POWER Magazine

In a major boost to the wind and solar industries, Congressional leaders agreed on a multiyear extension of renewable energy tax credits, which could provide several years of predictable policies, encouraging investment in new projects. The tax credits are part of a 2,009-page omnibus-spending bill unveiled by the House Appropriations Committee on Dec. 15. The […]The post Spending Bill Extends Wind, Solar Tax Credits—Provides Money for Coal, Gas, Nuclear, and Power Grid appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) will remain in effect as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works on a final cost finding, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ordered on Dec. 15. The court noted in a two-page order that the EPA “has represented that it is on track to issue […]The post D.C. Circuit Leaves MATS Rule In Place as EPA Tackles Cost Consideration appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Coal ash utilization, which had stalled between 2009 and 2013 as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prepared a final federal coal ash rule, increased significantly in 2014. According to the American Coal Ash Association’s (ACAA’s) most recent “Production and Use Survey,” 62.4 million tons of coal combustion products were beneficially used in 2014—up from 51.4 […]The post Coal Ash Utilization Surged in 2014 After Half-Decade of EPA Rule Uncertainty appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a decision concluding that the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) use of Thunderclap—a crowd-speaking social media platform that allows a single message to be mass-shared, flash-mob style—constituted “covert propaganda,” in violation of the publicity or propaganda prohibition. The decision was issued in response to a request from Sen. James […]The post GAO: EPA Used Covert Propaganda to Promote WOTUS Rulemaking appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Delegates of 195 nations, including the U.S., on Dec. 12 reached a landmark deal at the Paris COP21 conference that commits the world to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in an effort to combat the effects of climate change. Though scientists have said global temperature increases need to kept below 2 degrees C to avoid […]The post COP21 Climate Deal Draws Praise, Fire appeared first on POWER Magazine.

American Electric Power (AEP), through its subsidiary AEP Ohio, announced on Dec. 14 that it had filed a stipulated agreement with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) in support of the company’s expanded power purchase agreement. Details of the Agreement The stipulated agreement, which the company expects the PUCO to rule on in early […]The post AEP Reaches Settlement on Ohio Coal-Fired Power Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

American Electric Power (AEP), one of the biggest coal generators in the U.S., is withdrawing funds and staff resources from heavy lobbying efforts against the Clean Power Plan, sinking them instead into preparations for compliance with the controversial climate rule. The company has informed the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) that it will not be […]The post AEP to Withdraw From ALEC, Cut Funding for Clean Coal Coalition appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Clean Power Plan (CPP) is likely to be complicated at least as much by political and legal opposition as by technological challenges in reducing carbon emissions, several speakers at POWER magazine’s inaugural conference on legal issues in the generation industry noted on Dec. 7 in Las Vegas. “Navigating Legal Implications of […]The post Political Opposition to Clean Power Plan Looms Large, Experts Say appeared first on POWER Magazine.

FirstEnergy Corp., which may enter into a settlement with Ohio to safeguard the future of its Davis-Besse nuclear plant—a deal critics have blasted as “corporate welfare”—just got the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s permission to operate the 1978-built reactor until 2037. The 20-year license extension marks a milestone for Akron-headquartered FirstEnergy, which has warned it might have […]The post Amid “Corporate Welfare” Flak, FirstEnergy Gets Davis-Besse Extension appeared first on POWER Magazine.

New rules from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have several unintended consequences for the power sector, an expert said at a POWER magazine event on Dec. 7. Floyd Self, an attorney with Florida-based law firm Berger Singerman, said that the bevy of new EPA rules have helped forged mergers between electric and gas utilities and necessitated […]The post Unintended Consequences from EPA Rules appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Shaken financially by low natural gas prices and subsidized renewables, the nuclear industry has launched a new initiative to reduce nuclear power plant operating costs to make them more economically viable. Industry group the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) said on Dec. 8 it is coordinating a multifaceted effort in tandem with member utilities, the Institute […]The post Nuclear Rescue Initiative Launched to Slash Operating Costs, Improve Economic Viability appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Climate change litigation in the U.S. has far outpaced climate litigation in any other jurisdiction. In fact, according to Teri Donaldson, partner with DLA Piper, more lawsuits concerning climate change have been decided or settled in the U.S. than in the rest of the world combined. “The success rate in these cases is very low,” […]The post Climate Change Litigation: Implications for States and Power Generators appeared first on POWER Magazine.

