POWER Magazine

Hydrostor, developer of a 400-MW, 8-hour long-duration advanced compressed air energy storage (A-CAES) facility, has filed an application for certification (AFC) with the California Energy Commission (CEC) for its first project in the state, envisioning its commercial operation as early as 2026. If the 3,200-MWh Pecho Energy Storage Center is built as planned in San […]The post California 3,200-MWh CAES Project Proposed for Grid Stability After Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Retires appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Fusion occurs when two atoms slam together to form a heavier atom, such as when two hydrogen atoms fuse to form one helium atom. A tremendous amount of energy is released in the process. This is the same process that powers the sun. In the sun’s core, where temperatures reach 15,000,000C, hydrogen atoms are in […]The post Could Fusion Energy Transform the Power Industry By 2035? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A new wastewater rule authorized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier this year is leading several coal-fired plants to announce closure plans, according to an analysis of state regulatory filings by the Sierra Club. The group said at least 26 plants in 14 states have said they will stop burning coal, with 21 […]The post More Than 20 Coal-Fired Plants Will Close in Wake of Wastewater Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The 628-MW Pego power station was shut down on Nov. 20, 10 days ahead of schedule, marking the end of coal-fired power generation in Portugal. The country joins Belgium, Austria, and Sweden, as the fourth European nation to discontinue the use of coal. “Portugal is the perfect example of how once a country commits to […]The post Portugal’s Last Coal Power Plant Shuts Down, Fourth Country in Europe to Stop Burning Coal appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Demand for electricity from the residential sector rose during the first several months of the global coronavirus pandemic, as workers stayed home and students studied remotely. Researchers, using data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), said the second quarter of 2020 saw a 10% rise in residential electricity usage compared to the same months […]The post EY Research Highlights New Opportunities for Utilities appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Major U.S. utility Southern Co. said it has agreed to design and build an advanced demonstration nuclear reactor at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) using technology developed by TerraPower, the Bill Gates-backed company that earlier this week announced it would site a new Natrium nuclear reactor demonstration project in Wyoming. Southern in a Nov. 18 news […]The post Southern Joining Bill Gates-Backed Group on New Reactor Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) is warning that much of the central U.S.—a region that stretches from the Great Lakes into southern Texas—may face critical power deficiencies during extreme winter weather conditions over the next three months. Natural gas supply disruptions and low hydropower conditions could also imperil power reliability in New England […]The post NERC Issues Grim Outlook for Bulk Power System Winter Reliability appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A company that invests in clean energy projects to serve customers interested in low-carbon sources of electricity announced it has closed eight separate deals, representing a total of $2.6 billion in financing commitments for construction and operation of six late-stage solar energy projects with 2.2 GW of generation capacity in California and Texas. Intersect Power […]The post $2.6 Billion Committed to New Solar Projects in Texas, California appeared first on POWER Magazine.

NET Power, developer of the novel Allam-Fetvedt supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) power cycle, says its 50-MWth test facility in La Porte, Texas, delivered power to the grid overnight on Nov. 16. The achievement marks a major milestone for the potentially revolutionary technology for which several commercial power plants are already under development. NET Power, a business venture […]The post Breakthrough: NET Power’s Allam Cycle Test Facility Delivers First Power to ERCOT Grid appeared first on POWER Magazine.

PA Consulting recognized Florida Power & Light (FPL) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) as co-recipients of the global consultancy’s National Reliability Award. The prestigious award is presented to “the utility that showcases a focus on customer service, technology deployment, operational successes, and data and analytics.” It’s only the second time in the award’s […]The post FPL and SDG&E Win Awards for Outstanding Reliability appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A new type of solar photovoltaic (PV) cell is closer to widespread commercialization after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office awarded Solar Inventions a patent for its Configurable Current Cells, or C3, technology. Solar Inventions on Nov. 17 announced that with the U.S. recognition in place, it will be moving toward finalizing pending patents for […]The post New Solar Technology Promises Improved Performance, Cost Savings appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A site at PacifiCorp’s retiring 600-MW coal and gas–fired Naughton Power Plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming, will house the Natrium demonstration, a pioneering commercial-scale 500-MW project that will pair a 345-MW sodium-cooled fast reactor with a molten salt-based energy storage system. Project stakeholders on Nov. 16 unveiled the site for the federally backed demonstration, which will validate […]The post Coal Plant Site Unveiled for 500-MW Natrium Advanced Nuclear Pilot appeared first on POWER Magazine.

