POWER Magazine

The post Nuclear Waste Bill Gains Traction in the House appeared first on POWER Magazine.A bill to amend the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) of 1982 and give the Department of Energy (DOE) the authority to site, build, and operate one or more interim storage sites that would consolidate spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from decommissioned nuclear reactors has passed out of committee and been reported to the full House […]The post Nuclear Waste Bill Gains Traction in the House appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Last New York Coal Plant Set to Close appeared first on POWER Magazine.The last operating coal-fired power plant in New York state could close by mid-February. Somerset Operating Co. on Nov. 15 asked the New York State Public Service Commission to waive the state’s 180-day notice requirement to shutter the 675-MW plant, asking regulators to allow the facility to close as early as Feb. 15, 2020. Somerset […]The post Last New York Coal Plant Set to Close appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Regulators: Central Station Generation Will Stay Dominant Despite Emerging Tech appeared first on POWER Magazine.A nationwide survey of state utility commissions suggests regulators are increasingly grappling with issues that could “profoundly” alter energy delivery and utility business models. However, over the next decade, they expect central station generation will continue to dominate state portfolios, and utility-scale solar growth will surpass customer-owned photovoltaic (PV). The survey to take the “regulatory […]The post Regulators: Central Station Generation Will Stay Dominant Despite Emerging Tech appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EDF Will Bail on Three Nuclear Plants, Exelon Holds the Bag appeared first on POWER Magazine.Exelon Generation said EDF Group—a French integrated electricity company—is exercising a put option to sell its 49.99% interest in the R.E. Ginna, Nine Mile Point, and Calvert Cliffs nuclear energy facilities. The two companies will now begin negotiations for Exelon to acquire full ownership of the plants. EDF’s involvement in the facilities was through the […]The post EDF Will Bail on Three Nuclear Plants, Exelon Holds the Bag appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post ‘GREEN Act of 2019’ Extends Tax Credits for Renewables appeared first on POWER Magazine.The Ways and Means Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives on Nov. 19 released a draft tax package for clean energy projects that includes a five-year extension of the 30% solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), along with new incentives for energy storage. The legislation also supports incentives for electric vehicles (EVs), offshore and onshore […]The post ‘GREEN Act of 2019’ Extends Tax Credits for Renewables appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Plan to Build New 1-GW Plant in Rhode Island Officially Dead appeared first on POWER Magazine.A project to build a 1-GW gas-fired power plant in Rhode Island has officially ended, after developer Invenergy took no action to appeal the project’s rejection by state regulators, who earlier this year voted unanimously against the plant’s construction. Invenergy had until Nov. 15 to challenge the formal denial of a construction license for the […]The post Plan to Build New 1-GW Plant in Rhode Island Officially Dead appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post GE Will Close Georgia Plant; 200 Jobs at Stake appeared first on POWER Magazine.GE Renewable Energy has confirmed the company will close its GE Grid Solutions manufacturing plant in Waynesboro, Georgia, with the 200 workers at the facility offered the chance to relocate to a similar site in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, or apply for other jobs within the company. The plant is expected to close by year-end 2020. The […]The post GE Will Close Georgia Plant; 200 Jobs at Stake appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The POWER Interview: How Industry 4.0 Will Improve Sustainability appeared first on POWER Magazine.As the world continues to face climate uncertainties, industrial companies are looking for ways to ensure they are as sustainable as possible while maintaining profitability. POWER’s recent Distributed Energy Conference included a session on sustainability from the viewpoint of utilities and others in the power generation industry. Many companies are working toward the goal of […]The post The POWER Interview: How Industry 4.0 Will Improve Sustainability appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post IEA World Energy Outlook: Solar Capacity Surges Past Coal and Gas by 2040 appeared first on POWER Magazine.Solar photovoltaic (PV) could surge ahead of coal and gas and become the largest source of installed power capacity in the world in the next two decades if countries pursue stated policies and targets, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its newly released World Energy Outlook 2019 (WEO2019). The agency’s annual publication, which it […]The post IEA World Energy Outlook: Solar Capacity Surges Past Coal and Gas by 2040 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post One Nuclear Power Project Delayed; Three Leap Forward appeared first on POWER Magazine.The long-overdue Olkiluoto 3 nuclear power plant (NPP) in Finland has been delayed again, but nuclear projects in Russia, Canada, and Iran achieved important milestones in November. New Novovoronezh Unit Enters Commercial Operation Rosatom announced on Nov. 