This story is being written as world leaders gather in Paris for the COP-21 climate summit. Much of the reason they are meeting is because of the widespread burning of coal and the resulting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions that are altering the planet’s biosphere. Though the burning of coal is not the only reason the […]The post Europe’s New Coal Curtain: Eastern Europe Embraces Coal as Western Europe Deserts It—and Russia Is Still All In appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The power sector should view the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) recent drive to tighten regulations on air and water emissions as an opportunity to improve its efficiency and environmental footprint rather than as an obstacle, said EPA General Counsel Avi S. Garbow at POWER magazine’s inaugural conference on legal issues in the generation industry. “We want […]The post Don’t Fear the Clean Power Plan, Chief EPA Lawyer Says appeared first on POWER Magazine.

NRG Energy announced on Dec. 3 that David Crane is stepping down as president and CEO of the company effective immediately. Crane had served in the position since 2003. During more than 12 years at the helm of NRG, he led the company through its emergence from bankruptcy to its current position as a leader […]The post NRG CEO David Crane Steps Down, Joins The B Team appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed two joint resolutions on Dec. 1 designed to nullify the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Clean Power Plan. The House votes come just two weeks after the Senate passed both resolutions on Nov. 17. Senate Joint Res. 23—sponsored by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)—provides for congressional […]The post Much Ado About Clean Power Plan Vote appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Germany’s largest power generator RWE, following in the footsteps of its competitor E.ON, plans to split its company to bank on renewable energy and grid operations, which it says is the future for utility companies. If approved by RWE’s supervisory board, the Essen-headquartered company that produces more than 40% of its power from hard coal […]The post RWE CEO: Conventional Power Role Shifting from Baseload to Renewables Back Up in Europe appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Editors note: Corrected (Dec. 7). A previous version of this infographic listed Russia’s nuclear total as 1.9 GW. It is 2.9 GW.The post THE BIG PICTURE: Nuclear Spins appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A regional haze program final rule for Texas expected soon from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could speed up the retirement of about 4.7 GW of coal-fired capacity, warns the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) in a new generation outlook. The grid operator’s Dec. 1–released “Report on the Capacity, Demand and Reserves (CDR) in […]The post ERCOT Braces for Regional Haze Rule, Earlier Coal Retirements appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The 21st annual Conference of Parties (COP21) to review the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) began in Paris, France, on Nov. 30, 2015. COP21 is expected to be one of the largest international conferences ever held. There are hopes that COP21 will achieve a legally binding and universal agreement […]The post 15 Must-See Tweets from the 2015 Paris Climate Conference appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Florida’s Seminole Electric Cooperative faces what may be the most difficult generation transition in the nation as a result of the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan. One of the nation’s largest generation and transmission rural electric cooperatives, Seminole owes its origins and its current position primarily to a single coal-fired plant. When electric utility veteran […]The post Seminole Electric Cooperative Sees Big Challenges from Clean Power Plan appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Germany’s nuclear power–producing companies will be able to shoulder the costs of the nuclear phase-out—including costs for decommissioning and the disposal of radioactive waste. That’s according toThe post Germany: Utilities Must Shoulder Nuclear Phase-Out Costs appeared first on POWER Magazine.

