POWER

Energy Secretary Steven Chu ended weeks of speculation by announcing that he will not serve a second term in the Obama administration. In his Feb. 1 announcement, Chu said, “In the short term, I plan to stay on as Secretary past the ARPA-E Summit at the end of February. I may stay beyond that time so that I can leave the Department in the hands of the new Secretary.”

New analysis by the World Resources Institute (WRI) finds that the U.S. is not on track to reach its goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 17% by 2020 (below 2005 levels) but that it has the tools to get there. Specifically, the report looks at steps the Obama Administration and states can take without congressional action. Those steps would, not surprisingly, require emissions reductions from existing power plants and natural gas systems.

An energy blueprint released on Monday by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), the ranking minority member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, calls for complete independence from OPEC oil by 2020.

Criticism from Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Rep. David McKinley (R-W.V.) has reportedly prompted the Congressional Research Service (CRS) to revise a December 2012 report in which it found coal ash bills sponsored by the lawmakers would not guarantee the protection of human health and the environment.

Sally Jewell, who has been CEO of REI, a privately held outdoor recreation gear retail corporation organized as a consumers’ cooperative, has been nominated as the next secretary of the interior, the White House announced on Wednesday.

FutureGen 2.0, a government-backed project that involves the upgrade of a coal-fired power plant in Meredosia, Ill., with oxy-combustion technology to capture 90% of that plant’s carbon emissions and then sequester them underground, has entered its second phase, the Department of Energy (DOE) said on Monday.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) imposition of a federal implementation plan (FIP) to curb regional haze that could force coal-fired power plants in Arizona to install $1 billion in pollution controls was challenged by the state in federal court last week.

The beleaguered Crystal River Nuclear Plant in Citrus County, Fla.—which has been in shutdown and offline since late 2009 due to damage to its containment building—is to be retired, Progress Energy Florida announced on Tuesday.

The shift toward greater reliance on natural gas for power generation is not just a story of greater efficiency and lower emissions. There are also lurking risks to reliability unless the natural gas and electricity industries can plan carefully for the future.

Duke Energy’s once coal-heavy fleet is making a big transition to gas. Two new advanced combined cycle plants, and a third set to start up later this year, are a key part of the North Carolina–based firm’s drive to modernize its portfolio.

>Gas-fired power has a growing and well-established niche in providing load-following for wind farms. But two recent reports suggest the demand on these plants may be greater than anticipated, as long-term output from wind may be falling short of original projections.

>Finding ways to deliver the gas for the next generation of gas-fired power plants is perhaps the biggest challenge facing the power sector in the coming decade.

Why do some HRSG economizers and feedwater preheaters seem to suffer tube failures more frequently than others? If frequent failure is your problem, the cause may not necessarily be your heat exchanger’s design or how often you cycle your plant. Don’t forget to carefully check your feedwater controls—they may be cycling more than your HRSG.

Understanding the true rate of methane leakage in natural gas production and consumption is a key milestone in managing this bridge fuel. But despite recent reports, there’s still a ways to go before we have a full picture of what’s going on.

The growing momentum toward exports of liquefied natural gas is creating a stir in Washington. A fair review of the issues suggests this is one dispute the power industry can afford to stay out of.

By Kennedy Maize (@kennedymaize) Washington, D.C., 3 February 2013 – Steven Chu has announced his resignation as secretary of energy, so the time has come to pass preliminary judgment on his four-year term in the Obama administration. I use the term “preliminary” consciously, because journalism is only the first draft of history, and more reflective […]

Many recent utility greenfield and rehabilitation power projects have incorporated plant automation, with the goal of reducing the number of operators needed. The essential design principle is to specify control systems and field devices that will achieve the desired operational regime. Here’s how it’s done “Down Under.”

The increased use of intermittent renewable energy sources and the shift to gas-fired combustion turbines places new burdens on the dispatch of many coal-fired units. Steam units must now operate at very low minimum load while maintaining the ability to ramp up and down quickly. High-pressure feedwater heater energy control can improve the system response of such coal-fired units.

Mismatched or poorly maintained temperature sensors and thermowells can cause an often-unrecognized error in steam temperature measurement. The problem is often recognized only when sluggish steam temperature response times are noticed. Recent tests suggest some simple ways to resolve the problem.

Many power plants have sediment retention ponds that require control of pH for the effluent. The following guidelines for fossil plant sediment pond pH control will help you design a robust system while staying within budget.

Rick Tempchin, executive director, Retail Energy Services for the Edison Electric Institute, talks about the impact of distributed energy resources on utilities and their customers.

Final water intake structure rules from the EPA expected this June suggest the agency may be listening to industry and even moderating its tone. Stretch goals as part of the Section 316(b) rule are likely, but overall the rule may prove more reasonable than many expected.

ESAB Welding & Cutting Products introduced Warrior, a new multiprocess power source and feeder designed for processes including energy generation construction, pipe welding, general fabrication, and repair and maintenance. Designed for GMAW (MIG), FCAW (flux-cored), SMAW (stick), and GTAW (TIG) welding as well as ACAG (arc gouging), Warrior delivers up to 500 amps at 60% […]

The VAC-U-MAX self-contained granular activated carbon (GAC) delivery system is mounted on a self-contained skid. This system is a complete prepackaged dilute phase pneumatic conveyor system to deliver or remove GAC from scrubber towers and holding tanks. Tubular probing wands, convey hose, filter receiver, vacuum pump, and control panel are included. (http://www.vac-u-max.com)

In case you neglected to mark it on your calendar, the Kyoto Protocol to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) expired at midnight on New Year’s Eve. The 15-year-old treaty was by every account a failure. Global carbon dioxide emissions are up over 50%, yet global temperatures decreased over the same period. Relying […]

Mott Corp. announced the availability of porous metal components and filters in a variety of refractory metal alloys including zirconium, titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, and niobium. Known for outstanding chemical resistance, high strength, and thermal stability, refractory metals can meet the most demanding operating conditions. Mott can design porous components or entire filter assemblies using refractory […]

The new Torrent 50 tank-cleaning head from NLB Corp. delivers 3-D water jet action with the force of 600 horsepower water, and it fits through a tank or reactor opening as small as 6 inches. The Torrent 50, rated for pressures up to 20,000 psi and flows to 50 gpm, has two high-velocity water jets […]

Progress in electronics and information technology has created incentives to replace traditional analog instrumentation and control (I&C) systems in nuclear power plants with digital I&C systems, or systems based on computers and microprocessors. About 40% of the world’s operating reactors have been modernized to include at least some digital I&C systems, according to the International […]

Larson Electronics’ Magnalight.com has introduced the HBLP-1MLED-SWAM stainless steel swing arm–mounted, explosion-proof light for wastewater treatment plant applications. Built with 316 stainless steel and equipped with a Class 1 and Class 2 Division 1 10,000-lumen LED light, this adjustable hazardous area light is designed for corrosive environments. The HBLP-1MLED-SWAM is used to position the explosion-proof […]

The U.S. saw the historic start of operations at its first ultrasupercritical coal-fired power plant last December as Southwestern Electric Power Co.’s (SWEPCO’s) 600-MW John W. Turk, Jr. Power Plant switched on in Arkansas.