Business
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News
Westinghouse, Fortum to Study Possibilities for AP1000, AP300 Nuclear Reactors in Finland and Sweden
Westinghouse Electric and Finnish utility Fortum will cooperate to explore developing and deploying AP1000 and AP300 reactor projects in Finland and Sweden. The companies on June 7 signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) to establish a framework of collaboration “for detailed technical and commercial discussions and explore cooperation on the next steps” to implement Westinghouse’s advanced […]
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Nuclear
The POWER Interview: European Group Building Next Generation of Nuclear Reactors
Advancements in nuclear power technology have brought several new companies into the sector, many of them working on innovative reactor designs and fuels to move the industry forward. One of those groups is newcleo, a company based in the UK with additional operations in Italy and France. The company began operating in 2021, and in […]
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Commentary
Why Powering Up Customer Communications is Crucial for Utility Brands
If you’re a marketer at an energy or water company, you could be forgiven for thinking customers are only interested in brand utility. The clue is in the sector name, after all. But even in an industry where function, service and price are front and centre, brands that overlook the growing importance of customer experience […]
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Research and Development
Fusion Energy Projects Get Boost from DOE Funding
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the first round of awardees of the Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program. The program is the latest in a series of efforts designed to align public and private sectors toward fusion commercialization. “The Biden administration obviously sees enormous potential in fusion—harnessing the power of the sun and the stars […]
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Nuclear
NRG Energy to Sell Texas Nuclear Plant Stake to Constellation in $1.75B Power Move
Constellation Energy, the largest nuclear generator in the U.S., will take over NRG Energy’s 44% ownership stake in the 2.6-GW South Texas Project Electric Generating Station (STP), a nuclear power plant located in Bay City, Texas. Under a definitive agreement announced by two companies on June 1, Constellation will acquire NRG’s 44% equity interest in […]
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Trends
Dynamic Innovation in Power Sector Digitalization
The power industry’s rapid adoption of digitalization is a striking example of its dynamic innovation—the continuous development and introduction of new ideas, products, or processes to meet shifting
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Full Coverage
OTEC, a Long-Stalled Baseload Ocean Power Technology, Is Seeing a Swell
A project to deploy a 1.5-MW commercial-scale ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) platform in the African island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe by 2025 has gained a key design certification. The crucial
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Nuclear
Japan Moving Forward on Nuclear Accident Tolerant Fuels
Efforts by Japanese nuclear fuel manufacturers to develop accident tolerant fuel (ATF) materials are making progress, and their commercialization is currently expected between 2030 and 2035 after key
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T&D
Inertia and the Power Grid: Should We Be Worried About System Stability?
One concern some observers raise about the growth of inverter-based resources, such as solar, wind, and battery storage, supplying the power grid is that they don’t provide inertia. Inertia has historically
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Coal
Reducing Operational Constraints and Emissions by Increasing Flexible Energy Capacity
Today, modern network technology can transform commercial and industrial facilities into power sources that generate, store, and trade clean energy, allowing owners to increase cash flow, achieve
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Sustainability
Five Reasons Why Power Plant Owners Should Consider Repurposing Their Assets
Aging power plants are not necessarily liabilities. Owners must consider all of their options for both sites and equipment before they inadvertently discard valuable assets. The shift toward renewable energies
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Gas
Restoring Power Plants to Dependable Peak Efficiency
Two peaker plants in the southern U.S. found the experience and know-how of a seasoned rotating equipment services provider indispensable during a control system upgrade and a generator rewind project. Every
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Energy Security
Rethinking Energy Reliability with Modern Power Systems
As the energy transition to inverter-based resources continues, reliability risk increases and requires additional investment to mitigate threats. But what measures should be put in place, what are the
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Press Releases
Hydrogen: new “Electrolyzer” module in ProSimPlus simulation software to optimize the design, maximize the efficiency, and reduce the energy consumption of hydrogen production units
Labège, 30 may 2023 – ProSim, a provider of software and services for simulation and optimization of industrial processes, has announced the addition of an electrolyzer module in the new version of its ProSimPlus software. By combining this module with other equipment from the ProSimPlus library, users can simulate the entire process of hydrogen production […]
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Commentary
Clean Energy Is Not Cheap—but the Payoff Is Worth It
Electricity costs are rising across America—and a big part of it is due to our efforts to make it “cleaner.” Some states have contorted themselves into a pretzel to make it happen, leading to occasional mass outages and other issues. Even in Georgia, electricity generation is no longer the leading source of carbon emissions according […]
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Nuclear
Westinghouse, Bechtel Form Consortium to Design and Build Poland’s First Nuclear Plant
Westinghouse Electric Co., Bechtel, and state-owned Polish entity Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe (PEJ) will work together to kick off design activity for Poland’s inaugural AP1000 nuclear power plant later this year and potentially ink a construction contract in 2025 in a bid to meet Poland’s goal to begin nuclear power generation in 2033. The companies announced […]
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Electrification
U.S. Power Sector Trade Groups Flag Critical Electrical Steel Crunch
