POWER Magazine

Some naysayers have argued that developing carbon capture technology for use on fossil-fueled power plants is pure folly. But research and pilot tests have continued nonetheless, and various solutions haveThe post New Capture Technology Holds Key to Reaching Carbon Emissions Targets appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Regulatory agencies are becoming more and more critical of phosphorus-based water treatment chemicals because they can have a negative impact on lakes and waterways. In the past, treating cooling water withThe post Technological Advancements in Cooling Water Treatment appeared first on POWER Magazine.

More grim news emerged for financially strapped Westinghouse after the Delaware Supreme Court reversed a chancery court decision that the company was counting on to recoup $2 billion from an acquisition dispute with Chicago Bridge & Iron (CB&I). The court rejected Westinghouse’s contention of CB&I’s calculations of its final purchase price—even though it paid […]The post Court Dismisses Westinghouse Claim for $2B Recovery from CB&I appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Operations and start-up of the lignite gasification portion of the Kemper County Energy Facility, marred by exorbitant delays and cost overruns, and will be suspended immediately, Mississippi Power announced on June 28. The Southern Co. subsidiary plans to continue running a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant that was completed as part of the […]The post Billions Over Budget, Kemper Facility Gasification Portion Is Suspended appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Although President Trump has been promoting a pro-coal energy agenda, there are four things killing coal that the administration may not be able to remedy. That was the message Bill Ritter Jr. delivered to American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Power and Energy Conference & Exhibition attendees during his keynote address on June 27. Ritter […]The post Four Things That Are Killing Coal appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A coal-fired power plant in northeastern Arizona can continue operating until at least the end of 2019 after the Navajo Nation Council approved a lease extension for the facility. The three Arizona utilities and one Nevada utility that own the plant along with the federal Bureau of Reclamation had said in February 2017 they would […]The post Navajo Nation Backs Lease Extension to Keep Coal Plant Online appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Army, and Army Corps of Engineers have proposed a rule to rescind the controversial Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule, which asserts federal authority over small bodies of water. The rule, also known as the “Clean Water Rule,” was promulgated by the EPA and the U.S. Army […]The post Agencies Propose to Rescind Contentious WOTUS Rule, but It May Not Be Over Yet appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The nation’s power grid may or may not have reliability issues if too many renewables are added to the energy mix, according to conflicting statements by Secretary of Energy Rick Perry and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Commissioner Colette D. Honorable. Speaking June 27 at the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) 2017 Conference in Washington, D.C., […]The post Perry, FERC Official at Odds on Grid Reliability appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Groups opposed to financial relief for Connecticut’s 2,111-MW Millstone Nuclear Power Station continue to press their case against subsidies for the plant as state lawmakers prepare for a special session to prepare a state budget for the new fiscal year, which begins July 1. The regular 2017 legislative session ended June 7. Dominion Energy in […]The post Millstone Weighs Options as Opposition to Financial Aid Continues appeared first on POWER Magazine.

SCANA Corp. subsidiary South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. (SCG&E) and Santee Cooper—owners of the two-unit expansion of the V.C. Summer nuclear plant—have extended an interim assessment agreement with Westinghouse to allow the project’s owners to “continue to make progress on the site.” The companies on June 26 extended the agreement to August 10, but it […]The post SCANA, Santee Cooper Buy More Time for V.C. Summer Decision appeared first on POWER Magazine.

