Gas
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Legal & Regulatory
Federal U.S. Power Sector Initiatives Went Full Throttle in April: Here’s the List
The Biden administration has unveiled several sweeping actions over the past month aimed at boosting clean energy deployment, enhancing manufacturing jobs, and reducing pollutant emissions across the power sector. The measures—many announced as part of a comprehensive Earth Week agenda on April 25—are notable for their strategic push in an election year, highlighting the administration’s […]
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Legal & Regulatory
EPA Denies Industry Petition to Delist Stationary Combustion Turbines as Hazardous Pollutants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has denied an industry petition seeking to delist stationary combustion turbines from the agency’s list of hazardous air pollutants (HAP) major source categories regulated under section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA). The agency’s final action on April 11 responds to an August 2019 petition filed by several […]
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Legal & Regulatory
FERC Proposal Would Cut Reactive Power Compensation, a Potential Hit to Independent Power Producer’s Revenue Mix
In a time where capacity revenues are pricing lower and many generation owners find that their facilities are not being dispatched for energy on a consistent basis, reliable revenue streams are increasingly important. In addition to selling energy and capacity, many generation facilities collect fixed, monthly payments for the provision of “reactive power,” which are […]
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Energy Security
Eight Critical Reliability Challenges NERC Is Confronting for Grid Stability
The “hypercomplex” risk environment in which the North American power sector operates is underscoring the urgency for strategic initiatives to enhance grid reliability and security across North America, the head of the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) told reporters on April 4. NERC CEO Jim Robb, in a briefing, said the hypercomplex risk environment […]
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Gas
Mitsubishi Power Supports New Gas-Fired Unit in Hong Kong
Mitsubishi Power, a division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), announced the company has received an order for gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power generation system equipment for Lamma Power Station’s Unit 13. The unit will be built in Hong Kong by The Hongkong Electric Co., Ltd., known as HK Electric. The new turbine has an […]
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Coal
GE Will Support Major South Korean Coal-to-Gas Conversion
A coal-fired power plant in South Korea will use equipment from GE Vernova’s Gas Power business as the facility switches to burn natural gas as soon as 2027. GE Vernova on April 8 said it would supply a 7HA.02 gas turbine and a H65 generator for Korea Western Power Co.’s (KOWEPO’s) power station in Gongju-si, […]
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Interview
ACWA Power: Crossroads for Exponential Growth in Power and Water
In 2002, the government of Saudi Arabia moved to step up the private sector’s role in the kingdom’s economy by opening the production of power and desalinated water. Saudi firms Abunayyan Trading Co., Abdulkadir Al Muhaidib & Sons Co., and MADA Group for Industrial and Commercial Development sensed a tremendous opportunity, forming ACWA Power Projects […]
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Coal
TVA to Replace Iconic Kingston Coal Plant With 1.5-GW Modern Complex
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has moved to retire its iconic 1.3-GW Kingston Fossil Plant in Tennessee in 2027 and replace it—with notable urgency—with a 1.5-GW modern complex featuring a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant, aero-derivative turbines, 100 MW of battery storage, and up to 4 MW of solar generation. The nation’s largest public […]
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Trends
A Bold Beginning: GE Vernova Charts Course for Electrification and Decarbonization in Market Debut
Marking the completion of its spin-off from GE, GE Vernova began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on April 2 as an independent company “singularly focused” on accelerating the energy transition. The measure, approved by GE’s Board on Feb. 29, effectively establishes GE Vernova as a giant purpose-built firm that will leverage its technology […]
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Hydrogen
Gas Turbine and Hydrogen Technologies Grow Together
The future of gas turbines and hydrogen are intricately intertwined. Gas turbine manufacturers know that they need their equipment to be ready to operate on higher levels of hydrogen as electrolysis technology
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O&M
Critical Importance of Annual Turbine Oil Analysis
Turbines are by far the single most-costly piece of equipment for many energy businesses, which highlights the importance of lubrication for these assets. Although turbine oil could last for more than a
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Interview
Landrieu: Politics Not Aligned with Energy Reality
A significant disconnect between political rhetoric and the practical realities of energy production is posing an insidious hurdle for the future of power, former Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana) has warned. Speaking candidly to POWER during CERAweek by S&P Global in Houston on March 21, the influential three-term Democrat (1997–2015) who chaired the U.S. Senate Energy […]
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Energy Security
CPS Energy to Acquire Talen’s 1.7-GW Gas Power Fleet in Texas for $785M
CPS Energy will acquire Talen Energy’s 1.7-GW portfolio—comprising three natural gas–fired power plants—in the Texas market for $785 million. The nation’s largest municipally owned power entity on March 27 said it reached an agreement with competitive generator Talen Energy for the acquisition. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2024, “subject […]
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Gas
UK Commercial Gas Power Project Equipped With Carbon Capture Unveils Contractors
Eight engineering, procurement, and construction contract packages have been unveiled for the UK’s Teesside-based Net Zero Teesside Power (NZT Power), a landmark integrated project that could become one of the world’s first commercial-scale gas-fired power stations equipped with carbon capture when it begins operation in 2027. NZT Power, a joint venture between bp and Equinor, […]
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O&M
Combining the Digital and the Personal in CCPP Maintenance
