Full Coverage

  • Why Utilities Must Create A Stronger Digital Architecture to Manage the Future Power Grid Amid Climate Challenges

    This year, many of us watched with audible gasps as high temperatures shattered records and extreme weather destroyed homes and displaced people across the globe. These uncontrolled events have undoubtedly strained our old, antiquated electric grids, causing outages and downtime. The Biden administration has stepped up with $167 Million in energy grid resilience funding to assist in modernizing these […]

  • Nuclear’s Glimmer Ushers in Spate of Lifetime Extensions

    Despite its ongoing war with Russia, Ukraine in early November gave state nuclear operator Energoatom the green light to operate Unit 1 of the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant for 10 more years. The approval

  • How Power Companies Can Ride the EV Wave for New Revenue

    Have you noticed more electric vehicles (EVs) driving around your neighborhood? According to Kelley Blue Book’s “Electric Vehicle Sales Report Q3 2023,” EV sales volume in the U.S. set a new record in

  • What’s New in Coal Power Innovation?

    Despite a dismal outlook for coal, countries with substantial coal fleets are intensifying efforts to develop new technologies and operational capabilities to improve coal power’s environmental impact

  • The Importance of Accurate Weather Prediction for Power Operations

    Power companies need precise weather forecasts for a variety of reasons. Several companies specialize in providing the type of weather information utilities need to accurately predict resource availability and

  • The Benefits of Remote Monitoring for Transformers and Other Electrical Equipment

    Obtaining real-time operating data on power plant and substation equipment has never been easier. The sensors, transmitters, and systems needed to monitor important parameters are readily available and highly

  • A Community Solution to Decarbonization from College Campuses to Cities Around the World

    University and college campuses are places where young minds are shaped, and groundbreaking research is conducted. Cities are often the places where recent graduates gather to put those ideas learned in the

  • Why Utilities Need to Supercharge Their Approach to Cybersecurity

    People know a storm can disrupt the electrical grid and cause a wave of complications across the region or country very quickly. But now, for those charged with grid reliability and keeping the lights on

  • Next-Generation Ballistic Protection Ensures Long-Term Utility Security

    In July 2014, the Department of Homeland Security mandated that utilities meet requirements and measures outlined in the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC’s) critical infrastructure protection (CIP) standards. These standards regulate the physical safety and security of all aspects of the power grid, including energy substations and generators. They outline steps toward prioritizing which […]

  • Virtual Power Plants: The Next Operational Model for Electricity Generation

    There are a few great reasons that utilities and the energy industry, in general, are looking for the next big thing. Whether that’s in distributed energy generation or demand flexibility to free up existing resources, utilities are challenged more than ever to meet evolving customer needs. While this will prove costly in the short term, […]

  • The POWER Podcast Archive Vol. 6

    The POWER Podcast is available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, iHeart, TuneIn, SoundCloud, and some other podcast apps. Follow the links below to subscribe via your favorite platform: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube YouTube Music Amazon Music iHeart TuneIn SoundCloud The POWER Podcast Archive (Jan. 30, 2023 – Nov. 30, 2023): How […]

  • How Coal Fly Ash Is Reducing CO2 Emissions and Improving Concrete

    Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world. One of the key ingredients in concrete is Portland cement. The American Concrete Institute explains that Portland cement is a product obtained by pulverizing material consisting of hydraulic calcium silicates to which some calcium sulfate has usually been provided as an interground addition. When […]

  • MHI, Mitsubishi Power Report Breakthroughs for Hydrogen Combustion, Ammonia Burners

    Mitsubishi Power has successfully demonstrated partial load and full load combustion of a fuel blend with 30% hydrogen (by volume) in a grid-connected J-series Air-Cooled (JAC) gas turbine. The achievement closely follows the completion of a combustion test on an ammonia single-fuel burner for coal firing by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Mitsubishi Power’s parent company. […]

  • Converged Field Area Networks: Modernizing the Grid for a Sustainable Future

    We’ve come a long way since the first waterwheel in 200 BC. Renewable energy sources now make up about 30% of the world’s generated power and are set to more than double as governments and utilities aim to meet their net-zero emission targets by 2050. That’s a tall order, especially for utilities with an aging […]

  • New 225-kV Transmission Lines and Substations Provide Reliable Power Supply to Impoverished Regions of Cameroon

    Spanning several regions of Cameroon where 55% of the population live in poverty, grid connectivity is limited and the power supply is unreliable. However, a new project, which will extend the country’s electricity network, may help. The project involves building two 225-kV single-circuit transmission lines and supporting substations. Upon completion, the new infrastructure will enhance […]

  • Westinghouse Secures First Customer for eVinci Nuclear Microreactor

    Westinghouse’s first customer for its eVinci microreactor—a flagship 5-MWe/13-MWth “nuclear battery”—is poised to be the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC), Canada’s second-largest research and technology organization. SRC—a Saskatchewan government Treasury Board Crown Corporation that serves as a commercial laboratory to provide research and development (R&D) for Saskatchewan industries—on Nov. 27 said it plans to pilot an […]

  • Five Energy-Saving Tips for Compressed Air Systems

    Compressed air is vitally important to all power plants. Although in some cases it is used simply for convenience, such as when operating certain pneumatic tools, in other cases, compressed air is critical to the operation of the plant, such as for air-operated control valves and some fabric filter cleaning systems. In such cases, a […]

