POWER Magazine

The history of power generation is long and convoluted, marked by myriad technological milestones—conceptual and technical—from hundreds of contributors. Many accounts begin power’s story at the demonstration of electric conduction by Englishman Stephen Gray, which led to the 1740 invention of glass friction generators in Leyden, Germany. This quiz is designed to test your knowledge […]The post Test Your Knowledge: Power History appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A draft law backed by the European Parliament on January 17 proposes to raise the European Union’s (EU’s) renewable targets to 35% by 2030—substantially higher than a 27% target proposed by the European Commission and EU Council. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted 492–88 (with 107 abstentions) to increase the share of renewable sources […]The post European Parliament Adopts Measure to Hike EU Renewables Target to 35% by 2030 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Though some countries, including the U.S., have moved to support coal-fired power generation over the past year, investments in renewable energy continued to rise, according to a new report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). The research group on January 16 said global investment in clean energy such as wind and solar reached about $333.5 […]The post Report: Clean Energy Investments Hit $333.5 Billion in 2017 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

An executive with the parent company of Tampa Electric said the utility plans to seek regulatory approval to convert its Big Bend Power Station in Florida, the oldest and last major coal-fired facility in its fleet, to natural gas. Rob Bennett, speaking at a breakfast gathering in Tampa on January 12, said an engineering analysis […]The post Tampa Electric Will Convert Big Bend Coal Plant to Natural Gas appeared first on POWER Magazine.

California regulators have approved Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E’s) application to retire the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant by year-end 2025, ending a protracted battle over the generating station that pitted local economic interests against environmentalists and other opponents of nuclear power. The state Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on January 11 voted unanimously to accept PG&E’s […]The post CPUC Backs PG&E Plan to Retire Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A control system that smooths out inter-area oscillations—a problem affecting power systems connected by relatively weak tie lines—has been successfully demonstrated by researchers from Sandia National Laboratories and Montana Tech University. The system that uses smart grid technology could allow utilities to push more power through transmission lines, possibly nixing the need for new transmission […]The post Decade-Old Power Grid Problem Solved by Smart Grid Technology appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Underscoring energy storage’s new vital role in power company operations, Siemens and AES Corp. have launched a joint company, Fluence Energy, that provides technology solutions paired with engineering and services capabilities. AES and Siemens on January 11 announced that Fluence, which merges AES Energy Storage and Siemens’ energy storage team, received all government approvals for the […]The post AES and Siemens, Two Power Giants, Join Forces on Energy Storage appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In a press briefing held with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg on January 10, President Donald Trump said that U.S. could “conceivably” re-enter into global climate change mitigation efforts under the Paris accord. While he has “no problem” with the accord itself, he felt the agreement negotiated by the Obama administration treated the U.S. unfairly, […]The post VIDEO: Trump Says U.S. Could Re-Enter Paris Agreement, Praises Norway’s Hydropower appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its first look at expected power generation in 2019, and its conclusions are much the same as those it expects in 2018—the use of natural gas to produce electricity will continue to rise, and the use of coal will continue to decline. EIA’s Short-Term Energy Outlook, released January […]The post EIA Report: Gas-fired Generation Will Continue to Outpace Coal appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The world’s nuclear power industry has been busy in the new year, with several construction projects reaching key milestones as 2018 began. EPR Units Making Progress Four EPR nuclear units are under construction in three countries: Olkiluoto 3 in Finland began construction in August 2005, Flamanville 3 in France began construction in December 2007, and […]The post Several Milestones Reached at Nuclear Power Projects Around the World appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Florida Power & Light (FPL) began the new year by opening four new solar power plants, along with officially retiring one of its two remaining coal-fired plants in the state. The utility on January 8 said the four solar plants began operating on January 1, 2018. They are the Horizon Solar Energy Center, in Alachua […]The post FPL Closes Coal Plant, Brings More Solar Online appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Johnsonville Fossil Plant in Humphreys County, Tennessee, came online in 1951, and provided power for generations of Tennesseans as part of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA’s) vast coal-fired fleet. But the end of 2017 also marked the end of an era for Johnsonville, as the TVA shut down the last operating unit at the […]The post TVA Retires Aging Johnsonville Coal-fired Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has rejected the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) controversial proposed rule on grid reliability and resilience pricing, initiating instead a new proceeding that will examine the resilience of the bulk power system. The DOE’s “Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule” proposed on Sept. 29 directed FERC—an independent regulatory government agency that is […]The post FERC Rejects DOE’s Proposed Grid Resiliency Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Georgia wasn’t looking for an award or recognition when we set out to build new nuclear reactors in our state. Yet we now find ourselves as the last team on the field as our commissioners unanimously voted to move forward with a new cost and schedule for the Plant Vogtle new nuclear units—keeping the project […]The post Commentary: Pressing Forward With Vogtle, a Nuclear MVP appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Westinghouse Electric Co., a company that is emerging from a bankruptcy stemming from the half-built AP1000 reactor projects in Georgia and South Carolina, is to be acquired from Toshiba Corp. by business services and industrials company Brookfield Business Partners. Brookfield, a company of Toronto-headquartered Brookfield Asset Management, announced on January 4 that it entered into […]The post Brookfield Business Partners to Acquire Westinghouse from Toshiba Corp. appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has proposed a revision of the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Reliability Standards to enhance awareness of existing or developing cybersecurity threats to the nation’s energy infrastructure. FERC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) on December 21 that directs the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) to broaden CIP-008-5 […]The post FERC Proposes Mandatory Reporting of Attempted Cybersecurity Compromises appeared first on POWER Magazine.