We hear calls for the “elimination of fossil fuels” as the primary solution to climate change, those calls coming from investors, institutions, governments—and from many world leaders and others gathered at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland. COMMENTARY As we begin to experience the outcome of recent energy policies that focus on the buildout of renewables capacity, […]The post The Middle Ground: The Role of CCS After COP26 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Global installations of energy storage systems will experience rapid growth this decade, resulting by the end of 2030 in gigawatt capacity more than 20 times larger than the amount online at the end of 2020. That’s according to a forecast from research company BloombergNEF (BNEF), which in a report released Nov. 15 said the huge […]The post Group Forecasts Massive Increase in Energy Storage by 2030 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Nuclear power opponents often point to radioactive waste as one of their main concerns. However, most people don’t realize that problems associated with long-lived waste can actually be solved in an economic way with technology that’s already well-proven. Long-lived actinides can be “burned” in a thorium molten salt reactor (MSR), or a breeder reactor. They […]The post Thorium-Fueled Reactors Offer Huge Potential Benefits for the Nuclear Power Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The first complete accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) assembly is now operational at Exelon’s Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 in Maryland, bringing an industry-led quest to accelerate commercialization of the new nuclear technology closer to fruition. Inserted during the plant’s recent spring refueling outage, the lead fuel assembly (LFA) features a Framatome PROtect fuel design […]The post Industry’s First Complete Accident-Tolerant Nuclear Assembly in Operation at Calvert Cliffs appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A site touted as the largest electric vehicle (EV) charging hub in the U.S. is taking shape at an industrial park in New Jersey, just minutes from New York City. Power Edison, a New Jersey-based developer and provider of utility-scale mobile energy storage solutions, has partnered with Hugo Neu Realty Management and others to deploy […]The post Major EV Charging Hub Set Near New York City appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A new solar power project in Texas has entered commercial operation, with military veterans a major part of the facility’s construction workforce. The 163-MW Elm Branch solar farm, operating in part under a power contract between L3Harris Technologies and Lightsource bp, featured an apprenticeship program led by McCarthy Building Companies, the project’s EPC contractor, and […]The post Veterans Support Construction of New Texas Solar Farm appeared first on POWER Magazine.

We cannot begin to count the number of unsung heroes that have come out of this pandemic. From frontline healthcare workers to grocery store clerks, package carriers, manufacturers, and all the other essential workers who stayed on the job, often at the risk of their own health, to enable our lives to go on with […]The post Trust in Utilities at All-Time High; How Can Companies Capitalize? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Biden administration has a goal to make half of all new vehicles sold by 2030 zero-emission. Washington and California plan to ban sales of new gas-powered cars by 2030 and 2035, respectively. The surge in electric vehicle (EV) sales is not only an issue for automakers. Gas filling stations also face a brutal reality […]The post EV Charging Café Gives Gas Station New Life appeared first on POWER Magazine.

General Electric (GE) has announced plans to split into three separate companies, breaking up into publicly traded groups for its energy, healthcare, and aviation divisions. The company on Nov. 9 said the GE Power, GE Renewable Energy, and GE Digital groups will be combined into one business, with the company pursuing a tax-free spin-off of […]The post GE Splitting Into Three Companies, Will Spin Off Energy Group appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Dominion Energy is revving up its efforts to build the 2.6-GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) commercial project before 2027 to meet state requirements, it said in a detailed filing for the $9.8 billion project submitted to the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) on Nov. 5. CVOW, which will be sited on a federal lease […]The post Dominion Estimates $10B Installation Cost for 2.6-GW Virginia Offshore Wind Farm appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The future of a natural gas-fired power plant planned in northeastern Connecticut is in jeopardy after regional grid operator ISO-New England (ISO-NE) asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for permission to end a capacity contract with the project. Florida-based NTE Energy’s plan to build the 650-MW Killingly Energy Center has been delayed due to […]The post ISO-NE Move Puts New Gas-Fired Plant in Doubt appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Southern Company, the third-largest power utility in the U.S., said it will close more than half its coal-fired power generation fleet over the next few years as the group moves toward a goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Southern on Nov. 5 said the closures include units at the two largest U.S. coal plants, […]The post Southern Will Close More than Half of Coal Fleet appeared first on POWER Magazine.

