News
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Supply Chains
U.S. Seeks Bids for Domestic Low-Enriched Uranium to Counter Russian Influence
In a strategic move to jumpstart domestic uranium enrichment capacity in the U.S., the Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a request for proposals (RFP) to buy low-enriched uranium (LEU) from domestic suppliers. The RFP will seek LEU through procurement contracts for indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery (IDIQ). It could result in awards of “two […]
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Nuclear
Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 Win POWER’s Plant of the Year Award
Adding new reactors to the U.S.’s fleet of nuclear power plants doesn’t happen every day. In fact, prior to the addition of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4, it hadn’t been done from scratch in decades
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Hydrogen
Efficiency in Production at Heart of Bloom Technology
Decarbonization of power generation and other industrial sectors relies on hydrogen, and a Bloom Energy demonstration project is supporting the fuel’s production through an advanced electrolyzer system. The
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Top Plant
Epasa Breakthrough Transforms Heavy Fuel Oil Sludge into Resource Stream
Brazilian independent power generator Epasa faced significant environmental and operational challenges with heavy fuel oil sludge. Through innovative engineering and problem-solving, the company developed a
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Renewables
Hydropower Remains Renewable Leader Despite Climate Challenges
As the oldest renewable energy resource, hydropower is well-established as a reliable source of dispatchable energy. Yet, it is often overlooked and taken for granted. It’s commonly believed that hydro’s
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Trends
Energy Evolution: What Technologies Are Leading the Way Today
It’s not uncommon to hear people talk about the energy transition. Yet, throughout its history, the power industry has almost always been transitioning in one way or another. There are constantly new
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Gas
Mexico Increases Reliance on Natural Gas to Support Electricity Demand
Mexico is ramping up its use of natural gas for power generation, with several plants coming online in recent years, and at least 10 more (Table 1) expected to come online this year, next year, or in 2026. The
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Wind
Measuring the Prospects for Wind Energy in 2024 and Beyond
The wind energy industry has been on an exponential growth curve for more than a decade. POWER looks at the drivers behind the growth and predictions for the future. Nearly 200 countries made major collective
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Combined Heat and Power
The Heating Sector: A CO2 Headache or a Hidden Treasure?
The combination of combined heat and power plants with thermal energy storage and industrial heat pumps provides a sustainable and efficient heating sector option. In recent years there has been a growing
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Commentary
The World Wants Nuclear Power Again—America Can Lead
After a decades-long slowdown marked by fits and starts, the U.S. is once again building and innovating in nuclear power. In April, the second of two new nuclear units went into service at Georgia Power’s
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O&M
Next-Gen Geospatial, AI, and Other Tech Is Critical for Utilities to Mitigate Wildfires
The danger of wildfires has risen dramatically over the past two decades as more extreme temperatures and more volatile weather patterns have increased the frequency and intensity of fires. The most prominent examples of this have been in the western U.S. and Canada, but wildfire risks are rising in every geographic area of North America. […]
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Commentary
Federal Court Blocks Attempt by Coal Power Plants to Evade Cleaning Up Coal Ash Sites
The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., on June 28 blocked the coal power industry’s attempt to get out of the requirement that they prevent toxic coal ash from contaminating groundwater. The court affirmed that the EPA regulations established in 2015 already prohibit closing coal ash dumps with ash sitting in groundwater. Industry filed […]
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Wind
Coating Technologies Crucial for Offshore Wind Farms
Efforts to combat climate change drive the growth of renewable energy technologies as governments and utility companies increase investments in solar and wind installations to meet rising electricity demands. Onshore wind is a well-developed market, while offshore wind is beginning to expand due to its high production efficiency and significant energy production potential. According to […]
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O&M
Rugged Mobile Devices Enhance OPPD Operations
Many power companies have turned to digital technology to streamline operations and improve worker efficiency. One example is Omaha Public Power District (OPPD), the 12th-largest public power utility in the U.S. OPPD recently decided to deploy hundreds of semi-rugged TOUGHBOOK 55 devices across multiple units, including meter technicians, troubleshooters, line crews, and system protection and […]
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Coal
Tri-State Advances ERP With Unopposed Settlement Filing
Colorado electric cooperative Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association is proposing aid to coal communities in its service territory as part of an unopposed comprehensive settlement of the first phase of the group’s recent Electric Resource Plan (ERP). The company on June 27 said the filing is an important milestone in the energy transition of the […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Supreme Court Halts EPA’s ‘Good Neighbor Plan’
The U.S. Supreme Court in a 5–4 vote blocked enforcement of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) final “Good Neighbor Plan,” a rule intended to significantly cut smog-forming nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution from power plants and other industrial facilities in 23 states. In the meantime, the applicants, which include the states of Ohio, Indiana, and West […]
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Press Releases
Mobideo revolutionizes turnaround planning at Delek’s El Dorado refinery with the launch of its Digital Twin, powered by R2S
Houston, June 26, 2024: Mobideo, a global technology leader specializing in the digital transformation of industrial workforces, announces the launch of the Mobideo Digital Twin, powered by R2S. The innovative Shutdown, Turnaround and Outage (STO) planning platform, designed for asset-intensive industries went live at Delek’s refinery based in El Dorado, Arkansas on June 24, 2024. […]
