POWER Magazine

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) on Jan. 23 said a federal judge’s proposal that the utility mitigate fire danger in its service territory by trimming trees, along with inspecting and repairing thousands of miles of power lines, could cost the company as much as $150 billion this year. William Alsup, a judge in the U.S. […]The post PG&E: Judge’s Proposal Could Cost Utility $150 Billion appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Hydro One, Ontario’s largest transmission and distribution provider, and Spokane, Washington–based U.S. utility Avista Corp., have dropped their merger, citing separate denials of the $5.3 billion deal by regulators in Washington and Idaho. The companies said on Jan. 23 they “mutually agreed” to terminate a merger agreement they announced in July 2017. As required by […]The post After 18 Months of Dramatic Turns, Hydro One-Avista Merger Deal Officially Dead appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Izzet Bensusan, managing partner and founder of Captona, a North American-focused investment company that specializes in power generation and energy infrastructure, was a guest on The POWER Podcast. He is very bullish on the renewable energy industry for a variety of reasons. For instance, Bensusan said renewable energy is growing at more than 20% around […]The post Insider Bullish on Renewable Energy Industry [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

French labor unions on Jan. 22 said U.S.-based General Electric (GE) will cut 468 jobs at its units in France, including some staff at Alstom Power Systems (APS). GE confirmed to Agence France Press (AFP), a French news service, that talks with its unions on staff reductions are underway. The unions said 229 jobs would […]The post GE Cutting Another 468 Jobs appeared first on POWER Magazine.

China continues to finance new coal plants in more than two dozen countries, even as the country has taken the lead in global renewable energy investment, according to a report from a U.S. group of energy analysts. The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) in its report said China is backing more than […]The post China Leads Investment in Coal Projects—and Also Renewables appeared first on POWER Magazine.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is continuing his push for renewable energy in the state, as the governor on Jan. 15 announced an initiative for New York to achieve 100% carbon-free power generation by 2040. Cuomo’s “Green New Deal,” part of his 2019 Justice Agenda and as part of the state budget, calls for […]The post New York Latest State to Set 100% Carbon-Free Goal, with Increased Renewables appeared first on POWER Magazine.

GE on Jan. 16 announced testing details of its giant 12-MW Haliade-X offshore wind turbine prototype. On the same day, Siemens Gamesa launched its first 10-MW offshore wind turbine model. The developments point to intensifying competition within the surging offshore wind turbine market. GE’s 12-MW Offshore Wind Turbine Blusters Toward Commercialization GE Renewable Energy’s Haliade-X 12 […]The post GE, Siemens Separately Announce Developments for Mammoth Offshore Wind Turbines appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Lackawanna Energy Center in Pennsylvania entered commercial operation Jan. 15, with the $1.5 billion project heralded by its developer, Invenergy, as among the most “technically sophisticated” combined cycle natural gas-fired plants in operation. The 1,485-MW facility, in the borough of Jessup in Lackawanna County, was completed ahead of schedule and features three General Electric […]The post ‘Technically Sophisticated’ Combined Cycle Plant Comes Online appeared first on POWER Magazine.

