The announced resignation of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson may as soon as this week be followed by one from Energy Secretary Steven Chu. Last week, meanwhile, Senate Republicans announced new committee assignments.

A 200-MW biomass power plant in Polaniec, Poland, that is owned by GDF Suez and began operations in November is being billed as the largest in the world to use a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler.

Leaders of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Friday called on the Department of the Interior to investigate whether coal companies are understating the value of coal mined on federal and tribal lands to avoid paying full royalties.

With gas supplies looking strong and a variety of factors exerting negative pressure on other generation resources, 2013 looks to be a solid year for gas-fired power.

Not everyone is thrilled to have a power plant go up in their neighborhood, but residents of a Michigan town in need of jobs and investment are celebrating theirs.

Increased cycling is now a fact of life for many combined cycle power plants, even those once used for baseload. The shift in regime can have many associated costs, not all of which are obvious.

Shale gas production continues to surge as demand for cheap gas grows. But will state and federal regulation and a wave of local bans choke off the boom?

The shale gas boom is expected to add considerably to the world’s energy mix in coming decades. But this energy-intensive industry is also going to need its own power. How much? Try at least 100 GW worldwide.

The fourth quarter of 2012 saw continued growth in gas power development, with at least 8 GW of new projects announced for the U.S. alone.

Sooner or later, every plant owner will face a natural disaster. Careful planning, preparation, and teamwork are key to getting through in one piece.

Despite the promise of renewable energy for the future, natural gas is certain to remain the cheapest, most efficient generation resource for the next few decades.

In a settlement with the federal government, Kentucky Utilities has agreed to spend $57 million to install a sulfuric acid mist emission control system, replace a coal-fired boiler, and pay a civil penalty of $300,000 to resolve alleged Clean Air Act violations at its 2-GW coal-fired Ghent Station.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Dec. 20 finalized changes to a specific set of adjustments to Clean Air Act that apply to a coal, oil, natural gas and biomass boilers and certain solid waste incinerators.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson on Thursday announced she would step down after President Obama’s state of the union address later this January.

Japanese firm Toshiba Corp. is reportedly holding discussions with three parties to sell off up to 16% of its subsidiary, U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric Co.

A long-sought extension of the wind energy tax credits are included in the “fiscal cliff” bill signed today by President Obama. Unlike past extensions, it allows the credit to cover wind farms that begin construction—not just those that begin operations—in 2013.

Hiring an owner’s engineer may add some upfront expense to your O&M budget, but over the long term, it can reap big savings in successfully navigating planned and unplanned outages.

As 2013 opens, the coal industry is waiting anxiously on a variety of proposals for regulating coal ash. A reclassification as hazardous waste could deal another blow to coal, but some industry observers suspect the worst is not yet to come.

A 2007 study sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security confirmed some of the industry’s worst fears about the grid’s vulnerability to terrorist attack. That study has remained under wraps until recently–and its findings are even worse than you may suspect.

Combined heat and power offers many advantages for distributed generation. But leveraging them requires some careful planning and forethought.

When the Kissimmee Utility Authority needed to fire up its customer outreach, it was time to turn up the gas and get cooking.

Human beings have a tough time balancing risks rationally–but this task isn’t made any easier by how the media communicates information about them. Often, the usual approach makes things even worse.

Forethought and analysis have their place, but good leaders need to be ready to act boldly when the time comes.

How do you get "beyond" perfection? With a willingness to course-correct and an awareness of when it’s necessary.

President Obama enters 2013 with a solid win in his pocket—and a host of challenges and decisions awaiting him.

The pendulum has recently swung back against nuclear as gas-fired power has surged in response to low prices and abundant supplies. Can nuclear ever regain its edge?

North American shale gas was supposed to realign the generation fleet here and abroad (thanks to anticipated exports) far into the future. Turns out, that’s not exactly how the near term is shaping up. Despite stagnant (and even putrid) economies and legislative bodies in the U.S. and EU, there promises to be sufficient market volatility to keep everyone alert.

For the first time, U.S. generation from coal and natural gas was equal in 2012, although just momentarily. Gas dominated early in the year, but as gas prices rose in response to supply and demand forces, coal use rebounded. Expect more of the same give-and-take in 2013.

The availability and low price of natural gas enticed many U.S. utilities to fuel switch on a grand scale in 2012. Increased demand has put upward pressure on prices, moving coal back to the top of the dispatch order in some regions. Expect the price momentum to shift often in 2013.

Exports of natural resources have given Russia increased global political and economic clout. But domestically, the world’s fourth-largest generator of electricity has had to embark on the most ambitious reforms ever undertaken to modernize dilapidated Soviet-era power infrastructure and incentivize a massive capacity expansion to support a revived economy.