POWER Magazine

New Zealand’s largest geothermal plant was synchronized to the country’s national grid in October. The project took just more than three years to complete. Eastland Group, a Gisborne, New Zealand-basedThe post New Zealand’s Largest Geothermal Plant Comes Online appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A myriad of issues come into play when parties execute power industry mergers and acquisitions. Part 1 of this two-part series examines what dealmakers need to know before making any transactionsThe post A Legal Guide to Power Generation Mergers and Acquisitions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

China in mid-September increased its renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to 35% of electricity consumption by 2030. The country has already heavily invested in wind and solar, and it anticipates more gains willThe post China Sets a New Renewable Portfolio Standard appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Duke Energy has brought the first power block of its new $1.5 billion combined cycle gas plant in Citrus County, Florida, online. Duke said the facility located north of Crystal River—an area long known as home to the now-closed Crystal River Nuclear Plant—is among the largest combined cycle projects in the country, and it is […]The post Duke Energy Brings First 820 MW of New Florida Gas Plant Online appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A study from a London-based group focused on financial aspects of the energy industry said up to $60 billion of coal-fired power generation assets may be stranded in Southeast Asia in the next 10 years. The study released this week by Carbon Tracker said renewable energy resources and more-stringent environmental policies make investments in new […]The post Report: Investments in Coal Risky, Billions in Assets Could Be Stranded appeared first on POWER Magazine.

After Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, as a category 4 storm on October 10, it moved across Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and southeastern Virginia on October 11, and finally out into the Atlantic on October 12. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration office, the storm […]The post A Satellite View of Hurricane Michael’s Power Outages appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Entities with industrial control systems (ICS) associated with bulk electric system (BES) operations must develop and implement plans that include security controls for supply chain management, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) ordered in a final rule that formally adopts three new critical infrastructure protection (CIP) reliability standards. FERC on October 18 issued Order No. […]The post Three Newly Approved CIP Reliability Standards for Cybersecurity Will Be Costly appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Unit 1 at the Haiyang nuclear power plant in Shandong, China, successfully completed a 168-hour full-power continuous operation test, meeting the requirement for commercial operation, State Power Investment Corp. Ltd. announced on October 23. Its AP1000 reactor is the first nuclear unit to be placed in operation in Shandong, an eastern province on the Yellow […]The post Now Two AP1000 Reactors in Commercial Operation, Vogtle Makes Progress Too appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Iraq signed a memorandum of understanding on October 15 to develop power plants in the country with General Electric (GE). The Financial Times on October 18 said the $15 billion deal was brokered after senior officials in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iraq that relations with the U.S. would be threatened if Iraq […]The post Reports: Trump Administration Supports GE Over Siemens in $15B Iraq Deal appeared first on POWER Magazine.

FirstEnergy on October 18 said its coal-fired Pleasants Power Station in West Virginia will stay open until June 2022, after earlier announcing the plant would close in January of next year. FirstEnergy spokeswoman Jennifer Young said, “Keeping Pleasants in operation … allows the plant to fulfill current capacity obligations and provides additional time for evaluation […]The post West Virginia Coal Plant Will Remain Open Until 2022 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Utilities are faced with many disruptive changes in the power market. Customers are demanding cleaner energy and turning to distributed generation as a solution. One expert suggested power companies must react and evolve their business models to change with the times. During a keynote presentation at the Distributed Energy Conference in Golden, Colorado, on October […]The post Distributed Energy Is Disrupting the Power Industry: Is the Sky Falling? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

BlackEnergy, the malware used in a cyberattack that prompted a large-scale blackout in Ukraine in December 2015, has a successor—GreyEnergy. A group is using the malware to target industrial networks outside Ukraine, researchers from Slovakian cybersecurity firm ESET warn. The researchers said in an October 17–released white paper that analysis of the previously undocumented GreyEnergy […]The post BlackEnergy, Grid-Disrupting Malware, Has a Successor, Researchers Warn appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The White House may have shelved an effort to force grid operators to buy power from uneconomic coal and nuclear plants amid opposition inside the administration, Politico reported on October 15. The publication reported “four people with knowledge of the discussions” have confirmed that opposition from the president’s own advisers on the National Security Council […]The post As DOE’s Coal Rescue Reportedly Dead-Ends, Stakeholders Recommend New Pathways appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Dominion Energy has filed an application to extend the operating licenses for two 45-year-old nuclear reactors at the Surry Power Station through 2052 and 2053—when they will be 80 years old. Surry’s Unit 1 and 2, located near Newport News, Virginia, are three-loop Westinghouse pressurized water reactors (PWRs) that began operation in December 1972 and […]The post Dominion Files to Extend Operations at Surry Nuclear Plant to 80 Years appeared first on POWER Magazine.

