POWER Magazine

The operator of one of the largest coal-fired power plants in the Western U.S. will continue to run the facility, changing course about a year after a company executive said the plant was not economically viable. A spokesman for Talen Energy confirmed to POWER on August 9 that the company will continue to operate the […]The post Operator Reverses Course, Will Keep Running Montana Coal Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The December 2015 extension of the federal production tax credit (PTC) for wind power brought on a massive push for wind energy generation, according to the Department of Energy’s 2016 Wind Technologies Market Report. Nationwide, 8,203 MW of new capacity was added in 2016 and $13 billion was invested. “Supported by favorable tax policy and […]The post U.S. Wind Generation Grew By More Than 8,000 MW In 2016 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Those waiting for a decision in the court case against the Clean Power Plan are going to have to wait a bit longer. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on August 8 ordered that the case, which pits a coalition of 27 states and numerous energy producers, utilities, and trade organizations […]The post D.C. Circuit Again Delays Action on Clean Power Plan appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A federal judge on August 4 said the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) must dig up coal ash at one of its power plants and move it to a lined waste site. The order came in a suit filed by the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association (TSRA) and the Tennessee Clean Water Network (TCWN), who said coal […]The post Judge Rules TVA Must Move Gallatin Coal Ash appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Given that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) isn’t going to be taking any substantial action to rewrite the Clean Power Plan anytime soon, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit should not postpone a decision in the court case against the rule, an August 4 document filed by a group of […]The post Enviros Call for Court Decision in Clean Power Plan Case appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) again has a working quorum after the U.S. Senate confirmed Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson as new members August 3. FERC had been without a quorum since February 2017 when Commissioner Norman Bay resigned, and with only one member after Collette Honorable left the agency at the end of […]The post FERC Has Quorum as Senate Confirms Two New Members appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Costs to build the two Vogtle AP1000 units under construction in Georgia could range between $18.3 billion and $19.8 billion—and for now, Southern Co. is pinning its hopes to complete the project on approval from the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC). Southern Co. CEO Tom Fanning told investors in a second-quarter earnings call on August […]The post Cost to Complete Vogtle AP1000 Nuclear Units Could Balloon to $20B appeared first on POWER Magazine.

DTE Energy has filed plans with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) to build a 1,100-MW natural gas-fired power plant on about 100 acres east of the existing Belle River Power Plant, northeast of Detroit near the Canadian border. The August 1 filing confirms the proposal that DTE discussed with local officials last fall for […]The post DTE Plans New 1,100-MW Gas Plant Near Detroit appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Today’s construction boom in the combined cycle/cogeneration sector is great news for suppliers of gas turbines (GTs), heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs), and engineer-procure-construct (EPC) services. But before this boom advances from artist’s sketches (Figure 1) to first fires, the designers of all those next-generation combined cycles should pause to reflect on the lessons learned […]The post Design Tomorrow’s Combined Cycle Power Plant Using Previous Lessons Learned appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post THE BIG PICTURE: Nuclear Financial Meltdown appeared first on POWER Magazine.

It’s no secret that high-radiation areas are scattered throughout nuclear power plant facilities. The challenge is getting work done in those areas while keeping exposure to workers as low as possible. OnThe post 3-D Laser Scanning of Nuclear Plant Piping Systems Reduces Radiation Exposure appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Several factors favor natural gas when it comes to the future of U.S. power generation. But other forces, such as power demand, energy efficiency, and the impact of renewables, make it a complex fray. Let’sThe post Market Dynamics Are Complicated as Coal Battles Natural Gas appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Coal, by its very nature, is a dusty fuel. That poses a serious risk at coal-fired power plants, because coal dust can be highly explosive. However, actions can be taken to reduce the risk. Implementing strictThe post A Proactive Program to Mitigate Coal Dust Reduces the Risk of Explosions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The energy sector has been hit with almost one-third of the cyberattacks against U.S. industrial facilities in recent years. It is among the top issues, along with reliability, environmental regulations, andThe post Stepping Up Cybersecurity: Power Producers Move Ahead appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Self-contained, small islands of electric generation, storage and distribution inside the existing grid–microgrids–could be the next big thing in electricity. But some argue they may be just anotherThe post Microgrids: An Old Concept Could Be New Again appeared first on POWER Magazine.

SCANA Corp. and Santee Cooper have ceased construction of Units 2 and 3 at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in South Carolina. The project owners said the decision, prompted by analysis of detailed schedule and cost data, would save customers nearly $7 billion. The project, which was about 64% complete, has been in limbo since […]The post UPDATED: SCANA, Santee Cooper Abandon V.C. Summer AP1000 Nuclear Units, Citing High Costs appeared first on POWER Magazine.

