POWER Magazine

India’s government has given the state-owned Nuclear Power Corp. of India Ltd. (NPCIL) the green light to develop 10 new domestically designed pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs). The approval means that NPCIL, the entity that owns and operates India’s 22 nuclear reactors—a total of 6.2 GW—can begin to site and build 10 more 700-MW PHWR […]The post India Approves 10 New Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor Nuclear Units appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Detroit-based DTE Energy wants to slash its carbon emissions by more than 80% from 2005 levels by 2050, a reduction it said is in line with broad targets identified by scientists to address climate change. The company said on May 16 that it plans to substantially increase investments in renewables, transition its baseload capacity from […]The post DTE Joins Growing Number of Power Companies with Carbon Goals appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs May 17 advanced a number of bills that could have significant impacts on the future of energy regulation in the future. Four of the bills— the Regulatory Accountability Act (RAA), the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, the Midnight Rules Relief Act, […]The post Senate Committee Takes on Regulatory Reform appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As the dust from Westinghouse’s recent bankruptcy filing begins to settle, Georgia Power has reached a deal to take over work at its Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion project when the current engineering, procurement, and construction contract on the project ends. The announcement of the intended transfer of management duties came May 12, as an interim […]The post Georgia Power, Southern Nuclear to Take Over Plant Vogtle Work appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In 2016, nuclear power accounted for about 20% of U.S. power generation, but that share is expected to fall to just 11% in 2050, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA’s) 2017 Annual Energy Outlook (AEO2017). According to the EIA, 25% of the nation’s nuclear capacity, excluding plants that have already announced retirement, is […]The post EIA Predicts Nuclear Share of U.S. Generation to Fall Nearly 10% by 2050 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Watts Bar 2, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA’s) nuclear unit that began commercial operation last October, has been shut down indefinitely owing to a major issue with a condenser revealed this March. TVA spokesman Jim Hopson told POWER on May 11 that the reactor—the first new nuclear unit to begin operations in the U.S. in more than […]The post No Firm Date for Watts Bar 2 Return to Service Yet appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The flood of cheap Marcellus Shale gas driving massive construction of new natural gas power generation capacity could wreak havoc in the PJM power market, Moody’s Investors Service suggests in a new report. Two of the nation’s largest power markets, Texas and California, already pose a “distressed environment” for unregulated power companies owing to declining […]The post Report: Cheap Natural Gas Poised to Roil PJM Power Market appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Dominion Resources, one of the nation’s largest power generators, has changed its name and the names of key subsidiaries, including Dominion Virginia Power. The Richmond, Va.–headquartered company that has a power portfolio of 26.2 GW, sizable transmission assets, as well as natural gas storage systems and pipelines, will now be known as “Dominion Energy.” The […]The post Dominion Resources Changes its Name to Reflect Market Evolution appeared first on POWER Magazine.

President Trump on Monday made two nominations to fill vacancies at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which, if confirmed, would restore the agency’s quorum and ability to take action. Neither nominee was a surprise. Both names had long circulated in Washington. The mystery was why it took so long—three months—for the administration to fill […]The post Trump Nominates Chatterjee, Powelson to FERC appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Still trying to figure out exactly what Westinghouse’s bankruptcy is going to mean for the project, SCANA Corp. subsidiary South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. (SCE&G), announced in its first quarter progress report that the two-unit expansion of Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station is more than 64% complete. Westinghouse filed for bankruptcy on March 29, […]The post VC Summer Project 64% Complete, SCE&G Says appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Sitting on a panel during the Bloomberg New Energy Finance Summit in New York City on April 24, Michael Bloomberg proclaimed that carbon capture and storage (CCS) is “total bullshit.” That statement was not received well by Trude Sundset, CEO of Gassnova, Norway’s state enterprise for the development of CCS. “There’s a whole new world […]The post Norwegian CCS Boss: CCS is not BS appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced it is working on guidance to give states the flexibility in implementing programs for the management of coal combustion residuals (CCR) disposal. In an April 28 letter to state governors, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt described the agency’s steps to implement a “new authority” for authorizing state CCR management […]The post EPA Guidance on State Coal Ash Permit Programs Is Coming, Pruitt Says appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The owners of the Vogtle and V.C. Summer nuclear expansions separately secured a few more weeks to allow work to continue onsite at each project while they decide how to proceed with the half-built AP1000 reactors after Westinghouse’s financial debacle. In Georgia, owners of the project to expand Plant Vogtle extended an interim assessment agreement […]The post Vogtle, V.C. Summer Project Owners Buy More Time to Mull Fate of Nuclear Units appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post THE BIG PICTURE: Pumped Storage appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A flood of renewable capacity in the European Union is forcing member countries to consider grid upgrades that offer a more substantial power supply management role to distribution system operators. LeeThe post Europe Rebuilds Grid to Accommodate Green Energy Swell appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Understanding the threat posed to industrial control systems (ICSs) by malware is difficult. It requires knowledge of proper ICS functionality in order to identify illegitimate software. One industrialThe post Malware in Modern ICS: Understanding Impact While Avoiding Hype appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Power project financing demands are constantly changing. The current model for structuring project finance transactions began with the emergence of independent power producers (IPPs). Many IPPs only wanted toThe post Technology Risk Insurance Broadens Power Project Financing Options appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Power plants are complex systems with countless moving parts, and in turn, countless opportunities for things to go wrong. With the advent of 3-D printing technology, repairing or replacing those moving partsThe post 3-D Printing: The Future of Manufacturing and Maintenance appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Community choice aggregation (CCA) continues to emerge as a favorite tool for towns, cities, and counties interested in pursuing local control over their energy supply, increased renewable electricityThe post As Community Choice Aggregation Expands, the Battle Over “Exit Fees” Intensifies appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Community choice aggregation (CCA) is only allowed in seven states currently, but recent developments in California have investor-owned utilities there worried. They fear losing up to 80% of their retail loadThe post Should Investor-Owned Utilities Be Worried About Community Choice Aggregation? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

