POWER Magazine

Following the lead of Illinois and New York, which have enacted policies supporting nuclear power plants, the Minnesota Legislature is weighing a bill that could help the owner of two nuclear facilities within its borders. Minnesota is home to the single-unit 671-MW Monticello nuclear plant and the dual-unit 1,100-MW Prairie Island plant (Figure 1). Xcel […]The post Minnesota May Be Next to Support Nuclear Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

FirstEnergy Corp. will close four uneconomic nuclear units—a total of 4 GW—in Ohio and Pennsylvania between 2020 and 2021, the company’s competitive arm notified PJM Interconnection on March 28. FirstEnergy Solutions (FES) told the regional transmission organization that it will close the 908-MW Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station in Oak Harbor, Ohio, by 2020; the twin-unit […]The post FirstEnergy to Shutter Four Uneconomic Nuclear Units by 2021 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Waste Control Specialists (WCS) and Orano USA intend to revive licensing of a consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) in Andrews County, Texas, where spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from reactors across the country can be stored until a permanent repository is developed. The companies said on March 13, 2018, they intend to form a joint venture […]The post Texas Consolidated Nuclear Waste Storage Facility to Be Revived appeared first on POWER Magazine.

On March 27, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York approved Westinghouse Electric Co.’s plan of reorganization. Westinghouse said the approval is “a significant milestone in the company’s strategic restructuring,” which involves its sale to Brookfield Business Partners L.P. Brookfield announced on January 4, 2018, that it had entered into an […]The post Westinghouse Reorganization Approved by Bankruptcy Court appeared first on POWER Magazine.

To remain competitive in power markets increasingly characterized by disruptions, NRG Energy plans to accelerate its transition from a pure independent power producer (IPP) model to a more simplified customer-driven integrated power model that favors its retail businesses. In a number of presentations showcased on March 27 as part of NRG’s 2018 Analyst Day, company […]The post NRG Sheds Generation Emphasis, Puts More Focus on Retail appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Chubu Electric’s Nishi-Nagoya power plant Block-1 in Japan, a plant powered by three GE 7HA turbines and Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions steam turbine and generator technology, is officially the world’s most efficient combined-cycle power plant, according to Guinness World Records. The entity that collects and showcases ultimate record-breaking facts highlighted the plant’s achievement of […]The post GE HA Turbine Snags Another World Record for CCGT Efficiency appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) has approved a request from Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to provide a mixture of energy storage, energy efficiency, and system-wide upgrades to ensure reliable electricity in the Oakland, California, area, after the retirement of an aging Dynegy jet fuel-powered plant. PG&E received CAISO approval for its Oakland […]The post CAISO Backs PG&E Clean Energy Plan for Oakland appeared first on POWER Magazine.