If the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back the Clean Power Plan (CPP) are successful, the nation could miss out on 560,000 potential jobs and a boost of $52 billion to the gross domestic product (GDP), according to a report released by Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2). “From states with relatively small populations like Maine and Montana […]The post Report: Killing Clean Power Plan Could Cost Nation 560,000 Potential Jobs appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Mississippi Public Service Commission (MPSC) at an open meeting on June 21 unanimously passed a motion instructing its counsel to prepare an order pursuing potential solutions regarding the Kemper County Power Generation Facility. In a press release, the MPSC said the “Kemper Facility should operate using only natural gas.” The commission said it wanted […]The post Mississippi PSC: Kemper Facility Should Operate Using Only Natural Gas appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A newly released update to the Power Sector Carbon Index, developed by Carnegie Mellon University with the support of Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS), found that U.S. power plant emissions averaged 955 lb of CO2 per MWh during the first three months of 2017. 1. Carnegie Mellon University Power Sector Carbon Index. The index shows […]The post U.S. Carbon Emissions Increase from Last Year, but Still 28% Less Than in 2005 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A bipartisan bill extending a production tax credit (PTC) for advanced nuclear power facilities passed the U.S. House on a voice vote on June 20. The bill, introduced by Congressman Tom Rice (R-S.C.), seeks to give facilities that use novel nuclear power technologies more investment certainty. The nuclear PTC was established under the Energy Policy […]The post House Passes PTC Extension for New Nuclear Facilities appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Trump administration says it’s not going to pick winners and losers when it comes to energy generation, but it sure doesn’t seem to like wind and solar, judging from a recent presentation by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. The nation needs a diverse energy mix, including nuclear, coal, natural gas, and renewables, several energy industry […]The post Trump Administration Leaders Send Mixed Messages About Fuel Diversity appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) said PJM can restart two coal-fired units at Dominion Energy’s Yorktown, Va., power plant, two months after the aging units were shut down because they could not meet federal emissions standards. The emergency order from the DOE, issued June 16, allows the units to run during the hot summer […]The post Dominion Will Restart Virginia Coal Units After DOE Emergency Order appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Georgia Power officials say the utility continues to work with its partners in the troubled Vogtle nuclear plant to firm up construction timelines and determine the costs to complete two new units at the facility. At the same time, a group opposed to the project and two long-time project consultants say ballooning costs should put […]The post Cost Overruns at Vogtle Expected to Soar appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Increased use of less-expensive natural gas and renewable sources of energy for power generation is putting financial pressure on U.S. nuclear power plants, according to an analysis of electricity costs from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). Nicholas Steckler, an analyst for BNEF, in a June 14 report said nuclear operators are losing about $2.9 billion […]The post Analysis Shows U.S. Nuclear Plants Losing $2.9 Billion Annually appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Marking a significant milestone, power generation from the combined utility-scale and small-scale wind and solar installations in the U.S. surpassed 10% of the nation’s total power generation in March, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The news comes on the heels of an announcement last week by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) that […]The post Wind and Solar Cross 10% U.S. Generation Share as Prices for Solar Keep Falling appeared first on POWER Magazine.

