News
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O&M
Precision and Partnership Spur Innovations for Nuclear Project
Replacing two 40-year-old feedwater heaters at a plant of Oconee Nuclear Station’s size and age was fated to be a complicated project, but through meticulous modeling and planning, and seamless
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IIOT Power
Network-Level Optimization: The Golden Ticket to the Future of Energy
To remain efficient and profitable, utilities must anticipate the ebb and flow of the market. That means companies must gain visibility into the generation and consumption of energy. With network-level
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Renewables
China Sets a New Renewable Portfolio Standard
China in mid-September increased its renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to 35% of electricity consumption by 2030. The country has already heavily invested in wind and solar, and it anticipates more gains will
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IIOT Power
How Digital Intelligence Can Be a Difference-Maker for Power Plants
Advanced technology now makes it possible for computers to do many of the monitoring and diagnostic tasks that used to require seasoned experts. Artificial intelligence and machine learning tools are being
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Legal & Regulatory
A Legal Guide to Power Generation Mergers and Acquisitions
A myriad of issues come into play when parties execute power industry mergers and acquisitions. Part 1 of this two-part series examines what dealmakers need to know before making any transactions
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O&M
Equipment Showcase: Valves, Piping, and Fittings
Proper valves, pipes, and fittings are important for successful operation of power generation facilities. This equipment includes products with versatile designs to establish effective joining and sealing
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Nuclear
Big Gains for Tiny Nuclear Reactors
As the hubbub of interest and activity surrounds development of small modular reactors (SMRs) hovering between 60 MW and 300 MW, and medium-sized nuclear reactors of under 700 MW, several nuclear technology
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IIOT Power
Advanced Process Control for Optimizing Flue Gas Desulfurization
Coal-fired power plants can significantly improve wet limestone scrubbing with advanced process control. One optimization system implemented at a Japanese facility utilized enhanced regulatory control
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Renewables
New Zealand’s Largest Geothermal Plant Comes Online
New Zealand’s largest geothermal plant was synchronized to the country’s national grid in October. The project took just more than three years to complete. Eastland Group, a Gisborne, New Zealand-based
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Commentary
Users’ Groups Provide Value to Plant Operators
If you look up the history of users’ groups, you’ll find that many early organizations focused on computers. While it’s hard to confirm all the details, at least one source suggested that the first
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Nuclear
Takahama a Model for Japanese Nuclear Restarts
The challenges for Japan’s nuclear power industry have been many in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. Returning units to commercial operation requires meeting new government safety standards, along with
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O&M
Using Throttling Valves for Blowdown and Other Power Plant Applications
Understanding which valve to use in which application is essential to operate a steam power plant as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. For example, a critical step in steam power generation is
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Renewables
POWER Digest [November 2018]
Ørsted Snaps Up Deepwater Wind in Major U.S. Offshore Wind Deal. Danish offshore wind farm developer Ørsted in October entered into an agreement with U.S.-based D.E. Shaw Group to buy a 100% equity interest
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Gas
Duke Energy Brings First 820 MW of New Florida Gas Plant Online
Duke Energy has brought the first power block of its new $1.5 billion combined cycle gas plant in Citrus County, Florida, online. Duke said the facility located north of Crystal River—an area long known as home to the now-closed Crystal River Nuclear Plant—is among the largest combined cycle projects in the country, and it is […]
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Renewables
Report: Investments in Coal Risky, Billions in Assets Could Be Stranded
A study from a London-based group focused on financial aspects of the energy industry said up to $60 billion of coal-fired power generation assets may be stranded in Southeast Asia in the next 10 years. The study released this week by Carbon Tracker said renewable energy resources and more-stringent environmental policies make investments in new […]
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Research and Development
A Satellite View of Hurricane Michael’s Power Outages
After Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, as a category 4 storm on October 10, it moved across Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and southeastern Virginia on October 11, and finally out into the Atlantic on October 12. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration office, the storm […]
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Press Releases
Fluor Awarded Valero Cogeneration Project in Wales
IRVING, Texas and FARNBOROUGH, UK (October 30, 2018) – Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) announced today that it was awarded the engineering, procurement and construction of Valero Energy Corporation’s combined heat and power cogeneration project at its Pembroke Refinery in Wales, UK. Fluor booked the undisclosed contract value in the third quarter of 2018. “We are […]
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Press Releases
X-ELIO and Sofos Harbert announce partnership to develop solar projects in the US
X-Elio and Sofos Harbert have entered into an agreement to create a Joint Venture for the development of solar energy projects in the US It is expected that the new company will be initially focused on the Southeastern market of the United States The new group has confirmed its intention to expand to other markets […]
