POWER Magazine

The post Judge Approves PG&E Bankruptcy Exit appeared first on POWER Magazine. A federal judge in California has approved Pacific Gas & Electric’s plan to exit bankruptcy, clearing the way for the utility to compensate victims of a series of wildfires in the state that left more than 100 people dead in 2017 and 2018. The action by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali on June 20 authorized […]The post Judge Approves PG&E Bankruptcy Exit appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Analysis Supports Coal-Like Fuel for Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine. A British company that manufactures a fuel that it says mimics coal said it “has received a significant endorsement” for the use of its product in the power generation sector. An analysis by Uniper Technologies said Helvellyn Group’s alternative fuel, known as SERF, “is technically suitable for use in large scale thermal power plants in […]The post Analysis Supports Coal-Like Fuel for Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Siemens Gamesa Has New Head After Terminating CEO appeared first on POWER Magazine. Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) has announced Andreas Nauen, who has led the growth of the company’s offshore wind power business, is taking over leadership of the company after the board of directors and CEO Markus Tacke “mutally agreed to terminate” Tacke’s contract. SGRE made the announcement June 17, saying Nauen immediately will assume the […]The post Siemens Gamesa Has New Head After Terminating CEO appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post GE’s 7F Gas Turbine Turns 30 with New Plant Commissioned in Mexico appeared first on POWER Magazine. The first GE 7F gas turbine began commercial operation 30 years ago this month. Since coming on the market, more than 950 7F machines have been commissioned, including four 7F.04 units that entered service recently at Techint’s Norte III combined cycle power plant in Mexico. The 907-MW Norte III facility is located in the municipality […]The post GE’s 7F Gas Turbine Turns 30 with New Plant Commissioned in Mexico appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Colorado Utility Will Close Coal Plant 16 Years Early appeared first on POWER Magazine. A Colorado-based electric utility owned by the four communities it serves announced it will close its remaining coal-fired plant by the end of the decade, a facility that had a planned retirement date of 2046. The Platte River Power Authority on June 16 said the 280-MW Unit 1 at its Rawhide Energy Station near Fort […]The post Colorado Utility Will Close Coal Plant 16 Years Early appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post PG&E Pleads Guilty in 84 Wildfire Deaths appeared first on POWER Magazine. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has pleaded guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter for its role in a 2018 wildfire considered the most devastating in California history. The Camp Fire, which began when a transmission line broke from an aged PG&E tower, destroyed the town of Paradise. The utility on Tuesday acknowledged its negligence […]The post PG&E Pleads Guilty in 84 Wildfire Deaths appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Vectren Will Close Coal Units, Add Renewables appeared first on POWER Magazine. Vectren Corp., the electric utility that serves much of southern Indiana, has announced a plan to shutter its remaining coal-fired power plants and transition to renewable energy. The utility also said it would add gas-fired generation to back up those renewable resources. Vectren’s June 15 announcement comes about two years after Northern Indiana Public Service […]The post Vectren Will Close Coal Units, Add Renewables appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post OPG Becomes First Utility to Snag Ownership Stake in Nuclear Microreactor Project appeared first on POWER Magazine. Marking the first time a utility has taken an ownership stake in a small modular reactor (SMR) project, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) formed a joint venture with Seattle-based Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. (USNC) to build, own, and operate a proposed Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) demonstration at the Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) site in Ontario, Canada. […]The post OPG Becomes First Utility to Snag Ownership Stake in Nuclear Microreactor Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post [VIDEO] POWER Insights: Finding the Best Solar Power System appeared first on POWER Magazine. Direct Solar America is a solar energy brokerage. The company helps customers find and install the best available solar energy system, working with both residential and commercial and industrial clients. It’s a question often posed to POWER: What is the best solar energy system for my home or business? In this edition of POWER’s Insights […]The post [VIDEO] POWER Insights: Finding the Best Solar Power System appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post UK Energy Giant Will Cut 5,000 Jobs appeared first on POWER Magazine. Centrica, the major UK utility and the biggest supplier of energy to British homes, on June 11 said it would cut 5,000 jobs as part of a cost-cutting effort. CEO Chris O’Shea, who took over the company three months ago, said he also wants to simplify the utility’s business model. The company Thursday said the […]The post UK Energy