News

Joe Grimes, executive vice president of generation with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), gave the keynote presentation during the ELECTRIC POWER Conference and Exhibition, which was held March 19–22 in Nashville, Tennessee. His presentation focused on steps TVA is taking to diversify its generation portfolio in order to reduce risks and keep costs as low […]

The Watts Bar 2 nuclear unit has a lengthy and well-chronicled history. Construction began on the unit in 1973. It was suspended in 1985 due to slower electricity demand growth, rising construction costs due to inflation and new regulatory requirements stemming from the accident at Three Mile Island in 1979, and regulatory concerns throughout the […]

Battery storage’s emergence as a tool to boost grid reliability and a viable project finance opportunity is good news for utilities and grid operators, said Moody’s Investor Service in an infrastructure and project report on March 19. The ratings agency noted that currently, lithium ion battery costs hover at about $400/kWh installed—the battery itself which […]

Giant U.S. energy holding company Duke Energy in a new report outlined for shareholders how it will achieve a goal updated last year to reduce its 2030 carbon dioxide emissions 40% compared to 2005 and achieve a “science-based 2-degree target.” The company’s 2017 Climate Report to Shareholders made public on March 22 unveils a strategy […]

The 20th annual ELECTRIC POWER Conference and Exhibition wrapped up on March 22. The event included nearly 200 exhibitors, with many offering interesting demonstrations of innovative new products. A sampling of some are presented below. Deep Trekker Inc. supplies high-quality, commercial-grade, remotely operated vehicles—underwater drones—specifically designed and developed to make underwater observation easy and affordable. […]

COSTA MESA, Calif.: 21 March 2018 — Utilities are among the lowest-performing industry groups when it comes to delivering distinct digital customer experiences, but some pioneers have found the secret to digital success, according to the J.D. Power 2018 Utility Digital Experience Study,SM. [For a chart showing utility rankings, click here: http://www.jdpower.com/press-releases/jd-power-2018-utility-digital-experience-study] The inaugural study evaluates […]

The rise of digital technologies for power plants has moved in fits and starts over the past several years, with some generators quickly embracing digitization of their assets while others are looking to justify potential investments. Suppliers of digital technologies have widely marketed the benefits, but many generators are looking to current end users for […]

Turbine manufacturers continue to upgrade their products with technology enhancements to meet market demands for more flexibility and higher efficiency. Suppliers for combined cycle power plants outlined several of those advancements during POWER magazine’s ELECTRIC POWER Conference + Exhibition in Nashville, Tennessee this week. Executives from Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems America (MHPS), Siemens, and GE […]

Rosatom in a March 21 statement said changes to the ownership group involved with Turkey’s first nuclear power plant should not further delay construction of the facility, which has struggled with setbacks since the Russian nuclear corporation was awarded the construction contract in 2010. The Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (Figure 1) is a planned 4,800-MW […]

Held once again in Düsseldorf, Germany’s huge exhibition center March 13–15, the 12th annual International Renewable Energy Storage (IRES) Conference and Energy Storage Europe Conference attracted roughly 4,500 international visitors, and more than 170 exhibitors, from over 60 nations. While showcasing the latest in energy storage technologies, presenters discussed developing markets worldwide, offered detailed case […]