POWER Magazine

More than 18.2 GW of wind power capacity is currently under construction or in advanced stages of development in the U.S., according to a report released on July 26 by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). That’s a lot of new capacity. In fact, it’s equivalent to roughly 25% of all currently installed U.S. wind […]The post Eight Things to Know About the Wind Energy Industry’s Dramatic Growth appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S natural gas market may be poised for a return to its traditional volatility as record power burn and rapidly growing exports are colliding with flat production, analysts are beginning to warn. After years of growth from hydraulic fracturing, production in April 2016 fell year-over-year for the first time since 2006, according to the […]The post Tightening Market Boosting Gas Prices as Exports Boom appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Worldwide power demand for computing could exceed the world’s energy production by 2040, according to a report from a global coalition of trade groups for microchip manufacturers. The recently released 2015 International Technology Roadmap For Semiconductors 2.0 (ITRS), prepared by experts from the U.S., Europe, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, provides an assessment of the near future […]The post Computers May Need More Power than the World Can Generate by 2040 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. nuclear power business is in trouble, and Exelon has six units totaling more than 5,300 MW of dependable capacity on the chopping block. How will the Chicago electricity giant respond? Perhaps by acquiring more merchant nuclear capacity?The post Exelon, America’s Leading Nuclear Generator, Keeps the Faith on Nukes appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Hopes that the beleaguered U.S. shale gas industry can find new markets have come to fruition as the second shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) was unloaded at a European port on July 22, with the promise of more to come. After being loaded at the Cheniere-owned Sabine Pass Terminal in Louisiana (Figure) on July […]The post Second Shipment of U.S. LNG Reaches Europe as Producers Seek New Markets appeared first on POWER Magazine.

FirstEnergy Corp. will sell or deactivate 856 MW of coal-fired generation to reduce fleet operating costs. The company announced on July 22 that it plans to sell or deactivate the 136-MW Bay Shore Unit 1 in Oregon, Ohio, by October 2020. In addition, Units 1–4 (totaling 720 MW of capacity) at the company’s seven-unit W.H. […]The post FirstEnergy Moves to Deactivate Two Embattled Ohio Coal Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Despite escalating growth over the past decade, the U.S. solar power sector faces potentially crippling issues concerning module supply, workforce deficiencies, and grid interconnection obstacles, according to industry experts attending an international solar and energy storage convention. The country added an estimated 14.5 GW of new solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in 2016, and by 2021, […]The post 11 Things to Know About the Solar Sector’s Precarious Future appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Power supply to a U.S. military base was cut off by the Turkish government following an attempted military coup in the country on Friday.The post Turmoil in Turkey Cuts Power to U.S. Military Base appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A federal appeals court has stayed a regional haze rule finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier this year that had threatened to close up to 8.4 GW of coal-fired power capacity in Texas. In a unanimous ruling on July 15, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a motion for […]The post Federal Court Stays EPA’s Regional Haze Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A severe solar storm striking the continental U.S. could cause trillions of dollars in damage to the global economy and shut down portions of the U.S. grid for up to a year, according to a new study prepared by the Cambridge Centre for Risk Studies for insurance firm AIG. The study, Helios Solar Storm Scenario, […]The post Severe Solar Storm Could Shut Down U.S. Grid for Months, Study Says appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Southern Co.’s Kemper County energy facility—the only carbon capture and storage (CCS) integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plant that is under construction—is producing syngas using lignite. The plant marked its most significant milestone to date on July 14, said Southern Co.’s Mississippi Power. It means that the first-of-its-kind technology to convert locally mined lignite […]The post Amid Scrutiny, Kemper IGCC Project Marks Big Syngas Production Milestone appeared first on POWER Magazine.

