Connected Plant

Distributed control systems (DCSs) and programmable logic controllers (PLCs) have been commonplace in power plants for decades, but the technology has not been stagnant. Today’s systems are beginning to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to take plant control to a whole new level. To get an insider’s perspective on how these systems […]

Nine projects will get $27 million in federal funding to develop digital twin technology for promising advanced nuclear reactor designs—including Kairos, Xe-100, BWRX-300, and the SSR-W—and help achieve a ten-fold reduction in their operations and maintenance (O&M) costs. The funding announced by the Department of Energy (DOE) on May 13 will be furnished under the […]

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (May 13, 2020) – Everactive, the company pioneering wireless, batteryless Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) systems, today launched its Machine Health Monitoring (MHM) solution, designed to deliver real-time, maintenance-free insights into the health of rotating equipment, such as motors, pumps, fans, and compressors. Everactive’s wireless sensor network operates without batteries, instead using […]

A first-of-its-kind nuclear reactor that will use a 3D-printed core, advanced materials, and integrated sensors and controls is on track for completion by 2023. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, work is ramping up to demonstrate the Transformational Challenge Reactor (TCR), an innovative micro-reactor program spearheaded by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and project partners, to include […]

Declaring a national emergency over threats to the U.S. bulk power system (BPS), President Trump in an executive order (EO) on May 1 issued a sweeping ban on transactions by U.S. persons for electric equipment sourced abroad if the U.S. government determines they pose undue security risks. Because foreign adversaries are “increasingly creating and exploiting […]

May 4, 2020 – SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) announced that Peoples Natural Gas has completed its conversion to SAP S/4HANA®, laying the technical groundwork for ongoing innovation and business transformation. Acquired by Essentials Utilities in March, Peoples provides natural gas to about 740,000 homes and businesses in Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky. The company has been […]

The COVID-19 outbreak has forced many companies to change the way they conduct operations. Leaders have had to divide employees into essential and non-essential categories. Essential employees must report to

Magnetic flow meter technology is an optimal tool for wastewater processing, which can apply across power generating facilities that require water for cooling, steam, or other applications. In recent years the

This is Part I in a series that identifies technology trends in the construction industry, and offers expert advice on how companies can prepare for changes that lie ahead. Predicting how technology will

New partition brings added safety to control rooms during COVID-19 Pandemic  Minneapolis, Minn., April 30, 2020 – Winsted Control Room Solutions has unveiled new protective operator partitions. The new partitions were developed to bring a higher degree of safety to control room operators who are working through the COVID-19 pandemic. “Social distancing of six feet […]

Power generation facilities currently rely on the limited data provided by traditional inspection methods to maintain the safety and reliability of their assets. In this presentation, we will provide multiple case studies highlighting drone, submersible, and robotics inspections, and the findings that went unidentified using other inspection methods. We will also share information about the […]

One of the more memorable experiences from my years with GE’s renewable energy business was managing through a growth spurt in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. From 2009–2012, U.S. installed wind capacity more than doubled, from 25 GW to 60 GW. The 14 GW installed in 2012 remain a single-year record. It is no […]

Suitable for all markets, the new digital smart positioner is appropriate for both control and on/off valve applications where enhanced diagnostics are required. It is ideal for highly critical applications in chemical/petrochemical processes. The YT-3700 and YT-3750 pneumatic smart positioners employ continuous monitoring and graphic display of valve position, set point target over time and […]

With Storm Assist, electric utilities can rapidly decentralize and scale outage response workforce during periods of high activity with real-time event data SAN RAMON, Calif. – April 9, 2020 – GE Digital today unveiled enhancements to Storm Assist, an Outage Response module that is part of its Advanced Distribution Management Solutions (ADMS) portfolio. Though it […]

With the growth of distributed energy resources, including rooftop solar, wind turbines, battery energy storage systems, electric vehicles, and demand response technology, distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS) are becoming increasingly important for utilities. Brad Williams, vice president of Industry Strategy with Oracle Utilities was a guest on The POWER Podcast. He touched on a […]