In the era of cloud computing, the immense potential of planned predictive maintenance (PPM) cannot be denied. Access to a broad range of application programming interfaces could revolutionise critical component servicing, if not transform it entirely. Yet, while the possibility of entirely automating this process is clearly appealing, the use of machine learning and analytics […]
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Coal
Indiana Utility Will Convert Remaining Coal Units to Burn Natural Gas
A major Indiana utility said it’s preparing to switch its remaining coal-fired power plant to burn natural gas. AES Indiana on March 12 said the two coal-burning units at its Petersburg Generating Station, in Pike County in southwestern Indiana about 100 miles west of Louisville, Kentucky, would stop using coal and start using natural gas […]
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Trends
U.S. Natural Gas Supplies High, Prices at Record Low
The winter heating season, which is often defined as November through March in the U.S., is coming to an end with natural gas inventories 37% above the five-year average, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Reduced consumption in the residential and commercial sectors this winter has been blamed for the high natural gas […]
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Gas
UK Leaders Say New Gas-Fired Plants Needed for Energy Security
Officials in the UK said the country will need to build new natural gas-fired power plants beyond 2030 in order to ensure a reliable supply of energy and avoid blackouts. Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho on March 12 said gas-fired units able to provide baseload power generation will be needed as a backup to renewable […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Get Ready For California’s Three Sweeping New Climate Disclosure Laws
Can a requirement to simply disclose information truly be a big deal? Can a requirement that only applies to big companies, or companies that do business in California, actually impact your small business or your business in another state? Can a requirement that doesn’t take effect until next year or later really require thought and […]
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Gas
Floating Gas-Fired Power Station Planned Off Louisiana Coast
Entergy Louisiana has asked state officials for approval to build a floating natural gas-fired power plant that would serve areas along the Gulf Coast. The utility’s recent March filing with the Louisiana Public Service Commission calls for construction of a $411 million, 112-MW floating facility called the Bayou Power Station. The plant would be located […]
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Legal & Regulatory
EPA Drops Existing Gas-Fired Plants from Contentious Power Plant GHG Rule
(Updated March 7 with responses from EPA): The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will drop requirements covering existing natural gas-fired power plants in its final Section 111 rule regulating power sector greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which is expected in April. EPA Administrator Michael Regan on Feb. 29 said in a written statement the agency’s rule—which the […]
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Trends
Shifting Gears: How Diesel and Gas Engines Are Thriving in the New Power Paradigm
As the global power industry pivots toward decarbonization and decentralization, major manufacturers of diesel and gas engines are strategically adapting to change. While large power plants frequently garner
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Hybrid Power
Commercial, Industrial Sites Embrace Innovation for New Generation
The importance of a reliable and resilient power supply continues to grow, and so does the need to control energy costs. That’s why more institutions want power systems that support operational efficiency
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News and Notes
POWER Digest [March 2024]
Dominion Secures Final Approvals for 2.6-GW Offshore Wind Project. Dominion Energy on Jan. 30 said it received the last two major federal approvals needed to kick off construction of its 2.6-GW Coastal
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O&M
Auxiliary Boilers Can Reduce Cold-Start Times for CCGTs
Combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) play a critical role in providing power grids with additional electricity, supporting reliability and resilience during periods of high demand. Combined cycle power plants
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O&M
Preparing Steam and Water Analysis Equipment for Summer Heat
While the effects of extreme summer weather are one thing, even regular summer weather can wreak havoc on steam and water analysis systems (SWAS) without adequate preparation. Summer sunshine and increased temperatures can bring higher heat loads and increased cycling rates that put even more stress on steam and water sampling and related equipment, greatly […]
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Gas
Proposed Gas-Fired Power Plant in Wisconsin Faces New Opposition
New opposition has emerged surrounding a power plant Minnesota Power, Dairyland Power Cooperative, and Basin Electric Power Cooperative are teaming to build along the banks of the Nemadji River in Superior, Wisconsin. Environmental groups Sierra Club and Clean Wisconsin have been fighting construction of the Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC) since at least February 2020, […]
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Gas
New Colorado Gas-Fired Plant Will Feature GE Vernova Power Units
A new natural gas-fired peaker plant being built on Colorado’s eastern plains will feature aeroderivative gas power packages from GE Vernova. The Mountain Peak Power Plant, which will be managed and operated by Princeton, New Jersey-based Kindle Energy, and will serve the United Power electric cooperative, is expected to come online in 2025. GE Vernova’s […]
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Legal & Regulatory
EPA Rolls Out Final, More Stringent PM2.5 Standard
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in February issued a final rule imposing tighter restrictions on fine particulate matter (PM2.5) or soot. The final rule, issued on Feb. 7, strengthens the nation’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) by lowering the level of the primary (health-based) annual PM2.5 standard from 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter […]
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Gas
NRG Will Seek $900 Million in Loans to Build New Gas-Fired Power Plants
The interim CEO of Texas-based NRG Energy Inc. said the company plans to apply for up to $900 million in loans from the state in order to finance construction of new natural gas-fired power plants. Larry Coben, who was appointed interim CEO in November 2023 after the resignation of long-time CEO Mauricio Gutierrez, on Feb. […]