GenOn Energy, a unit of NRG Energy that filed for bankruptcy in June 2017, said it has agreed to sell two units of the Canal Generating Plant to Stonepeak Kestrel, a subsidiary of Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners, a private equity firm with offices in New York City and Houston, Texas. The Canal plant in Sandwich, Massachusetts, […]The post GenOn Selling More Assets in Restructuring appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Joe Grimes, executive vice president of generation with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), gave the keynote presentation during the ELECTRIC POWER Conference and Exhibition, which was held March 19–22 in Nashville, Tennessee. His presentation focused on steps TVA is taking to diversify its generation portfolio in order to reduce risks and keep costs as low […]The post Resource Diversification a Key for TVA [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Watts Bar 2 nuclear unit has a lengthy and well-chronicled history. Construction began on the unit in 1973. It was suspended in 1985 due to slower electricity demand growth, rising construction costs due to inflation and new regulatory requirements stemming from the accident at Three Mile Island in 1979, and regulatory concerns throughout the […]The post Watts Bar 2: The Long and Winding Road to Completion [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Giant U.S. energy holding company Duke Energy in a new report outlined for shareholders how it will achieve a goal updated last year to reduce its 2030 carbon dioxide emissions 40% compared to 2005 and achieve a “science-based 2-degree target.” The company’s 2017 Climate Report to Shareholders made public on March 22 unveils a strategy […]The post Duke Energy Eyes More Coal Closures as Part of Decarbonization Drive appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The 20th annual ELECTRIC POWER Conference and Exhibition wrapped up on March 22. The event included nearly 200 exhibitors, with many offering interesting demonstrations of innovative new products. A sampling of some are presented below. Deep Trekker Inc. supplies high-quality, commercial-grade, remotely operated vehicles—underwater drones—specifically designed and developed to make underwater observation easy and affordable. […]The post Novel Technology Featured at ELECTRIC POWER Event appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The rise of digital technologies for power plants has moved in fits and starts over the past several years, with some generators quickly embracing digitization of their assets while others are looking to justify potential investments. Suppliers of digital technologies have widely marketed the benefits, but many generators are looking to current end users for […]The post Utility Managers Build Business Case for Digital Technologies appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Turbine manufacturers continue to upgrade their products with technology enhancements to meet market demands for more flexibility and higher efficiency. Suppliers for combined cycle power plants outlined several of those advancements during POWER magazine’s ELECTRIC POWER Conference + Exhibition in Nashville, Tennessee this week. Executives from Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems America (MHPS), Siemens, and GE […]The post Turbine Manufacturers Tout Improvements During ELECTRIC POWER Conference appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Rosatom in a March 21 statement said changes to the ownership group involved with Turkey’s first nuclear power plant should not further delay construction of the facility, which has struggled with setbacks since the Russian nuclear corporation was awarded the construction contract in 2010. The Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (Figure 1) is a planned 4,800-MW […]The post Rosatom Still Committed to 2023 Startup for Turkey’s First Nuclear Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Held once again in Düsseldorf, Germany’s huge exhibition center March 13–15, the 12th annual International Renewable Energy Storage (IRES) Conference and Energy Storage Europe Conference attracted roughly 4,500 international visitors, and more than 170 exhibitors, from over 60 nations. While showcasing the latest in energy storage technologies, presenters discussed developing markets worldwide, offered detailed case […]The post Energy Storage Nibbles Around the Edges of the Power Grid appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Russian government cyber threat actors have infiltrated workstations and servers of corporate networks containing data output from industrial control systems (ICS) or supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems associated with an unnamed number of power plants, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has warned. The dire warning issued by the agency’s U.S. Computer Emergency […]The post Russian Cyber Threat Actors Have Gained Access to Power Plant ICS Systems appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Burdened by a trade case, unpredictable policy-making, interconnection delays, and other market factors, the U.S. installed 30% less solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in 2017 compared to a record-breaking 2016. However, the 10.6 GW of new PV capacity added last year represents 30% of all new generating capacity added to the U.S. grid, more than any […]The post U.S. Solar Installations Dip Amid Uncertainty appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Slack power demand in 2017 has prompted Indonesia’s state-owned utility PT PLN to cancel 22 GW it planned to procure from independent power producers (IPPs) through 2026, the bulk of which are combined cycle gas turbine and renewable projects. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan on March 13 told reporters he endorsed changes to […]The post Indonesia’s PT PLN Cancels 22 GW of Planned Capacity, Citing Lax Demand appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The last coal-fired power plant in the Rochester, New York, area—and one of just three remaining coal-fired plants in the entire state—received its last load of coal this week. The plant, which serves the Eastman Business Park anchored by Eastman Kodak, is being converted to burn natural gas. The former Kodak Park plant operated at […]The post Coal Being Retired at Iconic Kodak Plant in New York appeared first on POWER Magazine.