  • NRG Energy Replaces CEO in Activist Investor–Influenced Shuffle

    NRG Energy has appointed the chair of its board of directors, Dr. Lawrence Coben, as its interim president and CEO and appointed four new independent directors to its board, signaling a major leadership reshuffle partly influenced by activist investor firm Elliott Investment Management. The Houston-headquartered energy giant on Nov. 20 said Mauricio Gutierrez, NRG’s long-time and […]

  • New Aeroderivative Gas Turbine Offering Hits the Market

    PROENERGY, a global peaking-power solutions provider based in Sedalia, Missouri, released a new 48-MW aeroderivative gas turbine designed to quickly respond to gaps in power supply and demand. The PE6000 model was unveiled as a finale to PROENERGY’s annual user conference, held in Houston, Texas, earlier this month. The company explained that each PE6000 begins […]

  • INL Achieves Fabrication of Commercial-Grade Specialized Nuclear Fuel Pellets

    Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has fabricated roughly two dozen commercial-grade fuel pellets of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) uranium dioxide (UO2), the Department of Energy (DOE) revealed on Nov. 20. The milestone demonstrates the national laboratory’s “unique ability” to provide customized nuclear fuel for industry and government partners, the DOE said. INL said researchers at the […]

  • FutureCoal CEO Suggests ‘Cancel Coal’ Mantra Is Short-Sighted, Abated Coal Solutions Must Be Part of Energy Transition

    Speaking at the 5th annual India Coal Conference in New Delhi, FutureCoal CEO Michelle Manook said, “Government and finance policies, which embrace a ‘cancel coal’ mantra, are short-sighted and undermine the very ambitions we seek to achieve as a global community.” Formerly known as the World Coal Association, FutureCoal: The Global Alliance for Sustainable Coal […]

  • Transformative, Next-Gen Grid Control Technologies Get $42M in Federal Funding

    The Department of Energy (DOE) has initiated a new “enabling” pathway to achieve and sustain a dramatic transformation of the nation’s evolving grid—through its power electronics fabric, with the realization of advanced semiconductor materials, devices, and power module technologies. The agency on Nov. 21 unveiled the agency’s first awards—$42 million for 15 projects across 11 […]

  • DOE Competition Helps College Students Prepare for Cyber Jobs in the Energy Industry

    There is growing demand for cybersecurity professionals all around the world. According to the “2023 Official Cybersecurity Jobs Report,” sponsored by eSentire and released by Cybersecurity Ventures, there will be 3.5 million unfilled jobs in the cybersecurity industry through 2025. Furthermore, having these positions open can be costly. The researchers said damages resulting from cybercrime […]

  • Are You Tapping into the Power of Electric Thermal Storage?

    The power industry must adapt. Reliable electric service is more important than ever, but the push for green energy and rising cost concerns complicate things. Thankfully, several new technologies offer potential solutions. Electric thermal storage is particularly promising. As renewables grow, buildings and utility grids will need a way to store excess energy from peak […]

  • Pioneering Hydrogen-Powered Gas Peaking: Inside Duke Energy’s DeBary Project

    In late 2024, a first-of-a-kind, fully functional project spearheaded by Duke Energy, GE Vernova, and Sargent and Lundy could begin demonstrating the commercial peaking capabilities of an integrated hydrogen power-to-power system at Duke Energy’s DeBary power plant in Florida. In an exclusive interview, project partners revealed details of the potentially trailblazing installation, which is slated […]

  • The Electrification of Vehicles in America Is Occurring Rapidly in Bus Fleets

    The effort to electrify vehicles is a growing trend sweeping through America. The task is expensive enough to keep it from ever being quick. Still, funding is available from numerous sources and the commitment to accomplish what would once have seemed impossible is obvious. One of the largest vehicle fleets in the country is the […]

  • UAMPS and NuScale Power Terminate SMR Nuclear Project

    Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) and NuScale Power Corp. (NuScale) have mutually agreed to terminate the Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP), a small modular reactor (SMR) project that was planned for construction on Idaho National Laboratory (INL) property near Idaho Falls, Idaho. “Despite significant efforts by both parties to advance the CFPP, it appears […]

  • Nuclear Industry Giants Collaborate on European Projects While Japan Expands Partnership with U.S. Reactor Designer

    Westinghouse Electric Company and Bechtel have together proposed a deal to supply the Czech Republic with as many as four AP1000 nuclear reactors. The proposal aims to construct one or two units at the Dukovany nuclear site and two additional units at the Temelin site. The Dukovany site currently has four Russian-designed VVER-440 nuclear units, […]

  • 2023 POWER Top Plant Award Winners

    Renewables See our September 2023 issue for stories covering these plants: Gerlos 1 hydropower facility in Austria Mount Olive solar project in New Jersey Tyligulska wind power plant in Ukraine Fossil Fueled Including Gas and Coal See our October 2023 issue for stories covering these plants: Brentwood Power Station on Long Island in Suffolk County, […]

  • America’s Most Powerful Nuclear Reactor Makes a Landmark Revival

    Entergy’s Grand Gulf 1—the largest single-unit nuclear power plant in the U.S.—has thrived for four decades by cultivating a culture of continuous improvement, achieving record-breaking performance