At least 23 nations, including five notable coal-dependent countries—Indonesia, Vietnam, Poland, South Korea, and Ukraine—made new commitments during the COP26 conference in Scotland on Nov. 4 to phase out unabated coal power. In total, 47 countries supported the “Global Coal to Clean Power Transition Statement” at the international climate talks underway in Glasgow. In the […]The post Indonesia, Vietnam, Poland, S. Korea, Ukraine Commit to Phasing Out Coal Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Experts claim power grid infrastructure needs to be upgraded to accommodate the vast amount of renewable energy expected to be added to the system in coming decades. That could require billions of dollars in investments, millions of hours of planning and permitting work, and years of construction in the field. Another option that could help […]The post How to Get Up to 40% More Capacity from Existing Power Grid Transmission Lines appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Solar power has emerged as one of the most promising solutions to the world’s energy problems, enabling countries to find the proper balance between energy security, economic progress, and environmental sustainability. Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, which began as an experimental method of energy production by Bell Labs in 1954, is now poised to change the […]The post Status of Solar Power Adoption in India from an EPC’s Perspective appeared first on POWER Magazine.

We have all experienced power outages; accidents, alas, do happen. The length of time it takes to restore the power supply always comes to the fore, because in addition to the millions of dollars in potential losses for the industry, a prolonged outage can have social consequences, especially if homes, schools, hospitals, and other vital […]The post Quick-Mounted Lightweight Tower for Emergency Work on Power Lines appeared first on POWER Magazine.

India, a nation heavily reliant on coal power, will set out to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2070, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged in a surprise declaration at the ongoing COP 26 climate summit on Nov. 1. While India’s central government has yet to issue a detailed plan to achieve the necessary carbon […]The post India Sets Net-Zero Goal for 2070, Calls for $1T in Firm Climate Finance Commitments appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Alliant Energy has announced its plan for a solar energy and storage facility at the site of the former Duane Arnold nuclear power plant near Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The project when complete would position Alliant as the largest combined solar and storage operator in the state, and is part of Alliant’s plan to expand its […]The post Large Solar, Storage Project Planned at Former Nuclear Power Site appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Already remarkable for being the world’s second Westinghouse AP1000 reactor to be brought online, Shandong Nuclear Power Co.’s Haiyang nuclear power plant is pioneering two significant aspects of nuclearThe post How an AP1000 Plant Is Changing the Nuclear Power Paradigm Through District Heating, Desalination appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Creating a nuclear power program in a country that is new to the industry requires a lot of work, but it helps to have some experienced support. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) found good partners and put inThe post A Newcomer to Nuclear Power, UAE Has Showcase Facility in Barakah appeared first on POWER Magazine.

China has its sights set on being the world leader when it comes to nuclear power technology. The country has brought its first Hualong One—a third-generation pressurized water reactor—online at the FuqingThe post Nuclear Power Foundation of China’s Future Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Digitalization, driven by big data, the industrial internet of things (IIOT), and even artificial intelligence (AI), has made its mark on the power industry, allowing for greater transparency into operationsThe post A New Frontier: Quantum Computing in the Power Sector appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The use of hydrogen continues to grow as a means of power generation, with companies introducing new technologies at a rapid pace across the globe. Ways2H is among the groups developing new methods of hydrogenThe post New Hydrogen Production Technology? It’s Bananas appeared first on POWER Magazine.