State regulators in Arizona want the state’s investor-owned utilities to source more of their electricity from renewable sources, and develop more energy storage options, rather than rely on new natural gas-fired generation in the future. State senators, however, voted March 14 to give utilities a way to get around any voter-supported mandates for renewables. The […]The post Regulators, Lawmakers Spar Over Arizona Renewable Mandates appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In a move that demonstrates how difficult current market conditions are, even for some natural gas-fired facilities, GenOn Energy—a subsidiary of NRG Energy—said it will shutter three California gas-fired power plants for economic reasons. The company notified the California Public Utilities Commission and California Independent System Operator (CAISO) in letters dated February 28 that it […]The post GenOn Energy to Retire Three California Gas Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) members agreed to join their longtime rival and governing partner, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and reluctantly entered into a third grand coalition government on March 4. While this ended months of anxious handwringing following September’s national elections, the entire process was mired in frustration as the prospect of yet […]The post Germany’s New Coalition Government Agrees to Phase Out Coal, but Will Miss 2020 Emissions Targets appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Markets may currently favor natural gas, but coal, which has been diminished for “good reason,” will likely have a significant place as a reliable fuel for power generation, a diverse panel of U.S. coal experts—including a generator, a supplier, and a market analyst—suggested at CERAWeek by IHS Markit in Houston on March 7. Coal lost […]The post Experts: Warfare Between Coal and Gas Is Nonexistent appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Most engineers and operators know (or should know) that boiler tubes containing deposits create long-term reliability problems for the boiler. Long-term overheating of the metal will result from prolonged operation with heavy tube deposits. The tubes will first bulge and then fail. Because the deposits tend to be widespread, this generally means that large sections of […]The post Test Your Knowledge: Boiler Chemical Cleaning appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The CEO of Texas-based CPS Energy said March 6 that the utility wants to generate at least 50% of its power from renewable sources by 2040, part of a plan that includes the addition of 550 MW of battery storage, as it looks to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. But the city-owned San Antonio […]The post Texas Utility Ready to Ramp Up Renewables appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Marking a fresh development for the nation’s futile efforts to resolve a long-standing impasse on nuclear waste, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said it could issue a license for Holtec International’s proposed consolidated interim storage (CIS) facility for used nuclear fuel in New Mexico by July 2020 or earlier. Holtec, a Camden, New Jersey–based supplier […]The post NRC Schedules Review of New Mexico Interim Nuclear Waste Facility appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Supreme Court for the state of New Mexico affirmed a final order by state regulators to allow Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) to replace lost generation from two shuttered units at its 1,800-MW coal-fired San Juan Regional Generation Station with coal and nuclear resources. The case stems from a petition filed by […]The post More Coal and Nuclear Can Replace Retired Generation, State Supreme Court Rules appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Connected Plant Game Changer Award recognizes those people who are leading the charge in implementing digital technologies in their field: either in the chemical process industries or in power generation. Nominations are open to individuals who have used tools associated with digitalization to contribute to innovation, solve a problem or make improvements, as well […]The post Congratulations to the Connected Plant Game Changers appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Florida regulators on March 1 approved Florida Power & Light’s (FPL’s) plan to build a new $888 million natural gas-fired power plant, replacing an existing gas- and oil-fueled plant on the same site in Dania Beach that is being retired this year. The utility on Thursday also announced the opening of four new solar power […]The post FPL Will Build New Gas Plant, Adds More Solar appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed more than a dozen significant changes to the Obama administration’s final 2015 rule governing disposal of coal combustion residuals (CCR) by the nation’s power generators. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt on March 1 signed the first of two rules that propose to amend the 2015 rule, saying the changes […]The post EPA Proposes Overhaul of 2015 Final Coal Ash Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.

No evidence exists that New England local gas distribution companies engaged in practices to withhold natural gas pipeline capacity on the Algonquin system to drive up gas or power prices in the region, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) staff revealed. FERC on February 27 closed an inquiry after conducting an “extensive review” of the allegations—which […]The post FERC Finds No Evidence of Gas Withholding in New England appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The recent retirement of older generating units and high peak usage owing to economic growth could tighten operating reserves in the region served by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) this summer. The grid operator said on March 1 that total resource capacity for the upcoming summer (spanning June through September 2018) is expected […]The post ERCOT Anticipates Summer Supply Crunch Amid Unit Retirements appeared first on POWER Magazine.

According to Georgia Power’s Eighteenth Semi-annual Vogtle Construction Monitoring Report (VCM) released on February 28, more than 12 million man-hours have been worked without a lost-time injury at the Vogtle expansion project since Westinghouse filed for bankruptcy on March 29, 2017. Additionally, the company said productivity has improved since Southern Nuclear Operating Company assumed overall […]The post Vogtle Improves Safety and Productivity Following Westinghouse Bankruptcy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Though increasingly serious cybersecurity threats loom, nearly two-thirds of U.S. industrial control system (ICS) vulnerabilities identified in 2017 could cause severe operational impact if exploited, cybersecurity firm Dragos Inc. warned in a series of reports published March 1. The reports, which cover ICS vulnerabilities, ICS threats, and reactions to existing threats, draw a dire picture […]The post ICS Cybersecurity Threatened, but Defense Woefully Inadequate appeared first on POWER Magazine.

