Full Coverage
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Water
Innovative Stormwater Improvement Project Strengthens Burbank’s Power System
In drought-prone Southern California, Burbank Water and Power has implemented a groundbreaking stormwater capture and reuse system that saves more than eight million gallons of water annually. This
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Hydrogen
A Modern Blueprint for Coastal Power: China’s Offshore Solar-Hydrogen Integration
Built on degraded tidal flats in China’s Jiangsu Province, CHN Energy’s Rudong project combines 400 MW of offshore photovoltaic generation, grid-scale battery storage, and green hydrogen production with
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Sustainability
CHP and District Energy: Key Technologies for Efficiency and Grid Resilience
In an era where energy costs continue to rise and climate concerns intensify, the inefficiencies of traditional power generation have become increasingly difficult to ignore. Conventional power plants often
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Trends
Renewable Energy Surges, but Grid Crisis Looms as Demand Grows and Policies Shift
The U.S. electric power sector is experiencing a surge in renewable energy deployment, yet the grid faces mounting pressure from skyrocketing demand and shifting federal policies. As data centers and
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T&D
Adding Stability and Reliability to the Western Australian Grid
Large distances are something you get used to if you live in Australia. Perth, on the west coast, is about 2,500 miles away from Brisbane on the east coast. Even within the state of Western Australia (WA), the
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O&M
How an Advanced Air Gap Measurement Tool Streamlines Hydroelectric Generator Maintenance
An air gap is the distance between the rotor and stator of a large-scale hydroelectric generator. This gap is a very small distance in relation to the size of the rotor. Its measurement to tight tolerances is critical to prevent damage to and maintain efficiency of the generator. Static measurement of the air gap (Figure […]
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Technology
NASA Empowers Energy Projects by Providing Global Earth Observation Data
NASA strives to understand the universe, whether that be the stars above us or Earth around us. One way NASA focuses on the Earth is through satellite, ground, and airborne Earth observations and modeling. NASA’s Earth Science projects work to further understand the Earth and its systems to better help humanity now and in the […]
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Power
Unlocking Power Plant Efficiency: How AI Models Are Revolutionizing Heat Rate Optimization
Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a huge role in heat rate optimization. In some cases, AI-driven models have analyzed operational data to recommend control settings that reduce heat rates by 1.5% to
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Fuel
The Science Behind Propane: How It’s Made and Why It’s Still Relevant
Most people are familiar with propane. Large silver-colored tanks are often used to store propane intended to heat rural homes and propane is a common fuel used in backyard cooking grills. But behind these
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Commentary
Buyer Beware: Deeper Pockets Funding Deeply Speculative Power Sector Expansion
As billions of dollars flood into the historically niche electricity sector, U.S. power generation is having a moment and entering what may be its most consequential investment cycle in decades. The U.S. power space saw record levels of capital investments in 2024. These billions in new investments are coming not just from legacy participants, but […]
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Nuclear
Deadline vs. Deployment: Can U.S. Advanced Reactors Meet DOE’s 2026 Criticality Goal?
In a new pilot program, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued an ambitious challenge: bring at least three advanced nuclear test reactors to criticality by July 4, 2026. Announced in June, the program sidesteps traditional Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensing, seeking instead to authorize full-scale reactors on private sites through DOE’s internal review process. […]
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Coal
Reclaimed Ash: Turning Domestic, Legacy Materials into Modern Infrastructure Solutions
As government policies around energy transition continue to evolve, the pace of coal plant retirements in North America has shifted in some regions, slowing in a few cases due to energy reliability concerns. But broadly speaking, many coal-fired units have already retired, leaving behind a significant legacy challenge: the long-term management of coal ash stored […]
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Legal & Regulatory
DOE Pilot Program Targets Three Nuclear Test Reactors for 2026 Criticality Under Department Authorization
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a novel pilot program that will allow private developers to build and operate full-scale advanced nuclear test reactors outside of the national laboratory system, without a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Through a new authorization model grounded in the Atomic Energy Act and a Trump-era […]
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Nuclear
Understanding TerraPower’s Natrium Reactor Design and Demonstration Project Progress
In the proverbial shadow of the Naughton Power Plant, a station in Kemmerer, Wyoming, that will stop burning coal at the end of this year, TerraPower is constructing what it calls “the only advanced, non-light-water reactor in the Western Hemisphere being built today.” The project represents more than just a new power source—it’s a symbolic […]
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Legal & Regulatory
The Courtroom Risk No One in Power Generation Can Afford to Ignore
In an industry grappling with decarbonization mandates, volatile energy markets, and supply chain uncertainty, another threat has quietly emerged with the power to upend everything: the courtroom. Mega verdicts—jury awards exceeding $10 million—are not new. But the scale, frequency, and unpredictability of these rulings are escalating. According to a 2025 corporate verdicts report published by […]
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Commentary
How Digital Modeling of Materials Will Make Next Generation Nuclear Possible
A revolution is underway in the nuclear energy sector. For the first time in decades, the field is brimming with urgency, ambition, and capital. Buoyed by growing energy demands, geopolitical recalibration, and climate pressures, nuclear power is undergoing a renaissance, one that will be driven not just by next-generation reactor designs, but by the materials […]
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ammonia combustion
GE Vernova, IHI Launch Test Hub to Enable 100% Ammonia Combustion in F-Class Gas Turbines by 2030