Giant Will Cut 5,000 Jobs appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Power Line Management in the Time of Coronavirus appeared first on POWER Magazine. The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has put communities on lockdown and created a need for social distancing. Many are staying at home, but that’s not an option for the frontline workers running critical power transmission infrastructure and keeping the lights on. How can utilities keep up with their operational and safety obligations with a reduced onsite […]The post Power Line Management in the Time of Coronavirus appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Hydrogen May Be a Lifeline for Nuclear—But It Won’t Be Easy appeared first on POWER Magazine. Four U.S. nuclear generators—Energy Harbor, Xcel Energy, Exelon, and Arizona Public Service (APS)—are making headway on projects to demonstrate hydrogen production at nuclear plants, but scaling those efforts up to net new end-users and sources of revenue is still ridden with hurdles, company officials said in a panel discussion at the American Nuclear Society’s (ANS’s) […]The post Hydrogen May Be a Lifeline for Nuclear—But It Won’t Be Easy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post IEA: COVID-19 Crushed Global Natural Gas Demand appeared first on POWER Magazine. Hit hard by response to the COVID-19 pandemic, global gas demand in 2020 is set to to tumble by twice the amount lost after the 2008 global financial crisis—its largest annual decline in history—the International Energy Agency (IEA) says in its latest annual market report Gas 2020. As of June 2020, the fall has been […]The post IEA: COVID-19 Crushed Global Natural Gas Demand appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Developers Make Progress on Solar-Powered Hydrogen Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine. Two projects focused on solar-powered hydrogen production made notable steps forward recently. One project, supported by Ricardo plc and the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), will investigate “using existing solar capacity to produce hydrogen as an alternative to high-carbon fossil fuels.” While the other, developed by HyperSolar Inc., will begin the manufacturing process for its […]The post Developers Make Progress on Solar-Powered Hydrogen Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The Importance of a Resilient Power System [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine. It’s hurricane season in the U.S., which runs from June 1 through the end of November, and there have already been three named storms. The most recent was Tropical Storm Christobal, which was the earliest third-named Atlantic storm on record when it formed on June 2. It made landfall in the U.S. along the northern […]The post The Importance of a Resilient Power System [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Alabama PSC Backs Plan for New Gas Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine. Alabama Power’s plan to add about 2 GW of natural gas-fired power generation capacity to its portfolio was approved by the state’s Public Service Commission (PSC) on June 9. The PSC also supported the utility’s request to acquire 240 MW of gas-fired generation under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) that should begin this year, […]The post Alabama PSC Backs Plan for New Gas Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Another Court Challenge for Nuclear Waste Storage Site appeared first on POWER Magazine. Another legal challenge has been filed against the ongoing effort to build a storage site for U.S. nuclear waste in the New Mexico desert. Beyond Nuclear, among the environmental and other groups opposed to the project that would be built by Holtec International, on June 4 filed a petition for review in the U.S. Court […]The post Another Court Challenge for Nuclear Waste Storage Site appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Senior Exec Will Plead Guilty to Fraud in Abandoned Nuclear Project appeared first on POWER Magazine. The man considered second-in-command at the former SCANA Corp. has agreed to plead guilty to criminal conspiracy fraud charges stemming from his role in the failed V.C. Summer nuclear power plant construction project. Stephen A. Byrne, SCANA’s former chief operating officer, will plead guilty for his alleged criminal actions, according to a document filed June […]The post Senior Exec Will Plead Guilty to Fraud in Abandoned Nuclear Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Vogtle Project ‘Highly Unlikely’ to Meet Deadlines appeared first on POWER Magazine. An official monitoring the progress of the Vogtle nuclear expansion project in Georgia said in testimony filed June 5 with the state’s Public Service Commission that the two new reactors are “highly unlikely” to meet state-approved deadlines, and also will probably have additional cost overruns. The expansion project involves construction of two, 1,100-MW AP1000 reactors […]The post Vogtle Project ‘Highly Unlikely’ to Meet Deadlines appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The POWER Interview: Modernizing the Grid with DERs appeared first on POWER Magazine. Energy industry experts have for years talked about the need to modernize the power grid. The focus can be on replacing and upgrading infrastructure, improving the efficiency of power delivery through digitization and smart grid technologies, or on the dispatch of renewable energy resources. Often, it’s