POWER Magazine

The post EPA Proposes Revisions to Two Obama-Era Rules: Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Coal Ash appeared first on POWER Magazine.The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued long-awaited proposed revisions of two 2015 Obama-era rules that apply to effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) for steam electric power plants and coal combustion residuals (CCR) management by electric utilities. The agency coordinated the release of the two related revisions, which apply overwhelmingly to coal-fired steam power plants, after […]The post EPA Proposes Revisions to Two Obama-Era Rules: Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Coal Ash appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Alliant Announces Plan for 1 GW of Solar in Wisconsin appeared first on POWER Magazine.Wisconsin-based Alliant Energy has announced a plan to add 1 GW of solar power generation to its portfolio by 2023. The company on Oct. 31 in its “Powering What’s Next Plan” said it would begin construction of its first “Community Solar” site in Fond du Lac County next year. David de Leon, president of Alliant […]The post Alliant Announces Plan for 1 GW of Solar in Wisconsin appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The POWER Interview: Eaton Targets Skilled Labor Shortage With Hands-on Training appeared first on POWER Magazine.POWER in 2018 reported on the lasting impact that a dip in training programs has had on the utility workforce. In the 1980s, there were fewer training programs and the impact is still being felt today. There are fewer utility workers able to move into middle- and upper-management positions, contributing to a workforce gap as […]The post The POWER Interview: Eaton Targets Skilled Labor Shortage With Hands-on Training appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Dominion Plans 500-MW Gas Plant, Also Adding Solar and Wind appeared first on POWER Magazine.Dominion Energy announced plans for a new 500-MW natural gas-fired power plant and also has taken over a solar farm project in Pittsylvania County in Virginia, with the company saying it would invest about $330 million in the two projects. The Nov. 1 announcement came one day after Dominion said it would it would add […]The post Dominion Plans 500-MW Gas Plant, Also Adding Solar and Wind appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post GE Shelves Plans to Spin-Off Digital Business appeared first on POWER Magazine.GE will retain its lucrative digital business—not spin it off, as had been planned—but it will sharpen the division’s focus on four key markets, including electric utilities and power generation, GE Digital CEO Pat Byrne told customers in an Oct. 31 letter. “I want to affirm that GE Digital is staying in GE,” Byrne wrote. […]The post GE Shelves Plans to Spin-Off Digital Business appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Drone Intrusions appeared first on POWER Magazine.Drones represent a classic good news/bad news scenario. The good news is great. The bad news is terrifying. On the good news front, drones can keep utility-sector workers safely on the ground, with theThe post Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Drone Intrusions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EAM Solutions Stretch Capabilities of Lean Plant Maintenance Teams appeared first on POWER Magazine.Of the many challenges power and industrial plant maintenance teams face, stretching the capabilities of their ultra-lean staff is one of the most critical. Assets can range from industrial generators, toThe post EAM Solutions Stretch Capabilities of Lean Plant Maintenance Teams appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Hydrocarbon Molecules Know No Borders: The U.S.-Mexico Natural Gas Dilemma appeared first on POWER Magazine.Natural gas traders once spoke of the North American continent as a potential seamless natural gas trading market, where market synergies could be perfected and hydrocarbon molecules could flow freely to theThe post Hydrocarbon Molecules Know No Borders: The U.S.-Mexico Natural Gas Dilemma appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Evolution of Nuclear Power Continues with Operation of First EPR appeared first on POWER Magazine.Unit 1 at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in China is the site of a milestone for nuclear technology. It also illustrates cooperation between France and China, using the lessons learned from earlier projectsThe post Evolution of Nuclear Power Continues with Operation of First EPR appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Solar Projects Show Rapid Growth in Middle East appeared first on POWER Magazine.Solar power continues to make inroads in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and other parts of the Persian Gulf region. The Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA) in late September said itThe post Solar Projects Show Rapid Growth in Middle East appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Poland Pushing Back Against EU Goal to End Coal-Fired Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.Polish officials have said it is “not possible” for the country to meet the European Union’s (EU’s) goal of cutting net carbon emissions to zero by 2050, and as such the government will continue toThe post Poland Pushing Back Against EU Goal to End Coal-Fired Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Public vs. Private: The Debate Continues appeared first on POWER Magazine.In the September issue