New Jersey’s full Senate is scheduled on January 4 to vote on a bill to subsidize two of the state’s nuclear power plants. However, industry observers posit that the measure won’t clear the full Assembly before the state legislature’s lame-duck session ends on January 9. S.3560 was introduced on December 14 after a preliminary hearing earlier […]The post Despite New Jersey Senate Vote on Nuclear Subsidies, Bill May Not Clear Lame-Duck Session appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Georgia wasn’t looking for an award or recognition when we set out to build new nuclear reactors in our state. Yet we now find ourselves as the last team on the field as our commissioners unanimously voted to move forward with a new cost and schedule for the Plant Vogtle new nuclear units—keeping the project […]The post Commentary: Pressing Forward With Vogtle, A Nuclear MVP appeared first on POWER Magazine.

All power plant equipment has a limited lifetime, but not all components age at the same rate. Some equipment may outlast the useful life of a plant, while other machinery may be replaced more than onceThe post Signs of Aging in Boilers appeared first on POWER Magazine.

SCANA Corp., a company reeling from a decision to abandon two half-built nuclear reactors at the V.C. Summer project in South Carolina, is getting a lifeline from Dominion Energy, one of the nation’s largest utilities. The two companies on January 3 announced an agreement to combine in a stock-for-stock merger. The proposed deal is valued […]The post Dominion Will Buy SCANA in $14.6B Deal, Writing Off Failed Nuclear Expansion Assets appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Merchant markets for independent power producers in the U.S. are unfavorable, and many companies in the sector have slumping profits—even big losses—as they ponder where to go in the months and yearsThe post What Is the Future of Independent Power? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The equipment showcase section includes products from a variety of vendors that serve the power generation industry. POWER magazine will feature a different power-related equipment category in several issuesThe post Equipment Showcase [January 2018] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

It is estimated that nearly 240 million Indians currently do not have access to electricity. In many cases that also means a lack of access to adequate health care or educational opportunities. It is noThe post India’s Ongoing Power Generation Course Correction appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Engineers from several companies have worked on upgrades to the technology, including designs that emphasize faster starts, quicker ramp-ups, increased efficiency, and better performance in a tight globalThe post Efficiency Improvements Mark Advances in Gas Turbines appeared first on POWER Magazine.

