Full Coverage
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Renewables
Perovskite Solar Cells: What They Are and Why They Matter
Perovskite solar cells are a high-efficiency, low-cost alternative to traditional silicon-based solar panels. With the perovskite solar cell industry expected to reach $1.2 billion by 2033, there’s enormous potential for this next-generation technology. The Basics of Perovskites Perovskites are a type of material, with a distinctive crystal structure described as ABX3 (Figure 1). These crystals […]
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T&D
Grid Enhancing Technologies Do Exactly What They Say
The world’s electricity grids are facing unprecedented strain as demand surges from electrification, data centers, and renewable energy integration, while aging infrastructure struggles to keep pace. Traditional approaches to grid expansion—building new transmission lines and substations—face mounting challenges including sometimes decade-long permitting processes, escalating costs that can reach billions per project, and growing public resistance […]
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Research and Development
Tackling Weld Failures in Thermal Energy Storage Tanks
Concentrated solar power (CSP) plants with thermal energy storage (TES) systems face significant material challenges. Specifically, industry-standard 347H austenitic stainless steel used in the manufacture of molten salt tanks can be subject to severe stress relaxation cracking (SRC). The results of a consortium project could have an answer for the problem. The findings suggest that […]
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Coal
DOE Issues Rare Emergency Order to Delay Michigan Coal Plant Retirement Amid MISO Grid Risk
The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued an emergency order to delay the closure of Consumer Energy’s 1,560-MW J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant in West Olive, Michigan, citing urgent reliability concerns for the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) grid as the Midwest braces for peak summer electricity demand. The rare order, issued May 23 by Energy […]
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Press Releases
Type One Energy Completes Formal Initial Design Review of Fusion Power Plant
Type One Energy announced on May 27 that it had successfully completed the first formal design review of Infinity Two, which is based on the world’s only implementable, peer-reviewed physics basis for a fusion power plant recently published by the prestigious Journal of Plasma Physics. The Infinity Two design is progressing in support of a […]
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Trends
Vistra to Acquire 2.6 GW Gas Fleet for $1.9B, Citing Surging U.S. Power Demand
Vistra Corp. has agreed to acquire seven natural gas power plants totaling 2,557 MW from Lotus Infrastructure Partners for $1.9 billion, as part of a strategy to meet surging U.S. electricity demand and expand its competitive generation portfolio. The deal, announced on May 15, is valued at approximately $743 per kilowatt and includes five combined […]
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Trends
FERC Anticipates Higher Energy Prices This Summer
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC’s) 2025 Summer Energy Market and Electric Reliability Assessment has forecast higher wholesale electricity prices this summer in most regions. The assessment, published May 15, notes that if normal operating conditions prevail, all regions of the country will have adequate generating resources to meet expected summer demand and operating reserve […]
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Geothermal
Modular Geothermal Power: Gradient’s Scalable Solution for Oil and Gas Sites
As the world transitions toward renewable energy sources, geothermal power has emerged as one of the most promising, yet underutilized, options in the clean energy portfolio. Unlike solar and wind, geothermal offers consistent baseload power generation capacity without intermittency challenges, making it an increasingly attractive component in the renewable energy mix. The geothermal sector has […]
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Press Releases
World’s First Fleet of 100 5G-A Autonomous Electric Mining Trucks Launched at Yimin Mine
A fleet of 100 Huaneng Ruichi autonomous electric mining trucks, the first of its kind in the world, has officially entered operation at the Yimin open-pit mine in Inner Mongolia, China. Powered by a 5G-Advanced (5G-A) network, the mine became the world’s first open-pit mine to achieve large-scale vehicle-cloud-network synergy, which has greatly improved production […]
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T&D
Con Edison Investing in Major Reliability Projects Serving Customers in Brooklyn and Staten Island
New transmission lines will help meet power needs this summer. Con Edison will energize newly constructed transmission lines in Brooklyn and Staten Island this month, helping to keep service reliable when the demand for power rises and challenges the electric delivery system. The underground cables, which represent a combined investment of $505 million, will provide […]
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Legal & Regulatory
NERC’s Summer Grid Outlook Shows Progress, but Elevated Risks Persist as Load Growth Outpaces Flexibility
All regions across the North American bulk power system (BPS) are generally positioned to meet peak demand under normal summer conditions, though elevated risks of electricity supply shortfalls could persist under extreme heat, surging demand, and resource variability, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) warns. In its May 14–released 2025 Summer Reliability Assessment (SRA), […]
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Commentary
Nuclear Is the Key to Winning AI Race
The deciding factor in the artificial intelligence (AI) race may come down to our ability to provide new data centers what they need most: massive amounts of constantly available electricity. In the U.S., data centers and their need to accommodate AI account for about half the projected growth of electricity demand through 2030. But the […]
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Interview
How ADMS and DERMS Are Delivering Smarter Solutions for Utilities and Customers
Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) and Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS) are crucial grid management technologies in today’s modern power delivery system. ADMS integrates multiple utility operational systems into a unified control platform. It combines functions like outage management, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, and distribution automation (DA) to provide operators with […]
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Sustainability
Ontario Authorizes OPG to Start Construction of First Commercial Nuclear SMR
Ontario’s provincial government has given Ontario Power Generation (OPG) the green light to begin construction on the first of four BWRX-300 small modular reactors (SMRs) at its Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP) site in Clarington, Ontario. “This represents the first new nuclear build in Ontario in more than three decades,” the utility noted. The province […]