Company expedites rollout of and access to remote service tools and digital solutions across critical industry “During the COVID-19 crisis, governments and companies are having to make difficult choices, balancing people’s safety with economic livelihood. ABB is committed to supporting both: protect people, while helping businesses to stay operational during these challenging times,” said Peter […]

Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) has begun commissioning T-Point 2, its newest combined cycle power plant validation facility that will eventually host the company’s much-watched autonomous combined cycle power project. The 566-MW facility at Takasago Works in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, will replace the iconic  T-Point facility, which MHPS’s parent company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) completed […]

Ethernet bi-directional digital communication performance makes it possible for the field instruments and control devices to be a complete on-line system handling large data volumes at high speed  Yokogawa Corporation of America announces the release of its EtherNet/IP capability for the ADMAG Total Insight (TI) Magnetic Flowmeter. EtherNet/IP (Industrial Protocol) is an industrial network protocol […]

Hydropower delivers a range of benefits to society and the environment. However, there are two major challenges that face hydroelectric power plant operators—efficient use of water and high availability. To

The power industry and technology worlds are filled with acronyms. It’s often hard to know what they all mean. Mark Reisig, director of Product Marketing at Aras, was a guest on The POWER Podcast. He explained how digital technology is being utilized to bring products to market and track assets throughout their lifecycle. The process […]

Earlier this year, MITRE—a not-for-profit organization that works in the public interest across federal, state, and local governments, as well as with industry and academia—officially released the long-awaited industrial control systems (ICS) version of its popular ATT&CK knowledge base. ICS ATT&CK is the group’s response to the unique attack surface that industrial networks are trying […]

CHICAGO, March 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Uptake and Flexco have partnered to launch Flexco Elevate™ Belt Conveyor Intelligence™, a real-time belt cleaner monitoring system that harnesses the power of predictive analytics to remotely gather critical insights that optimize belt conveyor productivity and heighten operational efficiencies. Flexco Elevate™ allows for the remote monitoring of belt cleaners […]

The terms “cloud” and “edge” are used frequently by tech-savvy power industry professionals, but what do they mean and how are they changing plant operations? To get an insider’s perspective, POWER posed the question to Akshay Patwal, strategic business manager with Siemens Energy. Patwal leads the development and commercialization of digital business transformation projects, using […]

ABB has won a 10.6 million euro order for ABB Ability™ digital products and services at DolWin5 (Epsilon), which will support Germany’s energy transition through reliable delivery of enough renewable energy to power about one million homes. ABB will enable the reliability, safety and security of the energy transmission from DolWin5 (Epsilon) by providing a […]

Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) is betting heavily on digitalization’s potential to reshape the power sector. Earlier this year, the power equipment and technology firm established a new division, Intelligent Solutions, to develop and deploy solutions that create “sustainable, profitable growth for internal and external customers by optimizing their operation and maintenance systems. “With operational […]

Hingham, MA (March 3, 2020) – Russelectric, a Siemens business, a leading manufacturer of power control systems and automatic transfer switches, announces the availability of customized Russelectric supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, enabling users to monitor system operation, acknowledge alarms, and review PLC setpoints and alarm history. All screens are custom-designed for each […]

SAN RAMON, Calif. – March 3, 2020 – GE Digital today unveiled enhancements to its industry-leading CIMPLICITY and Tracker software to enable operators to make smarter, faster decisions and better manage operations across plants. CIMPLICITY 11, part of GE Digital’s Proficy HMI/SCADA suite, decreases operator response time and errors, keeping critical control systems up and running. Tracker 11, part of GE Digital’s Proficy […]

Is your company’s information technology (IT) department your friend or your enemy? Does it work with you to identify, evaluate, and select the best new digital technology to make your job easier and your

How will the electric grid change as the world transitions to a power system with more renewable energy resources? Some experts foresee a shift from today’s grid-type architecture to a system of systems—from the current centralized design to a distributed energy scheme. While it’s hard to know exactly what the future holds, it’s commonly believed […]

CHARLOTTE, NC (February 26, 2020) —  Atom Power, inventor of the world’s first and only digital circuit breaker, today announced the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued two patents for its solid-state circuit protection technology, Patent No. 10,541,530 and Patent No. 10,276,321. These patents solidify Atom Power’s technology as the first and only true […]