Business

  • Insiders Doubted SCANA’s Ability to Manage Nuclear Project

    Santee Cooper executives doubted SCANA Corp.’s ability to properly manage the V.C. Summer nuclear expansion project for years before the project was ultimately abandoned in July 2017, according to an article published by The Post and Courier, a Charleston, S.C., newspaper. Santee Cooper—a state-run utility—partnered with SCANA as owners of the project; SCANA holds a […]

  • Siemens to deliver gas turbine packages, services for Petrobras’ Sépia FPSO

    Project includes six SGT-A35 aeroderivative offshore gas turbine packages Contract includes a long-term service agreement Siemens Power and Gas, including its Dresser-Rand business, received an order for four SGT-A35 gas turbine power generation packages and two SGT-A35-driven DATUM CO2 compressor packages for MODEC’s Sépia floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel. The vessel, which is […]

  • Pattern Development Completes 147-MW Wind Project in Québec, Becoming Canada’s Largest Wind Power Producer

    SAN FRANCISCO, California (April 11, 2018) – Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Development) today announced the completion of its 147-MW Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind power facility. Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind is located approximately 50 kilometers south of Québec City, in the Chaudière-Appalaches region. As announced in June 2017, the facility will be acquired by Pattern Energy Group […]

  • GE Delivered 40 Megawatts of Solar Inverters for the Pacifico Energy Furukawa Mega Solar Plant in Japan

    MIYAGI, Japan (April 11, 2018) —GE Power recently successfully delivered and commissioned its Brilliance Solar Inverters to Pacifico Energy Osaki GK for the 40.32-megawatt alternating current (AC) mega-solar project in Furukawa, Japan. GE’s Brilliance Solar Inverters meet the customer’s requirements both for reliability and cost competitiveness. Along with the inverters, GE also supplied ring main units […]

  • Siemens Gamesa Will Build Pioneering 194-MW Wind Farm in Australia

    The company has been awarded an EPC contract for the entire project, which will encompass a wind farm with 56 turbines and a 20 MW / 34 MWh lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) has been commissioned to build a pioneering wind complex in Australia, which will combine the installation of a wind […]

  • Investments in Renewables Dwarf New Coal, Gas Generation

    A report from groups including the United Nations environmental arm and Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) shows renewable energy installations were responsible for 61% of the world’s net power capacity additions in 2017, more than double the new-builds from fossil fuel-powered generation. The Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2018 report, compiled by BNEF, the […]

  • Power Industry Continues to Face Uncertainty and Change [PODCAST]

    Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) CEO Bill Johnson in an exclusive interview with POWER suggested that the power industry continues to face an uncertain future.  Johnson said that during his 40-year career, he has seen more change in the last five years than in the previous 35 combined. Several indicators imply that will continue going forward. […]

  • Xcel Energy Acquires Foxtail Wind Energy Center

    MINNEAPOLIS (April 5, 2018) – Xcel Energy is continuing to transition its fleet to carbon-free energy in the Upper Midwest  with the addition of the Foxtail Wind Energy Center located in Dickey County in south-central North Dakota. The 150-megawatt wind farm is part of the company’s vision to achieve 85 percent clean energy by 2030 by […]

  • PJM: More Than 3,600 MW Will Retire in 2018

    Data from regional transmission organization (RTO) PJM Interconnection shows about 630 MW of power generation will be taken offline in the grid operator’s territory in April, with more than 3,600 MW scheduled to be retired this year, according to the organization’s website. This month’s deactivations are scheduled to begin April 16. Last week, Ohio power […]

  • DNV GL-led Consortium Finds Viable Business Case for Community Energy Storage

    ARNHEM, Netherlands (April 4, 2018) — Small-scale, grid-connected energy storage solutions – or “community batteries” – can have a viable business case, supporting the ongoing growth of decentralized energy generation resources. This is one of the key findings of a feasibility study published today by DNV GL, based on work by an industry-wide consortium that includes […]

  • Offshore Wind Surge Threatens Merchant Generator Profits

    Two recent project announcements indicate that the U.S. offshore wind sector is burgeoning, bolstered by falling prices and ramped-up political support. A credit ratings agency warns, however, that the sector’s growth could increasingly pressure profit margins of merchant generators in New England, New York, and New Jersey. On March 14, Danish offshore giant Ørsted and […]

  • EPRI: Electrification to Reshape Power Landscape

    Even in the absence of climate policy, customer adoption of electric end-use technologies over the next 30 years is expected to spur steady growth in energy consumption, a new report assessing U.S. electrification from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) suggests. The April 3–released report, “U.S. National Electrification Assessment,” is based on findings by EPRI’s […]

  • MHPS, PWPS Join to Form Turbomachinery Powerhouse

    LAKE MARY, Florida (April 2, 2018) — Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) today announced the integration of PW Power Systems (PWPS) within Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas (MHPS Americas). MHPS Americas CEO Paul Browning said, “Integrating PWPS into MHPS Americas broadens our product portfolio and allows us to realize synergies between our various manufacturing and service […]

  • [Updated] Troubled FirstEnergy Companies Seek Bankruptcy Protection

    FirstEnergy Corp.’s competitive arm FirstEnergy Solutions (FES) and several key subsidiaries, including FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co. (FENOC), on March 31 sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. FirstEnergy said the move would facilitate an “orderly financial restructuring” and accelerate its strategy to become a fully regulated utility. FES—the parent company of FE Aircraft Leasing Corp., FirstEnergy Generation, […]