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Coal
More Losses for FirstEnergy; FES Seeks Policy Support Amid Bankruptcy
Despite significant milestones to become a fully regulated utility, FirstEnergy Corp. on October 25 reported third-quarter losses of $512 million on revenue of $3.1 billion. The results largely reflect charges related to the court-approved settlement in the bankruptcy cases of its competitive subsidiaries FirstEnergy Solutions (FES) and FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co. (FENOC), the company said. […]
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Press Releases
POWER Announces Strategic Partnership
The 2019 HRSG User’s Group Annual Meeting will co-locate with the 2019 ELECTRIC POWER Conference & Exhibition in Las Vegas, Nevada, offering extended conference content for both conferences and allowing HRSG User’s Group vendors to exhibit with the ELECTRIC POWER Exhibition. Houston, TX, October 29, 2018 – POWER announced today the co-location of the HRSG […]
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Commentary
What Is Coal’s Future? [PODCAST]
The Jackson Hole Center for Global Affairs—a bipartisan think tank—will host the “Jackson Hole Global Forum: Climate Solutions, Coal Communities, and Economic Diversification,” in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, November 8–9, 2018. Among the sessions on day one is a panel titled “What Is Coal’s Future?” Charles K. Ebinger, nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council, will […]
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Press Releases
U.S. Department of Energy Awards GE $33.7 Million to Strengthen the Resilience of Nuclear Reactor Fuel
GE’s Global Research Center and Nuclear fuel business partnering with three National Labs (Los Alamos, Oak Ridge and Idaho) and with the Exelon and Southern Company utilities to develop and test more advanced fuel rod technologies Project will tap Global Research’s deep technical strength in materials science, 3D printing and jet engine technologies to develop […]
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IIOT Cyber
Three Newly Approved CIP Reliability Standards for Cybersecurity Will Be Costly
Entities with industrial control systems (ICS) associated with bulk electric system (BES) operations must develop and implement plans that include security controls for supply chain management, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) ordered in a final rule that formally adopts three new critical infrastructure protection (CIP) reliability standards. FERC on October 18 issued Order No. […]
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Renewables
NRG Renews Emphasis on Retail with PPA-Free Renewables Service
NRG Energy, which recently shed a substantial portion of its competitive generation portfolio and has shifted efforts to stimulate growth of its retail business, unveiled a simplified renewables procurement process that does not require a power purchase agreement (PPA). The company on October 18 launched “Renewable Select,” a plan that it says transforms the “lengthy […]
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Connected Plant
Companies Will Collaborate on Blockchain Tool for U.S. Power Market
A subsidiary of grid operator PJM Interconnection has joined with a Switzerland-based group to build and evaluate a blockchain-based tool to help the U.S. power generation industry. Energy Web Foundation (EWF) and PJM Environmental Information Services (PJM-EIS) on October 25 said they would collaborate on developing and testing a reference implementation of EWF’s open-source Energy […]
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Nuclear
Now Two AP1000 Reactors in Commercial Operation, Vogtle Makes Progress Too
Unit 1 at the Haiyang nuclear power plant in Shandong, China, successfully completed a 168-hour full-power continuous operation test, meeting the requirement for commercial operation, State Power Investment Corp. Ltd. announced on October 23. Its AP1000 reactor is the first nuclear unit to be placed in operation in Shandong, an eastern province on the Yellow […]
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IIOT Power
ServiceMax Launches New Predix ASM Software for Equipment Operators
Proactive equipment maintenance continues to be a priority for power plant operators. ServiceMax, a GE Digital company that provides field service management software, on October 25 announced it has launched its Predix ServiceMax Asset Service Management (ASM), a new offering to help operators “transform their entire asset maintenance process from a break-fix model to a […]
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Press Releases
Innovative Mercury Remediation System Has Been Successfully Demonstrated to Reduce Contamination in Power Plant Wastewater
Aqua Metrology Systems (AMS), has recently completed the successful demonstration of a proof of concept for the removal of dissolved mercury (Hg2+) in power plant wastewater. The SafeGuard™ H2O system developed by AMS offers a low-cost, reliable remediation system proven to address a range of trace metal contaminants, including ionic mercury. With more than 300 coal […]
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Press Releases
Charah Solutions Offers Innovative Thermal Process Technology for Fly Ash Beneficiation – MP618™
New Proven Technology Expected to Increase Charah Solutions’ Supply of High-Quality Fly Ash and Expand Byproduct Sales Offerings LOUISVILLE, KY – Charah® Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: CHRA), a leading provider of environmental and maintenance services to the power generation industry, today announced the launch of a proprietary fly ash thermal beneficiation technology that improves the quality […]
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Press Releases
Unprecedented power station asset sale announced
Global advisory and asset management specialist, Gordon Brothers has announced the exceptional sale of major power generation equipment from the UK power station, Seal Sands in Teesside, North East England. This unique sale is unparalleled with in the industry due to the pristine, virtually unused condition of the equipment. The majority of assets are unused […]