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.
NRC notification is first procedural milestone for retirement of the two nuclear energy facilities June 22, 2016 11:26 AM Eastern Daylight Time CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Exelon Generation earlier this week formally notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of plans to retire the Clinton and Quad Cities nuclear stations in 2017 and 2018, respectively. This marks the first […]
The first operational rules finalized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for routine commercial use of drones could have major implications for utilities and power companies, which are increasingly using them for operations and maintenance. The new rules (Part 107 of the Federal Aviation Regulations) that apply to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)—or drones—weighing less than […]
Diablo Canyon, the two-reactor nuclear power plant on the central California coastline, will be permanently shuttered by 2025 under a renewables-boosting initiative announced today by its owner, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). The company on June 21 unveiled a “joint proposal” with labor and environmental groups that seeks to increase investment in energy efficiency, energy […]
Florida Light and Power (FPL) wants to buy and phase out another coal-fired power plant in Florida, a move it says will save its customers an estimated $129 million when new gas-fired infrastructure is built in the state. The NextEra subsidiary on June 20 filed a petition for the Florida Public Service Commission’s (PSC’s) approval […]
Augsburg, 06/17/2016 A study conducted by the Essen-Duisburg University in cooperation with MAN Diesel & Turbo compares engines and turbines in CHP applications. In the generation of district heating from combined heat and power (CHP) sources, gas engine power plants offer a number of advantages over classic gas combined-cycle power plants. This is the conclusion […]
WASHINGTON, June 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) announced an innovative new energy storage pilot project in conjunction with today’s White House summit on scaling renewable energy and storage with smart markets. FPL’s project aims to strengthen the electric grid by testing multiple applications of advanced battery technologies under real-life conditions. […]
Wärtsilä Corporation, Press release, 14 June 2016 at 9:30 am EET The new Cap des Biches power plant was inaugurated in Senegal on 13 June. The 53 MW Flexicycle plant comprises three Wärtsilä 46 internal combustion engines and a combined cycle heat recovery system. The ceremony was hosted by the owner of the plant, […]
UKPR on Track to Deliver 500MW of Capacity – Largest Expansion of New Embedded Gas-Fired Generation in UK and EU 7 June 2016 (Solihull) – New gas-fired generator sets have been delivered to Carrington power station, the first of leading independent electricity generator UK Power Reserve’s (UKPR) 26 development sites. When its construction programme completes […]
Spanish wind giant Gamesa will absorb Siemens’ wind power business, including wind services, creating a new combined company—one of the world’s biggest wind turbine manufacturers—that will have its global headquarters in Spain. The companies on June 17 signed binding agreements to merge and form the new company. Siemens will hold a 59% stake and consolidate […]
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unveiled details of the Clean Energy Incentive Program (CEIP), a voluntary measure central to the judicially stalled Clean Power Plan that seeks to provide guidance to states and tribes that want to meet goals under the plan when it becomes effective. The final Clean Power Plan, finalized in […]
Power News Don't miss these POWER magazine resources: Post Jobs | View Jobs | Buyers' Guide Grid Edge and Digital Technologies Take Center Stage at EEI Convention Panels at the 2016 Edison Electric Institute convention focused on technologies and policies at what’s often called the “grid edge." Read More EEI Convention Opens with Call to […]
June 09, 2016 04:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dynegy Inc. (NYSE: DYN) has executed agreements with the PJM System Operator(PJM) and the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO) to move the vast majority of Dynegy’s Hennepin Power Station’s energy and capacity to the PJM market from MISO. The five-year transmission service agreements – which require […]
With coal set to remain the world’s second largest energy source through 2030, GE’s leading steam technology and digital capabilities will be critical to achieving global greenhouse gas reduction targets set out at COP21 Digital Power Plant software interprets data from more than 10,000 sensors to improve coal-fired steam power plant performance and increases efficiency […]
Company Unites Energy Supply and Services Businesses into One Organization in the Region June 14, 2016 03:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Global energy and services provider ENGIE has launched the ENGIE brand for its operations in the United States and Canada, reflecting a new strategic direction and regional organization. ENGIE is the succeeding brand […]
ABB has inaugurated a new customer drives test laboratory at its factory in Helsinki, Finland. The facility now enables customers to have their own motors tested with ABB’s variable-speed drives (VSDs) to verify their impact on performance and energy consumption. ABB’s new customer drives test laboratory has been established to enable customers to evaluate the […]