SCANA Corp. and state-owned utility Santee Cooper on July 27 said Toshiba has agreed to pay nearly $2.2 billion to cap its liabilities from the unfinished V.C. Summer nuclear project in South Carolina. Toshiba subsidiary Westinghouse, which was building two nuclear units at the Summer site along with the troubled Vogtle nuclear project in Georgia, […]The post Toshiba Will Pay $2.2 Billion to Exit Summer Nuclear Project appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has approved a new service agreement finalized by Westinghouse and Georgia Power for the Vogtle AP1000 units under construction in Georgia, though the agency reached a separate deal with Georgia Power on a loan guarantee agreement that will require the Southern Co. company to provide it with a solid cost […]The post DOE Approves Service Agreement Between Westinghouse and Georgia Power on Vogtle Expansion—With Conditions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Wind power production continues to increase in the U.S., with a more than 40% increase in the number of wind projects under construction or in advanced development this year compared to the same time last year, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). The group announced the figures during a July 27 meeting in […]The post Group Reports 40% Jump in U.S. Wind Power Projects in Q2 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A group representing several energy companies and ratepayers said it would appeal a federal judge’s ruling that upholds New York’s plan to subsidize nuclear power plants in the state. U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni on July 25 in Manhattan ruled that federal law does not preempt the state and its Public Service Commission (PSC) from […]The post Group Will Appeal Ruling That Backs N.Y. Nuclear Subsidies appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Advanced nuclear technology brought to fruition could produce electricity at an average levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) roughly 40% lower than conventional pressurized water reactors, according to a July 25 study by the Energy Innovation Reform Project and Energy Options Network (EON). “At these costs, nuclear would be effectively competitive with any other option for […]The post Report: Advanced Nuclear Tech Could Be Lifeline for Industry appeared first on POWER Magazine.

When it comes to nuclear power, the U.S. is not living up to its potential, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told appropriators during a July 20 full committee markup of the Senate’s fiscal year 2018 (FY18) Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill. “When it comes to nuclear power, we’re just so far behind the times and […]The post Graham Goes to Bat for Small Modular Reactors in Funding Bill Markup appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A Tennessee utility company on July 20 said tests on drinking water in the vicinity of a coal-fired power plant in Memphis showed no detectable evidence of arsenic, lead, and other toxins. The Sierra Club asked state officials to perform the tests after high levels of arsenic were found in monitoring wells at the Allen […]The post No Detectable Toxins in Water Near Memphis Plant, Says TVA appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is facing a $528 million cut to its funding under the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill reported out of committee July 18. While Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee expressed disappointment in the deep cut, it could have been worse. The Trump administration’s budget request, released in late May, proposed […]The post House Appropriators Approve EPA Funding Bill with Deep Cuts appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In negotiating the Senate’s fiscal year 2018 (FY18) Energy and Water (E&W) Development Appropriation’s bill, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate appropriations subcommittee on energy and water development, had no time for President Donald Trump’s proposed cuts to the Department of Energy budget. “We started with an unrealistic budget proposal from the president. […]The post Senate Subcommittee Rejects Trump’s ‘Unrealistic’ DOE Budget Request appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Trump administration wants to revitalize the coal industry, but they will not do so by imposing regulation on the natural gas industry, Secretary of Energy Rick Perry told reporters July 18 at a joint press conference with International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol. “Would the Department of Energy (DOE) be a participant in […]The post DOE Won’t Increase Regulation on Gas to Boost Coal, Perry Says appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A spokesman for Dominion Energy said the company will begin working on a new plan for dealing with leaking piles of coal ash at a retired coal plant in Virginia after a federal judge ruled the company’s current remediation at the site is not acceptable. U.S. District Judge John Gibney Jr. on July 13 ordered […]The post Dominion Ordered to Revise Plan for Coal Ash at Chesapeake appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A federal judge has let stand Illinois’ zero-emission credit (ZEC) program, dismissing challenges filed by power producers who said the initiative subsidizes nuclear power at the expense of other resources. Judge Manish S. Shah of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on July 14 ruled in favor of motions by the […]The post Appeal Filed After Judge Dismisses Challenge to Illinois’ ZEC Program appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Dynegy this week announced it will sell three more power plants to reduce debt as it works to satisfy an agreement with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) reached after the company’s $3.3 billion purchase of French energy giant Engie’s U.S.-based assets earlier this year. Houston, Texas-based Dynegy said it has agreed to sell its […]The post Dynegy Divests Assets as Part of Engie Deal appeared first on POWER Magazine.

NRG Energy said it will sell as much as $4 billion in assets as it seeks to lower its debt and cut costs after a revolt by activist investors unhappy with the company’s direction. Shares of the company jumped 29% to a two-year high on July 12 after NRG announced the moves as part of […]The post NRG’s New Plan: Sell Assets, Change Focus, Raise Cash appeared first on POWER Magazine.