One of the world’s largest biomass-fed organic rankine cycle (ORC) plants is getting ready to begin operations. Italian firm Turboden is preparing to put online an 8-MW power unit in Athens, Maine, that willThe post Biomass-Fed Organic Rankine Cycle Units Make It Big appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Siemens, the only provider of direct-current (DC) offshore wind connection projects, in October unveiled a potentially game-changing technology that it says enables cheaper and simpler grid connection of windThe post “Revolutionary” Grid Connection for Offshore Wind Turbines Unveiled appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Battery storage firms and energy storage experts at the Energy Storage North America (ESNA) conference in San Diego Oct. 13–15 were effusive in their praise of battery storage’s potential whileThe post The Potentials and Pitfalls of Battery Storage appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In water-stressed regions outside the U.S., power producers and other industrial water users are incorporating higher levels of water reuse, some to the point of zero liquid discharge (ZLD), due to heightenedThe post Water-Stressed Regions Provide Proving Grounds for Advanced ZLD Systems appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Ethiopia’s generation capacity got an immense boost as operations began at the 1.87-GW Gibe III hydroelectric power plant in the middle reach of the Omo River basin this October. The plant—Ethiopia’sThe post Ethiopia Begins Generating Power from 1.87-GW Gibe III Hydro Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Coal pulverizers are the heart of a pulverized coal-fueled boiler. Often, the root causes of nonoptimized combustion lie with the pulverizers. Capacity; reliability; and environmental issues such as slaggingThe post Coal Pulverizer Maintenance Improves Boiler Combustion appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The UK has canceled its flagship £1 billion ($1.5 billion) competition to help commercialize carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology from power plants. The decision by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was announced in a three-sentence release to the London Stock Exchange just days before crucial climate change negotiations are due to […]The post UK Axes CCS Competition, Puts Two Big Carbon Capture Power Projects at Risk appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The news coming out of several countries in advance of the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21) casts an ominous pall over the future of the coal industry. The End of Coal Generation in Alberta Fresh on the heels of last week’s announcement by UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd that she plans to […]The post Coal Under Fire as Paris Climate Summit Approaches appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Nov. 20 issued a supplemental finding that consideration of costs does not affect its previous conclusion that regulation of coal- and oil-fired power plants is “appropriate and necessary” under section 112 of the Clean Air Act. The finding was in response to a June decision by the U.S. Supreme […]The post Costs of MATS Don’t Change Rule Justifications, EPA Says appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Duke Energy announced the completion of a 2-MW battery-based energy storage system that has been installed to increase power grid reliability and stability for the PJM regional transmission organization. Installed at its retired W.C. Beckjord coal-fired power plant in New Richmond, Ohio, construction began in August, and the system was placed in operation on Nov. […]The post Duke Energy Adds More Battery-Based Energy Storage Capacity appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In a major speech setting out the future direction of the UK’s energy policy, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd announced plans to restrict the use of the country’s coal-fired power stations by 2023 and close all of the facilities by 2025. “Frankly, it cannot be satisfactory for an advanced economy like the UK […]The post UK to Close All Coal-Fired Power Plants by 2025 appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The U.S. Senate late on Nov. 17 passed a pair of resolutions that would overturn recent Environmental Protection Agency rules on power plant emissions, rules that form the core of the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan. The two resolutions, S.J. Res. 23 and S.J. Res. 24, were passed under a little-used provision known as the Congressional Review […]The post Senate Votes to Overturn Clean Power Plan appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Another month, another premature nuclear plant retirement. About two weeks ago, Entergy finally threw in the towel on the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant in Scriba, N.Y., a move that came as a surprise to exactly no one who has been paying attention to the merchant nuclear business in the U.S. the past few […]The post Cheap Gas Is Killing Nuclear Power, and the Outlook is Grim appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Nov. 16 proposed updates to the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) with the intent of reducing NOx emissions from power plants in the eastern half of the U.S. The proposed CSAPR update identifies cuts in power plant NOx emissions in 23 states. The EPA said these cuts can be […]The post CSAPR Update Proposed for 23 States in Eastern U.S. appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The German battery storage market took a leap forward as German generating company Steag announced on Nov. 4 that it will invest €100 million in six 15-MW battery storage projects at several of its power plants in Germany. The batteries are expected to come online mid-2016 through early 2017. The facilities will be sited at Steag’s generating […]The post German Battery Storage Market Gets 90-MW Boost appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Legal marijuana, cultivated indoors on a large scale, poses a growing threat to electrical safety and a booming new business demand for electric power. Legal marijuana cultivation is posing electrical problems in three of the four states where recreational cannabis use is now permitted. The problem is that indoor growing operations—long a production staple when […]The post Pot, Power, and Politics appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The cabinet of Angela Merkel’s ruling coalition has endorsed changes to the German electricity market, ensuring their passage into law. “This is the largest reform of the electricity market since the energy markets were liberalised in the 1990s, and it will make the electricity market fit for the 21st century,” said Energy Minister Sigmar Gabriel. […]The post Germany Lays a New Foundation for Electricity Market appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The final session of the annual meeting of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) in Austin ended on Nov. 11 on a “high note,” as outgoing president and Florida Commissioner Lisa Edgar had promised, with a panel titled “The Straight Dope on Energy & the Marijuana Industry.” The subtitle, “(Don’t laugh, it could […]The post Electricity Sector Problems and Opportunities Posed by Legalized Marijuana appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The world must have carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to address climate concerns, but commercializing CCS will require a level playing field, an industry advisory council appointed by the Department of Energy (DOE) underscores in a new white paper. The report released by the National Coal Council (NCC) on Nov. 10 responds to a […]The post Advisory Committee to DOE: U.S. Must Level Playing Field for Coal, Carbon Capture Technologies appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Certain types of coal-fired power plants are capable of meeting the 636 kg CO2/MWh emissions limit in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) new source performance standards for new plants without relying on carbon capture and storage (CCS), but doing so will require leveraging cutting-edge technologies to improve efficiency, according to a new study from the Electric […]The post Coal Plants Without CCS Can Meet EPA Standards, EPRI Study Says appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Several experts, meeting in Washington on Nov. 6 for the White House Summit on Nuclear Energy, agreed that more nuclear power is needed if the world hopes to minimize the effects of climate change and limit the increase in average temperatures around the globe. The Two-Degree-C Scenario William D. Magwood IV, director-general of the Organisation […]The post Experts: Nuclear Power Must be Expanded to Limit Climate Change appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Falling power and gas prices will impact the operating cash flows of unregulated U.S. utilities in 2016, but regulated utilities will see a more stable outlook owing to a supportive regulatory environment, Moody’s Investors Service said in a new analysis of fundamental business conditions released on Nov. 6. Moody’s changed its 2016 industry outlook for […]The post Unregulated U.S. Utility Sector to See Downturn in 2016, Moody’s Warns appeared first on POWER Magazine.