I have long been a supporter of nuclear power. I’ll admit I’m biased, having spent 13 years in the U.S. Navy’s nuclear power program and having worked for several more years in the commercial nuclearThe post Can Nuclear Power Stay Relevant in a World Filled with Renewables? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Groups involved in the energy market in Ontario, Canada, have joined in a pilot project to simulate a local distribution energy trading market platform, designed to demonstrate improved customer participationThe post Canada Project Highlights Value of DERs appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The power sector has been evolving for years and technology has been instrumental in the change. Today, asset performance management and predictive maintenance tools can help power companies avoid outagesThe post Ensuring Power Grid Health Through Better Asset Management appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Following the European Green Deal, the European Union has set the objective to become climate-neutral by 2050, much like the U.S. and many other countries that joined the Paris Agreement. To meet this goal, greenhouse gas emissions cannot exceed capture and storage, meaning that fossil fuels will unavoidably need to be phased out. In power […]The post Ready for the Energy Transition: Hydrogen Considerations for Combined Cycle Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The decarbonization of our global economies is a must to arrest climate change and create a sustainable future for everyone. Yet, the transition off fossil fuels to a more sustainable economic foundation will be rocky. Recent events underscore both the need and the challenge. This year, Europe experienced its warmest summer in history, with almost twice as […]The post Cooperation Needed to Drive Energy Transition appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In another effort to streamline its business, Siemens Energy has moved to relinquish a 35% stake in Voith Hydro, a hydropower-focused joint venture it had long held with German technology company Voith Group. Munich-headquartered Siemens Energy and Heidenheim-headquartered Voith Group announced in separate releases on Oct. 22 that they had reached a mutual agreement to […]The post Siemens Energy Pulls Out of Global Hydropower Joint Venture appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Nuclear power contributes greatly to achieving each of the 17 United Nations (U.N.) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a 24-page report produced through a collaborative effort by a handful of organizations with ties to the nuclear power industry says. Among the issues addressed in the document are how the nuclear industry helps in eliminating hunger, improving […]The post Groups Say Nuclear Power Is Helping Achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals appeared first on POWER Magazine.

American Electric Power (AEP) is shedding its Kentucky-based assets—including its longstanding regulated utility Kentucky Power and transmission business AEP Kentucky Transco—to better position itself to invest in projects that will support a resilient, cleaner energy system. The Columbus, Ohio, headquartered company on Oct. 26 announced it has entered into an agreement for the sale of […]The post AEP Will Shed Kentucky Operations in $2.9B Sale appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In January 2021, a hacker accessed the digital infrastructure controlling the water supply for Oldsmar, a Florida city of 15,000 people. The bad actor attempted to manipulate the city’s water supply, exploiting a vulnerability in the company’s IT-grade remote access software to alter levels of sodium hydroxide in the water supply, raising its concentration to […]The post Implement Cost-Effective, Zero-Trust Remote Operations to Mitigate Cyber Risks and Maintain Operational Resilience appeared first on POWER Magazine.

New York officials have denied permits for NRG Energy’s proposed natural gas-fired power plant upgrade project in Astoria, a decision made after an environmental agency said the plan was “inconsistent” with a state measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on Oct. 27 said the proposed new power plant […]The post New York Officials Deny Permits for Proposed NRG Gas-Fired Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Insiders have long been talking about the energy transition taking place within the power industry. Most of the chatter has revolved around renewable energy, specifically wind and solar power, and the shift from coal- to gas-fired generation in the U.S. However, one expert from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) told POWER that carbon capture […]The post Carbon Capture and Hydrogen: The ‘Most Exciting’ Things in Energy Sector’s Future appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Construction of the 10-MWe Supercritical Transformational Electric Power (STEP) pilot plant, a public-private collaboration to demonstrate and test supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) power generating technology, is making marked progress toward a mid-2022 startup date. Attendees from Experience POWER, HydrogeNext, and the Distributed Energy Conference, three of POWER’s annual in-person events, which took place last week in […]The post The POWER Interview: Pioneering STEP Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Demonstration Readying for 2022 Commissioning appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Georgia Power has again pushed back the in-service dates for two new reactors at the Vogtle nuclear power plant, with Units 3 and 4 now projected to come online in the third quarter of 2022 and the second quarter of 2023, respectively. Georgia Power in an Oct. 21 news release said its needs more time […]The post Vogtle Start Dates Pushed Back Again appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The grid must accommodate more inverter-based generation and adequately handle the bi-directional flow of electricity, but it must also apply alternative grid configurations and coordinate planning and operations across multiple participants and jurisdictions. That’s the vision Michael Pesin, deputy assistant secretary for the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Advanced Grid Research and Development division, outlined in […]The post DOE Envisions Future Grid’s Transformation into a ‘Network’ appeared first on POWER Magazine.