A fire in the main transformer of the South Texas Project (STP) Electric Generating Station’s Unit 2 on Tuesday evening automatically tripped the reactor in Bay City, Texas, and powered on emergency diesel generators.

Two U.S. nuclear reactors that have long been idled—one for roughly two years and the other for three—may see even longer periods of shutdown, new reports suggest. Federal regulators said significant work remains before the Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant in Nebraska can be restarted, while Progress Energy Florida on Monday told the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) that it was a week away from submitting a draft report evaluating repair options for its Crystal River reactor.

Georgia Power on Monday said it was seeking state regulatory permission to decertify and retire 15 coal- and oil-fired generating units—a total capacity of 2,061 MW—citing several factors, including costs to comply with existing and future environmental regulations, economic conditions, and lower natural gas prices.

A settlement reached with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act will require Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) to invest about $300 million in pollution control technology, pay a civil penalty of $1.2 million, and spend $6 million on environmental mitigation projects.

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.