House of Representatives appropriators July 12 took up their responses to President Donald Trump’s controversial fiscal year 2018 (FY18) budget requests for the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Both bills were favorably reported out of their respective markups. The House FY18 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, which funds DOE, came […]The post DOE, EPA Appropriations Bills See Movement on the Hill appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has announced plans to reintroduce legislation called the FUTURE Act, which would extend and expand the federal 45Q tax credit for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration. The bill has the support of both fossil fuel companies and environmental groups. At present, the 45Q provision awards $10 per metric ton […]The post Bipartisan Group Backs Extension of Carbon Tax Credit appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Northern Indiana Public Service Co. (NIPSCO) said it will hold off on installing wastewater pollution controls at its largest coal plant in Indiana as industry groups continue to challenge the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) ruling that led to the installation plan. NIPSCO asked Indiana regulators in November 2016 to approve a $400 million plan for […]The post Indiana Coal Plant Delays Pollution Control Amid EPA Uncertainty appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. currently has only one commercial offshore wind farm, the five-turbine, 30-MW Block Island Wind Farm. While the nation is off to a slow start in the offshore wind energy race, it is possible that the U.S. could eclipse the world leader in the industry, Europe, according to Ross Tyler of the Business Network […]The post U.S. Could Surpass Europe in Offshore Wind Capacity, Industry Advocate Posits appeared first on POWER Magazine.

France, which currently gets more than 75% of its electricity generation from nuclear, may close as many as 17 reactors by 2025, according to Minister of Environment Nicolas Hulot. In an interview with RTL radio on July 10, Hulot stated that Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who took office in mid-May, intends to see through the […]The post France Signals Intention to Slash Nuclear Generation by 2025 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A federal appeals court has ruled the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) should not have denied a 2012 proposal by PJM in which the regional power operator sought to revise its minimum offer price rule (MOPR). The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on July 7 said FERC went beyond its “passive and reactive role” under […]The post Court Rejects FERC Decision on PJM Pricing Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.

U.S. officials said Russian government hackers have broken into systems at U.S. nuclear power plants and also have made cyber intrusions into the business systems of other energy companies, according to several reports over the past week. Cybersecurity experts say the threats against U.S. facilities are real and likely to continue, as power plant operators […]The post Russian Hackers Targeting U.S. Nuclear Plants: Reports appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Xcel Energy plans to add about 1,550 MW of wind power to its portfolio in the Upper Midwest with the addition of seven wind farms expected to be operational by year-end 2020. The additions are among 11 new wind farms announced over the past year by Xcel in seven states that would add a total […]The post Xcel Moves Forward With Wind Power Expansion appeared first on POWER Magazine.

New Jersey officials this week said the state’s Board of Public Utilities is funding feasibility studies for a series of microgrids across the state that could provide needed power to municipalities at times of critical need, such as after a natural disaster. The board said the idea is designed to further the State Energy Master […]The post New Jersey Backs Studies for Microgrid Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A long-shuttered Tennessee nuclear power plant project has been reborn as a solar farm, with the energy produced there made available for use by local residents and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The Phipps Bend Nuclear Power Plant project in Surgoinsville was canceled by TVA in 1981, a victim of the negative sentiment toward nuclear […]The post Abandoned TVA Nuclear Site Has New Life as Solar Farm appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Florida regulators next week will consider whether to support an exemption to a state rule, a move that could speed the approval process for a new 1,163-MW natural gas-fired power plant on the state’s Atlantic coast. Florida Power & Light (FPL), the nation’s third-largest electric utility, has proposed the $888 million power plant for Broward […]The post FP&L Seeks State Exemption to Build New Florida Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Citing its backing for the long-stalled Yucca Mountain permanent spent nuclear waste repository in Nevada, the Trump administration has asked a federal court to reject a petition filed by Texas in which the state sought a court-supervised process to take over administrative proceedings so as to guarantee licensing and eventual construction of project. Texas filed […]The post Trump Administration Swats at Texas in Yucca Mountain Nuclear Repository Legal Fight appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The Big Picture: SO2 Success appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Coal proponents and climate skeptics often cite China’s current and future reliance on coal power to bolster talking points. What is little discussed is the recent, massive transformation of China’s vastThe post How China Is on the Leading Edge of Environmental Technologies appeared first on POWER Magazine.

With low particulate loading common in stack emissions these days, particulate matter measurement can be difficult using traditional techniques. Microscopical measurement of particle-size distributions offersThe post Particle Sizing in Emissions Samples by Scanning Electron Microscopy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As renewables gain a greater foothold in the energy system, the importance of energy storage is going to increase in kind. With the ongoing gradual shift away from traditional baseload energy sources, theThe post The Latest in Thermal Energy Storage appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s (MISO’s) geographic footprint extends down the middle of the U.S. Because of the structure of its market, MISO has artfully avoided some nasty policy andThe post MISO: Avoiding the Mess Facing Other Wholesale Competitive Electric Markets appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The new administration in Washington, D.C., has a sharply different vision for the development and use of our nation’s abundant energy resources, including coal. These riches are seen as a strength, notThe post Coal: The Next Chapter appeared first on POWER Magazine.