Sonal Patel
Articles By

Sonal Patel

Sonal Patel is a national award-winning multimedia journalist and senior editor at POWER magazine with nearly two decades of experience delivering technically rigorous reporting across power generation, transmission, distribution, policy, and infrastructure worldwide.

  • Court Orders EPA to Evaluate Coal Industry Job Losses Related to Air Pollution Rules

    A federal court has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to file a plan and schedule to evaluate the consequences of its air pollution rules on jobs, finding for a giant coal company that is suing the agency for an alleged “war on coal” waged over the past five years. In an October 17 summary […]

  • Explosion Reported at Oak Grove Power Plant

    An explosion reported on October 13 at Luminant’s coal-fired Oak Grove Power Plant located near Franklin, Texas, was from a blown transformer, the company said. Robertson County dispatchers received a call from the power plant at 6:08 p.m., reporting that there had been an explosion at the plant “as a result of an electrical issue.” […]

  • Supercritical CO2 Brayton Power Cycle Pilot Plant Bolstered with $80M in Federal Funding

    The Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) will award up to $80 million to a 10-MWe pilot project that seeks to advance the development and commercialization of supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) Brayton power cycles. The plant will be managed by three research entities: the Gas Technology Institute (GTI), Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), and […]

  • POWERnews—Oct. 13, 2016

    Power News Don't miss these POWER magazine resources: Post Jobs | View Jobs | Buyers' Guide Crescent Dunes: 24 Hours on the Sun Dreams of a future of round-the-clock dispatchable solar energy may have become reality at the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project in Nevada.&hellips; Read More   Kemper County IGCC Plant Generates First Syngas-Fueled […]

  • Northeastern States File Suit to Force EPA Action on Ozone Transport Region Expansion

    Six northeastern states are suing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to force it to act on controlling air pollution blowing in from coal-fired power plants located in nine Midwestern and southern states. New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont on October 7 filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the […]

  • EDF Renewable Energy and Axium Infrastructure Close on Agreement to Partner on Slate Creek Wind Project

    October 11, 2016 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time SAN DIEGO & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–EDF Renewable Energy (EDF RE) and a consortium led by Axium Infrastructure (Axium) announced the closing of the Slate Creek Wind acquisition, by which Axium acquired a 50% ownership interest in the 150 megawatt (MW) Slate Creek Wind Project. The Slate Creek Wind Project, which is located in […]

  • Mitsubishi Electric to Build HVDC Verification Facility at Transmission and Distribution Systems Center

    Will launch voltage-sourced converter (VSC) based high voltage direct current (HVDC) systems business globally October 11, 2016 10:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO:6503) announced today that it will enter the global market for voltage-sourced converters (VSC) based high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems with a new HVDC verification facility to be built at […]

  • Westinghouse Partners with Industrial Leaders to Reduce Costs and Lead-Times on SMR Manufacturing

    October 12, 2016 08:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time SPRINGFIELDS, England–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Westinghouse Electric Company announced today that it is continuing to work with the United Kingdom’s Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC) on an additional advanced manufacturing study to explore potential design efficiencies to reduce significantly the build lead-times of the Westinghouse Small Modular Reactor (SMR). […]

  • NEC Energy Solutions to Supply Sterling, MA with the Largest Battery Grid Energy Storage Installation in New England

    Modernizing Town’s Grid Infrastructure Will Deliver Resiliency and Energy Cost Savings In an official groundbreaking ceremony today in Sterling, MA, Town officials, Massachusetts State officials, U.S. Department of Energy, Sandia National Laboratories, Clean Energy States Alliance, and NEC Energy Solutions representatives commemorated the Sterling Energy Storage project, the Largest Battery Grid Energy Storage Installation in […]

