A large fire at the Grand River Dam Authority’s (GRDA’s) Chouteau, Okla., coal-fired power plant was triggered by a string of unfortunate events shortly after a storm passed through the region on July 1. Justin Alberty, GRDA corporate communications director, told POWER that the fire started at around 7 p.m. that night. He said GRDA […]

Sustainability report outlines Exelon’s investments in clean energy and innovative technology to better serve customers, communities and shareholders CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Exelon today announced it has released its latest sustainability report as part of the company’s commitment to transparency on sustainability strategy and performance. The report describes Exelon’s approach to providing reliable, clean and affordable energy products […]

Coal Power   Current Issue | Find a Job | Post a Job Evaluating the Use of CEMS for Accurate Heat Rate Monitoring and Reporting Power plants are familiar with using continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) to monitor pollutants, but these devices also may be able to measure heat rate—which could be handy for future […]

BEIJING–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Westinghouse Electric Company has successfully completed another significant milestone toward achieving nth-of-a-kind delivery for the AP1000 nuclear power plant program. On July 2, Haiyang Unit 1 in Shandong Province successfully completed its cold hydrostatic test (CHT), further confirming safety and quality design features of the innovative nuclear power plant under construction in China. The […]

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Engineers at Oregon State University have created a new computer modeling package that people anywhere in the world could use to assess the potential of a stream for small-scale, “run of river” hydropower, an option to produce electricity that’s of special importance in the developing world. The system is easy to use; […]

1 July 2016 Installation of Evoqua’s Ionpure brand continuous electro-deionization (CEDI) modules is in progress as part of the Quassim Power Plant conversion project, on the Arabian Peninsula. The Saudi Arabian Electrical Company (SEC) project will convert two power generation extensions from simple cycle to combined cycle operation, adding over 120MW output from each of […]

Following the end of William C. Ostendorff’s term on June 30, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is now down to only three active commissioners on staff. Ostendorff became a commissioner on April 1, 2010, following a distinguished career as a U.S. naval officer, engineer, lawyer, and policy advisor. His departure adds another vacancy to the […]

The program through Caterpillar University helps solve Cameroon’s energy challenge while facilitating the transfer of engineering and advanced technical knowledge to local professionals at state-of-the-art 50 MW project DUBAI – Altaaqa Global Caterpillar Rental Power, a leading global temporary power solutions provider, and Caterpillar Inc. have developed a solution to one of Cameroon’s biggest challenges: […]

When the UK, the European Union’s (EU’s) second-largest economy, voted to leave the union on June 23, reactions were swift and sometimes unexpected, but what does the Brexit vote mean for the nuclear power industry, which is an increasingly global one? Based on comments made at this week’s World Nuclear Exhibition (WNE) outside Paris, the […]

SNC-Lavalin (TSX: SNC) is pleased to announce that its joint venture (JV) with Aecon Group has been awarded two multimillion-dollar contracts by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) for nuclear services at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario, Canada. The first contract, valued at $265 million, is for the refurbishment of all four 935-megawatt steam turbine […]

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, nuclear power has accounted for about 20% of electricity generated in the U.S. each year since 1990. In fact, the U.S. nuclear fleet out produced France—the country with the next highest nuclear generation—by more than two to one in 2012. Russia was a distant third, generating less than […]

Although it’s not widely publicized, a majority of the energy used to generate electricity is wasted in the form of heat discharged to the environment. For better or worse, that’s just the way a typical thermal power plant works. Fuel, such as coal, biomass, natural gas, or uranium (in the case of nuclear plants), is […]

Guinness World Records recognized GE’s HA gas turbine for powering the world’s most efficient—up to 62.22%—combined cycle power plant. The first unit equipped with an HA turbine officially began operation on June 17 at EDF’s plant located in Bouchain, France. “Today we are making history with this power plant for the future,” said Steve Bolze, […]

The Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) board of directors voted unanimously on June 16 to close Fort Calhoun Station, the smallest nuclear power plant in the U.S., due to economic reasons. In April, OPPD Board Chairman Mick Mines asked senior management to develop potential scenarios regarding future power resources. Tim Burke, president and CEO of […]

Five-year deal is largest single award in company history JACKSONVILLE, Fla., June 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — APR Energy, a global leader in fast-track power solutions, announces today that it has been awarded two five-year projects valued at more than $450 million by the Ministry of Energy and Mining of Argentina to provide a total 350MW […]