While 29 states and the District of Columbia currently have Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS)—goals for power producers to provide a certain amount of power from renewable sources by a specific date—a growing number of states are also instituting standalone targets and mandates for energy storage procurement. Sources: Energy Storage Association, North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center, Lawrence Berkeley […]The post The Big Picture: Energy Storage Mandates appeared first on POWER Magazine.

If you’re a power plant supervisor, you’ve undoubtedly been forced to find a worker during off-hours on the spur of the moment. New tools are being used today that allow automating the callout process—and workforce schedule. Last summer City Utilities (CU) of Springfield, Missouri, joined a list of power companies automating workforce scheduling and callout […]The post How to Automate Workforce Scheduling appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Running counter to the overwhelming trend in Europe, coal remains the king in Poland. The country’s governing party unabashedly champions the industry as the foundation of its energy sector—a footing it doesn’t want to abandon. In December 2018, as ministers and delegates from all over the world attend the United Nations-sponsored climate conference (COP24) in […]The post King Coal Is Alive and Kicking in Poland appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The private sector is traditionally known as a driver of innovation, so it may be surprising to some people that many businesses have only recently begun to consider advanced energy technologies. Looking atThe post Can C&I Customers Lead the Energy Storage Revolution? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Power plants are challenged to generate value from their data, but this can be a tedious and slow process, with uncertain outcomes. Now, as shown in these use cases, data analytic solutions can put innovationThe post Using Data Analytics to Improve Operations and Maintenance appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Spent nuclear fuel has continued to accumulate at sites across the nation, paralyzed by a government deadlock on a nuclear waste management strategy formally established 35 years ago. Can recent developmentsThe post A Break in the Nuclear Waste Impasse? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The ELECTRIC POWER Conference + Exhibition for two decades has been the place for those in the power generation industry to come together for up-to-date training and continuing education—a place to gain aThe post Electric Power Show Preview appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Reverse osmosis (RO) systems offer power plant owners and operators a reliable and well-proven water treatment solution. However, designing and caring for an RO system requires a thorough understanding of aThe post Design and Care of Reverse Osmosis Systems appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The ability of a coal power plant to accommodate significant changes in fuel quality is often limited by many constraints. When faced with a challenging goal to test torrefied biomass fuel at its BoardmanThe post Successful Torrefied Biomass Test Burn at a Coal Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Analysts who spoke with POWER differ slightly on the numbers, but they all agree that U.S. demand for natural gas for power generation will continue to rise. Supply should not be a problem—domesticThe post Future Looks Bright for Gas-Fired Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

GE has launched a three-part strategy to address a dismal outlook for its power division that will involve operating in a “leaner, more cost-efficient way,” the company’s head told investors in a February 26 letter. The multinational conglomerate’s long-standing and lucrative GE Power business unit’s earnings plunged 45% in 2017 owing to costly operational misses […]The post GE Embarks on Plan to Keep Power Unit Competitive appeared first on POWER Magazine.

An Indiana utility has confirmed it will close three coal-fired power units, replacing that generation with a proposed natural gas-fired facility along with additional solar power. Evansville, Indiana-based Vectren Corp., a holding company whose assets include Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana-South, on February 20 released its Smart Energy Future strategic plan, designed to reduce Vectren’s […]The post More Coal Units Being Mothballed in Indiana appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Concentric Power, a California-based provider of high-efficiency energy modules for onsite refrigeration and electric power generation, recently launched a $100 million financing program for cogeneration and microgrid projects. “We are excited to create a new path forward in energy infrastructure financing and development,” Brian Curtis, founder and CEO of Concentric Power, said in a press […]The post Cogeneration Solution Serves Processing Plant Needs [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Researchers have successfully demonstrated an open-source supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system designed to withstand attacks and compromises on the power grid. The intrusion-tolerant system—called “Spire”—keeps power flowing even if part of the system is compromised, and it may be a breakthrough for grid resiliency, industry observers said. Spire was built from the ground […]The post Intrusion-Tolerant SCADA Demonstrated at Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.