1 that Unit 2 at the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant II entered commercial operation 30 days ahead of […]The post One Nuclear Power Project Delayed; Three Leap Forward appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post How the DOE Plans to Modernize the Grid in the Near Term appeared first on POWER Magazine.Twenty-three projects chosen by the Department of Energy (DOE) in response to its 2019 Grid Modernization Lab Call provide a broad look at the critical issues that are roiling the nation’s power sector, as well as the tools and technologies that it has determined will best bolster the grid of the future in the near […]The post How the DOE Plans to Modernize the Grid in the Near Term appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post 2.2-GW Coal-Fired Behemoth Could Permanently Close This Week appeared first on POWER Magazine.The 2,250-MW coal-fired Navajo Generating Station (NGS) in Arizona will permanently close likely this week, ending a long and bitter fight to keep the plant and its affiliated coal mine open. The plant’s utility owners—Salt River Project (SRP), Arizona Public Service Co., Tucson Electric Power Co., and NV Energy—in February 2017 voted to shut down […]The post 2.2-GW Coal-Fired Behemoth Could Permanently Close This Week appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post ExxonMobil Extends Deal for Fuel Cell Carbon Capture Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.ExxonMobil and FuelCell Energy announced a new joint-development agreement to enhance carbon capture fuel cell technology, as the groups work on a process to capture combustion exhaust from power plants and other industrial facilities. The two-year deal, announced Nov. 6 and an extension of an earlier agreement, is aimed at optimizing core technology, process integration, […]The post ExxonMobil Extends Deal for Fuel Cell Carbon Capture Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post AES Commits to Build 2.2-GW CCGT Plant in Vietnam appeared first on POWER Magazine.AES Corp. on Nov. 8 signed a memorandum of understanding with the Vietnamese government to build a $1.7 billion gas-fired power plant in Vietnam. The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi made the announcement along with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, who was attending a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the American […]The post AES Commits to Build 2.2-GW CCGT Plant in Vietnam appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Air-Gapped Industrial Control Networks: What You Need to Know appeared first on POWER Magazine.Many networks across a variety of verticals including government, military, financial services, power plants, and industrial manufacturing have been so-called “air-gapped.” This means they are physically and logically isolated from other networks where communication between these networks is not physically or logically possible. This can be a good thing or bad thing depending on your […]The post Air-Gapped Industrial Control Networks: What You Need to Know appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post New Boosts for Commercial Production of HALEU Advanced Nuclear Reactor Fuel appeared first on POWER Magazine.Efforts to commercialize production of high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel, which is needed for an array of advanced reactors, ramped up this week with two major announcements. As the Department of Energy (DOE) contracted Centrus Energy to demonstrate production of HALEU fuel for advanced reactors at the DOE’s American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio, private […]The post New Boosts for Commercial Production of HALEU Advanced Nuclear Reactor Fuel appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The POWER Notebook: Power Sector Digitalization Accelerates appeared first on POWER Magazine.The pace at which new digitalization technologies are being adopted in the power sector is dizzying, but news from major players in the sector—among them, AES, Invenergy, Google, and IBM—this week suggests it will only accelerate. For more insight into power plant digitalization, including the latest in digital monitoring, diagnostic, analytics, Industrial Internet of Things […]The post The POWER Notebook: Power Sector Digitalization Accelerates appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EPA Proposes Revisions to Two Obama-Era Rules: Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Coal Ash appeared first on POWER Magazine.The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued long-awaited proposed revisions of two 2015 Obama-era rules that apply to effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) for steam electric power plants and coal combustion residuals (CCR) management by electric utilities. The agency coordinated the release of the two related revisions, which apply overwhelmingly to coal-fired steam power plants, after […]The post EPA Proposes Revisions to Two Obama-Era Rules: Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Coal Ash appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Alliant Announces Plan for 1 GW of Solar in Wisconsin appeared first on POWER Magazine.Wisconsin-based Alliant Energy has announced a plan to add 1 GW of solar power generation to its portfolio by 2023. The company on Oct. 31 in its “Powering What’s Next Plan” said it would begin construction of its first “Community Solar” site in Fond du Lac County next year. David de Leon, president of Alliant […]The post Alliant Announces Plan for 1 GW of Solar in Wisconsin appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The POWER Interview: Eaton Targets Skilled Labor Shortage With Hands-on Training appeared first on POWER Magazine.POWER in 2018 reported on the lasting impact that a dip in training programs has had on the utility workforce. In the 1980s, there were fewer training programs and the impact is still being felt today. There are fewer utility workers able to move into middle- and upper-management positions, contributing to a workforce gap as […]The post The POWER Interview: Eaton Targets Skilled Labor Shortage With Hands-on Training appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Dominion Plans 500-MW Gas Plant, Also Adding Solar and Wind appeared first on POWER Magazine.Dominion Energy announced plans for a new 500-MW natural gas-fired power plant and also has taken over a solar farm project in Pittsylvania County in Virginia, with the company saying it would invest about $330 million in the two projects. The Nov. 1 announcement came one day after Dominion said it would it would add […]The post Dominion Plans 500-MW Gas Plant, Also Adding Solar and Wind appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post GE Shelves Plans to Spin-Off Digital Business appeared first on POWER Magazine.GE will retain its lucrative digital business—not spin it off, as had been planned—but it will sharpen the division’s focus on four key markets, including electric utilities and power generation, GE Digital CEO Pat Byrne told customers in an Oct. 31 letter. “I want to affirm that GE Digital is staying in GE,” Byrne wrote. […]The post GE Shelves Plans to Spin-Off Digital Business appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Drone Intrusions appeared first on POWER Magazine.Drones represent a classic good news/bad news scenario. The good news is great. The bad news is terrifying. On the good news front, drones can keep utility-sector workers safely on the ground, with theThe post Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Drone Intrusions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EAM Solutions Stretch Capabilities of Lean Plant Maintenance Teams appeared first on POWER Magazine.Of the many challenges power and industrial plant maintenance teams face, stretching the capabilities of their ultra-lean staff is one of the most critical. Assets can range from industrial generators, toThe post EAM Solutions Stretch Capabilities of Lean Plant Maintenance Teams appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Hydrocarbon Molecules Know No Borders: The U.S.-Mexico Natural Gas Dilemma appeared first on POWER Magazine.Natural gas traders once spoke of the North American continent as a potential seamless natural gas trading market, where market synergies could be perfected and hydrocarbon molecules could flow freely to theThe post Hydrocarbon Molecules Know No Borders: The U.S.-Mexico Natural Gas Dilemma appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Evolution of Nuclear Power Continues with Operation of First EPR appeared first on POWER Magazine.Unit 1 at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in China is the site of a milestone for nuclear technology. It also illustrates cooperation between France and China, using the lessons learned from earlier projectsThe post Evolution of Nuclear Power Continues with Operation of First EPR appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Solar Projects Show Rapid Growth in Middle East appeared first on POWER Magazine.Solar power continues to make inroads in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and other parts of the Persian Gulf region. The Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA) in late September said itThe post Solar Projects Show Rapid Growth in Middle East appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Poland Pushing Back Against EU Goal to End Coal-Fired Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.Polish officials have said it is “not possible” for the country to meet the European Union’s (EU’s) goal of cutting net carbon emissions to zero by 2050, and as such the government will continue toThe post Poland Pushing Back Against EU Goal to End Coal-Fired Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Public vs. Private: The Debate Continues appeared first on POWER Magazine.In the September issue of POWER , I wrote about a public utility (JEA) that is exploring privatization, and in October, I looked at a city (Boulder, Colorado) that is exploring municipalization. While I thinkThe post Public vs. Private: The Debate Continues appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Extended Power Uprate Is a Winning Strategy for Nuclear Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.The Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant completed an extended power uprate (EPU) that increased the total capacity of the facility’s three units by about 465 MW. The addition is an important part of the TennesseeThe post Extended Power Uprate Is a Winning Strategy for Nuclear Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Ritter’s Message: Market Forces Drive Growth in Distributed Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.Market forces are playing as much if not more of a role than regulatory policy in the transition from fossil-fueled power generation to renewables, as utilities in the U.S. and worldwide establish decarbonization goals. That was the message from Bill Ritter Jr., former governor of Colorado, during his keynote address at POWER’s Distributed Energy Conference […]The post Ritter’s Message: Market Forces Drive Growth in Distributed Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post