Darrell Proctor
Articles By

Darrell Proctor

  • Testing Problems Push Vogtle Start to 2022

    Southern Co. has moved the startup date for the first unit of its two-reactor expansion at the Vogtle nuclear power plant to the first quarter of 2022, citing problems found during testing. The company on May 18 notified Georgia state regulators of the delay. Analysts with Mizuho Group, an investment banking company, on May 21 […]

  • RENEWABLE POWER Direct—May 19, 2021

    POWER Magazine   Jobs   White Papers  Webinars   Events   Store   May 19, 2021 Offshore Milestone as Feds Back Vineyard Wind Project The first large-scale offshore wind farm in the U.S. has received the go-ahead from the federal government, with industry insiders saying the milestone decision is likely to spur more rapid… The […]

  • The POWER Interview: Solar Powers Onward

    Solar power led all generation sources in terms of added generation capacity in 2020, with the U.S. adding a record 19.2 GW of capacity last year, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). The SEIA said that was a 43% jump from 2019, with utility-scale installations experiencing a 65% increase last year compared to […]

  • Hydrogen from Nuclear Power Test Set at Idaho Lab

    A California company that introduced a new electrolyzer technology last year has announced an agreement with Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to test how nuclear energy can create clean hydrogen using the product. San Jose-based Bloom Energy on May 18 said INL will use the company’s solid oxide, high-temperature electrolyzer to produce carbon-free hydrogen through electrolysis, […]

  • Coal Shipments to Power Sector at Lowest Level in 14 Years

    Shipments of coal to U.S. power plants in 2020 fell 22% year-over-year, according to data released May 13 by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The agency said the U.S. power sector received 428 million short tons (MMst) of coal last year, the lowest amount since the EIA began publishing shipment data in 2007. The […]

  • Carbon Capture Eyed for New Scottish Gas-Fired Plant

    Two major European energy companies said they will jointly develop a new natural gas-fired power plant that features carbon capture technology. The 900-MW Peterhead CCS Power Station would be built as part of Scotland’s Net Zero Infrastructure program. SSE, a British utility, and Norwegian energy firm Equinor announced the new plant on May 11. The […]

  • GAS POWER Direct—May 12, 2021

    POWER Magazine   Jobs   White Papers  Webinars   Events   Store   May 12, 2021 ERCOT Program Cut Natural Gas Supply During Winter Storm A program designed to save power during periods of high electricity demand actually cut off some of Texas' natural gas supply to customers during the severe winter storm that caused… […]

  • Offshore Milestone as Feds Back Vineyard Wind Project

    The first large-scale offshore wind farm in the U.S. has received the go-ahead from the federal government, with industry insiders saying the milestone decision is likely to spur more rapid development of the nation’s offshore wind projects. The Vineyard Wind installation, an 800-MW project that will use GE’s Haliade-X turbines, on May 11 received the […]

  • ERCOT Program Cut Natural Gas Supply During Winter Storm

    A program designed to save power during periods of high electricity demand actually cut off some of Texas’ natural gas supply to customers during the severe winter storm that caused massive blackouts across the state in February. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the power grid for much of the state, has […]

  • The POWER Interview: Argonne Lab Advancing Nuclear Energy

    Argonne National Laboratory is at the forefront of research into the design of portable nuclear reactors, working to make the technology viable for use at places such as military bases and remote communities. Micro-reactor concepts are being developed that could fit power generation into a small area, such as in the back of a truck, […]

  • Groundswell of Support Heats Geothermal Innovation

    There’s new interest in one of the world’s oldest resources, as governments and investors worldwide look for advanced ways to tap geothermal energy. Geothermal wells have been producing energy for more

  • Japan Pulls Back from Coal, Though New Plants Move Forward

    Japanese financial institutions and energy companies continue to move away from supporting coal-fired power generation, as the country’s leadership reiterates what it says is an “unwavering resolve to

  • POWER Digest [May 2021]

    Uzbekistan Wind Farm Project Expanding. Masdar, a global renewable energy company, has signed an agreement with Uzbekistan’s government to extend the capacity of its utility-scale wind farm project in the

  • Alabama Coal Plant Tops List of Emitters

    A report from a Colorado-based group that provides analysis and market reports to the energy industry says an Alabama power plant has the highest emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) of any coal-fired facility in the Lower 48 states. BTU Analytics in a report released April 29 ranked the James H. Miller plant in West Jefferson, […]

  • $8 Billion Proposals Could Bring New Gas-Fired Plants to Texas

    An energy investment group told Texas regulators the company has a plan to help solve some of that state’s electricity reliability issues, proposing a plan similar to one put forth by billionaire Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy in March. Starwood Energy Group on April 23 sent the state’s Public Utility Commission a proposal to build […]

  • Vogtle Unit 3 Starts Hot Functional Testing; Eyes December In-Service

    Georgia Power has announced more milestones for its Vogtle nuclear power plant expansion project, including the start of hot functional testing for Unit 3 at the facility in Waynesboro, Georgia. The utility also said it could bring the reactor online as soon as December of this year, despite continued construction delays due in part to […]