GenOn has begun its transition back into a standalone power generation company after NRG Energy—which acquired it in a $1.7 billion deal just five years ago—struck a comprehensive restructuring agreement with GenOn’s creditors, and GenOn filed for Chapter 11 protection. A June 14 financial filing confirms that NRG, GenOn, and an ad hoc group of […]The post Bankrupt GenOn to Officially Split from NRG Energy appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is offering approximately $28 million in cost-shared funding for research and development of advanced energy systems. According to three separate funding opportunity announcements (FOAs), the department is looking for research into advanced combustion systems, advanced turbines, and gasification. “Advanced energy conversion systems are designed to enable efficient, low-cost, and near-zero […]The post $28 Million in DOE Funding Available for Advanced Energy Systems R&D appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reportedly left a Group of Seven summit on climate in Bologna, Italy, after the opening session of the two-day event, just days after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would pull out of the Paris climate agreement. Scott Pruitt, the Oklahoma attorney general before being tapped […]The post EPA Head Leaves Climate Summit Early appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A nuclear plant construction project in Georgia that is years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget has been given a lifeline that at least temporarily eases concerns about its future. Toshiba, the parent company of Westinghouse, and Southern Company subsidiary Georgia Power, majority owner of Plant Vogtle near Augusta, on June 9 reached […]The post Toshiba Agrees to $3.68 Billion Deal to Aid Vogtle Nuclear Construction appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Minnesota Power and Wisconsin’s Dairyland Power Cooperative announced plans to co-develop a combined cycle natural gas–fired power plant, a 550-MW facility designed to provide backup power for the utilities’ efforts to expand their use of renewable energy sources. The Nemadji Trail Energy Center would be built along the Nemadji River in Superior, Wis., a location […]The post Proposed Wisconsin Gas-Fired Plant Would Aid Utilities’ Renewable Initiatives appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is giving states an extra year to develop air quality plans related to the 2015-National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone. In a June 6 letter sent to U.S. governors, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced that the extended deadline for promulgating initial area designations for the rule issued […]The post EPA Extends Deadline for 2015 Ozone NAAQS Area Designations appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Mississippi Power’s Kemper County integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) project is now expected to be in service by the end of June, but the company expects it will need post in-service improvements. It also said timing of when it will file a case to address the recovery of costs not currently reflected in rates is uncertain. […]The post Kemper, Now Slated to Start in Late June, Will Need Costly Post In-Service Improvement Projects appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Dominion Energy told POWER it will begin a “strategic reassessment” of its plans for the 2,111-MW Millstone Nuclear Power Station in Connecticut after state legislators effectively blocked a bill that would have provided it a mechanism to bid for state contracts reserved for renewables. Dominion waged a tough campaign to push the bill through the […]The post Dominion to Reassess Plans for Millstone’s Continued Operation after Connecticut Nuclear Support Bill Thwarted appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Kansas City Power & Light Co. (KCP&L) plans to retire five coal-fired generating units at two stations by the end of next year. It will also close, by December 31, 2019, a unit that was just converted from coal to gas last year. The decision is part of “the company’s commitment to a sustainable energy […]The post KCP&L Will Retire Five Coal-Fired Units and One Unit Recently Converted to Gas appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Southern Co. announced yet another lag beyond a new in-service date for its Kemper County integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) project. Along with concerns about delays and mounting cost increases afflicting the plant’s coal gasification component are how it will be used in the face of cheap gas prices. The company’s subsidiary Mississippi Power last […]The post Southern Co. to File Rate Case for Kemper IGCC, Already Economically Unviable in Face of Cheap Gas appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The world’s offshore wind sector, which has been at near-standstill in the U.S. owing to high costs and technical limitations, is poised to see a fierce developmental gust that can be attributed to several factors. While much of the enthusiasm at the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA’s) WINDPOWER 2017 annual event in Anaheim, Calif., was […]The post Six Things You Didn’t Know About the Offshore Wind Power Sector appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has given its staff the green light to license Dominion Energy’s Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) proposed for construction at its North Anna site in Virginia. It also approved an uprate at Energy Northwest’s Columbia Generating Station in Washington. The NRC said it authorized issuance of the combined construction and […]The post NRC to Issue Construction and Operating License for Dominion’s North Anna ESBWR appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post The Big Picture: Generation Transition appeared first on POWER Magazine.

It began as an academic argument over how the world could meet a goal of 90% reductions in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050, known as “deep decarbonization.” Underneath the academic language is a fightThe post The Deep Dispute over “Deep Decarbonization” appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The human brain is an amazing thing, but it has limitations. However, with the advent of machine learning, the limitations of the human brain no longer have to be the limitations of civilization. MachineThe post Energy Generation from A-to-Z with Machine Learning appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The conversation at the ELECTRIC POWER Conference and Exhibition, as underscored by comments made in its keynote address and at the annual event’s executive roundtable, was optimistic yet cautious, owing toThe post Power Market Operators and Participants See a Glimmer of Optimism in Current Chaos appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Inspecting the internal condition of a turbine generator is an important maintenance activity, but tearing a unit apart is a long and expensive process. Borescope inspections offer one way to minimize workThe post Borescope Inspection Saves Time and Money for Gas Turbine Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The renewable revolution has been a catalyst for the wind energy market during recent years, with the global wind market growing at an incredible pace. It’s estimated that over 1.1 million people work in theThe post Evolving Workforce and Safety Practices for Wind Farms appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Scaffolding typically ranks near the top of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s most-frequently cited standards. However, developing a strong safety culture and implementing an effectiveThe post Scaffold Safety in Coal-Fired Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Flow reversal in piping systems can degrade equipment performance and cause significant water hammer, potentially resulting in catastrophic failure. Power plant condenser cooling water systems—or circulatingThe post How to Prevent Circulating Water Flow Reversal appeared first on POWER Magazine.