New York’s electricity system and markets face a blizzard of changes, driven by policy, politics, and economic forces. The New York Independent System Operator and the New York State Energy Research andThe post New York’s Ambitious Transitions: Who Wins? Who Loses? Who Knows? appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In two separate actions over the past 24 hours, the D.C. Circuit granted the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) request to suspend cases challenging the Clean Power Plan and the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). The orders are the latest in a series of similar actions over the past month by the D.C. Circuit that […]The post D.C. Circuit Halts Clean Power Plan, Mercury Rule Litigation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As Dynegy moved this week to assume full ownership of two struggling Ohio coal plants it co-owns with AES Corp. subsidiary DPL Inc., the company’s CEO reportedly said it is mulling withdrawing its presence from downstate Illinois owing to the state’s intervention to keep its nuclear plants running. Dynegy CEO Robert Flexon told Crain’s Chicago Business […]The post [UPDATED] Dynegy Rethinks Illinois Ventures Amid Market Turmoil appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Rain and snow has returned to California, ending the record-setting drought with record-setting precipitation. The drought led to forest fires, dead orchards, and brown lawns. It also took a big bite out of ratepayers’ wallets and increased global warming emissions, due to the loss of low-cost, zero-emission hydropower. In a study released April 26 by […]The post Drought Has Big Impact on California Power Market appeared first on POWER Magazine.

President Donald Trump is getting a lot of advice about the Paris Agreement on climate change lately, though it remains uncertain what he’ll do with it. A group of more than a dozen companies, including some power industry big hitters, sent a letter April 26 to the president calling for continued involvement in the agreement. […]The post Paris Agreement Debate Heats Up appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Natural gas supply and price, along with lower electric demand and the growth of renewables, have been far more responsible for the decline in the U.S. coal industry than environmental regulations, according to a new study by Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy and the Rhodium Group, a New York consulting firm. That means […]The post Columbia Study Casts Doubt on Trump Coal Plan appeared first on POWER Magazine.

