Connected Plant

  • OSIsoft announces partnership with Kansai Electric Power to enhance power plant operation

    (April 27, 2018) — Kansai Electric Power and OSIsoft LLC unveiled a venture to help power producers improve the efficiency and operation of their thermal power plants with data. Kansai Electric Power will collaborate with its customers at every stage, from planning a new thermal plant to running a facility. The Kansai-Value Creation Service, or […]

  • Alarming Increase in Cybersecurity Threats Prompts Spate of Government Action

    Lawmakers, industry, and government entities, including the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), this week released a string of measures responding to mounting cybersecurity attacks by state-sponsored actors. A Revised Cybersecurity Framework On April 16, the Commerce Department’s NIST, a federal standards laboratory, released an updated version of […]

  • Securing Industrial Control Systems: A Holistic Defense-In-Depth Approach

      Defense-in-depth is a concept that is already widely deployed by many organizations within their IT infrastructures. However, many organizations do not apply it to their industrial control system (ICS) operations, owing mostly to obscure protocols. But as IT and ICS architectures converge and high-profile cybersecurity incidents mount, a robust, holistic defense-in-depth solution may be […]

  • 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

  • ECI Expands Neptune Family with Compact Form Factor Tailored for Distributed Energy Resources Environment

    MPLS/Ethernet DIN-Rail switch provides exemplary solution for power utilities expanding their operational networks to meet the demands of the new energy cloud  Petach Tikva, Israel – March 28, 2018 – ECI®, a global provider of ELASTIC Network® solutions for service providers, critical infrastructures and data center operators, announced today the launch of the NPT-1010D DIN-rail […]

  • Congratulations to the Connected Plant Game Changers

    The Connected Plant Game Changer Award recognizes those people who are leading the charge in implementing digital technologies in their field: either in the chemical process industries or in power generation. Nominations are open to individuals who have used tools associated with digitalization to contribute to innovation, solve a problem or make improvements, as well […]

  • How to Automate Workforce Scheduling

    If you’re a power plant supervisor, you’ve undoubtedly been forced to find a worker during off-hours on the spur of the moment. New tools are being used today that allow automating the callout process—and workforce schedule. Last summer City Utilities (CU) of Springfield, Missouri, joined a list of power companies automating workforce scheduling and callout […]

  • Using Data Analytics to Improve Operations and Maintenance

    Power plants are challenged to generate value from their data, but this can be a tedious and slow process, with uncertain outcomes. Now, as shown in these use cases, data analytic solutions can put innovation

  • NarrativeWave, Invenergy Announce Three-Year Energy IoT Deal to Maximize Productivity

    CHICAGO, IL AND IRVINE, CA (February 21, 2018) — Invenergy, North America’s largest independent, privately-held renewable energy company, and NarrativeWave, an Irvine-based Internet of Things software company, announced a three-year agreement. Invenergy will use NarrativeWave’s software to optimize its fleet of wind turbines and other renewable energy assets. The announcement follows a successful 60-day pilot, […]

  • Cybersecurity Tips for Power Plant Operators [PODCAST]

    Cybersecurity threats have increased dramatically as sophisticated, nation-state developed hacking programs have been leaked to the general public. Now, common criminals have high-tech tools at their disposal with the capability to cause serious damage. As such, the power industry must take precautions and upgrade security to keep systems safe. While regulations provide a minimum security […]

  • Seeq Customers Share Success Stories on Advanced Analytics at ARC Industry Forum in Orlando

    Presentations demonstrate how Seeq enables customers to get value from IIoT and process manufacturing data in oil & gas and energy industries. SEATTLE, February 7, 2018 – Seeq®, a leading provider of advanced analytics solutions, announced today that Pioneer Resources, Devon Energy, and Fisher Valves will present next week at the 22nd ARC Industry Forum […]

  • An Inside Look at Digital Transformation: GE Power’s Lessons Learned

    GE has operated its monitoring and diagnostics center for nearly two decades, examining the performance and health of customers’ power plants and other generating assets around the world. Understanding some

  • Unsupervised Machine Learning: The Path to Industry 4.0 for the Coal Industry

    Artificial intelligence and machine learning aren’t just fictional pieces of futuristic Hollywood movies. Power plants can deploy these innovative technologies today to more accurately predict the condition

  • Using Artificial Intelligence to Protect the U.S. Power Grid

    The North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) standard on physical security—known as Critical Infrastructure Protection-014 (CIP-014)—includes six basic requirements, but perhaps the most