NextEra Energy announced on July 18 that it has terminated plans to merge with Hawaiian Electric Industries (HEI). Not surprisingly, NextEra Energy said the decision was driven by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission’s (PUC’s) 2–0 decision on July 15 to dismiss the Joint Application for the Change of Control filed by the companies. “As a […]The post NextEra Energy Cans Deal to Acquire Hawaiian Electric appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Lawmakers in Germany have voted to replace subsidies for wind and solar with competitively priced electricity prices. The country’s upper (Bundesrat) and lower (Bundestag) legislative chambers on July 8 voted to adopt an amendment to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG 2016) introduced by Minister of Economics and Energy Sigmar Gabriel. The legislation aims to […]The post Germany Backs Measure to Replace Renewable Incentives with Competitive Auctions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Pairing solar with energy storage will be integral to cement the future of both emerging sectors, said experts at the Intersolar North America’s annual event held this week in San Francisco. The three-day event and exhibition was co-located with ees North America, a stand-alone event focused on energy storage technologies and services. But experts […]The post In Push for Collaboration, Solar and Storage Industries Unveil “Smart Solar” Potential appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Entergy Corp. announced on July 13 that it is in discussions with Exelon Corp. concerning the potential sale of the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant in Scriba, N.Y. The news comes following the release of the New York Department of Public Service’s proposal to subsidize zero-emissions attributes of upstate nuclear power plants, including FitzPatrick […]The post Entergy Considering Sale of FitzPatrick Nuclear Plant to Exelon appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Talen Energy and Puget Sound Energy (PSE), owners of Units 1 and 2 at the Colstrip Power Plant in Montana, have reached an agreement to shut those units down no later than July 2022. The settlement came as a result of a lawsuit brought by the Montana Environmental Information Center and the Sierra Club in […]The post Colstrip Units 1 and 2 Will Shut Down by 2022 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The New York Department of Public Service has proposed subsidizing zero-emissions attributes from zero-carbon electric generating stations, namely nuclear power plants, in order to encourage the preservation of the facilities. In an 11-page document titled “Staff’s Responsive Proposal for Preserving Zero-Emissions Attributes,” a formula that starts with published estimates of the social cost of carbon […]The post Subsidies Proposed for New York’s Upstate Nuclear Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Japan’s embattled nuclear sector, struggling to restart some of its idled reactors, suffered a pair of setbacks this week as a court again ruled against the restart of Takahama Units 3 and 4 in Fukui Prefecture and an antinuclear activist won election as governor of Kagoshima Prefecture, where Japan’s only operating nuclear plant, Sendai, is […]The post Japanese Nuclear Sector Suffers More Setbacks appeared first on POWER Magazine.