As liquefied natural gas (LNG) continues to draw attention in the gas market, with the first new U.S. LNG export terminal in decades coming online next year, another liquefied gas—propane—is beginning to expand its share of the mix as propane power options continue to grow. While propane-powered engines and microturbines have been around for […]The post Propane Power Is Grabbing Growing Share of Gas-Fired Market appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Dominion subsidiary Dominion Virginia Power on Nov. 6 became the first U.S utility to notify the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of its intent to file a second license renewal application for one of its nuclear plants. Dominion intends to seek a 20-year extension for the two-unit, 1,676-MW Surry Power Station in Virginia. The announcement […]The post Dominion to Seek New License Extension For Surry Nuclear Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

One of the “flexibility” measures built into the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) final Clean Power Plan (CPP) is the option for states to join multi-state emissions trading programs for carbon dioxide. Panelists in a session focused on this issue at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) annual meeting in Austin largely agreed on […]The post Regulators and Emissions Trading Experts Tackle Intricacies of Clean Power Plan Multi-State Solutions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Comments made at the annual meeting of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) suggest that the regulatory group and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been in regular dialog throughout the process of developing the Clean Power Plan (CPP), arguably the most complex environmental regulation affecting the power generation sector and electric utilities. […]The post EPA’s Gina McCarthy Responds to Regulators’ Clean Power Plan Questions appeared first on POWER Magazine.

In a Monday morning session at the annual meeting in Austin of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), panelists and commissioners traded comments on challenges and successes related to integrating increasing levels of renewables while ensuring reliable grid operation. David Boyd, VP of government and regulatory affairs for the Midcontinent Independent System Operator […]The post Regulators, System Operators, and Utilities Consider Reliability, Renewables, and EPA Regulations appeared first on POWER Magazine.