  • Modernize Gas Turbine Controls with an Eye on the Future

    Although it may seem as if gas turbines have only recently become the technology of choice for new U.S. power plants, a lot of gas turbine units have been in service for decades. Control systems have evolved

  • Battery-Gas Turbine Combination Provides Power Plant Flexibility

    With a broadening portfolio of generation technologies and rapidly changing demands, effectively combining and integrating diverse technologies is important to a reliable power grid. Siemens’ SIESTART

  • Connected Plant Conference Show Preview

    The Connected Plant Conference is a forum designed for professionals in the power generation and chemical process industries who are leading digital adoption at all stages. Sessions are tailored to offer

  • Exercise Proves Hacking a Threat to Nuclear Power Plants

    Cybersecurity is a topic covered frequently in the pages of POWER magazine, and one that all power plants need to take seriously. A recent simulation proved that the consequences of a hack can be grave. The drill took place in Sweden, but could have been conducted anywhere in the world. The attack used plant control […]

  • Seven Software Tools for Energy Managers

    There are many tools available to assist companies as they gain a better grasp on how their energy is being used, and what that means for the goal of efficient energy management. Not all solutions are created

  • Overcoming IIoT, Edge Networking Challenges

    As power plants and substations become more connected, the need for rugged networking equipment built to withstand tough conditions is amplified. The military has already gone through the growing pains, so

  • Blazing a Trail Toward the Energy Grid of the Future

    A leading-edge operations center opens in New York The New York Power Authority (NYPA) has taken a huge step forward in increasing the efficiency of its operations with the opening of its new Integrated Smart Operations Center (iSOC), which harnesses the capabilities of state-of-the-art digitization technologies. The center, located in White Plains, N.Y., was officially […]

  • Connected Plant Expert Offers Preview of Upcoming Conference [PODCAST]

    The Connected Plant Conference will be held in Charlotte, N.C., February 26–28, 2018. The forum is designed for professionals in the power generation and chemical process industries who are leading digital adoption at all stages. Sessions are tailored to offer actionable information and strategies to maximize the use of data, analytics, and related technology to drive efficiency improvements, […]

  • Reducing Nuclear Plant Operations and Maintenance Costs Through Online Monitoring

    The Electric Power Research Institute’s full spectrum of online monitoring-related research offers nuclear power plant operators guidance for monitoring program implementation. The research results are used

  • Solar Power’s Golden Opportunity: Connected Tech

    The solar industry has the opportunity to integrate intelligent technology, including some that was originally developed for conventional energy resources, into its solar systems. Most parts of a solar farm

  • Increase the IQ of Your Intelligent Sootblowing

    Power plants have been blowing soot using essentially the same method for decades. However, technological advances now offer boiler operators a much-improved technique. Rather than running sootblowing systems

  • Emerson Offers New $29B Bid to Take Over Rockwell Automation

    Global technology and engineering giant Emerson renewed its bid for a $29 billion takeover of Rockwell Automation, the world’s largest dedicated industrial automation firm, saying it remained “convinced” a merger of the companies offered “compelling strategic, operational, and financial merit.” Emerson Chairman and CEO David Farr on November 16 sent Rockwell’s president and CEO, Blake […]

  • Utilities Prepare for Simulated Attack on U.S. Power Grid

    Utilities across the country are gearing up for an attack on the power grid November 15 and 16. Thankfully, it’s only a drill. But in the event of an actual emergency, a real physical and cyberattack on the U.S. electricity infrastructure, GridEx IV—a biennial exercise conducted by the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC)—will help […]

  • The Industrial Internet Consortium Announces the Digital Solar Plant Testbed led by LTI and GE Digital

    The Digital Solar Plant testbed evaluates solutions to accurately predict energy generation, improve utilization and reduce maintenance costs NEEDHAM, MA – NOVEMBER 8, 2017 The Industrial Internet Consortium® (IIC™), the world’s leading organization transforming business and society by accelerating the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), today announced the Digital Solar Plant testbed. The testbed is […]

  • Asset Performance Management: Strategies to Mitigate Risk

    If funds were unlimited, digital technology could be utilized in countless ways to improve plant performance and reduce downtime. But costs do matter, so taking a graded approach to managing risks and costs

  • Best Practices for Choosing a Predictive Maintenance Partner

    Predictive analytics software offers many benefits when appropriately selected. However, finding the best solution for a given situation can be tricky. The tips provided here could help power companies avoid