POWER [February 1, 2018]

An Inside Look at Digital Transformation: GE Power's Lessons Learned

GE has operated its monitoring and diagnostics center for nearly two decades, examining the performance and health of customers’ power plants and other generating assets around the world. Understanding some

How to Increase Power Plant Asset Reliability Using Modern Digital Technology

Digital tools can benefit power plants of all types, yet adding the necessary instrumentation can be costly. However, some of the latest technology doesn’t have to break the bank. Installing WirelessHART

Unsupervised Machine Learning: The Path to Industry 4.0 for the Coal Industry

Artificial intelligence and machine learning aren’t just fictional pieces of futuristic Hollywood movies. Power plants can deploy these innovative technologies today to more accurately predict the condition

Using Artificial Intelligence to Protect the U.S. Power Grid

The North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) standard on physical security—known as Critical Infrastructure Protection-014 (CIP-014)—includes six basic requirements, but perhaps the most

Battery-Gas Turbine Combination Provides Power Plant Flexibility

With a broadening portfolio of generation technologies and rapidly changing demands, effectively combining and integrating diverse technologies is important to a reliable power grid. Siemens’ SIESTART

Connected Power Conference Show Preview

The Connected Plant Conference is a forum designed for professionals in the power generation and chemical process industries who are leading digital adoption at all stages. Sessions are tailored to offer

Distributed Energy Resources Bring Benefits, Challenges and New Opportunities

Distributed energy resources have changed the power generation sector, disrupting traditional markets and distribution models. Those working in the field tell POWER that research and development will continue

Modernize Gas Turbine Controls with an Eye on the Future

Although it may seem as if gas turbines have only recently become the technology of choice for new U.S. power plants, a lot of gas turbine units have been in service for decades. Control systems have evolved

Power Plant Construction and Upgrade Best Practices

Schedule delays and cost overruns can pose problems for complex power plant construction and retrofit projects. Sound planning, accurate modeling, and good communication can lead to successful projects for all

Six Forces Disrupting the Power Sector

Multiple disparate trends could forcefully reshape power systems around the world. As electricity markets transform, technologies advance, industries converge, consumption patterns change, environmental

Turbophase Dry Air Injection Optimizes Aero-derivative Combustion Turbines

Turbophase enables combustion turbine owners and power grids to increase flexibility, power, and efficiency, which is critical at a time when dispatch of renewable energy is growing. Combustion turbines

What Tax Reform Means for the Energy Industry

One of the most important items on President Trump’s first-year agenda was the implementation of tax reform in the U.S. Republican lawmakers worked tirelessly as the calendar year drew to an end to get a new

Pressing Forward with Vogtle, a Nuclear MVP

Georgia wasn’t looking for an award or recognition when we set out to build new nuclear reactors in our state. Yet, we now find ourselves as the last team on the field as our commissioners unanimously voted

What's Next for the Clean Power Plan?

“The Trump administration is listening to the people of Wyoming,” remarked Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. His comment referenced a

How the Internet of Things May Help Power the Future

Utility poles are the literal backbone of the electric utility industry. With an estimated 180 million or more in the nation’s power grid, it’s not hard to imagine the monumental task associated with

Replacement Instruments Improve Turbine Water Induction Protection

Turbine water induction protection systems are designed to keep water out of the turbine and prevent damage. Steam turbine damage from water induction is a costly economic, safety, and reliability concern. Any

China Advances Plan for Nationwide Carbon Trading System

Top governmental bodies in China in December approved plans for a carbon trading system that will first target power plants and then cover most of the nation’s mammoth industrial body.  President Xi Jinping

Energy Transitions Begin to Leave Out Natural Gas Power

The world’s energy transition took an interesting turn at the end of 2017 as global power firm Engie announced it would switch all its gas operations to biogas and renewable hydrogen, the UK slashed its

Pipeline Project Prompts Plan for Nigeria Power Plants

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC) in December 2017 announced a plan to build three natural gas-fired power plants in the country, thanks to a $2.8 billion pipeline project that…

POWER Digest [February 2018]

Polish Energy Company Puts Large Coal-Fired Unit Online. Enea , the Polish state-owned energy company, in December inaugurated what it calls the largest coal-fired power generation unit in Europe. The company

Russia Prepares to Start Up Two Nuclear Reactors

Russia’s nuclear engineering and construction firm Rosatom in December brought the fourth unit at its Rostov nuclear power plant (NPP) near Volgodonsk in southern Russia to first criticality. Later that

THE BIG PICTURE: Abandoned Nuclear

This month's THE BIG PICTURE infographic is accompanied by an interactive map. For more, visit: http://www.powermag.com/interactive-map-abandoned-nuclear-power-projects/

THE BIG PICTURE: Abandoned Nuclear Power Projects (Interactive Map)

A supplement to POWER's February 2018 THE BIG PICTURE print infographic, this interactive map offers a sampling of nuclear plant projects that have been abandoned. Double click on the map to activate the…

Voith Completes Modernization of Scottish Hydro Station

Voith in December announced it has completed the modernization of the Mucomir hydropower station in Scotland, and the 20-MW facility is again producing electricity for the Scottish grid. Voith was responsible

Changing the Power Industry Culture

The news has been filled with high-profile sexual harassment cases recently. Although more women seem to be coming forward lately to tell their stories and bring misconduct to light, it’s far from a new