California utility PG&E Corp. on Jan. 14 gave its workers the state-required 15-day advance notice of its intent to file a Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company on Monday said its electric and natural gas service to customers should not be impacted during its reorganization, which comes as PG&E faces billions of dollars in liabilities related […]The post PG&E Says It Will File Chapter 11 Bankruptcy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Reports on Jan. 13 said giant California utility PG&E Corp. could notify its workers as soon as Jan. 14 that it’s preparing to file for bankruptcy. Bloomberg on Sunday said the San Francisco-based utility, which faces billions of dollars in liabilities as investigations into its role in a series of deadly wildfires continues, will notify […]The post Reports: PG&E Prepared to File Bankruptcy in Wake of Wildfires appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Hitachi may cancel its plans for a $20.5 billion nuclear power project in Wales, according to several media reports from the UK and Japan. The Japanese company is expected to determine the fate of the project at a board meeting this week. The Guardian newspaper was among those that in recent days reported an impasse in […]The post Hitachi May Scuttle UK Nuclear Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Colorado-based Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, a group cited in an analysts’ report last year for its high wholesale power costs and its reliance on coal-fired units, on Jan. 11 announced a 100-MW project that will more than double its solar power portfolio as it continues to add to its renewable power resources. Tri-State in […]The post Colorado Co-op Amps Up Solar Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Two large solar power projects—located more than 4,600 miles apart—recently came online in the U.S., providing service in Florida and Hawaii. Duke Energy on Jan. 8 announced its 74.9-MW Hamilton Solar Power Plant was online. The installation in Jasper, Fla., is part of the company’s plan to build or acquire at least 700 MW of […]The post Large Solar Projects Come Online in Hawaii, Florida appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Diablo Canyon Decommissioning Engagement Panel (DCDEP) on Jan. 8 released its recommendations for the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant and surrounding lands after the plant ceases operations in 2025. The panel—created to foster open and transparent dialogue between members of the local community and the plant’s owner Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E)—suggested a […]The post Fate of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Site In Play appeared first on POWER Magazine.

To propel interest and bolster development of advanced nuclear reactor designs, the Department of Energy (DOE) will demonstrate—by October 2020—the production of high assay low enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel in a first-of-its-kind $115 million project at the agency’s uranium enrichment facility in Piketon, Ohio. HALEU is nuclear fuel that is enriched to a higher degree […]The post Facing Urgency, DOE Moves to Demonstrate HALEU Fuel Production Capability for Advanced Nuclear Reactors appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Operators of the Columbia Generating Station have set a new generation record at the nuclear plant 12 miles north of Richland, Wash., sending more than 9.7 million MWh to the Pacific Northwest power grid during 2018. The single 1,207-MW single GE-built Mark-2 boiling water reactor that is owned and operated by Energy Northwest—which comprises 26 […]The post Columbia Nuclear Plant Sets Another Generation Record, Credits Good Performance appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In a letter addressed to Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) CEO Bill Johnson, Kentucky Gov. Matthew G. Bevin said it “would be a huge mistake” to permanently shut down Paradise Unit 3—the last operating coal unit at the Paradise site in Muhlenburg County, Kentucky. According to the governor, “the impact on our economy and our region’s […]The post Governor to TVA: Keep Paradise Coal Unit Open appeared first on POWER Magazine.

While the Republican-led U.S. House and Senate in the 115th Congress was mainly focused on reviewing, for modification or repeal, several environmental rules issued under the Clean Air Act (CAA), the new Democrat majority in the House could focus on a slew of different measures, a new report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) suggests. […]The post Clean Air Act Issues Congress Could Grapple With in New Session appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A new study from an economic research group shows that U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) rose about 3.4% last year, including a 1.9% rise in emissions from power generation. The New York-based Rhodium Group, which released its findings on Jan. 8, said its study used data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and […]The post Report: CO2 Emissions from Power Sector Rising appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Kevin McIntyre, who briefly served as chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), died Jan. 2 at age 58. He had been diagnosed with brain cancer in 2017 and had surgery to remove a tumor. President Trump nominated McIntyre, a Republican, in August 2017 to serve as FERC chairman. He was confirmed by the […]The post Former FERC Commissioner McIntyre Dead at 58 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Renewable energy sources increased their share of the UK’s electricity supply in 2018, with new wind farms and biomass plants helping renewables contribute a record 33% of the country’s power in the past year. Coal-fired units, meanwhile, saw a 25% drop in their output, with coal providing about 5% of the country’s total generation. The […]The post Growth in Renewables Continues Despite Drop in UK Power Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) wants to use two of 12 modules at the NuScale small modular reactor (SMR) plant that Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems intends to build at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). One module will be used strictly for research, development, and demonstration activities under the newly launched Joint Use Modular […]The post DOE Designates Part of UAMPS SMR Plant for Research, Self-Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the nation’s 99 operating nuclear reactors operated at an average capacity factor of 88% in 2017—the same as in 2016—despite market forces that have rendered several units uneconomical. Figures for 2018 are expected in 2019 and may look different. Oyster Creek Nuclear Station, for example, was permanently closed […]The post How Efficiently Have U.S. Nuclear Reactors Operated Over the Past Five Years? [INFOGRAPHICS] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post THE BIG PICTURE: Power Around the World appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) deemed growth and disruptions of the world’s power sector so significant to the future of energy, it dedicated—for the first time—a four-chapter “special focus”The post 10 Takeaways from the IEA’s Newest World Energy Outlook appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Cheap natural gas and social pressure to reduce carbon emissions give gas-fired power plants and renewable energy resources a competitive advantage over traditional coal and nuclear generation. Energy storageThe post Natural Gas and Renewable Energy to Continue Leading the Market appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A distribution center in Finland is installing what is being called the country’s largest industrial microgrid, a system that will use 100% renewable energy. The system is being built by Schneider ElectricThe post Innovative Microgrid Will Power Finnish Distribution Center appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Control rooms are vital for organizations to efficiently and effectively monitor multiple information streams and make accurate mission-critical decisions. With an ever-increasing number of content sources andThe post Control Room Considerations: What You Need to Know appeared first on POWER Magazine.

