News

AtkinsRéalis Group, a Canada-based global engineering services and nuclear company, on Dec. 12 said it has been chosen as the owner’s engineer for Energy Northwest’s small modular reactor (SMR) project in Washington state. “We are thrilled to see utilities worldwide turning to AtkinsRéalis to support strategic public-private-partnerships by leveraging the deployment of nuclear power technology,” […]

Steam is used for a wide variety of critical processes across many industrial sectors. For example, the food and beverage industry uses steam for sterilization of food processing equipment; cooking, pasteurization, and sterilization of food products; cleaning and sanitizing production lines; and providing heat for various food preparation processes. Pulp and paper facilities use steam […]

ExxonMobil is preparing to join the power generation business, seeing an opportunity to support the electricity supply for energy-intensive data centers. The company on Dec. 11 said it is designing what was referred to as a “massive” natural gas-fired power plant that would be dedicated to producing power for data centers. Reports said the facility […]

NET Power, developer of a novel gas-fired power plant that captures all atmospheric emissions, will explore deploying up to 1 GW of power capacity in Northern California with partner California Resources Corp. (CRC), California’s largest oil and gas producer.  CRC’s carbon management subsidiary, Carbon TerraVault (CTV), and NET Power signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) […]

Technology companies are looking at various ways to source electricity for energy-intensive data centers. Google on Dec. 10 unveiled a plan to join with several partners in supporting power generation, as part of what could be a $20 billion investment to develop industrial parks that would have renewable energy and energy storage built alongside those […]

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has named six companies that will compete for 10-year contracts totaling $2.7 billion for the supply of low-enriched uranium (LEU) to support the nation’s nuclear power fleet. The initiative seeks to reduce reliance on Russian imports and foster strong commercial sector investment to build out a resilient fuel supply […]

The latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) published Dec. 10 shows five states accounted for more than 70% of record U.S. natural gas production this year and last year, which includes a period when electricity generation from natural gas also reached new summer highs. The availability of domestic natural gas, along with […]

Electrolyzer equipment provider IMI said the company has supplied a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser to a pioneering research project examining the viability of using the by-product of hydrogen power generation in district heating systems. The project, which will be delivered by the Fraunhofer-Institution for Energy Infrastructures and Geothermal Systems in Zittau, Germany, is part […]

Arevon Energy, a renewable energy developer, owner, and operator, on Dec. 9 announced the start of operations at its Eland 1 Solar-plus-Storage Project in Kern County, California. Eland 1 is under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Southern California Public Power Authority. The project, located in Mojave, is a 384-MW solar project coupled with […]

Nostromo Energy, provider of the IceBrick thermal energy storage (TES) technology, said the company has received a conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $305.5 million from the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO). The proposed financing would be used by Nostromo for Project IceBrick, the first wide-scale deployment of […]

A major U.S. solar power developer announced it has a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Arizona Public Service (APS) for the energy produced from the Kitt Solar Project. Avantus, the former 8minute Solar Energy, on Dec. 9 said the PPA includes 100 MWac/130 MWdc of solar from the installation in Eloy, in Pinal County. It […]

Mitigating against the risk of hail for solar projects is both extremely complicated and more straightforward than you may think. Natural catastrophes (NatCat), particularly hail, pose a significant risk for solar projects and can lead to severe damage with cost impacts for projects and insurers. In this article, we look at the risk that hail […]

Amid growing pressure to optimize costs, dependability, and green initiatives, some power companies are beginning to reconsider their approaches to upgrading dated equipment. Refurbished elements provide a viable option to realize these objectives, enabling companies to address the challenges of power plant maintenance and upgrade. All plants need to be updated at some point in […]

GE Vernova secured a contract with 50Hertz Transmission GmbH to deliver advanced STATCOM technology, supporting Germany’s transition to a renewable energy future The 300 Mvar FACTSFLEX GFM solution, with Grid Forming Control, will enhance grid stability and resilience as Germany integrates more renewable energy sources STATCOM units will be deployed at key substations in Germany, […]

Planning and operating a power system requires detailed grid studies to guide investment decisions and prepare for how the system may evolve over time. Long-term planning can identify the policy, regulatory, infrastructure, and operational updates that may be needed to achieve desired outcomes. Also, comprehensive planning can identify operating limits, determine performance improvements, assess mitigation […]