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T&D
Strengthening America’s Electric Power Grid: How the Government and Industry Are Improving T&D Systems
The U.S. transmission and distribution (T&D) network is reliable and well-maintained, but as renewable energy continues being added to the grid, and demand increases due to growing data center needs and the electrification of transportation and manufacturing processes, work is necessary to keep up with the changing times. The U.S. government understands the need for […]
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News
GE Vernova Building Synchronous Condenser Sites to Support New York Grid
GE Vernova said it has been awarded a contract by National Grid’s upstate New York business to supply and construct two separate 115 kV synchronous condenser sites at the company’s Coffeen and Taylorville substations. GE Vernova on June 26 said it will install three synchronous condenser machines, including Prolec GE generator step-up (GSU) transformers, at […]
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Nuclear
First-Ever Additively Manufactured Debris-Filtering Bottom Nozzles Installed at Farley Nuclear Plant
Southern Nuclear, a subsidiary of Southern Company and operator of more than 8.2 GW of nuclear power capacity, said it has completed the installation of lead test assemblies with additively manufactured debris-filtering bottom nozzles (AMBN) at Alabama Power’s Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant. The AMBN assemblies are a new technology manufactured by Westinghouse Electric Co. […]
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Energy Security
Mitigating EMP and GMD Risks for Power Grid Resilience
Risks posed by geomagnetic disturbance (GMD) and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) events add challenges to an already complex power system environment. But they remain crucial to address. How prepared is the power grid to withstand these powerful natural and man-made disturbances? On the evening of May 10, grid operator PJM Interconnection activated a rare geomagnetic disturbance […]
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T&D
Building a Better Grid—Infrastructure Upgrades Require Ingenuity, Innovation, and Investment
The need for more reliability and resilience of power delivery, both in the U.S. and worldwide, has utilities and grid operators looking for solutions to the challenge of bolstering the electricity supply. Electric grid infrastructure, both in the U.S. and other parts of the world, needs an upgrade. Increased power demand from energy-intensive industries such […]
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T&D
The Transformer Crisis: An Industry on the Brink
Facing unprecedented lead times and skyrocketing costs, the transformer supply chain crisis threatens the backbone of the electric power industry, driving urgent calls for increased manufacturing capacity and innovative solutions. Can the industry rise to the challenge? For several years now, the power sector has frantically raised the alarm about an impending transformer supply chain […]
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Distributed Energy
Microgrids Take Major Role for Reliability, Resiliency
An array of technologies, both thermal and renewable, are being used in the design of microgrids, supporting distributed power generation across several sectors. The use of microgrids to provide reliable power for critical infrastructure is growing, and these off-grid installations also are becoming more prevalent as part of commercial and industrial (C&I) enterprises and residential […]
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T&D
High-Voltage Power Transmission Projects Are Booming Around the World
High-voltage power transmission systems are more important today than ever before because power generated at renewable energy sites in remote locations must often be transmitted to distant load centers. Several state-of-the-art projects being done around the world are reviewed below. The majority of major electric power transmission lines in the U.S. are 115-kV, 230-kV, or […]
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T&D
Planning for a Reliable and Resilient Electric Power Grid
In the U.S., regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and independent system operators (ISOs) are responsible for overseeing the reliable operation of the high-voltage transmission system within their respective regions. In other countries, transmission system operators (TSOs) perform similar roles. In most cases, the primary objectives of these entities are to ensure the reliable and efficient operation […]
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T&D
What Does It Take to Bring Stability to a Renewable-Focused Grid?
As coal, gas, and nuclear plants are retired, and wind and solar resources are added to the power grid, stability can become a problem. Understanding the solutions that are available to help manage potential issues is important for decision-makers so they can select the best options for their system. Grid stability and system strength have […]
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Gas
Siemens Energy, GE Vernova Each Will Build Two, 2-GW Gas-Fired Power Stations in Saudi Arabia
Siemens Energy and GE Vernova each announced the companies would support construction of large combined-cycle power plants in Saudi Arabia as part of that country’s plan to increase its supply of electricity to support a growing population. The gas-fired facilities—Taiba 1 and 2, and Qassim 1 and 2—will be built in the western and central […]
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Legal & Regulatory
The ADVANCE Act—Legislation Crucial for a U.S. Nuclear Renaissance—Clears Congress. Here’s a Detailed Breakdown
The U.S. Senate has passed the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act, sweeping legislation that seeks to promote U.S. nuclear leadership, accelerate advanced nuclear technology development while preserving existing nuclear generation, bolster national security measures, and enhance regulatory efficiency to support new nuclear deployment. The Senate passed the bill on […]
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Renewables
Masdar Inks $3.4 Billion Deal to Acquire Greece Renewable Energy Major
Masdar, the Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy major, said it has agreed to buy Greece’s Terna Energy in a €3.2 billion ($3.4 billion) deal. The agreement signed June 20 is one of the largest renewable energy transactions in the history of the European Union. Masdar—also known as Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co.—said Thursday it had a […]