China is preparing to expand nationwide a ban on new coal plant construction announced in April in an attempt to further rein in overcapacity and boost utilization of renewable energy, according to a report in Australian Financial Review. This spring, China’s National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration suspended or slowed plans for […]The post China Reportedly Poised to Ban New Coal Plants Through 2018 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The “polar vortex” storm of January 2014 blew in big changes to PJM Interconnection’s operations. But these changes are now the subject of a lawsuit filed by environmental groups, alleging they discriminate against clean energy sources. The sub-zero temperatures froze coal piles and gearboxes. Natural gas plants, lacking firm contracts for fuel delivery, were unable […]The post Green Groups Challenge PJM’s Capacity Performance Rules appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Siemens on July 5 entered the competition for the largest wind turbine in the world with an upgrade of its SWT-7.0-154 model. The new SWT-8.0-154 turbine boosts power output over the earlier model through upgraded magnet technology. Other components remain largely the same over the earlier model and the smaller SWT-6.0-154 turbine, Siemens said. The […]The post Largest Wind Turbine Contest Gets Another Entrant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The European Union (EU) parliament on July 6 approved the first community-wide rules designed to bolster cybersecurity throughout the EU. According to the official statement, the new law “lays down security and reporting obligations for ‘operators of essential services’ in sectors such as energy, transport, health, banking and drinking water supply. EU member states will […]The post EU Parliament Approves New Cybersecurity Rules appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Indiana Michigan Power—a subsidiary of American Electric Power (AEP)—reported that Unit 2 of its Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Mich., was forced offline on July 6 due to an expansion joint bellows rupture on the unit’s moisture separator reheater. Although no one was in the area at the time and there were no […]The post Expansion Joint Bellows Rupture Forces D.C. Cook Nuclear Plant Offline appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Witnesses at a Congressional hearing raised concerns about the complexity, costs, legality, and feasibility of the 3,900 final rules published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the Obama administration. A large portion of those rules affect the power sector, but none are more contentious than the Clean Power Plan, regulatory and citizen interest experts […]The post Obama Administration’s Environmental Rules to Leave Lasting Legacy on Power Sector, Markets appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A large fire at the Grand River Dam Authority’s (GRDA’s) Chouteau, Okla., coal-fired power plant was triggered by a string of unfortunate events shortly after a storm passed through the region on July 1. Justin Alberty, GRDA corporate communications director, told POWER that the fire started at around 7 p.m. that night. He said GRDA […]The post Lightning a Suspected Contributor to Power Plant Fire appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post THE BIG PICTURE: China’s Power Glut appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Fuel blending and switching has become the norm in response to regulatory and market forces, but many older boilers were designed for a particular fuel. Understanding the effects of different fuels onThe post Understanding and Mitigating Metallurgical Effects of Coal Blending and Switching appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Rush Island Energy Center has successfully fired Powder River Basin (PRB) coal for two decades, as proven by the plant’s excellent performance stats, dedication to minimizing its environmental footprint, and sterling safety record. The PRB Coal Users’ Group top award recognizes the plant staff’s long-term dedication to continuously improving its safe handling and efficient combustion […]The post PRB Coal Users’ Group Plant of the Year: Ameren’s Rush Island Energy Center appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Power plants are familiar with using continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) to monitor pollutants, but these devices also may be able to measure heat rate—which could be handy for future compliance with the Clean Power Plan. Continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) are used to monitor power plant flue gas emissions as a means to comply […]The post Evaluating the Use of CEMS for Accurate Heat Rate Monitoring and Reporting appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Is waste-to-energy the best greenhouse gas fighter among electric generating technologies? Or do trash burners spew dangerous air emissions? The answer may be a surprise. What electricity-generating technology results in net greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, not just zero new emissions? According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it’s not nuclear, not wind, not solar. […]The post Energy from Waste: Greenhouse Gas Winner or Pollution Loser? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The niche alternative energy industry that generates power from hazardous piles of coal waste that litter the U.S. is facing an environmental Catch-22. The torrent of coal mined and processed in the U.S. sinceThe post The Coal Refuse Dilemma: Burning Coal for Environmental Benefits appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Courtesy: Ad Meskens/Wikimedia Commons Europe has been in the forefront of renewable energy development, and though the scientific research on wildlife impacts is limited, European environmentalists and developers are beginning to create baseline frameworks and guidelines. Developers around the world can learn from their experience. As more renewable energy systems come online, providers hope to […]The post Avoiding Wildlife Impacts from Renewable Energy in Europe appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Following the end of William C. Ostendorff’s term on June 30, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is now down to only three active commissioners on staff. Ostendorff became a commissioner on April 1, 2010, following a distinguished career as a U.S. naval officer, engineer, lawyer, and policy advisor. His departure adds another vacancy to the […]The post Nuclear Regulatory Commission Down to Three Active Commissioners appeared first on POWER Magazine.

California’s State Lands Commission has approved a lease extension that Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) needed to operate its two Diablo Canyon Power Plant nuclear reactors until 2025. The three-member commission unanimously approved extending the lease for the power plant’s cooling water infrastructure through the end of its current federal licensing period. Without those extensions, […]The post PG&E Secures Key Lease Extension for Diablo Canyon appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Projections that coal utilization will decline faster than previously forecast have spurred Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises (B&W) to shed 200 jobs and restructure its traditional power business that serves coal-fired power generation in a bid to reduce overhead and improve efficiency. The Charlotte, N.C.–based energy and environmental technology and service company said on June 28 […]The post B&W to Restructure Power Business, Cites Dismal Coal Projections appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The world’s power sector last year emitted a third of global sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, 14% of nitrogen oxides (NOx), and 5% of total particulate emissions (PM2.5), but those emission values have fallen drastically over the last decade even though coal power generation has seen a surge, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a […]The post IEA: World’s Power Sector Trails Others in Air Emissions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S., Mexico, and Canada today announced an unprecedented goal to procure 50% of North America’s total power generation from renewables, nuclear, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and energy efficiency technologies by 2025. President Obama, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, and the President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto, announced the continental goal, part of […]The post U.S., Canada, Mexico Commit to 50% Carbon-Free Power by 2025 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

When the UK, the European Union’s (EU’s) second-largest economy, voted to leave the union on June 23, reactions were swift and sometimes unexpected, but what does the Brexit vote mean for the nuclear power industry, which is an increasingly global one? Based on comments made at this week’s World Nuclear Exhibition (WNE) outside Paris, the […]The post Brexit Implications for UK Nuclear Power appeared first on POWER Magazine.