all of the above. Industry analysts know that a […]The post The POWER Interview: Modernizing the Grid with DERs appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Using Geospatial Data to Strengthen the Grid Against Extreme Weather appeared first on POWER Magazine. Extreme weather events are hitting more often and harder than ever before, and storm-hardening regulations are prompting utilities to strengthen the electrical grid to withstand storm-force winds. As part of this effort, leading utilities are using drone-based data collection and analysis to assess how their electrical grids can withstand Mother Nature’s punishment. Aerial robotics and […]The post Using Geospatial Data to Strengthen the Grid Against Extreme Weather appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post World’s First Integrated Hydrogen Power-to-Power Demonstration Launched appeared first on POWER Magazine. A consortium of European companies, research institutes, and universities have launched the world’s first demonstration of a fully integrated power-to-hydrogen-to-power project, at industrial scale and in a real-world power plant application. The four-year project to demonstrate HYFLEXPOWER, which has achieved a technology readiness level of 7, will convert a 12-MWe combined heat and power (CHP) […]The post World’s First Integrated Hydrogen Power-to-Power Demonstration Launched appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post NERC: Summer 2020 Reliability Rife With Unknowns appeared first on POWER Magazine. Despite COVID-19’s impact on power demand, disrupted pre-season generation preparation, and an expected highly active hurricane and wildfire season, industry appears well-positioned to meet peak demand this summer under anticipated weather in nearly all parts of the North American bulk power system (BPS). Other than in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), anticipated reserve […]The post NERC: Summer 2020 Reliability Rife With Unknowns appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Is COVID-19 a Force Majeure Event That Excuses Performance on Renewable Construction Projects? appeared first on POWER Magazine. Like other segments of the economy, the renewable energy industry is dealing with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several states still have restricted business activities and are only now considering lifting those restrictions. Many equipment suppliers, contractors, and project owners have sent or received force majeure notices under their respective contracts and disputes may […]The post Is COVID-19 a Force Majeure Event That Excuses Performance on Renewable Construction Projects? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Tips for Check Valve Selection and Installation [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine. Check valves are installed in many piping systems. Their purpose is to allow flow in only one direction, which can be critical for plant safety and to protect equipment from damage. There are a few different check valve designs, including swing check valves and spring-loaded poppet-style check valves. Understanding which type is best for a […]The post Tips for Check Valve Selection and Installation [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Reduced Cost for Renewables Supports Sector Growth appeared first on POWER Magazine. A new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows costs for renewable power are increasingly cheaper than those for generation from coal, reinforcing the trend of increased investment in solar and wind power and away from fossil fuel-powered electricity production. The IRENA report—Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2019—showed that more than half of […]The post Reduced Cost for Renewables Supports Sector Growth appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The POWER Interview: Ameresco’s CEO on Efficiency, Renewables, and Resilience appeared first on POWER Magazine. The present and future of power generation is and will be driven by new technologies, those designed to increase the efficient use of electricity while limiting emissions and supporting resiliency. It’s a challenging time for those in energy. Developing solutions to solve issues in the power sector involves navigating an uncertain and ever-changing regulatory landscape, […]The post The POWER Interview: Ameresco’s CEO on Efficiency, Renewables, and Resilience appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Germany Brings Last New Coal Plant Online appeared first on POWER Magazine. What is expected to be the last new coal plant to come online in Germany entered commercial operation on May 30, more than a decade after it was first planned. The 1,100-MW Datteln 4 power plant, owned by Uniper and located in Datteln in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, opened despite the German government’s stated plan […]The post Germany Brings Last New Coal Plant Online appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The New Reality: Don’t Ignore the Black Swan Events appeared first on POWER Magazine. It is human nature to avoid spending money on preparations for an event that may never happen. However, as we all continue to adapt to a COVID-19 world, there is a new awareness of low probability, high impact events. If the consequences of a statistically unlikely event are devastating to the economy, the survival of […]The post The New Reality: Don’t Ignore the Black Swan Events appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EPA Curbs State Review of Energy Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine. The Trump administration on June 1 moved to limit the ability of individual states to use provisions of the Clean Water Act (CWA) to block energy projects, a potential win for the power generation and other energy industry sectors that have battled lengthy licensing and permitting reviews and rejections based on climate change arguments. The […]The post EPA Curbs State Review of Energy Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post T-Point 2 Is a Proving Ground for Gas Turbine Advancements appeared first on POWER Magazine. It may be unusual to recognize a demonstration facility with POWER’s Plant of the Year award, but T-Point 2 is a remarkable unit that is poised to change the way power plants operate. Besides validating newThe post T-Point 2 Is a Proving Ground for Gas Turbine Advancements appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post A Multi-Layered Reinvention: AES Southland Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine. Recognizing excellence in creative problem-solving to give a project new life and a new role, POWER magazine’s 2020 Reinvention Award goes to two gas-fired power plant construction projects completedThe post A Multi-Layered Reinvention: AES Southland Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Rethinking Wastewater Treatment for Better FGD Economics appeared first on POWER Magazine. POWER’s 2020 Water Award goes to Saltworks Technologies for successfully piloting a novel application of a 50-year-old technology at a coal plant. The company’s solution promises to slash costs of treatingThe post Rethinking Wastewater Treatment for Better FGD Economics appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Smart Neighborhood Wins Smart Grid Award appeared first on POWER Magazine. Alabama Power’s Smart Neighborhood integrates a microgrid into a community filled with high-performance homes containing energy-efficient systems and connected appliances. The innovative initiative, whichThe post Smart Neighborhood Wins Smart Grid Award appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Company’s Mission: A Clean Energy Building, and Living Laboratory appeared first on POWER Magazine. Embracing sustainability is more than a slogan for Delta Electronics (Americas); it’s defined by the company’s headquarters building. The site incorporates Delta’s own technologies to promote energyThe post Company’s Mission: A Clean Energy Building, and Living Laboratory appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Power Project Provides Shelter from the Storm appeared first on POWER Magazine. Dozens of microgrids are deployed at schools across Puerto Rico, bringing reliable, resilient power to the island. The project, featuring solar plus storage, is an important part of the region’s recoveryThe post Power Project Provides Shelter from the Storm appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post THE BIG PICTURE: Pandemic Impact on Demand appeared first on POWER Magazine.The coronavirus pandemic has triggered a macroeconomic shock that is unprecedented in peacetime. By the end of the first quarter, its effects on global power demand were deep, the International Energy Agency (IEA) noted in a flagship report released on April 30. The international organization, which has collected daily data for more than 30 countries […]The post THE BIG PICTURE: Pandemic Impact on Demand appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Fusion Energy Is Coming, and Maybe Sooner Than You Think appeared first on POWER Magazine. The joke about fusion energy is that it’s 30 years away and always will be. But significant recent advances in fusion science and technology could potentially put the first fusion power on the grid as soonThe post Fusion Energy Is Coming, and Maybe Sooner Than You Think appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post IRS Grants Wind and Solar Sectors Critical COVID-19 Reprieves appeared first on POWER Magazine. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has granted a one-year extension of the continuity safe harbor, providing much-needed relief for many wind developers, which, crippled by pandemic-related delays, were racing to complete projects before crucial tax incentives expired at the end of this year. In its May 27–issued Notice 2020-41, the IRS essentially modified prior […]The post IRS Grants Wind and Solar Sectors Critical COVID-19 Reprieves appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post With Vogtle Completion in Sight, Southern Company Targets Net-Zero Carbon Emissions appeared first on POWER Magazine. Fresh off the announcement that the final module for Vogtle Unit 3 was placed at the nuclear expansion project in Georgia, Southern Company said on May 27 that it was setting “a long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.” The announcement was made during Southern Company’s annual stockholders meeting, which […]The post With Vogtle Completion in Sight, Southern Company Targets Net-Zero Carbon Emissions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post [VIDEO] POWER Insights: Nuclear Reactor with 3D-Printed Core Slated for Operation in 2023 appeared first on POWER Magazine. In the first installment of POWER’s brand new video interview series, POWER Insights, Kurt Terrani, technical director of the Transformational Challenge Reactor (TCR) program, talks to POWER Senior Associate Editor Sonal Patel