  • Kemper County IGCC Plant Generates First Syngas-Fueled Power

    Mississippi Power’s integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plant in Kemper County, Miss., on October 12 has begun generating its first power using a combination of syngas (produced from locally mined lignite) and natural gas. The milestone is a major one, said Thomas Fanning, CEO of Mississippi Power’s parent company Southern Co. “After decades of research […]

  • First Solar Commissions 52.5MW Shams Ma’an Plant in Jordan

    PV power plant accounts for approximately 1% of Jordan’s total power generation capacity October 09, 2016 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time TEMPE, Ariz. & AMMAN, Jordan–(BUSINESS WIRE)–First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) today announced that it has commissioned the 52.5 megawatt (MW)AC Shams Ma’an project in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, on schedule. “First Solar has delivered […]

  • Calpine to Acquire Noble Americas Energy Solutions, Significantly Enhancing Retail Energy Platform

    Strategic and Financial Highlights: Best-in-class commercial and industrial retail electricity provider in the U.S. Complements Calpine’s existing wholesale power generation footprint Approx. $700 million net cash deployed represents approx. 5x Adjusted EBITDA Highly free cash flow and credit accretive transaction October 09, 2016 07:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Calpine Corporation (NYSE:CPN) announced today that […]

  • Duke Exits Latin American Power Sector to Focus on U.S. Regulated Business

    In a push to focus on regulated markets in the U.S., Duke Energy has completed its exit of international business in deals valued at $2.4 billion. The company announced on October 10 that it reached an agreement to sell all businesses in Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Argentina to investment firm I Squared […]

  • POWERnews—Oct. 6, 2016

    Power News Don't miss these POWER magazine resources: Post Jobs | View Jobs | Buyers' Guide Paris Agreement Meets Final Requirement to Enter into Force As of October 5, the Paris Agreement—the first global agreement on efforts to limit and mitigate the effects of climate change—had been ratified by a sufficient number of countries, representing […]

  • Fitch: Peru Electricity Oversupply Discourages Investment

    October 05, 2016 02:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Energy oversupply in Peru has reached about 50%, significantly pressuring the prices and profitability of suppliers and likely creating a challenging environment for new investment, according to a new Fitch Ratings report. “Capacity has outpaced demand due to the economic slowdown, with low metal prices […]

  • Delayed Again, Kemper County IGCC Plant to Start Operations in a Month

    Mississippi Power’s integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plant under construction in Kemper County, Miss., will likely be placed in service by November 30, a month later than anticipated. The delay will be costly. Mississippi Power reached a new milestone on September 16, announcing that it had started producing syngas using the second gasifier—gasifier “A”—at […]

  • Differing Visions for Energy Storage

    Big or small? Centralized or distributed? The answer, at least for energy storage, may be both, but what that future may be is unclear, if early discussions at the Energy Storage North America (ESNA) conference in San Diego October 4–6 are anything to go by. Speaking on the first night’s opening keynote panel, Colin Cushnie, […]

  • POWERnews—Sept. 29, 2016

    Power News Don't miss these POWER magazine resources: Post Jobs | View Jobs | Buyers' Guide LIVE UPDATES: The Clean Power Plan at the D.C. Circuit West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency (No. 15-1363) is arguably the most important environmental case in nearly a decade. For the U.S. power sector, the stakes are particularly high. […]

  • New York City Sets Ambitious Citywide Energy Storage Target

    New York City is aiming to have 100 MWh of energy storage by 2020 under an unprecedented target set by Mayor Bill de Blasio on September 23. The city’s first-ever energy storage deployment target will help reduce reliance on the grid by making variable sources of energy production, such as solar panels, usable for more […]

  • Duke Energy Agrees to Pay $6 Million for Dan River Coal Ash Spill

    Duke Energy agreed to pay a $6 million fine under a new settlement reached with North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for the February 2014 coal ash spill at its Dan River power plant in Eden. State regulators fined the utility $6.8 million in February, but Duke Energy challenged the decision, which was the […]