Cuban researchers have identified 21 areas in the country with favorable conditions for the installation of wind farms. These areas are mainly located on the north-central-eastern coast, from the provinces of Camagüey to Holguín, in the south of the eastern region and in the westernmost southern portion of Pinar del Río province. Alfredo Rodríguez, coordinator […]

A major Pennsylvania coal-fired power plant, the largest coal-burning facility in the state before it was closed in 2023, may be converted to a natural gas-fired station. Officials in Homer City on Dec. 3 announced plans to restart the Homer City Generating Station and increase its generating capacity through burning natural gas. A redevelopment group […]

Russia has launched its third cycle of testing innovative uranium-plutonium REMIX fuel at the Balakovo Nuclear Power Plant in Saratov Oblast, a key step that advances the closed nuclear fuel cycle technology. Designed to recycle spent nuclear fuel (SNF), the REMIX assemblies could significantly expand the raw material base for nuclear energy while reducing radioactive […]

Cuba suffered another massive blackout on Wednesday, Dec. 4—the latest in a series of devastating grid disruptions that have plagued the island in recent years. While authorities reported swift restoration—completed just after midnight on Dec. 5—the event has further underscored the growing strain on the island’s fragile energy system. Since 2020, Cuba has endured more […]

Houston-based geothermal technology firm Quaise Energy is exploring how geothermal heat could hybridize and decarbonize a remote, privately owned power coal-fired plant that supports mining operations at Nevada Gold Mines (NGM), the single largest gold-producing complex in the world. A Dec. 3-announced partnership between Quaise and NGM— a joint venture company owned by Barrick Gold […]

A Canada-based energy group reportedly has withdrawn from a $2 billion carbon capture project in North Dakota. Project Tundra, which aimed to capture carbon dioxide from flue gas from two coal-fired units at the 705-MW Milton R. Young Station near Center, North Dakota, is now in limbo just two months after securing more than $4 […]

Recent advancements dramatically reduce loss due to weather conditions, but there is still much more the industry must do. Solar energy skeptics have long argued about its supposed unreliability. “The sun doesn’t always shine!” is their most common refrain. While this argument is easily discounted, it is true that environmental conditions can affect the energy […]

As the global energy landscape evolves towards renewable sources, electric utilities and power plant operators are increasingly focused on effective carbon management to mitigate their environmental impact. Carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) has become essential in this context, particularly in monitoring carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power generation processes. Recent projections highlight the growing […]

The surge in adoption of renewable energy driven by carbon neutrality policies has created operational challenges for large thermal power plants. These plants must now accommodate rapid load fluctuations and offer flexible operation, which involves adjusting their outputs rapidly as the renewable generators’ outputs fluctuate. However, operating beyond original design specifications places additional stress on […]

Hydrogen is becoming increasingly important to the electric power generation industry for several reasons. One is that hydrogen offers a promising pathway to decarbonize the power sector. When used in fuel cells or burned for electricity generation, hydrogen produces only water vapor as a byproduct, making it a zero-emission energy source. This is crucial for […]

Facebook parent Meta wants to find developers that can provide nuclear reactors to support electricity demand from the tech company’s data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) efforts. The group said the new generation capacity also could support local power grids. Meta on Dec. 3 announced a request for proposals (RFP) “to identify nuclear energy developers […]

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized how industries operate, and data centers have become the nerve center of this transformation. From streaming services to real-time collaboration tools, the data centers that house and manage our digital lives are expanding rapidly to meet the surging demand. Yet, as AI’s impact and importance grow, so […]

In the rapidly evolving landscape of power generation, companies are increasingly integrating smart grids and artificial intelligence (AI) into their operations. This transition, while promising enhanced efficiency and reliability, also brings forth a myriad of challenges, particularly in the realms of cybersecurity and legal compliance. This commentary delves into three legal issues around emerging cybersecurity […]

GE Vernova said it has secured an order with Dominion Energy South Carolina to modernize two hydropower units at the Saluda Hydro facility on the Saluda River about 10 miles west of Columbia, South Carolina. The company on Dec. 2 said the project “will help extend the lifetime, reliability, performance, and operational flexibility of the […]

Driven by artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and the digital transformation, U.S. data centers consumed an estimated 150 TWh of electricity in 2023—equivalent to around 3% of the nation’s power demand. Globally, data center demand hovered at 340 TWh in 2023—about 1.3% of worldwide electricity use. Multiple sources project this demand will surge dramatically through […]