While the White House has yet to make an official announcement, numerous news outlets have reported that President Donald Trump intends to pull the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement on climate change. If the rumors prove true, the U.S. will be one of only three nations in the world not a party to the […]The post Trump Rumored to be Pulling Out of Paris Agreement appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Exelon Corp. said it plans to retire the Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear power plant around September 30, 2019, unless policy reforms are enacted in Pennsylvania. The company used a similar ploy in Illinois to pressure lawmakers into passing the state’s Future Energy Jobs bill, which provides subsidies for nuclear power plants. In that case, Exelon […]The post Exelon Announces Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant to Close in 2019 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

China National Nuclear Corp. (CNNC) completed the dome lift at Fuqing Unit 5—the world’s first power plant being constructed utilizing the HPR 1000 (also known as the Hualong One) reactor design—15 days ahead of schedule on May 25. The feat was no small accomplishment. The dome weighs about 340 metric tons and has a diameter […]The post Chinese Reactor Is Ahead of Schedule as U.S. Nuclear Projects Flounder appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Under a proposed restructuring agreement, NRG Energy will hand over 100% equity of GenOn Energy, a wholesale generation company it acquired in a $1.7 billion deal in 2012, to the company’s bondholders once GenOn emerges from voluntary Chapter 11 restructuring. NRG, GenOn, and an ad hoc group of GenOn noteholders reached a mutual cooperation agreement […]The post NRG Poised to Relinquish Debt-Laden GenOn to Creditors appeared first on POWER Magazine.

CEO Tom Fanning told Southern Co.’s shareholders attending the company’s annual meeting on May 24 that a decision on how to proceed with the Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion could take several more months. The Vogtle expansion—one of two new nuclear construction projects underway in the U.S. utilizing Westinghouse’s AP1000 technology—has been in limbo, albeit still in […]The post Southern Company Could Delay Plant Vogtle Decision Until Late Summer appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The renewable energy sector employed 9.8 million people in 2016, up 1.1% percent from 2015, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA’s) “Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2017”, released May 24. “Renewable energy employment worldwide has continued to grow since IRENA’s first annual assessment in 2012, but the last two years have seen […]The post IRENA: Global Renewable Energy Jobs Grew to 9.8 million in 2016 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Two nuclear plants owned by Exelon Corp. in Illinois and Pennsylvania failed to clear PJM Interconnection’s latest annual capacity auction, putting one of those financially crippled units at risk of early retirement. Meanwhile, procurements for solar, wind, and demand response fell dramatically compared to last year, and drastic price declines could roil the market for […]The post PJM Auction Signals Trouble for Nuclear, Coal, and Even Renewables appeared first on POWER Magazine.

President Donald Trump wants to balance the federal budget in 10 years, and it appears he believes that to do so, deep cuts to the nation’s energy research funding are needed. The administration’s fiscal year 2018 (FY18) budget request, released Tuesday, May 23, cuts funding for the Department of Energy (DOE) by $1.7 billion, a […]The post Trump Administration Releases Budget Slashing Energy Research appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Ohio-based FirstEnergy’s plan for a rescue of its two uncompetitive Ohio nuclear plants took a nosedive May 17, as the Ohio House Public Utilities Committee suspended action on the company’s proposal to charge its customers a fee to subsidize the plants. FirstEnergy’s plan mimics programs adopted in Illinois and New York to create “zero energy […]The post Ohio Committee Suspends FirstEnergy’s Nuclear Power Rescue Plan appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Finnish technology firm Wärtsilä has acquired Greensmith Energy Management Systems, a firm that specializes in energy storage optimization and integration software, for an undisclosed amount. Greensmith, which has designed and deployed more than 180 MW of energy storage at 50 sites globally, has developed a software platform, GEMS, which optimizes the performance of energy […]The post Wärtsilä Acquires Major Energy Storage Player appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Virginia’s governor has directed the commonwealth’s environmental quality agency to establish regulations to curb its carbon emissions from power plants via a carbon trading scheme by the end of this year. Executive Directive 11 signed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) on May 16 instructs the Department of Environmental Quality to develop a proposed rule to […]The post Virginia Governor Orders Power Plant Carbon Regulations appeared first on POWER Magazine.