EDF Inks Agreement for O&M Services at UAE Nuclear Plant. French nuclear power plant operator EDF will operate and maintain the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under aThe post POWER Digest [January 2019] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

What began in the world of finance has moved into the power sector. Blockchain, a nascent technology most often associated with cryptocurrency, is a new frontier in the energy space, changing the way power isThe post Blockchain Technology Will Transform the Power Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.

From both a regulatory and development perspective, 2018 was a significant year for the expansion of energy storage resources (ESRs). From a significant ruling of the Federal Energy Regulatory CommissionThe post Energy Storage Resources: A Year in Review appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Digital technology is everywhere today including in most power plants. Computer hardware and software are changing the way plants are operated and maintained. Many technology experts will tell you thatThe post How Digital Technology Is Changing Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Because compliance costs to coal- and oil-fired power plants for the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) far exceed quantifiable benefits to regulating hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions, the Trump administration has proposed it is not “appropriate and necessary” to regulate HAP emissions from power plants under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA), […]The post EPA: Mercury Rules for Coal, Oil Power Units Not ‘Appropriate and Necessary’ appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Despite higher taxable income and pressure on balance sheets, capital spending by regulated utilities will remain elevated—and much of it will be dedicated to replacing aging infrastructure, hardening or efficiency-boosting measures, and on renewables and environmental projects, said Moody’s Investors Service in a recent sectoral briefing. The credit ratings agency for the first time this […]The post Despite Financial Hurdles, Utility Capital Spending to Remain Elevated appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Tenaska Westmoreland Generating Station began commercial operation on Dec. 21, the latest natural gas-fired facility to enter the PJM market. The 940-MW Tenaska plant, located near Smithton in South Huntingdon Township in Westmoreland County in southwest Pennsylvania, was built in just more than two years, though its planning and permitting process took several years […]The post Tenaska Gas-Fired Plant Comes Online in Pennsylvania appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A bipartisan bill to modernize regulation of the nation’s nuclear power fleet passed in the U.S. Senate on Dec. 20 and the House on Dec. 21 without much opposition. It now heads to President Trump. S.512, better known as the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (NEIMA), seeks to provide a program to develop […]The post Bipartisan Nuclear Modernization Bill Clears Congress appeared first on POWER Magazine.

