Aaron Larson
Articles By

Aaron Larson

  • AREVA to Supply Refueling Equipment Upgrades to TVA Reactors

    AREVA NP signed a multimillion-dollar agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to provide fleet-wide refuel equipment upgrades. Under this contract, AREVA NP will upgrade existing refueling platforms, manipulator cranes, fuel transfer systems and used fuel bridge components. This modern equipment will help operators increase efficiency, strengthen performance and reduce time when receiving, moving and […]

  • World Coal Association welcomes Berau Coal Energy as its newest member

    The only body acting internationally on behalf of coal, the World Coal Association (WCA), announced today that Indonesian coal mining company, Berau Coal Energy, has joined its membership. Berau Coal is Indonesia’s fifth-largest coal producer with an estimated 509 million tonnes of coal reserves . Berau was established in 1983 and now operates three mines […]

  • J-POWER USA Acquires Equity Stake in Tenaska Power Plant Project in Pennsylvania

    J-POWER Westmoreland, LLC, a subsidiary of J-POWER USA Investment Co., Ltd.(“J-POWER USA”), has secured an equity stake from Tenaska in the Tenaska Westmoreland Generating Station, a 925-megawatt (MW) natural gas-fueled power plant project near Pittsburgh. The transaction closed on Jan. 11. “This acquisition is consistent with our strategy of investing in and developing high-quality power […]

  • AES and Mitsubishi Corporation to Deliver India’s First Grid-Scale Energy Storage Array to Tata Power DDL

    Advancion® deployment will solve critical infrastructure challenges on Delhi electric grid NEW DELHI, India, January 12, 2017 – AES India, a subsidiary of The AES Corporation (NYSE:AES) and Mitsubishi Corporation, today announced a joint partnership agreement to deliver India’s first grid-scale energy storage array to the electric grid operated by Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (Tata […]

  • 17 U.S. Nuclear Units Have Components Forged at Site Under Investigation

    Although AREVA recently disclosed that 17 U.S. nuclear power plant units have installed components that were forged at the Le Creusot facility in France—a forge that has been under scrutiny due to questionable quality assurance documentation and carbon segregation irregularities in some parts manufactured at the site—the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) does not consider the […]

  • Six People Injured by Explosion at Ohio Coal Power Plant

    An incident at J.M. Stuart Station—a 2,318-MW coal and diesel generating facility operated by Dayton Power and Light Co. (DP&L)—resulted in six people being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Several media outlets referred to the event as an explosion, citing nearby residents’ accounts of the incident. At least a few people said they heard and felt […]

  • COAL POWER Direct—Jan. 11, 2017

    Coal Power Direct   Current Issue | Find a Job | Post a Job World’s Largest Post-Combustion Carbon Capture Project Completed Petra Nova—a commercial-scale post-combustion carbon capture project designed to remove more than 90% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) from a 240-MW slipstream of flue gas off of the W.A. Parish generating station in Fort […]

  • World’s Largest Post-Combustion Carbon Capture Project Completed

    Petra Nova—a commercial-scale post-combustion carbon capture project designed to remove more than 90% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) from a 240-MW slipstream of flue gas off of the W.A. Parish generating station in Fort Bend County, Texas—has been completed, according to project partners NRG Energy Inc. and JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corp. The […]

  • Deal Reached to Permanently Close Indian Point Nuclear Plant

    Entergy Corp. and the state of New York have reached an agreement that will see the Indian Point nuclear power plant retired by 2021. “Key considerations in our decision to shut down Indian Point ahead of schedule include sustained low current and projected wholesale energy prices that have reduced revenues, as well as increased operating […]

  • China Plans $363 Billion Investment in Renewables Over Five Years

    China rolled out its latest five-year energy development plan, detailing the country’s aim of investing about 2.5 trillion yuan (more than $363 billion) through 2020 in the development of renewable energy resources. Yang Li Zhe, deputy director of China’s National Energy Board, explained the country’s vision during a press conference held in Beijing on January […]