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Legal & Regulatory
DOE Chief Backs Fossil, Nuclear Push Amid Budget and Staffing Questions
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on May 7 told lawmakers that the Department of Energy (DOE) is entering what he called “a golden era of American energy dominance,” outlining the Trump administration’s strategy to prioritize fossil fuels, nuclear power, grid modernization, and permitting reform, while positioning the U.S. to lead in artificial intelligence (AI) […]
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Legal & Regulatory
TVA Submits First Portion of Construction Permit Application to NRC for Clinch River BWRX-300 SMR
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has submitted the first portion of a construction permit application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to build a GE Hitachi BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) at its Clinch River Nuclear Site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. If built, the Clinch River unit—dubbed CRN-1—will serve as a flagship for U.S. commercial […]
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T&D
Understanding the April 2025 Iberian Peninsula Blackout: Early Analysis and Lessons Learned
On April 28, 2025, at 12:33 p.m. local time, a significant blackout affected the entire Iberian Peninsula, plunging Spain and Portugal into darkness. During a webcast on May 6, Sean McGuinness, Transmission and Distribution Protection Research Program Manager with EPRI, provided background on the Spanish and Portuguese power grids, and an overview of the events […]
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Sustainability
How Building Owners Can Achieve Performance Standards with District Energy
District energy systems can accelerate decarbonization of buildings in cities. The clock is ticking for building owners in U.S. cities that have enacted performance standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The carrots and sticks of local energy codes to tackle climate change are quickly becoming mostly sticks. With compliance deadlines looming, many owners of large […]
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Press Releases
Nexamp and Chipotle Partner to Expand Community Solar Access with 15 New Solar Farms Across the Country
Residents to benefit from 75 MW of new renewable energy resources Chipotle Mexican Grill, the fast casual restaurant company cultivating a better world by serving responsibly sourced, classically-cooked, real food, has entered into an agreement with Nexamp, the nation’s largest community solar provider, to purchase renewable energy bill credits to support the construction and operation […]
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Energy Storage
Fire Suppression in Battery Energy Storage Systems: Why Immersion Cooling Offers a Safer Future
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are revolutionizing our power grids, dramatically enhancing resilience, and facilitating greater integration of renewable energy sources like solar and wind. This technological evolution promises a cleaner, more sustainable energy future, but it also introduces significant new risks, particularly fire safety challenges. High-profile incidents involving lithium-ion battery systems highlight critical gaps […]
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Commentary
The Next Five Years Will Define U.S. Nuclear’s Fate
The U.S. stands at a critical juncture. We’re experiencing electric load growth for the first time in decades, as fierce global competition reshapes the energy landscape. Nuclear power, both the resurgence of fission and the promise of fusion, could secure our energy future and position the U.S. as the global leader in energy technology for […]
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Hydrogen
Hydrogen’s Power Play: What Comes After the Hype
As hydrogen production scales up, power professionals must weigh where—and when—it fits into a decarbonized grid. For now, experts say real progress may depend on addressing structural bottlenecks: project
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Electrification
How PG&E Is Supporting EV Growth Without Expensive Grid and Home Upgrades
As electric vehicles (EVs) surge in popularity, many American homeowners are discovering a hidden obstacle to the EV transition: the aging electrical infrastructure of the nation’s housing stock. While
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O&M
Optimizing Power Plant Performance: Innovations in Pump Efficiency and Flow Control
Modern pumping systems and precision control valves are revolutionizing how power generation facilities manage their critical fluid systems, delivering substantial energy savings, reduced emissions, and
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Electrification
Alberta’s Deregulated Grid Is Bracing for 11 GW of New Demand
While Alberta’s historical energy legacy has been defined by coal and crude oil, the Canadian province has embraced renewables and carbon capture over the past two decades, and is now exploring small modular
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Power
How Super Crystalline Nanomaterial Applied to Solar Power Cables and Connectors Can Improve System Efficiency
In 2025, as the Paris Agreement marks its tenth year since its signing, the global energy structure has entered a critical transformation phase. While solar photovoltaic (PV) systems have become an important pillar that supports the goal of net-zero emissions, challenges in terms of power losses from generation remain. It is imperative to effectively minimize […]
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Connected Plant
Power in Unity: Strengthening OT Cybersecurity Through Collaboration
Cooperation across teams, technology, and institutions is the key to securing the world’s critical infrastructure. As the global industrial cybersecurity market grows toward a forecasted $41.4 billion in
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T&D
Delivering on the Promise of Smart Grid — Transforming Grid Operations with Improved Intelligence and Action
Smart Grid technology arrived with a bang more than two decades ago, but the first implementations often overpromised and underdelivered. Smart Grid 2.0, however, integrates new technologies to provide
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Renewables
Eye of the Storm: Mitigating Financial Risks of Extreme Weather on Renewable Energy Systems
Extreme weather events have increased in frequency and intensity, but renewable energy projects can maintain financial stability through sound technical and financial risk mitigation strategies. Extreme
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Legal & Regulatory
FEOC May Expand in Scope and Application for Inflation Reduction Act
The energy industry, and particularly those participating in renewables, battery storage, and electric mobility, and their supply chain (solar panels, wind turbines, battery components, etc.), are facing