News

PJM Interconnection has approved $1.8 billion in electric transmission system additions and grid upgrades to enhance the reliability of its power supply system. The grid operator’s system serves parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia. On Friday, it said the upgrades and improvements authorized by its board comprised dozens of projects. Most new […]

Belgian utility Electrabel has threatened legal action if the country’s government enacts a bill that would force the its two nuclear operators to pay a € 250 million ($336 million) tax. The one-time levy would force Electrabel and SPE to contribute to the 2008 financial year. If they do not comply, a penalty of 2% […]

A regional system plan for 2008 released Friday by ISO New England Inc. forecasts that the region is likely to have sufficient capacity to meet electricity demand through 2014, but significant challenges—such as major transmission upgrades—remain for the region New England Inc. is the operator of the region’s bulk power system and wholesale electricity markets. […]

As fluid passes through Exact Flow’s new DX-DL dual-rotor turbine flowmeter, the dual rotors become hydraulically coupled due to their counter-rotation. Not only does this allow the rotors to overcome the inertia and drag that typically affect single-rotor turbine flowmeters, it also extends the flow range to 500:1—five times the 100:1 flow range of a […]

Enclosure manufacturer Rittal Corp.’s latest products are designed to be incorporated into electrical systems to help ensure safety against arc flash hazards. Data interface flaps, shown here, provide rapid system access via integrated USB, SUB-D9 RJ 45, and NEMA 5-15 sockets when needed. The affected enclosure remains closed and is thereby protected from ambient influences […]

GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies’ new family of ultrasonic flaw detectors incorporates conventional and phased array ultrasound technology in three upgradeable models: Phasor CV, Phasor 16/16 Weld, and Phasor XS. Each solution, designed for applications ranging from corrosion monitoring to defect detection and sizing, is compliant with all major inspection codes. The Phasor XS (shown […]

An advanced seal technology for hydraulic bolt tensioners recently developed by UK-based Boltight Ltd. takes advantage of the latest composite materials to eliminate oil leakage while allowing the tensioning piston to be retracted more easily after use. The new seals are a two-piece self-energizing design with an “O” ring made from a self-lubricating and durable […]

Hawk Measurement Systems has launched a new line of “fourth generation” sonar transducers designed for improved sensing of interface levels in clarifiers and thickeners. The new transducer designs include three to seven sonar crystals mounted in a single head. Each sonar array produces a concentrated sonar beam, providing more emitted power and collecting more returned […]

No U.S. federal standards exist to limit worker exposure to hand-arm vibration (HAV), but the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health suggests that high HAV acceleration levels (5-36 m/s2) can cause physical effects—and even permanent injury—if left unchecked and untreated. A new series of triaxial accelerometers launched this August by PCB Piezotronics’ Larson Davis […]

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Pranab Mukherjee, her Indian counterpart, signed a pact Friday that allows U.S. equipment and service providers to support India’s plans to increase the country’s nuclear capacity.     The accord seals the “123 Agreement,” an historic deal that lifts a 34-year-old ban on U.S.-Indian civilian nuclear trade. After three […]