Nine trade groups—including four representing the power sector—have urged the Biden administration to prioritize actions that support the domestic production of electrical steel, warning that shortages are contributing to “significant and persistent” supply chain challenges. The groups, which include the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the American Public Power Association (APPA), the National Rural Electric Cooperative […]
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T&D
UK Developing Digital Twin to Better Understand Future Energy Systems
The UK will back a “digital twin” of future multi-vector energy systems, including non-electric ones, that will support the country’s efforts to meet its 2050 net-zero objectives. The UK’s effort echoes several initiatives launched worldwide to deliver new visibility, knowledge, and understanding of future energy systems and integrate real-time modeling. UK transmission and distribution grid […]
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Nuclear
Global Commitments Bolster Romanian NuScale Nuclear Project
A project to deploy the first NuScale 462-MWe VOYGR-6 nuclear power plant in Romania by 2029 has garnered a $275 million public-private funding commitment from the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of a global infrastructure partnership. The Romanian project may be bolstered by an additional $4 billion outlined […]
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Nuclear
Oklo’s Next Two Nuclear Power Plants Planned for Southern Ohio
Advanced nuclear reactor technology firm Oklo will build its second and third commercial 15-MWe Aurora Powerhouse reactors on land owned by the Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative (SODI), a community reuse organization tasked by the Department of Energy (DOE) to re-industrialize land around the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) just south of Piketon, Ohio. Oklo on […]
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O&M
Solenoid Valves: Choosing the Right Option for Power Generation Applications
Solenoid valves play a crucial role in power generation applications, providing reliable and efficient control over fluid and gas flow. Their ability to operate quickly and precisely makes them indispensable in power plants, ensuring seamless operations and enhanced safety. In this article, we will look into the fundamentals of solenoid valve operation, explore their significance […]
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Nuclear
New Steam Generators Help Extend Operation of Surry Nuclear Power Plant
Dominion Energy will replace the steam generators at its Surry Nuclear Power Station in Virginia. The project further supports the company’s Subsequent License Renewal (SLR) program to extend the long-term operation of Surry Units 1 and 2 through 2052 and 2053, respectively, when the units’ current licenses expire. Westinghouse Electric Co. will design and manufacture […]
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Nuclear
TVA Head Wants Nothing to Do with Building One Reactor Unless He Can Build 20
Building a nuclear power plant is a difficult job. It takes years of planning and sometimes more than a decade to complete. The risk of schedule delays is great, especially on first-of-a-kind projects, and the financial implications of such setbacks can ruin a company. Yet, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA’s) president and CEO, Jeff Lyash, […]
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Nuclear
Siting a Nuclear Power Facility Is Both Art and Science
With governments and industry engaging more frequently and decisively on how nuclear energy can help meet their climate, electrification, and economic goals, attention is now turning to how we get the needed capacity built. While extending the operating lives of existing nuclear plants, some countries will need to build new nuclear capacity to meet their […]
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Electrification
How Off-Grid Solar-Powered Electrification Can Drive More Revenue for Agriculture
As the U.S. pushes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, reaching that goal will require effort from all industry sectors. While transportation, electricity production, industrial manufacturing, and heating and cooling generate the majority of U.S. emissions, addressing the 11% contributed by agriculture is also critical to mitigating climate change impacts. COMMENTARY One […]
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Press Releases
NuScale Power and Nucor Corporation Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Explore Deployment of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors to Power Nucor Electric Arc Furnace Steel Mills
PORTLAND, Ore. – NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE: SMR) and Nucor Corporation (Nucor) today announced the two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore co-locating NuScale’s VOYGR™ small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) power plants to provide clean, reliable baseload electricity to Nucor’s scrap-based Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steel mills. The companies will also […]
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Nuclear
NEI Head: ‘This Is the Biggest Moment for Nuclear Energy Since the Dawn of the Atomic Age’
“Everywhere we look, we’re seeing demand surging,” Maria Korsnick, president and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), said. “When we talk about demand for nuclear, we’re talking about the future of our planet, the future that our children will inherit.” Korsnick spoke those lines on May 15 as part of her “State of the […]
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Nuclear
Emerging Opportunities for Nuclear in the Energy Transition
Nuclear has re-invented itself as a compelling pathway to achieving net-zero. It is said that everything is cyclical—where there are periods of expansions and contractions. Could this be true of nuclear energy? Can the benefits outweigh the fears and flip the switch from decommissioning to accelerated growth? In the late 1960s, federal nuclear energy programs […]
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Legal & Regulatory
NRC Issues License for Holtec’s New Mexico Consolidated Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has granted Holtec International a license to build and operate a consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) for spent nuclear fuel in southeastern New Mexico, despite the state’s opposition. Granted on May 9 after an eight-year process, the NRC’s license allows Holtec to “receive, possess, transfer, and store” 500 canisters holding […]
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Nuclear
X-Energy, Dow Unveil Texas Site for ARDP Nuclear Demonstration
X-energy and Dow will site a proposed four-unit 320-MWe Xe-100 advanced nuclear reactor facility at Union Carbide Corp. Seadrift Operations, a sprawling Dow chemical materials manufacturing site in Seadrift, Calhoun County, Texas. The companies on May 11 said the small modular reactor (SMR) project, part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Advanced Reactor Demonstration […]