First ground has been broken on a 10-MW pilot of a novel supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) technology, a $119 million project that will refine the sCO2 power cycle and demonstrate component performance and scalability. Construction of the Supercritical Transformational Electric Power (STEP) pilot plant at the 15-acre facility at Southwest Research Institute’s (SwRI’s) San Antonio, […]The post 10-MW Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Demonstration Project Breaks Ground appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has declined to rehear a case that challenges nuclear subsidies in Illinois, effectively dealing a blow to a group of competitive generators, which have fought the measure for several years. In an order issued on October 9, the appellate court said its full judicial panel had voted to deny […]The post Competitive Generators Look to the Supreme Court After Seventh Circuit Declines Rehearing on Nuclear Subsidies appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In July 2016, a coal silo collapsed at an Indiana power plant. The root cause was identified as cracking of the cone-to-skirt weld. Warnings to inspect this vulnerable weld were published widely in conference proceedings and trade journal articles. Nevertheless, coal silos continue to fail at an alarming rate (Figure 1), which suggests that the […]The post Coal Silo Failures Reveal the Need for NDE Inspection appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Senate has cleared a major water infrastructure bill that contains several provisions promoting hydropower development, sending it to the president’s desk. The Senate passed S. 3021, “America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018,” on October 10 through a bipartisan vote of 99–1. Because the House of Representatives unanimously passed the bill in a voice […]The post Hydropower Bill Overwhelmingly Clears Senate, Heads to President’s Desk appeared first on POWER Magazine.

American Electric Power (AEP) this week confirmed it will close its coal-fired Conesville Power Plant in Ohio earlier than originally planned. An AEP spokesperson in an email to media confirmed the plant’s workers were told October 5 that the plant will close by May 31, 2020. AEP said Units 5 and 6 at the plant, […]The post AEP Will Close Ohio Coal Plant Early appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Colorado-based Westmoreland Coal Co. on October 9 said it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, with the company reporting more than $1.4 billion in debt. The company in its annual financial report in April of this year said it was considering bankruptcy in an effort to protect it from creditors. Westmoreland, which has operated for […]The post Nation’s Oldest Independent Coal Producer Files Bankruptcy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Below is a list from the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) of all its large-scale coal demonstration projects, starting with the most recent, with a link to each respective project landing page. In a report prepared for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources that was released on October 1, 2018, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) says […]The post A List of DOE-Funded Large Coal Demonstrations appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Nearly half of the $2.66 billion spent by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) since 2010 to develop advanced fossil energy technologies was dedicated to nine carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration projects—but only three were active at the end of 2017, and only one was at a power plant. In a report prepared for […]The post DOE Sank Billions of Fossil Energy R&D Dollars in CCS Projects. Most Failed. appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Environmental officials in North Carolina say their tests show that coal ash released from Duke Energy’s Sutton power plant in Wilmington during flooding from Hurricane Florence has not had a negative impact on the Cape Fear River. The state’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on October 4 said its test results on water samples collected […]The post Enviros Dispute State Findings on Coal Ash Spill appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued key safety and design approvals for the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400), a South Korean third-generation nuclear reactor design. The U.S. regulatory body on September 28 issued a final safety evaluation report and a standard design approval (SDA) for the APR1400, which is designed by South Korean state-owned […]The post NRC Grants Key Approvals for S. Korea’s APR1400 Nuclear Reactor, Despite Widespread Construction Delays appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A handful of nuclear power projects around the world completed notable achievements recently: Rostov 4 entered commercial operation, Tianwan 4 achieved first criticality, the Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power plant completed fuel loading, Leningrad II-1 received its commissioning permit, and the dome was installed on Karachi 3. Rostov 4 Rostov Unit 4 was placed into […]The post Nuclear Power Roundup: New Milestones Reached on Several Reactors appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Natural gas combined cycle, wind, and residential solar photovoltaic technologies may be the least-expensive way to generate power across a wide swathe of the U.S., an interactive map published and recently updated by the University of Texas (UT) at Austin’s Energy Institute shows. The interactive chart (Version 1.4.0, retrieved on October 4, 2018), first published […]The post Natural Gas and Wind Dominate U.S. LCOE Landscape, Interactive Map Shows appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Industry aggressively fought the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) when the Obama administration proposed it in 2011 and finalized it in February 2012, warning it would precipitate the closure of a swathe of coal capacity nationwide. Six years later, the rule appears to have had a sizable impact on the power sector, but not […]The post How Did MATS Affect U.S. Coal Generation? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed it has submitted proposed changes to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) to the White House for review, despite urging by the industry to let the rule stand. EPA spokesperson John Konkus told POWERon October 2 that the agency does not intend to withdraw the existing MATS. It […]The post EPA Advances Proposed Changes to Mercury Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Valley Energy Center in Orange County, New York, entered commercial operation on October 1 despite complaints from local officials and area residents about noise from the plant, among other concerns. Community members spoke out against the plant at public hearings last week, saying they have felt sick when the plant has undergone test runs […]The post New York Gas Plant Comes Online Despite Opposition appeared first on POWER Magazine.