  • Offshore Wind Capacity Reached Nearly 12 GW by the End of 2015, According to Navigant Research

    Key markets include Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and China, report finds September 27, 2016 05:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time BOULDER, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A recent report from Navigant Research examines the major offshore wind markets, with wind power capacity forecasts and global and country-level analyses, through 2020. “From a policy perspective, Europe is showing the way in […]

  • Minnesota Power Deploys Smart Wires to Optimize Its Grid and Save Customers Money

    September 27, 2016 06:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time DULUTH, Minn. & SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Minnesota Power and Smart Wires announced today their partnership to deploy an innovative solution for optimizing the flow of power on the grid. Smart Wires is a leading provider of power flow control technology for transmission systems. “The Minnesota Power deployment represents […]

  • WGL Energy Completes 3.2 MW Solar Project in Devens, Massachusetts

    September 27, 2016 08:33 AM Eastern Daylight Time WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–WGL Energy Systems (WGL Energy), a WGL company (NYSE:WGL), today announced the completion of a 3.2 megawatt (MW) solar facility in Devens, a 4,400-acre community in north-central Massachusetts. The fully installed photovoltaic (PV) solar system is designed to provide power to the residential, commercial and industrial customers […]

  • Aeroderivative Gas Turbine Market Will Witness Traction Due to its Growing Demand from Mobility Segment: Technavio

    September 27, 2016 04:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–According to the latest market study released by Technavio, the global aeroderivative gas turbine market is expected to grow at a CAGR of almost 5% during the forecast period. Global aeroderivative gas turbine market is expected to grow at a CAGR of almost 5% during the period 2016-2020. Tweet this […]

  • ACCIONA Energía Signs Agreement with Sentient Science to Extend the Working Life of Its Global Wind Turbine Fleet

    The innovative solutions by the US company will include full turbine monitoring, testing, life prediction and life extension actions for the critical failure components. September 28, 2016 11:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time HAMBURG, Germany–(BUSINESS WIRE)–ACCIONA Energía, a leading renewable energy company, and the U.S. industrial software firm Sentient Science have reached an agreement with the […]

  • Siemens launches three new wind turbines based on one onshore direct drive platform

      • Extended portfolio for low wind, medium wind, and noise sensitive sites • Short time-to-market Siemens has launched an extended portfolio of its successful Onshore direct drive wind turbines. At the WindEnergy Hamburg trade show, the company’s Onshore CEO Thomas Richterich launched three new turbine models for optimum performance at low wind, medium wind, […]

  • LIVE UPDATES: The Clean Power Plan at the D.C. Circuit

    Oral arguments on the merits of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Clean Power Plan were concluded before an en banc panel (10 judges, rather than the anticipated three) at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on September 27. West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency (No. 15-1363) is arguably the most important environmental case in nearly […]

  • POWERnews—Sept. 22, 2016

    Power News Don't miss these POWER magazine resources: Post Jobs | View Jobs | Buyers' Guide AEP to Shed Ohio, Indiana Coal and Gas Plants in Move for Full Regulation In an effort to become a fully regulated power company, American Electric Power (AEP) has agreed to sell four Midwestern power plants—representing a total of […]

  • Briefs: Mass., N.Y., Calif. Move to Address Greenhouse Gas Emissions

    At least three states called for hefty new measures relating to greenhouse gas (GHG) goals over the past week. Mass. Gov. Directs State Officials to Implement Regulations to Annually Reduce GHG Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) signed an executive order on September 16 directing state officials to develop rules for specific, yearly reductions in GHG […]

  • GE Announces More Than $800 Million in Digital Industrial Power Orders for Asia-Pacific Region

    Includes more than $660 million in Power Services orders First total power island order in Asia and first HRSG technology use following Doosan acquisition in August 2016 Strong customer support of high efficiency solutions throughout region September 19, 2016 09:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time SEOUL, Korea–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GE Power, a division of GE (NYSE:GE), today announced […]