  • THE BIG PICTURE [INFOGRAPHIC]: Changing Fleets

    The generating fleets owned by some of the largest companies in the U.S. (ranked here by capacity in 2017) have transformed over the past four years, in some cases dramatically, as total revenues fluctuated. Sources: Fidelity Investments (revenue data standardized by S&P Capital IQ); EIA-860 detailed data; SEC 10-K filings, and company websites. —Copy and artwork by Sonal Patel, a […]

  • The 4M Approach to a Connected Plant

    Technology is being incorporated into operations and maintenance schemes at an ever-increasing pace. New digital tools are helping optimize assets, improve performance, and reduce overall costs. Big Data Best

  • Quick Starts, High Efficiency, Grid Balance — Engines on an Up Cycle

    The growth of renewable energy, and with it the need for reliable backup generation, along with the increase in combined heat and power applications, is contributing to a rise in the use of reciprocating

  • Equipment Showcase: Diesel and Gas Generators

    Diesel-powered or gas-powered engines are the popular options for those wanting a generator as a prime power or standby, backup power source. A recent report from ResearchAndMarkets.com says the generator

  • FirstEnergy Entreats DOE to Save Coal and Nuclear Plants

    A day after FirstEnergy Corp.’s competitive arm notified PJM Interconnection it would close four uneconomic nuclear units—a total of 4 GW—in Ohio and Pennsylvania between 2020 and 2021, it urged Energy Secretary Rick Perry to issue an emergency order directing the regional transmission organization (RTO) to secure nuclear and coal capacity for long-term reliability. FirstEnergy […]

  • MHPS AMERICAS LAUNCHES NEW POWER & ENERGY SOLUTIONS BUSINESS

    Industry Leader Tom Cornell Promoted to Lead the New Power & Energy Solutions Business LAKE MARY, FLORIDA – (March 29, 2018) Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas (MHPS) today announced the creation of a Power & Energy Solutions business focused on delivering customer solutions in the areas of digital power, energy storage, and low carbon power […]

  • Minnesota May Be Next to Support Nuclear Plants

    Following the lead of Illinois and New York, which have enacted policies supporting nuclear power plants, the Minnesota Legislature is weighing a bill that could help the owner of two nuclear facilities within its borders. Minnesota is home to the single-unit 671-MW Monticello nuclear plant and the dual-unit 1,100-MW Prairie Island plant (Figure 1). Xcel […]

  • FirstEnergy to Shutter Four Uneconomic Nuclear Units by 2021

    FirstEnergy Corp. will close four uneconomic nuclear units—a total of 4 GW—in Ohio and Pennsylvania between 2020 and 2021, the company’s competitive arm notified PJM Interconnection on March 28. FirstEnergy Solutions (FES) told the regional transmission organization that it will close the 908-MW Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station in Oak Harbor, Ohio, by 2020; the twin-unit […]

  • Westinghouse Reorganization Approved by Bankruptcy Court

    On March 27, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York approved Westinghouse Electric Co.’s plan of reorganization. Westinghouse said the approval is “a significant milestone in the company’s strategic restructuring,” which involves its sale to Brookfield Business Partners L.P. Brookfield announced on January 4, 2018, that it had entered into an […]

  • NEW E9000 Portable Emissions Analyzer With Heated Sample Line

    The NEW E9000 emissions analyzer with Heated Sample Line is a complete portable system for EPA compliance level emissions monitoring and testing. The E9000 is ideal for regulatory & maintenance use in boiler, burner, engine, turbine, furnace, and other combustion applications. Features: Up to (9) Total Gas Sensors Electrochemical Sensors – O2, CO, NO, NO2, […]

  • NRG Sheds Generation Emphasis, Puts More Focus on Retail

    To remain competitive in power markets increasingly characterized by disruptions, NRG Energy plans to accelerate its transition from a pure independent power producer (IPP) model to a more simplified customer-driven integrated power model that favors its retail businesses. In a number of presentations showcased on March 27 as part of NRG’s 2018 Analyst Day, company […]

  • Gemma Power Systems finalizes EPC Contract for a 475 MW Power Project in North Carolina

    Third Project Constructed for NTE Energy GLASTONBURY, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Gemma Power Systems, LLC (GPS) has entered into an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) services contract with NTE Carolinas II, LLC, an affiliate of NTE Energy, to construct a 475 MW state-of-the-art natural gas-fired power plant in Rockingham County, North Carolina. The NTE Reidsville Energy Center is […]

  • CAISO Backs PG&E Clean Energy Plan for Oakland

    The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) has approved a request from Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to provide a mixture of energy storage, energy efficiency, and system-wide upgrades to ensure reliable electricity in the Oakland, California, area, after the retirement of an aging Dynegy jet fuel-powered plant. PG&E received CAISO approval for its Oakland […]

  • GenOn Selling More Assets in Restructuring

    GenOn Energy, a unit of NRG Energy that filed for bankruptcy in June 2017, said it has agreed to sell two units of the Canal Generating Plant to Stonepeak Kestrel, a subsidiary of Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners, a private equity firm with offices in New York City and Houston, Texas. The Canal plant in Sandwich, Massachusetts, […]

  • Resource Diversification a Key for TVA [PODCAST]

    Joe Grimes, executive vice president of generation with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), gave the keynote presentation during the ELECTRIC POWER Conference and Exhibition, which was held March 19–22 in Nashville, Tennessee. His presentation focused on steps TVA is taking to diversify its generation portfolio in order to reduce risks and keep costs as low […]

  • Watts Bar 2: The Long and Winding Road to Completion [PODCAST]

    The Watts Bar 2 nuclear unit has a lengthy and well-chronicled history. Construction began on the unit in 1973. It was suspended in 1985 due to slower electricity demand growth, rising construction costs due to inflation and new regulatory requirements stemming from the accident at Three Mile Island in 1979, and regulatory concerns throughout the […]