  • Westinghouse’s Losses from Nuclear Business Deal Mount

    Toshiba Corp.—the parent of Westinghouse Electric Co.—said it might book huge losses as a result of Westinghouse’s acquisition of the nuclear construction and integrated services business CB&I Stone & Webster Inc. (S&W). Westinghouse closed on its agreement with CB&I in December 2015. When the deal was made, Toshiba estimated that the amount of “goodwill” resulting […]

  • AECOM, EnergySolutions Joint Venture to Decommission San Onofre Nuclear Plant

    After a 10-month competitive bid process, Southern California Edison (SCE) has selected a joint venture of AECOM and EnergySolutions as the general contractor for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) decommissioning. “We are pleased to announce the selection of the AECOM/EnergySolutions team, a global joint venture with extensive commercial and government decommissioning experience around […]

  • Coal Magnate Tells Trump to Lower His Expectations

    Although optimistic about the future of the coal industry under the Trump administration, Robert Murray, CEO of Murray Energy Corp., the largest underground coal mining company in the U.S., does not expect the president-elect to bring back coal mining jobs or spur new coal-fired power plant construction. “I’ve asked President-elect Trump to temper his comments […]

  • Siemens receives order for onshore wind project in South Korea

    • 60.6 megawatts wind power plant in Gyeongsangbuk Province • 17 direct drive wind turbines including new model SWT-3.6-130 • Second project for customer SK D&D Co., Ltd. Siemens Wind Power has received an order to supply 17 direct drive wind turbines for the Uljin onshore wind power plant in Gyeongsangbuk province on the east […]

  • Volvo Penta Grows Market Share as OEM Supplier of Diesel Engines for Power Generation Systems

    Testimonials from Genset Manufacturers Reveal Reasons for Satisfaction (CHESAPEAKE, Va.) – Dec. 12, 2016 – Generator manufacturers are increasingly turning to Volvo Penta as a preferred supplier of diesel engines. The reasons they give for choosing Volvo Penta in the highly competitive marketplace for industrial generators include reliability, fuel efficiency, application engineering support, serviceability, parts […]

  • East Africa’s Largest Solar Plant Starts Operations

    Made up of 32,680 photovoltaic panels, the new 10 megawatt facility is the country’s first grid-connected solar plant and will generate clean, low-carbon, sustainable electricity to 40,000 homes, schools and businesses in the area SOROTI, Uganda, December 12, 2016/ — Honorable D’Ujanga Simon, Minister of State for Energy, together with representatives of Access Power (www.Access-Power.com), […]

  • APR Energy Awarded LPG-Fired Project in U.S. Virgin Islands

    Innovative plant features first TM2500+ turbine in commercial operation to run on LPG JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — APR Energy, a global leader in fast-track power solutions, announces today that it has signed a 12-month contract with U.S. Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) to provide 25MW of power generation using liquid petroleum gas (LPG). The […]

  • SPX Cooling Technologies Announces Expansion of Gearbox Repair Capabilities

    Confidence in rebuild and repair for Marley® and Amarillo brands Overland Park, KS – SPX Cooling Technologies, Inc., a full-line, full-service industry leader in the design and manufacture of evaporative and air-cooled heat exchangers, announces they are expanding their gearbox repair capabilities and Marley Geareducer® Solutions program. SPX now provides repair and rebuild services for […]

  • Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Unveils Revolutionary JAC Gas Turbine

    Seven Technical Selections by Utilities and IPPs Signal a Change in Power Orlando, FL- (December 12, 2016) Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) is revolutionizing power generation with the release of the M501JAC, an enhanced air-cooled J-Series gas turbine offering an unmatched combination of record output, efficiency and a proven 99.5 percent reliability during 11,000 hours […]

  • Burns & McDonnell Inc. Acquires AZCO INC.