Contract covers inspections from manufacturing, transport, installation and commissioning of wind farm Project follows successful partnership of initial design assessment phase of wind farm Arkona marks 14th German offshore wind farm to be supported by DNV GL certification services Hamburg, Germany –13th June 2016, E.ON has awarded the project certification contract for the new Arkona […]
A Minnesota law that bans power imports from new out-of-state coal-fired power plants is unconstitutional, a federal appeals court has deemed. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit on June 15 upheld a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota that found that the statute’s prohibitions had the effect […]
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) listed costs and time among several reasons for its preferred method to close its coal ash impoundments in place, rather than by removal, but the move has come under fire by environmental groups. The federally owned corporation earlier this month released a final environmental impact statement (EIS) to support its […]
Georgia Power will shut down and stop receiving coal ash at all 29 of its coal ash ponds within the next three years. The announcement on June 13 is the latest in a string of similar moves from coal plant–owning utilities across the nation in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) coal ash disposal […]
Even though it may dominate forecasts, natural gas–fired generation faces a troubled expansion in the U.S., according to experts from a variety of stake-holding entities—including an industry group, a utility, a generator, and a pipeline company. Challenges that have few solutions—from price volatility, to gas transport concerns, to rule uncertainty—may upend the nation’s dependence […]
Power News Don't miss these POWER magazine resources: Post Jobs | View Jobs | Buyers' Guide Experts: Gas Power's Expansion Riddled with Roadblocks Even though it may dominate forecasts, natural gas–fired generation faces a troubled expansion in the U.S., according to experts from a variety of stake-holding entities—including an industry group, a utility, a […]
June 06, 2016 09:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time LENEXA, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kiewit is promoting four key leaders within its power business, which has provided engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services to more than 600 power-related projects, totaling nearly $18 billion in contract revenue, over the past 10 years. To meet the evolving needs of the energy […]
June 07, 2016 07:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time PASADENA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:JEC) announced today it received a contract to provide analysis and consulting services regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) finalized regulations on coal combustion residuals (CCR) to City Utilities of Springfield, Missouri. “In addition to evaluating, designing and constructing CCR facilities, […]
Energy storage is helping grid operators maintain system stability and ensure efficient integration of renewable energy, report finds June 08, 2016 05:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time BOULDER, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A new report from Navigant Research examines the growing opportunities for energy storage systems (ESSs) to provide numerous services to the grid, with global market forecasts for power capacity, […]
June 08, 2016 08:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Material Science and Technology Division, has been granted the first U.S. patent for a method to simultaneously extract carbon dioxide and hydrogen from seawater. This single process provides all the raw materials necessary for the production of synthetic liquid hydrocarbon […]
June 08, 2016 02:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A magnitude 6.9 earthquake hits the Bay Area. The devastation stretches along the Hayward Fault in the East Bay with impacts in Marin County, San Francisco and the Peninsula. Bridges, roads, mass transit, hospitals and gas and electric service are severely impacted, the cell network […]
The last of six gigantic modules in the nuclear island for Unit 3 at the Vogtle AP1000 reactors under construction near Augusta, Ga., have been placed. The CA02 and CA03 modules, weighing 52 tons and 237 tons respectively, are critical components and part of the In-Containment Refueling Water Storage Tank (IRWST), Georgia Power said on […]
North Carolina’s governor has vetoed a coal ash bill backed by Duke Energy that would have reinstated the recently dissolved Coal Ash Management Commission. Senate Bill 71 (SB71), introduced in February 2015, has passed both houses. Some media sources suggest that lawmakers have enough votes to override the veto. The bill seeks to re-establish the […]
“An Introduction to Large Thermal Power Generation Plants,” a 3-day course designed to provide useful knowledge to those interested in energy, electric power generation, and the basics of fossil power production, is being presented by Williamson College of the Trades, in Media, Pa., from July 12-14. The course will include tours of three local power […]