NV Energy plans to retire a 254-MW coal-fired unit in a power-constrained region of Nevada at the end of 2021, four years ahead of schedule. The company will instead purchase 1,001 MW from new solar photovoltaic projects equipped with 100 MW of long-term battery storage, effectively doubling its total renewable generation from 14% in 2017 […]The post NV Energy Accelerates Retirement of One of Nevada’s Last Coal Units appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Another nuclear power project has been delayed, as the Fennovoima consortium and Russia’s state-run nuclear company Rosatom said the Hanhikivi 1 power plant’s projected start-up date has been pushed to 2028, four years behind the original schedule and eight years later than the proposed start when Finland’s government supported the project in 2010. The announcement […]The post Finnish Nuclear Plant Start-up Delayed Again appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Unit 4 of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in China entered commercial operation this past weekend after completing commissioning. It began supplying power to the country’s national grid on Dec. 22. Tianwan NPP is the largest facility built with a Russian-Chinese framework of economic cooperation, with Units 1 through 4 based on the VVER-1000 reactor […]The post Tianwan Unit 4 Latest Chinese Reactor to Come Online appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The accelerated retirement of coal-fired and nuclear generation by 2022 could adversely affect reliability in four regions, including in the East and over parts of the central U.S., the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) warned as it released findings from a “stress-test” scenario. But the entity tasked with ensuring reliability and security of the […]The post NERC: Accelerated Coal and Nuclear Retirements Pose Limited Reliability Risks appeared first on POWER Magazine.

There’s never a dull moment in the power industry, and like most years, 2018 was filled with many interesting developments. As it has been for more than 135 years, POWER was there to break the news. The following 10 articles were the most-read online stories of the year. #10: New York Denies Air Permit for […]The post POWER’s Top 10 Most-Read Stories from 2018 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Conferences and exhibitions are a valuable way for power professionals to share ideas and network, gain up-to-date training, further education, understand regulatory or policy changes, and access the latest products and technologies. POWER‘s editors compiled this helpful list of events in 2019 that cater to the power industry. FEBRUARY ARC Industry Forum February 4-7 Orlando, […]The post Key Power Industry Conferences and Trade Shows to Think About in 2019 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Dominion Energy’s bid to purchase SCANA Corp. and its South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G) utility, approved by South Carolina regulators on Dec. 14, could bring some stability to SCANA. Shareholders hope that’s the case; they’re excited about swapping their devalued SCANA shares for more valuable Dominion stock. Workers, though, remain uncertain about their futures, […]The post Regulators Back Dominion Takeover of SCANA appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Hitachi Ltd. and ABB on December 17 announced that Hitachi will acquire 80.1% of ABB’s Power Grids unit in an $11 billion deal. Reports of the possible acquisition surfaced December 16, with several media outlets including POWER discussing the agreement, citing sources familiar with the deal who asked not to be identified. Hitachi plans to […]The post Hitachi Acquires ABB Power Grids Business in $11 Billion Deal appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Unit 1 of the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant completed its final regulatory test of continuous operation and full power for 168 hours on Dec. 13, marking the final milestone toward achievement of commercial operation, China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) and EDF announced at a joint press conference held in Beijing, China, on Dec. 14. […]The post World’s First EPR Nuclear Unit Begins Commercial Operation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Hitachi Ltd. and ABB could announce an $11 billion deal as soon as December 17 in which Hitachi will acquire 80% of ABB’s power grids unit. Reports of the possible deal surfaced December 16, with Bloomberg and others citing sources familiar with the agreement who asked not to be identified. Neither ABB nor Hitachi commented […]The post ABB Nears Sale of Power Grids Division to Hitachi in $11 Billion Deal appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has significantly relaxed requirements needed to build new coal-fired power units in the U.S. The revisions proposed on December 6 for performance standards governing carbon dioxide emissions from new, reconstructed, and modified coal power units respond to the Trump Administration’s Executive Order on Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth, which […]The post Trump EPA Scraps CCS as BSER for New Coal Units appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In a move widely applauded by the power industry, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of the Army proposed a new definition of “waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) that could exempt groundwater and ditches from regulation under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The measures follow other recent significant regulatory actions by the agency. On […]The post Amid Broad Legal Challenges, EPA Proposes Narrower Definition of WOTUS appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Siemens on December 11 said it would lay off about 200 workers at a gas turbines parts and components service center in Houston, Texas, sometime in late 2019 or early 2020. A company spokesperson made the announcement Tuesday, saying the cuts are due to weak global demand for the company’s turbines. Siemens in a statement […]The post Siemens Cutting 200 Jobs at Texas Service Center appeared first on POWER Magazine.