about the innovative microreactor program spearheaded by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and project partners, including Idaho National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and […]The post [VIDEO] POWER Insights: Nuclear Reactor with 3D-Printed Core Slated for Operation in 2023 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Data Tool Shows Pandemic’s Impact on Power Prices appeared first on POWER Magazine. A clean energy valuation and risk analytics company said that low demand for energy during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with low prices for natural gas and strong power generation from renewable energy resources, has brought unprecedented low prices for electricity in multiple U.S. markets. REsurety said its Renewable Energy Market Analytics Platform (REmap) shows that […]The post Data Tool Shows Pandemic’s Impact on Power Prices appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The POWER Interview: How Modern Control System Technology Is Changing Power Plant Operation appeared first on POWER Magazine. Distributed control systems (DCSs) and programmable logic controllers (PLCs) have been commonplace in power plants for decades, but the technology has not been stagnant. Today’s systems are beginning to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to take plant control to a whole new level. To get an insider’s perspective on how these systems […]The post The POWER Interview: How Modern Control System Technology Is Changing Power Plant Operation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Siemens Details Spinoff of Energy Business appeared first on POWER Magazine. The parent of Siemens Energy on May 26 provided details of the planned spinoff of the company’s energy business, saying 55% of Siemens Energy will be spun off to Siemens’ shareholders. The company said Siemens shareholders would automatically receive one share of Siemens Energy AG for every two shares they own of the parent, Siemens […]The post Siemens Details Spinoff of Energy Business appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Thanks to Asia, Coal Is Still King Worldwide appeared first on POWER Magazine. Despite the U.S. and Europe shuttering coal-fired power plants, coal remains a major fuel in global energy systems. In 2018, global coal demand rebounded and grew by 1.4% due to increased consumption in Asia, where coal consumption increased by 2.5%. This increased consumption was mainly from power generation, which reached an all-time high, increasing 3% […]The post Thanks to Asia, Coal Is Still King Worldwide appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Alliant Closing Coal Unit, Brings Gas Plant Online appeared first on POWER Magazine. Wisconsin-based Alliant Energy on May 22 said it would retire the coal-fired Edgewater Generating Station in Sheboygan by year-end 2022, an announcement coming just one week after the utility said it had placed the new 730-MW West Riverside Energy Center, a natural gas-fired combined cycle plant in Beloit, into commercial operation. Alliant, which also has […]The post Alliant Closing Coal Unit, Brings Gas Plant Online appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post GenOn Will Close Three Coal-Fired Units appeared first on POWER Magazine. The Texas-based company that owns a coal-fired power plant in Maryland announced it will retire the facility’s three generating units, which have been in operation for about 60 years. GenOn Holdings said Units 1, 2, and 3 at its Dickerson Generating Station will be closed due to “unfavorable economic conditions and increased costs associated with […]The post GenOn Will Close Three Coal-Fired Units appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Trump Expands Regulatory Rollback, Including for Power, Amid Economic Fallout appeared first on POWER Magazine. President Trump in a new executive order (EO) has directed federal agencies to rescind, modify, waive, or provide exemptions from regulatory requirements that may inhibit economic recovery. The Executive Order on Regulatory Relief to Support Economic Recovery, issued May 19, is sweeping and extends beyond the administration’s previous efforts to scale down regulatory mandates—including the […]The post Trump Expands Regulatory Rollback, Including for Power, Amid Economic Fallout appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Failed Michigan Dam Had Longstanding Spillway Deficiencies appeared first on POWER Magazine. The Edenville dam, which failed on March 19 flooding Midland, Michigan, and forcing as many as 10,000 residents to evacuate their homes, had its license revoked by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on Sept. 10, 2018, due to a “longstanding failure to increase the project’s spillway capacity to safely pass flood flows,” among other […]The post Failed Michigan Dam Had Longstanding Spillway Deficiencies appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Group Says It Will Launch World’s Largest Green Hydrogen Project appeared first on POWER Magazine. Global energy company SGH2, part of Washington, D.C.-based Solena Group, said it has a deal with Lancaster, California, to build what the company calls the world’s biggest green hydrogen production plant, set to be in full operation in early 2023. The company on May 20 said the plant will feature SGH2’s technology that uses recycled […]The post Group Says It Will Launch World’s Largest Green Hydrogen Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.