Japanese integrated heavy industry group IHI Corp. and GE Vernova have inaugurated a new Large-Scale Combustion Test (LCT) facility at IHI’s Aioi Works in Hyogo, Japan, marking a pivotal step in their joint effort to commercialize gas turbine combustors capable of burning up to 100% ammonia by 2030. The facility will accelerate full-scale prototype testing […]
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Commentary
Powering the Future Without Paralyzing It
The future of energy is rapidly evolving. The explosion of artificial intelligence (AI) and the enormous energy infrastructure it demands will continue to drive unprecedented electricity needs. Goldman Sachs projects that U.S. power demand could grow by as much as 20% by the decade’s end, in large part due to the construction of data centers. These […]
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nuclear
NuScale Advances SMR-Powered Desalination and Hydrogen Production with Integrated Brine Reuse Strategy
Small modular reactor (SMR) technology developer NuScale Power has unveiled research programs that could advance an energy system that integrates its nuclear technology to produce desalinated water and hydrogen, while reusing brine waste as an industrial feedstock. The research, developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and […]
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Hydrogen
Delivering Decentralised Hydrogen Safely
By their very nature, all chemical fuels contain energy that needs to be released easily and are therefore inherently flammable. However, if that release is not sufficiently controlled, it presents a significant injury risk both to people and property through explosions and fires. Hydrogen, of course, is especially flammable. Counterintuitively, when it comes to safety, […]
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Nuclear
DOE Opens Door to Private-Sector Demonstrations at MARVEL Nuclear Microreactor Test Bed
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is inviting private-sector nuclear developers to submit proposals for experiments and demonstrations using its Microreactor Application Research Validation and Evaluation (MARVEL) project. The first-of-its-kind operational test bed for advanced microreactor technologies is now 90% through its final design phase, with key components already under fabrication. Idaho National Laboratory (INL), […]
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Data Centers
Talen, Amazon Launch $18B Nuclear PPA—A Grid-Connected IPP Model for the Data Center Era
Talen Energy has restructured and significantly expanded its nuclear energy agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS), finalizing a 17-year, $18 billion power purchase agreement (PPA) that will supply up to 1,920 MW of carbon-free electricity from the 2.5-GW Susquehanna nuclear plant to Amazon’s data centers across Pennsylvania. The deal, announced on June 11, restructures a […]
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Trends
Out of Sync: The Infrastructure Misalignment Undermining the U.S. Grid
U.S. power infrastructure—the intricate physical fabric that laces together generation, transmission, and distribution—is under intensifying strain. Outdated and overextended, it must now absorb relentless growth from electrification and data centers or risk escalating reliability threats, surging costs, and a weakened global competitive edge. POWER examines the dysfunction and what it will actually take to future-proof […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Decarbonization Whiplash Prompts a Power Sector Recalibration
What happens when a political U-turn suddenly upends years of decarbonization strategy? As the U.S. House of Representatives moves to dismantle key clean energy tax credits, POWER examines how utilities and developers are rethinking timelines, technologies, and financing, while racing to keep the energy transition on track. On May 22, 2025, the U.S. House of […]
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Trends
The Great Shift: Navigating the Global Energy Transition
As the world grapples with the urgent need to combat climate change, the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is accelerating, driven by technological advancements and governmental directives. This global shift promises not only to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also to create a more sustainable and resilient energy future. The world stands […]
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T&D
How Decreasing Inertia Is Affecting Power Grids and What to Do About It
People in the power industry understand inertia and its importance to grid stability. As large thermal power plants and other inertia-providing units are replaced with renewable resources that provide no inertia, grid stability is at risk. Cost-effective solutions are available today, however, to maintain and even enhance grid operations. Concerning power grid operation, inertia refers […]
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Trends
IRA Incentives Fuel U.S. Solar Manufacturing Surge
The U.S. solar manufacturing landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022. Through targeted domestic content incentives, the federal government has successfully ignited a manufacturing renaissance, boosting capacity nearly five-fold and creating thousands of jobs across the country. Catalyzing Growth Through Strategic Incentives The centerpiece of […]
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Energy Security
Duke Energy Advances New 1.4-GW Gas-Hydrogen Power Plant in South Carolina Under New Energy Security Mandate
Duke Energy intends to submit an application to South Carolina’s Public Service Commission (PSC) for approval to build a 1.4-GW gas-fired combined cycle plant with hydrogen capability in Anderson County. If approved, the project, which could come online in 2031, will mark the company’s first new generation proposal in the state in a decade. The […]
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Nuclear
NuScale’s 77-MWe SMR Clears NRC Review, Sets Stage for First Firm Order
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved NuScale Power’s uprated 77-MWe (250-MWth) small modular reactor (SMR) design, clearing the nuclear technology firm’s second standard design approval (SDA). The development marks a boost for ENTRA1 Energy, NuScale’s exclusive commercialization partner, which is in “various stages of discussions with potential customers” in the U.S. and abroad, the […]
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Coal
DOE Scraps $3.7B in OCED Projects, Upending Carbon Capture Progress at Power Plants
The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) abrupt termination of 24 previously awarded projects—including four prominent power-related carbon capture projects— will rescind $3.7 billion in financial assistance from its Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED). In a terse press release on May 30, the DOE cited “a thorough and individualized financial review” in its justification for canceling […]