News

Regional grid operator PJM Interconnection last week told developers of the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline (PATH) that the 275-mile, 765-kV project was the most “robust and effective” means to ensure long-term reliability of the Mid-Atlantic grid, and that it was imperative it be placed into service by June 1, 2015.

A solid organic electric battery based on treated potatoes that was introduced by researchers at Hebrew University of Jerusalem promises to provide an inexpensive solution for parts of the world lacking in electrical infrastructure.

Burning forest trees for power can result in an initial “carbon debt” because it releases more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per unit of energy than oil, coal, or natural gas, before it reduces carbon dioxide, sometimes over decades, according to a six-month-long study commissioned by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER).

Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) on Tuesday released the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) economic analysis of their American Power Act (APA), a bill that would establish a multi-sector cap-and-trade program. The analysis finds that the bill would keep allowance prices low while keeping household costs to a minimum.

Last week the U.S. Senate defeated by a 47–53 vote a resolution submitted by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) that disapproved of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) finding that greenhouse gas emissions threaten public health and welfare.

A deluge of rain in the Northwest is forcing hydropower turbines in the Columbia River system to work overtime. During the past few days, the 31 federally operated dams in the region have been running at full capacity—12,000 MW—generating 144% more than normal. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), asking regional utilities to back generation down, has been giving power away almost for free since Wednesday.

Nuclear energy will be key to combating climate change, and nearly 25% of global electricity could be generated from nuclear reactors by 2050, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its Nuclear Energy Technology Roadmap, released today.

A U.S. District judge on Tuesday allowed a lawsuit filed by environmental groups that challenges a permit for Southwestern Electric Power Co.’s (SWEPCO’s) John W. Turk plant to stand.

The FIFA World Cup 2010—a month-long soccer tournament that is arguably the biggest sports event on the planet—officially kicked off on Friday in South Africa. As grid operators and utilities all over the globe braced for power consumption surges, some governments went to lengths to enable fans to enjoy uninterrupted coverage of the matches.

The U.S. market for small wind turbines expanded by 15% in 2009 and accounted for about half of the units sold globally, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).

PPL Corp.’s Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Luzerne County, Pa., is the nation’s largest boiling water reactor (BWR) in terms of thermal power and generating capacity, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The plant’s Unit 1, which recently completed equipment and system upgrades during a recent scheduled refueling and maintenance outage, boasts 3,952 MWth and 1,300 MWe when operating at full capacity.

A new rule for sulfur dioxide (SO₂) set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday sets a new one-hour health standard, changes monitoring requirements, and modifies the Air Quality Index. Full implementation of revised primary National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for SO₂ by 2020 could cost the electric power industry nearly $700 million a year, the agency said.

A report released last week by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) identifies cyber attacks, pandemics, and electromagnetic disturbances as “high-impact, low-frequency” (HILF) risks that could significantly affect the reliability of the North American bulk power system.

The ability to detect and track the movement of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in underground geologic storage reservoirs—an important component of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology—has been successfully demonstrated at a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) New Mexico test site.

Geothermal developer AltaRock Energy and Davenport Newberry, a company specializing in the development and management of geothermal opportunities, announced plans this week to conduct a demonstration of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) technology at a site located near Bend, Ore.

Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) and the Arkansas Public Service Commission (APSC) on Tuesday asked the Arkansas Supreme Court for a rehearing, after the high court last month overturned a 2007 permit awarded by the PSC to the utility’s 600-MW John W. Turk, Jr. power plant. SWEPCO said that it plans to continue construction of the $1.7 billion project—the nation’s first ultrasupercritical coal plant—to meet its commitments to serve the company’s customers in three states.

CMS Energy subsidiary Consumers Energy last week announced that it is deferring the development of an 830-MW coal-fired power plant planned for Hampton Township. State regulators had last year approved an air permit for the $2 billion-plus project on the condition that it use stringent emission controls and that it was ready for carbon capture and sequestration when the technology was feasible.

Mississippi Power Co. on Thursday said it would proceed with plans to build a 582-MW integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plant as proposed in Kemper County after the Mississippi Public Service Commission (MPSC) relaxed restrictions it had placed on the project.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Friday dismissed without rehearing, on procedural grounds, a controversial climate change “public nuisance” case in which 14 individuals had filed a class-action lawsuit against insurance, coal, and chemical companies, seeking relief for property damages resulting from Hurricane Katrina.

Depressed power demand due to a slow economic recovery will continue to be a major driver affecting bulk power system reliability during the summer months, the North American Reliability Corp. (NERC) said last week in its annual summer reliability assessment report.

Carol Browner, director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, trusts the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report’s conclusions that anthropogenic carbon emissions are the primary cause of climate change. When pressed, the customary response of Browner and other proponents has been to rely on that oft-cited list of 2,500 scientists said to have given their full support of the report’s conclusions. Browner should check her facts.

Dresser Waukesha is a familiar name associated with large, gas-fueled stationary engines for power generation and gas compression applications around the world. Each new project location presents a unique set of site variables that must be taken into consideration—such as fuel quality, air/fuel ratio, temperature, humidity, altitude, load, and exhaust after-treatment—when providing the customer a meaningful performance guarantee. To fully characterize every engine option with such a wide range of fuel types and quality and in widely varying environmental conditions across the global is an impossible chore.

An oil skimmer could simplify your plant water maintenance activiites.

IMI Sensors released model 682A09 ICP In-Line 4-20 mA Vibration Transmitter, a device that installs with any industrial accelerometer and converts the vibration signal to a 4-20 mA velocity output that can be trended with today’s PLC, DCS, or SCADA control room systems. Its sleek design installs right into the cable run. No DIN rails, […]

Types 510 and 511 diaphragm seals are the newest addition to Ashcroft’s line of instrument media isolators. These economical, all-welded seals protect pressure gauges, transmitters, switches, and other instruments against the potentially harmful effects of caustic media. The seals are available for use with ranges from vacuum through 5,000 psi, and they can be threaded […]

GD Nash introduced the new 2BE4 series vacuum pumps and compressors, a redesign and upgrade of the existing 2BE3 series. The 2BE4 series includes optimized inlet and discharge porting for enhanced performance, and cylindrical roller bearings for improved load ratings and increased reliability (bearing upgrade is possible in existing 2BE3s). The series also includes optional […]

Rental Solutions & Services (RSS), a global provider of rental power and cooling, recently launched its latest product offering, temporary desalination, or mobile water. The company, which recently opened a new office in Cyprus to serve the Mediterranean market, says its rental desalination, or mobile water technology has various applications, especially where freshwater is scarce […]

Caterpillar introduced the G3512E, an advanced natural gas–fueled generator set that was designed for maximum efficiency in extended-duty distributed generation and combined heat and power (CHP) applications. Driven by a Caterpillar electronically controlled, lean-burn gaseous-fueled reciprocating engine, the G3512E generator set offers high power density and fuel efficiency while maintaining tight NOx control. It provides […]

ESAB Cutting Systems launched the Falcon FXA, a small gantry-cutting machine that is designed for improved cutting performance. The machine features heavy-duty gantry, rack-and-pinion drives, digital AC drive amplifiers, and AC brushless motors. It comes with three tools—two oxy-fuel torches and one plasma—and covers a 6-inch by 12-inch working area. These process tools allow the […]

Nonprofit Ohio utility American Municipal Power (AMP) last week said it would begin shutting down the 213-MW Richard H. Gorsuch Generating Station (RHGS), a 1950’s vintage coal-fired power plant located near Marietta, Ohio, as part of a New Source Review (NSR) settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).