Gas

  • Indiana Regulators Reject Vectren Plan for Gas Plant

    The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) on April 24 rejected Vectren’s proposal to build an 850-MW natural gas-fired power plant to replace two coal-burning units at its A.B. Brown Generating Station, along with another coal unit at a nearby plant. The commission said it based its decision on the potential financial risk to ratepayers who they said […]

  • Generating a Winning Plan for Sustainability

    Managing the power load of a Las Vegas casino might seem a daunting task. MGM Resorts International, which operates several iconic properties on the city’s famous strip along with other hospitality and entertainment venues worldwide, took matters into its own hands a few years ago as it tried to control its energy costs and also […]

  • PURE SAFETY GROUP UNVEILS LATEST SELF-RETRACTING LIFELINES

    HOUSTON (Apr. 22, 2019) — Pure Safety Group (PSG), the largest company dedicated solely to fall protection, has unveiled a new lineup of three self-retracting lifelines (SRLs). The SRLs are part of the company’s robust schedule of new product launches in 2019, during which it will release more than 20 new products for keeping workers […]

  • Federal Court Vacates Parts of Obama EPA’s ELG Rule 

    In a legal victory for environmental groups, a federal court has vacated key portions of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) November 2015-promulgated effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) for steam electric power plants, deeming them “unlawful.”  The decision adds a dramatic new element of uncertainty in timing of the rule, which the Trump administration has said it […]

  • GE Marks ‘Ultra Low’ NOx Gas Turbine Technology Triumph

    In a significant technical triumph, GE has completed first installation of a new gas-fired power plant technology that it says can reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to 5 parts per million (ppm).  GE on April 11 completed combustion upgrades on nine GE 9E gas turbines at five power generation enterprises in Shenzen, a major industrial […]

  • Lessons in Backup Power Generation from South Australia

    Electricity demand spiked considerably in South Australia this past January as residents tried to stay cool in the middle of a record heat wave that brought temperatures up to 46.6°C (or about 115°F). To ensure a stable power supply would be available, the South Australian government fired up two power plants (276 MW) that the […]

  • Israel Electric Corporation Awards Contract to GE for HA Gas Turbine Technology

    GE Power will provide the company’s largest and most efficient gas turbine, the 9HA Orot Rabin project will feature Israel’s first HA and convert current coal-fired power station into country’s largest and most efficient gas power plant Additionally, GE will provide services for IEC through a 15-year services agreement IEC will also install GE software […]

  • Ohio Lawmakers Announce Plan to Subsidize Nuclear Plants

    Ohio lawmakers on April 12 announced a plan to provide financial support to the state’s two nuclear power plants by adding a surcharge to customers’ electric bills. The bill’s supporters said it also would generate as much as $300 million annually for clean power generation in Ohio, though the measure calls for abolishing mandates for […]

  • Wind Industry Prepares for Massive Expansion

    Construction activity on wind projects across the U.S. surged to a record level of more than 20 GW in the third quarter of 2018, and about 35.1 GW of new wind capacity was under construction or in advanced development at the end of 2018, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).  In 2018, the […]

  • PJM Will Hold Capacity Auction Under Current Rules in August

    PJM Interconnection said it will hold its 2022–2023 capacity auction under current market rules on Aug. 14, 2019, though the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has yet to issue a decision on the grid operator’s plan to revamp its Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR). In an April 10 filing, however, PJM asked FERC to clarify that […]

  • Siemens selected to deploy, operate and maintain cogeneration plant in Brazil

    Braskem, the largest petrochemical company in Latin America, recently entered into an agreement with Siemens to modernize a cogeneration power and steam plant at its Petrochemical Complex in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Completion of the project is expected in early 2021. Siemens will be responsible for implementation and the 15-year operation of an electric and steam […]

  • POWER Notebook: New 1,600-MW Coal Plant in India; Low-Price Solar Deal in Idaho

    Financing has reportedly been secured for a 1,600-MW coal-fired power plant in India’s eastern state of Jharkhand. Qatar’s Gulf Times newspaper reported April 6 that Power Finance Corp., a state-run lender in India, and its subsidiary REC approved a $1.5 billion loan for the project. The report said the new plant would be funded through loans […]

  • For First Time, IEA Quantifies Coal’s Dominant Role in Global Temperature Increase

    Coal combustion was responsible for more than 0.3 degrees C of the 1-degree C surge in global average annual surface temperatures above pre-industrial levels—and that makes coal the single largest source of the global temperature increase, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says in a new report.  The finding, outlined in the IEA’s Global Energy & […]