There are challenges facing the power industry in 2018, but there are also a lot of exciting opportunities. Renewable energy and gas-fired generation are expected to continue growing, but changes in federalThe post Hope in the New Year: Opportunities Abound for the Power Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.

There are many tools available to assist companies as they gain a better grasp on how their energy is being used, and what that means for the goal of efficient energy management. Not all solutions are createdThe post Seven Software Tools for Energy Managers appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Utilities across the U.S. are aware of beneficial electrification (BE) programs, but wide adoption has been held up by uncertainty about their potential and broader role in the evolving regulated utilityThe post How to Build a Regulator-Approved Beneficial Electrification Program appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As power plants and substations become more connected, the need for rugged networking equipment built to withstand tough conditions is amplified. The military has already gone through the growing pains, soThe post Overcoming IIoT, Edge Networking Challenges appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Despite recent regulatory reforms relieving the oil industry of certain federal requirements, many oil and gas companies, refineries, and pipeline facilities operating in California are not immune from state regulatory requirements, including some new regulations that become effective August 30, 2018. Even if companies think they are in compliance, they should check again to make […]The post Updates to California’s Proposition 65 Warnings Will Affect Oil Industry Nationwide appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The James M. Barry Electric Generating Plant, both a coal-fired and natural gas-fired facility in Bucks, Alabama, sits on the west bank of the Mobile River. The facility’s coal is delivered via the riverThe post Collaboration and Innovation Drive Retrofit Success at Plant Barry appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The amount of electricity produced by gas-fired power generation has been increasing steadily in the U.S. for more than 25 years. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that in 1990 about 372.8The post Gas Power Generation Thrives, Turbine Manufacturers Struggle appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The European Union (EU) is unequivocally continuing down a path of global climate and energy leadership while bringing online more carbon-neutral fuel systems throughout its 28 member states, closing in on the 2020 goal of a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from 1990 levels. Indeed, the newly released European Environment 
Agency’s (EEA’s) Trends […]The post Europe’s Power Generation Industry Evolves appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Owners and contractors can run into contractual disputes during combined cycle construction projects. Often, the disagreements snowball into lawsuits, which create a lot of activity in attorney offices, but can actually stop activity at the construction site. Engineers and laborers frequently end up taking off their hard hats and setting down their welding torches to […]The post Could Dispute Resolution Boards Keep Combined Cycle Projects on Schedule? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Eight northeastern states are again suing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to force the agency to slash emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) blowing in from power plants and other sources in nine “upwind” Midwestern and southern states. The Ozone Transport Region, which was established by Congress under Section 184 of […]The post Eight States Sue EPA, Arguing Ozone Transport Region Decision Is “Unlawful” appeared first on POWER Magazine.

From deregulation and restructuring to new technology and globalization, the power industry has undergone dramatic changes over the past few decades. Falling barriers to entry have led to the rise of small and independent power producers, and empowered consumers with choices when it comes to where to purchase their energy. These changes have transformed a […]The post How to Leverage the Value of Outsourcing Electrical Power Maintenance appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Siemens claims to be paving the way for the next level of efficiency with the development of its HL-class gas turbine. In June 2017, the company announced it will validate the technology at Duke Energy’s Lincoln County site in North Carolina. Siemens is developing this class in an evolutionary development step derived from its proven […]The post Siemens Reaches for Higher Efficiency with Its HL-Class Gas Turbine [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Olkiluoto 3, a much delayed first-of-its-kind EPR nuclear plant project under construction in Finland, has begun hot functional tests and should begin generating electricity in May 2019, according to Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO). TVO on December 19 said hot functional tests underway at the reactor, which are part of commissioning, are expected to […]The post Plagued by Faulty Materials, Industry Upheaval, Finnish EPR Nuclear Unit Steers Toward Completion appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Thermal insulation is installed on almost every piping system and much of the plant equipment at power generation facilities. It not only saves energy, but also protects workers, reduces noise, helps protect against freezing, and more. This quiz is designed to test your knowledge of insulation fundamentals. Create your own user feedback survey If you’d […]The post Test Your Knowledge: Insulation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) announced it will permanently close two older nuclear reactors in Japan, rather than invest nearly 100 billion yen ($900 million) to bring the units up to the country’s new safety regulations. Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) created new standards for the country’s nuclear plants after the meltdown at the Fukushima […]The post Two More Japan Nuclear Units Will be Decommissioned appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Moving toward sustainable manufacture of photovoltaics, Dr. Manuela Schiek’s research group in Oldenburg, Germany, has discovered how the latest technology in confocal laser scanning microscopy is enhancing both accuracy and efficiency of their research into organic semiconductors and transparent electrodes. Harvesting energy directly from the sun in order to generate electricity, solar cells appear to […]The post Alternative Materials for Alternative Energy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