GE announced that H. Lawrence Culp Jr. has been named chairman and CEO of the company replacing John Flannery effective immediately. GE’s board of directors voted unanimously on the decision, and it also appointed Thomas W. Horton as lead director. In a press release, GE specifically cited weak performance in the GE Power business for […]The post Flannery Takes Fall for GE Power Struggles appeared first on POWER Magazine.

While the larger conversation about plant economics and mass retirements in the U.S. has been focused on coal and nuclear power plants, the nation’s much smaller biomass power industry is grappling with similar issues in markets where cheap natural gas, wind, and solar generation resources are proliferating. See more at: “U.S. Biomass Power, Dampened by […]The post Interactive Chart: Change in U.S. Biomass Generation (2013 to 2017) appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Spurred by the shale gas revolution, natural gas’s stunning rise to dominate the U.S. power profile has been echoed by a number of countries, particularly in the Middle East. In Europe, where domestic natural gas production is actually in decline—and consensus is that shale gas won’t likely play a major role on the continent—natural gas […]The post The Rise of Natural Gas Generation in Europe appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that if states fully implement the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule—which it proposed in August 2018 to replace the 2015 Clean Power Plan—by 2025, U.S. power sector carbon dioxide emissions could be about 34% below 2005 levels. At the end of 2016, they had fallen 24%, and by the end […]The post THE BIG PICTURE: A Power Sector Carbon Decline appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The California Independent System Operator’s Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) is a real-time energy market, the first of its kind in the western U.S. EIM’s advanced market systems automatically find low-costThe post How Does the Western Energy Imbalance Market Work? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Nishi Nagoya power plant in Japan is more than just the showcase of a successful fuel-conversion project. It’s the holder of a world record, thanks to a GE Power gas turbine that again has set the globalThe post Another World Record for Combined Cycle Efficiency appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Public perceptions can make or break a project. One municipal utility found that out firsthand. When resistance grew strong against a new power plant it needed, the company rebooted and engaged with localThe post Transparency Instrumental in Successful Power Plant Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Though experts say biomass should continue to play a key role in the U.S. renewable power portfolio for its baseload properties, contributions to forest management, and other reasons, a swathe of uneconomicThe post U.S. Biomass Power, Dampened by Market Forces, Fights to Stay Ablaze appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Every power generation facility is unique, as are the functions and maintenance requirements for their equipment. Keeping equipment in working order and avoiding downtime is critical. Plants will sometimes useThe post Aftermarket Parts Substitutions Can Shut Down a Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

It’s no secret that U.S. nuclear and coal-fired power plants are struggling to remain viable in competitive markets. Many plants have been retired for economic reasons long before the facilities reached theThe post Can Coal and Nuclear Power Plants Be Saved? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

KivuWatt, a 26.2-MW power plant in Kibuye, Rwanda, was conceived to help reduce risk of an overpressure gas outburst at Lake Kivu. The first-of-its-kind integrated methane gas extraction and productionThe post The Gamble to Produce Power from a ‘Killer’ Lake appeared first on POWER Magazine.

New York’s subsidies of nuclear power are legally sound, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has concluded. The decision comes two weeks after the Seventh Circuit upheld a similar measure in Illinois. The development marks a victory for the nuclear industry, which has been financially crippled by the rise of cheap gas […]The post Federal Appeals Court Upholds New York’s Nuclear Subsidies appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Duke Energy will swallow $30 million in runaway costs associated with operating its five-year-old 618-MW integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) facility in Edwardsport, Indiana, if a settlement the company reached with Indiana consumer groups last week is approved. Duke declared Edwardsport Generating Station “in service” in June 2013, despite a series of hiccups that delayed […]The post Duke Hit Hard by Exorbitant O&M Costs at Edwardsport IGCC Facility appeared first on POWER Magazine.

More than 35,000 visitors from 100 nations were expected to attend the vast Global Wind Summit, which began Tuesday, September 25, in Hamburg, Germany’s Exposition Center. The expo is one of the world’s largest wind energy events. Held every two years and organized by WindEurope, the Global Wind Energy Association, and VDMA Power Systems, it […]The post Global Wind Summit Showcases the Increasing Power of the Segment appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The four co-owners of the Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion project in Georgia have voted to continue construction of two new reactors at the site near Waynesboro. The vote on September 26 came two days after the original deadline for a vote on the future of Units 3 and 4, which are scheduled to come online […]The post [BREAKING] Vogtle Owners Vote to Continue Nuclear Expansion Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.