    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (December 9, 2016) – After collaborating on projects for several decades, Burns & McDonnell, ranked No. 1 in the power industry by Engineering News-Record, is acquiring AZCO INC., one of the nation’s premier industrial contractors. The acquisition creates one of the most comprehensive environmental, engineering, procurement, and direct-hire construction and fabrication companies […]

  • Market Conditions Doom Another Nuclear Plant, Palisades, to Closure in 2018

    Entergy Corp. has decided to permanently close the Palisades nuclear power plant on October 1, 2018. The news comes as a bit of a surprise, because Entergy had a power purchase agreement with Consumers Energy—Michigan’s largest utility and the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy—which committed the company to buying nearly all of the power generated […]

  • MHPS Enables the Power Plant of the Future for Dominion Virginia Power

    Dominion Breaks Ground on Largest and Lowest Carbon Intensity Combined Cycle Power Plant in North America EMPORIA, VIRGINIA- (December 7, 2016) Dominion Virginia Power held a groundbreaking ceremony on Dec. 1 for its Greensville County Power Station, which will use three M501J gas turbines from Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) to provide efficient and reliable energy […]

  • Leaked NRC Email Suggests Pilgrim Nuclear Plant Staff “Overwhelmed”

    An email written by the team leader of an ongoing Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspection being conducted at the Pilgrim nuclear power plant suggested that the facility’s staff were “overwhelmed by just trying to run the station.” The wide-ranging NRC inspection began on Nov. 28. It is the third and largest inspection conducted as part […]

  • POWER Engineers team licensed for drone services

    HAILEY, Idaho (Dec. 6, 2016) — POWER Engineers Incorporated (POWER) is now offering the use of unmanned aerial systems — commonly known as drones — to collect video, photos and data for use in state-of-the-art 3D terrain and tower modeling and visualizations for clients across the nation. Three of POWER’s expert staff members passed the […]

  • COAL POWER Direct—Dec. 7, 2016

    Coal Power Direct   Current Issue | Find a Job | Post a Job "Who Moved My Btus?" The Pitfalls of Extended Coal Storage Many coal power stations have recently been operating at historically low capacity factors or have even undergone extended economic shutdowns. This can result in coal stockpiles that are exposed to the […]

  • Exelon Gets Its Christmas Wish—Illinois Legislation Will Save Nuclear Plants

    After a lengthy process of give and take, the Illinois Legislature approved the Future Energy Jobs Bill (SB 2814) on December 1, the last day of the state’s veto session. The bill will now go to Gov. Rauner (R) for his signature, which is expected. Once signed, it will take effect on June 1, 2017, […]

  • EthosEnergy awarded $8m five year operations & maintenance contract by Quantum Utility Generation

    Houston, TX – EthosEnergy has been awarded a $8m, five year contract for full operations and maintenance (O&M) by Quantum Utility Generation for their Nevada Cogeneration Associates #2 plant in Nevada, US. The contract is for full care, custody and control operations, and maintenance including mobilization. This will be the fourth plant in the Quantum […]

  • TVA Will Pay $140,000 NRC Fine for Browns Ferry Nuke

    The Tennessee Valley Authority this week said it will pay a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proposed $140,000 fine for security violations at its Browns Ferry nuclear station near Athens, Ala. According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Steve Bono, Browns Ferry site director, said that the giant regional power agency “accepts full responsibility” for the […]

  • B&W Subsidiary Awarded $40 Million Contract to Design Boiler for World’s Largest Waste Power Plant in China

    CHARLOTTE, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. (B&W) (NYSE:BW) announced today that its Denmark-based subsidiary, Babcock & Wilcox Vølund A/S (B&W Vølund), has been awarded a contract for nearly $40 million to design a waste-to-energy boiler for Shenzhen Energy Environmental Engineering Co. Ltd. in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. When complete, the plant will provide […]

  • Sylvan Source (SSI) Announces Water Treatment Pilot Test Hosted by Southern California Utility in Collaboration With the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)

    SAN CARLOS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SSI announces completion of a pilot test of the SSI Core water treatment system at Southern California Edison’s Mountainview plant in Redlands, CA. “Demands to supply water to a growing population are increasing worldwide and are having profound impacts on the use of limited water resources,” said Richard Breckenridge, program manager at […]