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) approved Minnesota Power Co.’s integrated resource plan (IRP) on June 9, which calls for the economic idling of the company’s Taconite Harbor Energy Center—a two-unit 150-MW facility (Unit 3 was retired in June 2015)—this fall and ceasing coal operations at the site in 2020. The MPUC also adjusted the […]

One of the witnesses testifying before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on June 9 believes states and regulated entities will be granted additional time to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Clean Power Plan (CPP), if the rule is ultimately found to be lawful. Currently, the U.S. Supreme Court has […]

Coal Power   Current Issue | Find a Job | Post a Job Supporting Coal Power Plant Workers Through Plant Closures Coal-fired power plants around the U.S. are closing—rapidly. It’s a trend that will continue for the foreseeable future as dozens more units are slated for closure in the next few years. According to a&hellips; […]

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) reached another milestone on June 3 when operators at Watts Bar Unit 2—the nation’s newest nuclear power plant and the first added to the fleet in 20 years—synchronized its generator to the power grid, generating electricity from the plant for the first time (Figure 1). 1. Reactor Operator Bill Hahn […]

Given the lack of progress on Illinois energy legislation, Exelon Corp. announced on June 2 that it would begin taking steps to permanently shut down its Quad Cities and Clinton nuclear power plants. In a statement, the company said Clinton would close on June 1, 2017, and that Quad Cities would follow exactly one year […]

WARRENVILLE, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Fuel Tech, Inc. (NASDAQ: FTEK), a world leader in advanced engineering solutions for the optimization of combustion systems and emissions control in utility and industrial applications, today announced the signing of an exclusive agreement under which Fuel Tech has licensed its Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) technology to ISGEC Heavy Engineering Ltd. (ISGEC), one […]

Vertical construction of Unit 4 cooling tower completed ATLANTA, May 31, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Georgia Power today announced the safe placement of the last of the “Big 6” modules in the nuclear island for Unit 3 – CA02 and CA03. The modules, weighing 52 tons and 237 tons respectively, are critical components and part of […]

Kansas City–based Great Plains Energy has agreed to purchase Westar Energy—Kansas’ largest electric utility—in a combined cash and stock transaction with an enterprise value of about $12.2 billion. The deal was announced on May 31. When complete, Westar will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Great Plains Energy, which also owns Kansas City Power and […]

Wärtsilä will supply a 67 MW Smart Power Generation plant to Mauritius. The order includes four Wärtsilä 46 engines running on heavy fuel oil. The equipment will be delivered in late 2016, and the plant is scheduled to be operational by September 2017. “Wärtsilä has been our trustworthy and professional partner for over 10 years. […]

The two probable major-party U.S. presidential candidates hold very different views on energy and climate. One intends to focus on expanding and developing America’s fossil-fuel industries, while the other plans to grow renewable energy and promote efficiency. Can you guess who’s who? Fossil vs. Renewable Donald Trump, the presumed Republican nominee, presented his “America-First Energy […]

BEIJING–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The world’s first AP1000® nuclear power plant moved a step closer to commissioning with the completion of the cold hydrostatic test (CHT) at Sanmen Unit 1 in Zhejiang Province, China. The successful completion of CHT confirms that the reactor systems meet design pressures under operating and accident conditions and signifies the completion of the […]

-Company awarded additional major order to supply equipment for Vinh Tan4- TOKYO—Toshiba Corporation has received an order to supply steam turbines and generators (STGs) for the extension of Vinh Tan 4 coal-fired thermal power plant by state-owned Vietnam Electricity (EVN). The order is from Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan and Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co., […]

The Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA’s) newest nuclear plant, Watts Bar Unit 2, achieved initial criticality on May 23 at 2:16 a.m. Although that may sound ominous to anyone untrained in nuclear terminology, initial criticality simply means that Watts Bar Unit 2 reached a state in which the reactor’s neutron population remained steady from one generation […]

Phibro—an independent commodity merchant company based in Stamford, Conn.—through its affiliate Philipp Brothers Fertilizer, recently announced that it is acquiring a clean coal gasification plant just outside of West Terre Haute, Ind., from SG Solutions. The plant had been used to produce synthetic gas and steam to fuel the adjacent Wabash River Combined Cycle Plant, […]

Misaligned mirrors at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in California caused electrical cables to catch fire about two-thirds of the way up the Unit 3 tower on May 19, according to several media reports of statements attributed to fire department personnel. The San Bernardino County (Calif.) Fire Department (SBCFD) reported on its Facebook page […]