States to FERC: Promote Market Designs That Recognize State Priorities appeared first on POWER Magazine.Attorneys general from 11 states ramped up pressure on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to recognize state policy goals as it makes decisions related to market design, siting of new gas pipelines and storage facilities, and grid reliability. The measure is the latest in a string of recent pushes by states to ensure federally […]The post States to FERC: Promote Market Designs That Recognize State Priorities appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post First Floating Offshore Wind Farm to Power Oil and Gas Platforms Kicks Off appeared first on POWER Magazine.Siemens Gamesa has bagged a lucrative contract to supply 11 8-MW offshore wind turbines to Equinor’s 88-MW Hywind Tampen floating wind farm, a first-of-its-kind project that will power oil and gas platforms 140 kilometers offshore Norway. Equinor—as Statoil, Norway’s state-owned oil company, is now named—announced a final investment decision to build Hywind Tampen on Oct. […]The post First Floating Offshore Wind Farm to Power Oil and Gas Platforms Kicks Off appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Russia Completes First-Phase Testing of Nuclear Accident-Tolerant Fuel appeared first on POWER Magazine.Russia has completed the first phase of nuclear accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) reactor testing at a government research facility. The achievement paves the way for ATF testing at a Russian commercial nuclear plant, which could begin in 2020. TVEL Fuel Co. of Rosatom, a company that provides nuclear fuel to 72 reactors in 14 countries, including […]The post Russia Completes First-Phase Testing of Nuclear Accident-Tolerant Fuel appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Malware Discovered at Nuclear Plant in India appeared first on POWER Magazine.Malware detected at the Kundankulam nuclear power plant in India’s state of Tamil Nadu has not affected plant systems, an investigation by Nuclear Power Corp. of India (NPCIL), the nation’s nuclear plant operator, confirms. The entity said in a press release on Oct. 30 that it discovered the malware on Sept. 4 on the personal […]The post Malware Discovered at Nuclear Plant in India appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Oil and Gas Heavyweights Seek Lifeline in Clean Energy and Tech Sectors appeared first on POWER Magazine.Oilfield service providers are increasingly moving beyond oil and gas development work, and into renewable energy projects, according to a study conducted by Rystad Energy, an independent research and business intelligence company that provides data, tools, analytics, and consultancy services to the global energy industry. In findings released on Oct. 29, Rystad said that oil […]The post Oil and Gas Heavyweights Seek Lifeline in Clean Energy and Tech Sectors appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Using Extreme Visibility to Protect Industrial Control Systems [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.What does it mean to have “extreme visibility” in an operational technology (OT) environment? According to Claroty, a New York-based company that offers cybersecurity products for industrial control systems, it’s having the ability to see all assets on a network, knowing what they are, and understanding what functions they perform. The company says the more […]The post Using Extreme Visibility to Protect Industrial Control Systems [PODCAST] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Top 5 Energy Storage Trends of the Year appeared first on POWER Magazine.Energy storage has been the hot topic in solar and e-mobility over the last couple years, and it’s only getting hotter. Last year, energy storage installations in the U.S. totaled 311 MW and 777 MWh, up from next to nothing six years prior, and this is just the beginning. Wood Mackenzie and Energy Storage Association […]The post Top 5 Energy Storage Trends of the Year appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Restructuring Report: Eskom ‘Fundamentally Insolvent, Permanently Impaired’ appeared first on POWER Magazine.Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned utility that produces nearly 90% of the African powerhouse’s electricity, is saddled with liabilities, unavoidable expenses, and stranded costs that exceed $113 billion, and for various reasons, it is “fundamentally insolvent, permanently impaired, and will never be a true going concern enterprise under its current legal, operational, and governance structure,” concludes […]The post Restructuring Report: Eskom ‘Fundamentally Insolvent, Permanently Impaired’ appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Report: Nearly 80% of EU Coal Units Operate at a Loss appeared first on POWER Magazine.A new report from a group that studies the impact of climate change on financial markets recommends that European Union (EU) governments move to phase out coal-fired power generation completely by 2030 in order to avoid even-greater economic damage. Carbon Tracker, a London, UK-based group supported by foundations in Europe and the U.S., on Oct. 24 […]The post Report: Nearly 80% of EU Coal Units Operate at a Loss appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Ansaldo, Equinor Partner to Validate 100% Hydrogen Gas Turbine appeared first on POWER Magazine.Italian turbine maker Ansaldo Energia and carbon capture specialist Equinor are collaborating on the validation of a 100% hydrogen gas turbine combustor. Under an agreement announced on Oct. 24, Equinor (formerly Statoil) will co-fund tests that could show Ansaldo’s GT36 H-class gas turbine combustor can be operated purely with hydrogen. “The purpose of this collaboration […]The post Ansaldo, Equinor Partner to Validate 100% Hydrogen Gas Turbine appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Siemens Opens New Innovation Center in Orlando appeared first on POWER Magazine.Siemens celebrated the official opening of an innovation center in Orlando, Florida. The only one of its kind in the U.S., it pairs design with manufacturing, robotics, rapid prototyping, scanning, and digital tools. Designed to support the customers of Siemens Gas and Power, it is equipped with the latest digital technologies to make repairs faster […]The post Siemens Opens New Innovation Center in Orlando appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post National Labs Collaborate to Promote Technology Commercialization appeared first on POWER Magazine.The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced 12 projects had been selected as part of its Practices to Accelerate the Commercialization of Technologies (PACT) Laboratory Call. The projects will receive about $2.5 million in awards, combined with more than $1 million in cost share “to develop new ways to increase technology commercialization by reducing barriers […]The post National Labs Collaborate to Promote Technology Commercialization appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Dominion Solar, Wind Projects Will Power Virginia Government Buildings appeared first on POWER Magazine.Dominion Energy has entered a partnership with the commonwealth of Virginia in which government-owned buildings and facilities in the state will get power from Dominion’s solar and wind energy projects. The agreement, signed by Dominion and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Oct. 18, is the largest procurement of renewable energy to date by the state […]The post Dominion Solar, Wind Projects Will Power Virginia Government Buildings appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Energy Secretary Perry Tells Trump He is Resigning appeared first on POWER Magazine.Energy Secretary Rick Perry told President Donald Trump on Oct. 17 that he is resigning his post. Trump confirmed to reporters in Texas, where he and Perry flew Thursday, that the energy secretary will step down, and Trump said he would quickly name a replacement. DOE Deputy Secretary Don Brouillette is viewed as Perry’s likely […]The post Energy Secretary Perry Tells Trump He is Resigning appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post FERC Backs First Compliance Filings on Energy Storage Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.The energy storage market received a boost Oct. 17 when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved the first two compliance filings implementing Order 841, a rule the commission said is designed to eliminate market barriers to electricity storage. Order 841 was enacted in February 2018. The measure directs regional power grid operators to establish […]The post FERC Backs First Compliance Filings on Energy Storage Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post EV-Based Virtual Power Plants Shift Peak Load and Save Money appeared first on POWER Magazine.A recent study found that electric vehicle (EV) batteries used as a utility virtual power plant (VPP) could shift the entire residential peak load to nighttime hours with only 10% EV market saturation. The research was conducted by Jackson Associates, an Orlando, Florida-based firm that does energy forecasting, data development, and energy-related analysis. The study […]The post EV-Based Virtual Power Plants Shift Peak Load and Save Money appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Financially Flailing Eskom Scrambles to Complete Defect-Ridden Coal Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.South Africa’s state-owned utility Eskom was forced to slash 2,000 MW on a rotational basis nationwide on Oct. 16 and Oct. 17. The newest round of power cuts—the first in nearly seven months—highlight the state-owned utility’s scramble to avert financial disaster stemming in part from the fast-tracked construction of two 4.8-GW coal-fired power plants: Medupi […]The post Financially Flailing Eskom Scrambles to Complete Defect-Ridden Coal Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Moody’s: Carbon Concerns Denting Merchant Coal Refinancing Prospects appeared first on POWER Magazine.Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks are diminishing the number of potential investors in U.S. merchant coal projects, and that is putting more pressure on already squeezed coal plant economics, Moody’s Investors Service said in a new sector report. The U.S. merchant coal plants, which are already grappling with persistently low power prices that […]The post Moody’s: Carbon Concerns Denting Merchant Coal Refinancing Prospects appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post Tiny Underwater Robot Has Big Impact at Endesa’s Thermal Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.Spain’s largest electric utility Endesa has successfully tested a new remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that it says will make inspection and maintenance in fully or partially submerged environments at its thermal power plants less costly and more efficient. The underwater robot, which was custom manufactured by Spanish startup NIDO Robotics for Endesa’s applications, is about […]The post Tiny Underwater Robot Has Big Impact at Endesa’s Thermal Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.