  • More Coal Cuts—AEP, Mississippi Power Detail Closures

    American Electric Power (AEP), which in 2019 reached an agreement to close Unit 1 of the two-unit, 2.6-GW coal-fired Rockport power plant in Indiana, has now announced a plan to close Unit 2 of the facility. Both units at Rockport are now expected to be shuttered by year-end 2028. AEP, the parent of Indiana Michigan […]

  • DOE Earmarks $109.5 Million to Support Coal Workers

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) said it will provide $109.5 million in funding for projects that directly support job creation in communities impacted by the energy transition, particularly for workers and areas struggling due to closures of coal-fired power plants and coal mines. The DOE in the April 23 announcement, made in connection with […]

  • RENEWABLE POWER Direct—April 21, 2021

    POWER Magazine   Jobs   White Papers  Webinars   Events   Store   April 21, 2021 COVID Costs 300,000 Clean Energy Jobs; DOE Readies for Rebound An analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data for 2020 shows the number of workers in clean energy jobs last year fell for the first time since 2015, according […]

  • Sweet Deal—Hershey, Others Have Solar Pacts

    A well-known chocolate maker has announced two new clean energy partnerships as the company continues to increase its sustainability efforts. The Hershey Co. on April 20 said it has power purchase agreements (PPAs) to take electricity from two solar projects, one in North Carolina and another in Texas. Hershey, like many corporate power customers, has […]

  • India Cites ‘Cheaper’ Coal in Planning New Units

    A draft copy of a document outlining India’s latest National Electricity Policy (NEP) reportedly shows the country is considering building new coal-fired generation capacity, even as it sets new carbon reduction targets. The document also said government officials would push for better technology to help reduce emissions from those plants. Reuters on April 19 reported […]

  • COVID Costs 300,000 Clean Energy Jobs; DOE Readies for Rebound

    An analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data for 2020 shows the number of workers in clean energy jobs last year fell for the first time since 2015, according to a group of business leaders and investors who study those numbers each year. The group’s “Clean Jobs America” report, released April 19, said about 3 […]

  • Hydrostor Receives Funding for New A-CAES Project

    A Canadian company that has led design efforts for advanced compressed air energy storage (A-CAES) systems has received funding for development of a new 300-500-MW A-CAES facility. Hydrostor, based in Toronto, Ontario, on April 15 announced a commitment of about $4 million for the project, which would be built in Canada, from Natural Resources Canada’s […]

  • GAS POWER Direct—April 14, 2021

    POWER Magazine   Jobs   White Papers  Webinars   Events   Store   April 14, 2021 The Natural Gas Flame Continues to Burn Bright The natural gas sector is well aware of the challenges facing the fossil fuel industry, but analysts say gas has attributes that will keep it a big part of the U.S. […]

  • The POWER Interview: Enhancing the Safety of Energy Storage

    Energy storage is having a transformative impact on the power sector. Storage solutions are enabling growth in several areas, including electric vehicles, and are supporting technologies such as solar and wind power, being paired with installations to capture and supply even more energy from renewables. Storage is recognized as a key player in the fight […]

  • Jack and Solar—TVA Links Iconic Distillery With Renewable Energy

    The trend of supplying commercial and industrial locations with renewable energy—along with the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA’s) continuing support of investments in power projects that support sustainability—is being recognized at one of the most-iconic distilleries in the U.S. The TVA on April 13 said it has signed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Nashville-based […]

  • Group Installing Solar on its NYC Properties

    A New York realty company is providing a model of solar power’s continued growth as it works to complete a project to install solar panels on all the buildings it owns in the borough of Queens. Zara Realty on April 12 told POWER it is “halfway” to completing installation of solar technology on every site […]

  • UK Group Wants to Expand Largest Tidal Energy Project

    A UK-based energy company said it is talking with government officials about securing financial support for an expansion of the world’s largest tidal energy project. SIMEC Atlantis Energy (SAE) on April 7 said it wants to move forward with a further rollout of “tidal stream technology” at the company’s MeyGen project in the Pentland Firth, […]

  • UAE’s First Nuclear Unit Enters Commercial Operation

    Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp. (ENEC) said Unit 1 of the Barakah nuclear facility has entered commercial operation, nine years after construction of the Arab world’s first nuclear power plant began. ENEC made the announcement April 6. Unit 1, operated by Nawah Energy Co., has been providing electricity to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since reaching […]

  • Massive Solar Farm Will Serve Texas Grid

    A California company has teamed with the U.S. subsidiary of Japan’s largest gas utility to build a major solar power project just outside Houston, Texas. Rosendin, an electrical contractor with its corporate headquarters in San Jose, and Tokyo Gas America are developing the Aktina Renewable Power Project, a 500-MWac/631-MWdc solar farm spanning 4,000 acres in […]