California Gov. Jerry Brown and members of the California legislature have agreed on a package of “sweeping” reforms designed to overhaul the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), increase transparency, and change how the CPUC conducts much of its business. The changes come in the wake of repeated disclosures of illegal ex parte meetings and communications […]The post California Governor, Legislature, Agree on Major Overhaul of CPUC appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The second World Nuclear Exhibition (WNE) began on June 28 in Le Bourget, just outside Paris, with the usual mixed messages about the need for and challenges of nuclear power globally. During the opening ceremony, Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), noted that the event was being held in the same […]The post World Nuclear Exhibition Addresses Challenging Markets and New Solutions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, nuclear power has accounted for about 20% of electricity generated in the U.S. each year since 1990. In fact, the U.S. nuclear fleet out produced France—the country with the next highest nuclear generation—by more than two to one in 2012. Russia was a distant third, generating less than […]The post U.S. Nuclear Power Plant Closures [Slideshow] appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Although it’s not widely publicized, a majority of the energy used to generate electricity is wasted in the form of heat discharged to the environment. For better or worse, that’s just the way a typical thermal power plant works. Fuel, such as coal, biomass, natural gas, or uranium (in the case of nuclear plants), is […]The post District Energy Systems Improve Efficiency and Reduce Carbon Emissions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Enrico Viale, head of global thermal generation for the Italian energy company Enel, kicked off an international power industry event yesterday with a keynote presentation describing the “needs” of utilities in the future.The post Utility Paradigm Changing Globally in Response to Distributed Energy and Digitization appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The first operational rules finalized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for routine commercial use of drones could have major implications for utilities and power companies, which are increasingly using them for operations and maintenance. The new rules (Part 107 of the Federal Aviation Regulations) that apply to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)—or drones—weighing less than […]The post How the FAA’s First-Ever Commercial Drone Rules Could Affect Power Companies appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Diablo Canyon, the two-reactor nuclear power plant on the central California coastline, will be permanently shuttered by 2025 under a renewables-boosting initiative announced today by its owner, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). The company on June 21 unveiled a “joint proposal” with labor and environmental groups that seeks to increase investment in energy efficiency, energy […]The post PG&E Moves to Retire 2.3-GW Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Florida Light and Power (FPL) wants to buy and phase out another coal-fired power plant in Florida, a move it says will save its customers an estimated $129 million when new gas-fired infrastructure is built in the state. The NextEra subsidiary on June 20 filed a petition for the Florida Public Service Commission’s (PSC’s) approval […]The post FPL to Buy and Phase Out Another Florida Coal Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Guinness World Records recognized GE’s HA gas turbine for powering the world’s most efficient—up to 62.22%—combined cycle power plant. The first unit equipped with an HA turbine officially began operation on June 17 at EDF’s plant located in Bouchain, France. “Today we are making history with this power plant for the future,” said Steve Bolze, […]The post GE-Powered Combined Cycle Plant Sets New Efficiency Record appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Spanish wind giant Gamesa will absorb Siemens’ wind power business, including wind services, creating a new combined company—one of the world’s biggest wind turbine manufacturers—that will have its global headquarters in Spain. The companies on June 17 signed binding agreements to merge and form the new company. Siemens will hold a 59% stake and consolidate […]The post Siemens, Gamesa to Combine Wind Business to Form New Major Market Player appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unveiled details of the Clean Energy Incentive Program (CEIP), a voluntary measure central to the judicially stalled Clean Power Plan that seeks to provide guidance to states and tribes that want to meet goals under the plan when it becomes effective. The final Clean Power Plan, finalized in […]The post Despite Stay, EPA Proposes Details of Clean Power Plan Voluntary Incentive Program appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) board of directors voted unanimously on June 16 to close Fort Calhoun Station, the smallest nuclear power plant in the U.S., due to economic reasons. In April, OPPD Board Chairman Mick Mines asked senior management to develop potential scenarios regarding future power resources. Tim Burke, president and CEO of […]The post Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant to Close by Year-end appeared first on POWER Magazine.