disruption. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) lists utilities among the 16 industries that the […]The post Power Industry Weighs Impacts of Coronavirus appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Banks Invest in Coal, Gas Projects Despite Pushback appeared first on POWER Magazine.A new report from a half-dozen environmental groups says global banks financed $2.7 trillion of fossil fuel projects from December 2015, when the Paris Agreement on climate was reached, through year-end 2019. The report said funding for such projects has increased in each of the past four years. “Banking on Climate Change 2020,” published March […]The post Banks Invest in Coal, Gas Projects Despite Pushback appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Pandemic Creating ‘Crisis’ for Solar Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.The president of the Solar Energy Industries Association on March 17 said the solar industry is seeing “a pretty significant crisis” along with the overall economy due to the global coronavirus pandemic, as the situation likely will limit growth in the solar sector this year. Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the SEIA, told […]The post Pandemic Creating ‘Crisis’ for Solar Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Solar Drives Down Price for ISO-NE Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.Silicon Valley-based SunPower on March 16 said it has secured grid capacity for about 11 MW of power after a winning bid in ISO New England’s 14th Forward Capacity Auction (FCA), in which companies predict the cost of making power in 2023. The auction, which closed in February, saw a record low price of $2 […]The post Solar Drives Down Price for ISO-NE Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Pennsylvania Move to Join RGGI May Save Nuclear Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.Energy Harbor Corp., the new name for the former FirstEnergy Solutions (FES) after FES’s bankruptcy, on March 13 said its Beaver Valley nuclear plant in Shippingport, Pennsylvania, will remain open. FES in March 2018 had told state regulators it would close the plant in 2021 because it was no longer economic to operate. Energy Harbor […]The post Pennsylvania Move to Join RGGI May Save Nuclear Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Eaton Helps Build China Field Hospitals in Battle Against Coronavirus appeared first on POWER Magazine.Power management company Eaton and its partner electrical contractors and distributors recently completed a construction project to build two new field hospitals in Wuhan, China. The project delivered an additional 2,500 hospital beds to the region, which has been considered ground zero for the COVIT-19 global pandemic. Eaton’s energy solutions are helping provide electricity to […]The post Eaton Helps Build China Field Hospitals in Battle Against Coronavirus appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post ICS ATT&CK: Designed to Help Protect from Cyber Attacks appeared first on POWER Magazine.Earlier this year, MITRE—a not-for-profit organization that works in the public interest across federal, state, and local governments, as well as with industry and academia—officially released the long-awaited industrial control systems (ICS) version of its popular ATT&CK knowledge base. ICS ATT&CK is the group’s response to the unique attack surface that industrial networks are trying […]The post ICS ATT&CK: Designed to Help Protect from Cyber Attacks appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Energy Groups Make Plans to Deal with Coronavirus; EEI Issues Bulletin appeared first on POWER Magazine.The Edison Electric Institute (EEI), whose membership includes all investor-owned U.S. power companies, has told its members to prepare contingency plans for their operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several U.S. grid operators already have announced measures designed to keep employees as safe as possible, while maintaining the reliability of the nation’s power supply. The […]The post Energy Groups Make Plans to Deal with Coronavirus; EEI Issues Bulletin appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Gas-Heavy ISO-New England Braces for Steep Influx of Wind, Solar, Storage appeared first on POWER Magazine.While it is currently highly dependent on natural gas generation today, about 95% of ISO-New England’s (ISO-NE’s) interconnection request queue—a proposed total capacity of 20.9 GW—comprises wind, solar, and battery projects. That clearly indicates that developers in New England’s wholesale market “are looking to take advantage of state incentives, declining technology costs, and revenues from […]The post Gas-Heavy ISO-New England Braces for Steep Influx of Wind, Solar, Storage appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post ERCOT Again Expects Tight Summer 2020 Conditions appeared first on POWER Magazine.Despite adding 513 MW of new capacity this year alone, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) expects tight grid conditions this summer, and it warned it could declare an energy emergency depending on a combination of factors. Citing its newly released preliminary Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy (SARA) assessment for the summer season (June–September), […]The post ERCOT Again Expects Tight Summer 2020 Conditions appeared first on POWER Magazine.