We were standing in Volgodonsk, Russia, on a bridge that connected the third and fourth units of the Rostov Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The fourth unit was under construction, and the deputy chief engineer of the Rostov NPP, Alexander Belyaev, told us that we were about to witness something unique. It was December 1, 2015, […]The post Bangladesh Turns to Nuclear Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairman Stan Wise said his agency was “not going to make a decision to discontinue” construction of two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle, instead putting the decision squarely in the hands of Southern Co. and Georgia Power at the PSC’s December 21 meeting to determine the fate of the […]The post Georgia PSC Chair: We Wanted Vogtle to Go Forward appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Earlier this year, GE’s Power Services achieved a significant milestone with its 9EMax gas turbine upgrade solution. The 9EMax completed initial validation testing and was offered commercially to gas turbine customers around the globe. The first 9EMax unit was installed at a customer’s site in Asia. “First fire is a critical test where the gas […]The post GE’s 9EMax Gas Turbine Solution – Eric Gray [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

State regulators in Georgia have voted not to cancel the troubled nuclear expansion project at the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant near Waynesboro, Georgia, and lead owner Georgia Power has agreed to a set of conditions that the utility must meet in order to continue the project. Georgia Power is one of four utilities with a […]The post State PSC Puts Vogtle Future in Georgia Power’s Hands appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A bill backed by outgoing New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) to subsidize the state’s nuclear power plants unanimously passed a joint committee on December 20 and now heads to the full legislature for a vote. S.3560, introduced on December 14, directs the Board of Public Utilities to issue Nuclear Diversity Certificates (NDCs) to nuclear power […]The post New Jersey Nuclear Subsidy Bill Barrels Out of Committee, Heads for Legislature Vote appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Fires and explosions have caused a significant number of deaths and injuries to power plant staff over the years. To reduce hazards, protective measures must be considered during engineering, design, construction, and operation of power plants, particularly in electrical areas that are often a source of ignition. This quiz is designed to test your knowledge of electrical […]The post Test Your Knowledge: Electrical Area Classification appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) believes that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) needs to fast-track reform of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA), NARUC President John Betkoski III said in a December 18 letter to the commission. The letter pushes for FERC’s new Chairman, Kevin McIntyre, to make […]The post NARUC Calls on FERC to Prioritize PURPA Reform appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering drafting a replacement of the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan. The agency on December 18 published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) soliciting comments from the public on how the replacement should look. The ANPRM is separate from the agency’s current effort to repeal the current rule. […]The post EPA Seeks Input on Potential Clean Power Plan Replacement appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A Michigan utility will build a $500 million natural gas-fired power plant on the site of an existing coal-fired plant in Lansing, and plans to retire the coal plant and another coal-fired facility in the town in the next few years. Lansing’s Board of Water & Light (BWL) announced the project December 18. The city-owned […]The post New Michigan Gas-Fired Plant Will Replace Existing Coal Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A utility group on December 18 agreed to keep a coal-fired power plant in Colorado Springs, Colorado, open for at least a few more years, and its members said they are prepared to move forward with distributed generation and could import power to make up for the eventual retirement of the Martin Drake Power Plant. […]The post Board Keeps Option to Close Colorado Coal-Fired Plant Early appeared first on POWER Magazine.