of POWER , I wrote about a public utility (JEA) that is exploring privatization, and in October, I looked at a city (Boulder, Colorado) that is exploring municipalization. While I thinkThe post Public vs. Private: The Debate Continues appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Extended Power Uprate Is a Winning Strategy for Nuclear Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.The Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant completed an extended power uprate (EPU) that increased the total capacity of the facility’s three units by about 465 MW. The addition is an important part of the TennesseeThe post Extended Power Uprate Is a Winning Strategy for Nuclear Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Ritter’s Message: Market Forces Drive Growth in Distributed Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.Market forces are playing as much if not more of a role than regulatory policy in the transition from fossil-fueled power generation to renewables, as utilities in the U.S. and worldwide establish decarbonization goals. That was the message from Bill Ritter Jr., former governor of Colorado, during his keynote address at POWER’s Distributed Energy Conference […]The post Ritter’s Message: Market Forces Drive Growth in Distributed Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post States to FERC: Promote Market Designs That Recognize State Priorities appeared first on POWER Magazine.Attorneys general from 11 states ramped up pressure on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to recognize state policy goals as it makes decisions related to market design, siting of new gas pipelines and storage facilities, and grid reliability. The measure is the latest in a string of recent pushes by states to ensure federally […]The post States to FERC: Promote Market Designs That Recognize State Priorities appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post First Floating Offshore Wind Farm to Power Oil and Gas Platforms Kicks Off appeared first on POWER Magazine.Siemens Gamesa has bagged a lucrative contract to supply 11 8-MW offshore wind turbines to Equinor’s 88-MW Hywind Tampen floating wind farm, a first-of-its-kind project that will power oil and gas platforms 140 kilometers offshore Norway. Equinor—as Statoil, Norway’s state-owned oil company, is now named—announced a final investment decision to build Hywind Tampen on Oct. […]The post First Floating Offshore Wind Farm to Power Oil and Gas Platforms Kicks Off appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Russia Completes First-Phase Testing of Nuclear Accident-Tolerant Fuel appeared first on POWER Magazine.Russia has completed the first phase of nuclear accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) reactor testing at a government research facility. The achievement paves the way for ATF testing at a Russian commercial nuclear plant, which could begin in 2020. TVEL Fuel Co. of Rosatom, a company that provides nuclear fuel to 72 reactors in 14 countries, including […]The post Russia Completes First-Phase Testing of Nuclear Accident-Tolerant Fuel appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Malware Discovered at Nuclear Plant in India appeared first on POWER Magazine.Malware detected at the Kundankulam nuclear power plant in India’s state of Tamil Nadu has not affected plant systems, an investigation by Nuclear Power Corp. of India (NPCIL), the nation’s nuclear plant operator, confirms. The entity said in a press release on Oct. 30 that it discovered the malware on Sept. 4 on the personal […]The post Malware Discovered at Nuclear Plant in India appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Oil and Gas Heavyweights Seek Lifeline in Clean Energy and Tech Sectors appeared first on POWER Magazine.Oilfield service providers are increasingly moving beyond oil and gas development work, and into renewable energy projects, according to a study conducted by Rystad Energy, an independent research and business intelligence company that provides data, tools, analytics, and consultancy services to the global energy industry. In findings released on Oct. 29, Rystad said that oil […]The post Oil and Gas Heavyweights Seek Lifeline in Clean Energy and Tech Sectors appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Using Extreme Visibility to Protect Industrial Control Systems [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.What does it mean to have “extreme visibility” in an operational technology (OT) environment? According to Claroty, a New York-based company that offers cybersecurity products for industrial control systems, it’s having the ability to see all assets on a network, knowing what they are, and understanding what functions they perform. The company says the more […]The post Using Extreme Visibility to Protect Industrial Control Systems [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Top 5 Energy Storage Trends of the Year appeared first on POWER Magazine.Energy storage has been the hot topic in solar and e-mobility over the last couple years, and it’s only getting hotter. Last year, energy storage installations in the U.S. totaled 311 MW and 777 MWh, up from next to nothing six years prior, and this is just the beginning. Wood Mackenzie and Energy Storage Association […]The post Top 5 Energy Storage Trends of the Year appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Restructuring Report: Eskom ‘Fundamentally Insolvent, Permanently Impaired’ appeared first on POWER Magazine.Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned utility that produces nearly 90% of the African powerhouse’s electricity, is saddled with liabilities, unavoidable expenses, and stranded costs that exceed $113 billion, and for various reasons, it is “fundamentally insolvent, permanently impaired, and will never be a true going concern enterprise under its current legal, operational, and governance structure,” concludes […]The post Restructuring Report: Eskom ‘Fundamentally Insolvent, Permanently Impaired’ appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Report: Nearly 80% of EU Coal Units Operate at a Loss appeared first on POWER Magazine.A new report from a group that studies the impact of climate change on financial markets recommends that European Union (EU) governments move to phase out coal-fired power generation completely by 2030 in order to avoid even-greater economic damage. Carbon Tracker, a London, UK-based group supported by foundations in Europe and the U.S., on Oct. 24 […]The post Report: Nearly 80% of EU Coal Units Operate at a Loss appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Ansaldo, Equinor Partner to Validate 100% Hydrogen Gas Turbine appeared first on POWER Magazine.Italian turbine maker Ansaldo Energia and carbon capture specialist Equinor are collaborating on the validation of a 100% hydrogen gas turbine combustor. Under an agreement announced on Oct. 24, Equinor (formerly Statoil) will co-fund tests that could show Ansaldo’s GT36 H-class gas turbine combustor can be operated purely with hydrogen. “The purpose of this collaboration […]The post Ansaldo, Equinor Partner to Validate 100% Hydrogen Gas Turbine appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Siemens Opens New Innovation Center in Orlando appeared first on POWER Magazine.Siemens celebrated the official opening of an innovation center in Orlando, Florida. The only one of its kind in the U.S., it pairs design with manufacturing, robotics, rapid prototyping, scanning, and digital tools. Designed to support the customers of Siemens Gas and Power, it is equipped with the latest digital technologies to make repairs faster […]The post Siemens Opens New Innovation Center in Orlando appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post National Labs Collaborate to Promote Technology Commercialization appeared first on POWER Magazine.The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced 12 projects had been selected as part of its Practices to Accelerate the Commercialization of Technologies (PACT) Laboratory Call. The projects will receive about $2.5 million in awards, combined with more than $1 million in cost share “to develop new ways to increase technology commercialization by reducing barriers […]The post National Labs Collaborate to Promote Technology Commercialization appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Dominion Solar, Wind Projects Will Power Virginia Government Buildings appeared first on POWER Magazine.Dominion Energy has entered a partnership with the commonwealth of Virginia in which government-owned buildings and facilities in the state will get power from Dominion’s solar and wind energy projects. The agreement, signed by Dominion and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Oct. 18, is the largest procurement of renewable energy to date by the state […]The post Dominion Solar, Wind Projects Will Power Virginia Government Buildings appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Energy Secretary Perry Tells Trump He is Resigning appeared first on POWER Magazine.Energy Secretary Rick Perry told President Donald Trump on Oct. 17 that he is resigning his post. Trump confirmed to reporters in Texas, where he and Perry flew Thursday, that the energy secretary will step down, and Trump said he would quickly name a replacement. DOE Deputy Secretary Don Brouillette is viewed as Perry’s likely […]The post Energy Secretary Perry Tells Trump He is Resigning appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post FERC Backs First Compliance Filings on Energy Storage Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.The energy storage market received a boost Oct. 17 when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved the first two compliance filings implementing Order 841, a rule the commission said is designed to eliminate market barriers to electricity storage. Order 841 was enacted in February 2018. The measure directs regional power grid operators to establish […]The post FERC Backs First Compliance Filings on Energy Storage Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EV-Based Virtual Power Plants Shift Peak Load and Save Money appeared first on POWER Magazine.A recent study found that electric vehicle (EV) batteries used as a utility virtual power plant (VPP) could shift the entire residential peak load to nighttime hours with only 10% EV market saturation. The research was conducted by Jackson Associates, an Orlando, Florida-based firm that does energy forecasting, data development, and energy-related analysis. The study […]The post EV-Based Virtual Power Plants Shift Peak Load and Save Money appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Financially Flailing Eskom Scrambles to Complete Defect-Ridden Coal Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.South Africa’s state-owned utility Eskom was forced to slash 2,000 MW on a rotational basis nationwide on Oct. 16 and Oct. 17. The newest round of power cuts—the first in nearly seven months—highlight the state-owned utility’s scramble to avert financial disaster stemming in part from the fast-tracked construction of two 4.8-GW coal-fired power plants: Medupi […]The post Financially Flailing Eskom Scrambles to Complete Defect-Ridden Coal Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Moody’s: Carbon Concerns Denting Merchant Coal Refinancing Prospects appeared first on POWER Magazine.Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks are diminishing the number of potential investors in U.S. merchant coal projects, and that is putting more pressure on already squeezed coal plant economics, Moody’s Investors Service said in a new sector report. The U.S. merchant coal plants, which are already grappling with persistently low power prices that […]The post Moody’s: Carbon Concerns Denting Merchant Coal Refinancing Prospects appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Tiny Underwater Robot Has Big Impact at Endesa’s Thermal Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.Spain’s largest electric utility Endesa has successfully tested a new remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that it says will make inspection and maintenance in fully or partially submerged environments at its thermal power plants less costly and more efficient. The underwater robot, which was custom manufactured by Spanish startup NIDO Robotics for Endesa’s applications, is about […]The post Tiny Underwater Robot Has Big Impact at Endesa’s Thermal Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Small Modular Reactors Have High-Level Support appeared first on POWER Magazine.U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Rick Perry is headed to Brussels, Belgium, to promote small modular reactor (SMR) concepts to European Union (EU) prospects. Perry will be a featured speaker during the “1st U.S.-EU High-Level Industrial Forum on Small Modular Reactors,” which will be held Oct. 21. “The U.S. and the EU share a […]The post Small Modular Reactors Have High-Level Support appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Buffett Still Banking on Energy—BHE Announces Canadian Wind Farm appeared first on POWER Magazine.The evolving landscape of power includes not only new types of generation, but also involves new investors, including some of the most well-known names in global business. Bill Gates, who co-founded Microsoft with the late Paul Allen, formed Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) in 2016, a group that supports battery energy storage, nuclear power innovation, geothermal, […]The post Buffett Still Banking on Energy—BHE Announces Canadian Wind Farm appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Exelon Utilities’ CEO Retires as Federal Investigation Continues appeared first on POWER Magazine.The CEO of major U.S. energy company Exelon Utilities retired on Oct. 15, leaving the company as federal officials investigate Exelon’s lobbying activities at the Illinois State Capitol. The retirement of Anne Pramaggiore, 61, who became CEO of Exelon Utilities in 2018, comes less than a week after Exelon subsidiary Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), Illinois’ largest […]The post Exelon Utilities’ CEO Retires as Federal Investigation Continues appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Uptake of GE’s Biggest Wind Turbines Gain Traction appeared first on POWER Magazine.GE Renewable Energy has made major gains in orders for its 5.3-MW Cypress onshore wind turbine and the 12-MW Haliade-X offshore wind turbine. Prototypes of both are still being tested in the Netherlands. Key Contracts for Innovative 5-MW Onshore Machine The GE business division introduced the first turbine in the Cypress platform, a 4.8-MW machine, […]The post Uptake of GE’s Biggest Wind Turbines Gain Traction appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Judge: Court Will Consider Rival Proposal for PG&E Reorganization appeared first on POWER Magazine.A federal bankruptcy judge on Oct. 9 ruled that Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), California’s largest utility, does not have the sole right to determine the terms of its reorganization. Judge Dennis Montali said those who support a rival proposal, which was devised by a group of the utility’s creditors, can have their plan considered. […]The post Judge: Court Will Consider Rival Proposal for PG&E Reorganization appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Facility to Make Coal Cleaner, More Efficient, Taking Shape in Wyoming appeared first on POWER Magazine.Clean Coal Technologies Inc. (CCTI) has begun reassembling a test facility designed to produce a cleaner-burning and more-efficient coal. The coal beneficiation and byproducts extraction plant, first built in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for an initial test of the technology, and then moved to Gillette, Wyoming, is expected to be completely rebuilt in the next few months, […]The post Facility to Make Coal Cleaner, More Efficient, Taking Shape in Wyoming appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Four Projects Picked to Speed Up Pumped Storage Hydro Construction appeared first on POWER Magazine.Four projects have won a competition launched by the Department of Energy (DOE) in April 2019 to help shorten the commissioning time for pumped storage hydropower projects and revitalize the hydropower industry. The grand prize winners or the Furthering Advancements to Shorten Time (FAST) Prize competition were selected by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) […]The post Four Projects Picked to Speed Up Pumped Storage Hydro Construction appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Can Corporate America Ensure a Clean Energy Future? appeared first on POWER Magazine.Renewable energy off-take by large corporate entities is on the rise. Google in September of this year made its largest-ever renewable energy procurement announcement, announcing 18 new renewable energy agreements, totaling 1,600 MW. That puts Google at the top of the voluntary renewable energy purchasers list, after Facebook had grabbed the top spot a year […]The post Can Corporate America Ensure a Clean Energy Future? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Distress and Deals Continue to Persist in Energy Sector appeared first on POWER Magazine.At the end of last year, the power market began to lose steam. The credit market wasn’t as strong as it was at the start of the year and many people began speculating “doom and gloom” for the market. However, over the last few months, the power market has picked up and is beginning to […]The post Distress and Deals Continue to Persist in Energy Sector appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Researchers: $71 Billion of Japan’s Coal Assets at Risk appeared first on POWER Magazine.Research from the University of Tokyo, along with that of two other groups, shows Japan’s coal-fired power plant fleet is at economic risk as the country adds more generation from renewable energy resources such as solar and wind. The report, called “Land of the Rising Sun and Offshore Wind,” released Oct. 6 and based on […]The post Researchers: $71 Billion of Japan’s Coal Assets at Risk appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Protecting DEF from Extreme Cold Is Important appeared first on POWER Magazine.According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the winter of 2019–2020 will be filled with bitterly cold weather in the eastern parts of the Rockies and east to the Appalachians. The Northeast should also experience very cold temperatures. For municipalities, public utilities, landscapers, and others that are involved in outdoor work and snow removal, there is always […]The post Protecting DEF from Extreme Cold Is Important appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Last Major Module Received at Vogtle Nuclear Site appeared first on POWER Magazine.The final major module needed to construct Vogtle Units 3 and 4—the only new commercial nuclear power units currently under construction in the U.S.—has arrived at the site near Waynesboro, Georgia. That means all 1,485 major modules have been manufactured and safely delivered to the project. Georgia Power announced the milestone in a press release […]The post Last Major Module Received at Vogtle Nuclear Site appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Reports: Perry Will Resign as Head of DOE appeared first on POWER Magazine.Reports from several news outlets say that Energy Secretary Rick Perry could step down from that role as soon as November. The Washington Post on Oct. 4 said Perry plans to step down by year-end and return to the private sector. The Post cited four unnamed individuals who it said had been briefed on Perry’s […]The post Reports: Perry Will Resign as Head of DOE appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Small Modular Reactors Gain Momentum in Europe appeared first on POWER Magazine.GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) and NuScale Power, two leading companies in the race to build small modular reactors (SMRs) for power generation, have recently announced deals that could result to new plants being constructed in Europe. Feasibility Studies in Estonia GEH on Oct. 3 said it had signed an agreement with Fermi Energia OÜ, […]The post Small Modular Reactors Gain Momentum in Europe appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post NETL: Coal Chemical Looping Combustion Closer to Commercialization appeared first on POWER Magazine.Chemical looping combustion (CLC), an advanced coal power technology that could markedly simplify carbon capture at power plants, has moved significantly closer to commercialization, owing to a breakthrough in oxygen carrier durability, the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) said. The national laboratory, which is part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), revealed on […]The post NETL: Coal Chemical Looping Combustion Closer to Commercialization appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EIA: Renewables Will Account for Half of Global Power Generation by 2050 appeared first on POWER Magazine.Solar power is expected to take a larger share of global power generation across the next 30 years, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), as renewable energy continues to be adopted worldwide. The EIA’s International Energy Outlook 2019 (IEO2019), released Oct. 2, shows 28% of the world’s power came from renewables in 2018, […]The post EIA: Renewables Will Account for Half of Global Power Generation by 2050 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post GE Unveils New H-Class Gas Turbine—and Already Has a First Order appeared first on POWER Magazine.GE on Oct. 1 unveiled the 7HA.03, the newest model in its 2014-launched high efficiency air-cooled (HA) gas turbine line. On Oct. 2, it also announced that Florida Power and Light’s (FPL’s) Dania Beach Clean Energy Center will be the first to showcase two of the “world’s largest, most efficient, and flexible gas turbines” for the 60-Hz […]The post GE Unveils New H-Class Gas Turbine—and Already Has a First Order appeared first on POWER Magazine.