  • Former TVA CEO Will Take the Reins at PG&E

    PG&E Corp. announced on April 3 the appointment of William “Bill” Johnson as the company’s new president and CEO. It also announced the appointment of 10 new directors to its board of directors. The board appointments will be effective as of the next in-person board meeting, which will be held as soon as practicable, the […]

  • MHPS Receives Order for Two H-25 Gas Turbines at Distributed Power Plant in Zhuhai, China

    Equipment for the Fushan Industrial Park in Zhuhai City, with operations to begin in the latter half of 2020 Highest output with an H-25 system, utilizing IGCC combustion technologies to meet strict local regulations on NOx emissions YOKOHAMA, Japan, Apr 3, 2019 – (JCN Newswire) – Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) has received an […]

  • Siemens Signs Services Agreement for H-Class Gas Turbine in UAE

    Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA), the world’s largest ‘premium aluminum’ producer, and Siemens announced the first power services agreement for an H-class gas turbine in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With the new 20-year service agreement, Siemens will provide maintenance and repairs as well as onsite personnel support for the gas turbine and its generator at […]

  • New Gas-Fired Plants Come Online in Michigan

    Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corp. (UMERC) placed two new natural gas-fired generating stations into commercial operation on March 31, part of the company’s plan to reshape its generation fleet as it seeks to “balance reliability and customer cost with environmental stewardship.” UMERC, a subsidiary of WEC Energy Group, also retired the coal-fired 430-MW Presque Isle […]

  • INNIO to Supply Six Jenbacher Gas Engines for Innovative Microgrid Project in Finland

    JENBACH, AUSTRIA—April 1, 2019—INNIO* announced today that it will supply six Jenbacher* gas engines for the LEMENE microgrid project in Finland, helping the Finnish government reach its climate goal of having 100 percent of its energy come from renewable sources by 2030. The LEMENE flagship project will be the largest energy self-sufficient business district using […]

  • Inside NET Power: Gas Power Goes Supercritical 

    A project to demonstrate a novel power cycle that promises to produce low-cost, reliable, and flexible power from natural gas—while generating no atmospheric emissions, and fully capturing carbon dioxide—is inching closer to commissioning. Its developers are now actively assessing siting for the first commercial-scale 300-MW NET Power facility. NET Power’s 50 MWth Demonstration Plant in La […]

  • What Are Supercritical CO2 Power Cycles?

    While conventional power plant cycles produce power from turbines using water or steam as the working fluid, supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) cycles use CO2 that is in a supercritical state—at a temperature and pressure above its critical point where liquid and gas phases are not distinguishable.  CO2 has a relatively low critical pressure of 7.4 megapascal […]

  • Proper Valve Trim Extends Life of Boiler Feedwater Valves

    Boiler feedwater valves operate under severe service conditions and are subject to premature failure from seat leakage, cavitation, particulates, and frequent cycling. However, once the type and root cause of

  • Plenty of Natural Gas to Go Around—It Just Needs a Market

    Demand growth for natural gas for power generation may have slowed in the U.S., as renewable resources continue to take market share. With U.S. production continuing to hit record highs, and new gas-fired

  • Controlling Boiler Level When Operating Conditions Change

    The right level instrumentation is key to keeping boilers on an even keel. Guided-wave radar offers a critical combination of capabilities. If asked to make a short list of factors able to improve heat rate

  • The Economic Thicket of Generating Cost Comparisons

    Comparing the costs of differing electric generating technologies has become popular among advocates for particular technologies and those seeking to find the optimal approach to new generation. While getting

  • Show Preview: ELECTRIC POWER

    The ELECTRIC POWER Conference + Exhibition celebrates its 21st birthday this year, with the event scheduled for April 23–26 at the Mirage Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. ELECTRIC POWER for the past two

  • Autonomous Power Plant Takes Shape in Japan

    The world’s first autonomous combined cycle power plant is currently under construction at the Takasago Machinery Works facility in Japan, and it will be operational by 2020, according to Mitsubishi Hitachi

  • POWER Digest (April 2019): News Briefs from Around the World

    The Netherlands Orders Early Closure of Coal Plants. The Dutch government on March 8 told Swedish power producer Vattenfall to stop using coal at the 650-MW Hemweg-8 hard coal-fired unit in Amsterdam by the

  • Analytical Tool Helps HRSG Operators Compare Equipment Reliability

    Ever since deregulation came to the power industry, combined cycle plant managers have been trying to benchmark their production metrics and cycling costs against those of their competitors. There has always

  • Managing Thermal Quench Damage at Power Plants

    Attemperation equipment is necessary to control steam temperatures at many power plants. However, when the equipment functions improperly or the design is flawed, thermal quenching/shock can damage piping