GE Power signed a landmark deal to provide operations and maintenance (O&M) services for 10 power plants with a combined capacity of 11 GW. Sonelgaz SPE, a state-owned utility in charge of electricity and natural gas distribution in Algeria, owns the facilities. The agreement includes technology upgrades designed to enhance energy efficiency—allowing more than 420 […]The post GE Power Inks Its Largest Services Deal Ever appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The impact of Westinghouse Electric Co.’s March 29 bankruptcy filing will be felt throughout the U.S. nuclear power industry, accord to an April 19 report released by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). “The bankruptcy filing raised fundamental questions about the future of the U.S. nuclear power industry, and particularly whether four new reactors that Westinghouse […]The post Report: Westinghouse Bankruptcy Raises “Fundamental Questions” About Nuclear’s Future appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Trump administration is “closely” reviewing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) final cost consideration finding for its Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) to determine whether it should reconsider the rule or some part of it, it said in an April 18 federal court filing. The EPA filed a motion with the D.C. Circuit urging […]The post Trump’s EPA Signals Changes for Power Plant Mercury Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A three-judge panel for the D.C. Circuit on April 18 unanimously upheld Order No. 1000, denying multiple challenges by New England power firms and state regulators to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC’s) controversial mandate that requires utilities to remove certain “right of first refusal” provisions from existing tariffs and agreements. The decision in Emera […]The post D.C. Circuit Again Upholds FERC Order No. 1000 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Department of Energy (DOE) issued an unprecedented emergency order on April 14 to keep open a power plant that had been slated for shutdown under the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) in a bid to secure electric reliability. The DOE’s order was issued under the Federal Power Act Section 202(c). It inaugurates the […]The post DOE Issues First-Ever Emergency Order to Keep Open a Unit That Is Noncompliant with MATS appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Barack Obama administration waged war on the coal industry, but that’s all over now, recently confirmed Secretary of Energy Rick Perry told the National Coal Council (NCC) during its annual spring meeting. The NCC is an advisory board to the secretary of energy tasked with providing expert advice on matters of the coal industry. […]The post Energy Secretary Perry: War on Coal Is Over appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects natural gas–fueled electricity generation will exceed all other fuel sources once again this summer, marking the third year in a row that gas has been the leader. However, the EIA anticipates electricity generation from both gas and coal will be less this summer than in 2016. The reason […]The post Natural Gas Projected to Fuel Largest Share of U.S. Summer Power Generation appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will review and reconsider revisions to technology-based effluent limitations guidelines (ELG) and standards finalized by the Obama administration in September 2015. Power generators around the nation have been readying to comply with the rule that sets the first federal limits on the levels of toxic metals in wastewater discharges from […]The post EPA Rescinds Effluent Limitations Guidelines Rule appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Maryland on April 10 became the first state in the nation to pass legislation enacting a tax credit for residential and commercial energy storage installations. The measure passed unanimously in the state Senate, and with a 101–11 vote in the House. Gov. Larry Hogan (R) is expected to sign SB 758 into law. The bill […]The post Maryland Passes Energy Storage Tax Credit appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Exelon Corp., the nation’s largest nuclear generator, reinvented itself amid recent power pricing swings, market inequities, and policy worries that are challenging its “very existence,” a high-ranking executive told attendees at the ELECTRIC POWER Conference and Exhibition in Chicago this week. Bryan Hanson, president and chief nuclear officer for Exelon Generation, who gave the annual […]The post Exelon Chief Is Optimistic Despite Current Nuclear Market Turmoil appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A coalition of 24 states and localities have urged a federal court reviewing the merits of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Clean Power Plan to stall the agency’s recent motion to suspend a case challenging the controversial rule. West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency (No. 15-1363) is arguably the most important set of environmental cases […]The post Fight to Keep EPA’s Clean Power Plan Alive Intensifies in Federal Court appeared first on POWER Magazine.

An April 6–issued report released by the World Energy Council suggests that the single biggest worry among global energy leaders is commodity price volatility. Prices appear to be a big concern because of the “Grand Energy Transition” toward de-carbonization. Leaders in resource-holding countries, such as Saudi Arabia, are anxious about long-term economic models, if prices […]The post Commodity Price Volatility Is Prime Concern Among Global Energy Leaders appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Global new renewable power capacity grew in 2016 even as global new investment in renewables dropped, according to a report commissioned by the United Nations Environment Program out April 6. The Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2017 report found that global investment in renewables—excluding large hydro—fell in 2016 by 23% to $241.6 billion. That […]The post Report: Global Renewable Investment Down, Capacity Grows appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The James A. FitzPatrick nuclear power plant officially belongs to Exelon Generation. The sale of the Scriba, NY plant, finalized on March 31, has been long-expected. “We look forward to bringing FitzPatrick’s highly skilled team of professionals into the Exelon Generation nuclear program, and to continue delivering to New York the environmental, economic and grid […]The post Sale of FitzPatrick Nuclear Plant Final appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The post THE BIG PICTURE: Prevailing Winds appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Varnish buildup in oil systems and components can degrade performance and cause erratic valve operation. Some experts have conducted research and formulated new lubricants that could help solve those problems. One such oil proved highly successful during a five-year run at a gas turbine power plant. By eliminating the need for oil changes and valve […]The post High-Performance Oil Reduces Varnish and Saves Money for Gas Turbine Power Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

What it means to have a secure energy generating facility has changed in recent years as the threat of cyberattacks grows. As the nation’s energy sector becomes increasingly interconnected, it is moreThe post Cybersecurity: Keeping Current on a Moving Target appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A power plant’s isolated phase bus is generally reliable, and therefore, maintenance is frequently overlooked. However, the system is too important to neglect. Assessing its condition during minor outagesThe post The Oft-Neglected Isolated Phase Bus Deserves Your Attention appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Many elaborate planning tools are available to help managers prepare for power plant outages. However, there is something to be said for keeping things simple. One modest tool that some NRG Energy facilitiesThe post Simplify Outage Planning to Increase Collaboration appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Small hydro is becoming big business as ongoing technological advances make more small sites economic to exploit. Older plants can also see substantial output and efficiency gains by upgrading from decades-oldThe post Strategies for Small Hydro Upgrades appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Technology advancements and new regulatory requirements could reshape how power plant owners operate and maintain large power transformers. Experts outline emerging strategies and call attention to overlookedThe post New Approaches for Transformer Operation and Maintenance appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Cyclic operating conditions can be problematic for many coal-fired power plants that were designed to run as baseload units. Implementing a combustion and boiler performance management program can help ensureThe post Enhanced Boiler Defense Strategies for an Aging Coal Fleet appeared first on POWER Magazine.