O&M

Power outages have become increasingly common, and longer in duration, due to extreme weather and temperature events. Behind-the-meter (BTM) batteries are proving their worth, as they have become more than niche devices quietly supporting backup power during storms. These batteries now offer vital support in an increasingly volatile energy ecosystem.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming one of the most significant drivers of global electricity demand. By 2030, data centre consumption is expected to more than double, from 415 TWh to 945 TWh, driven by AI-optimised servers that use up to 10 times the energy of traditional computing. In the U.S., data centres may account […]

In the nuclear energy sector, cybersecurity is inextricably linked to day-to-day operations. It directly impacts physical safety, system reliability, and regulatory compliance, which makes it a persistent challenge to protect highly sensitive systems without interrupting the work required to keep them running safely.

The challenge of upgrading how power is generated, along with needed improvements in electricity transmission and distribution, is being met in a variety of ways by an array of companies.

Global energy company GE Vernova announced the launch of another offering in the group’s GridBeats portfolio, which features software-defined automation solutions designed to modernize electrical grids by improving resilience, efficiency, and flexibility.

Xylem Inc., a global water solutions company, announced the launch of Sensus Evolve, its new intelligent grid platform designed to help electric utilities gain deeper insight, act faster, and adapt to a rapidly changing energy landscape.

Operators of aging F-class units face a narrowing window to plan for rotor life extensions as supply chains tighten and demand surges. The late 1990s and early 2000s marked a frenetic period in American power generation. Deregulation opened the floodgates for independent power producers racing to bring quick-build gas turbine plants online. GE’s 7FA and […]

In recent years, the artificial intelligence (AI) landscape has shifted from quiet curiosity to relentless noise. Conference taglines, vendor solicitations, and slide decks all seem to begin with the same question: What can AI do for you? And too often the answer comes in the form of a catalog of hundreds of “use cases,” neatly […]

Power systems today operate in an environment where reliability and safety must be maintained despite rising loads, expanding interconnections, and increasing dependence on distributed energy resources. One of the most important technologies that supports this stability is the digital overcurrent relay.

For more than 60 years, polyethylene (PE) and ethylene-propylene rubber (EPR) underground cables have powered communities, industries, and progress. The hope was these cables could last decades before needing to be replaced, but due to water treeing—microscopic moisture-induced formations that degrade insulation and threaten reliability, they’re aging more rapidly than expected. With traditional replacement being costly and labor-intensive, it was time for a new solution.

Hydropower is among the most mature and reliable renewable energy technologies, but its dependability rests on thousands of tonnes of rotating equipment humming quietly for decades. Generators are at the heart of those units, and their performance hinges on bearings that carry enormous radial and axial loads. When a bearing fails, the result is not […]

Global demand for power is increasing. In order to meet that demand, we need fast, dependable options. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are the fastest path to new capacity, thanks to their agile deployment and ability to support flexible interconnections.

The thermal utilization of sustainable fuels and the recovery of waste heat play a central role in today’s energy generation and the decarbonization of the global industry. Industrial boilers are the backbone of this transition and provide steam for district heating, process applications, and electricity generation. To unleash their potential, boilers must operate cleanly and […]

The power industry’s ambitious expansion plans for 2026 face an unexpected obstacle that has nothing to do with technology, regulations, or capital: there simply aren’t enough skilled workers to build and

Critical plant control systems can be vulnerable to both physical and remote attacks. Marnie and Maya demonstrate some of these vulnerabilities as they become white-hat hackers at a biomass power plant. The

Centralized remote monitoring is reshaping power plant operations, enabling specialized teams to oversee multiple facilities from a single location. This discussion examines the technology, benefits, and

Chicken Switch Hitter CBS ArcSafe, a leading manufacturer of remote racking and switching solutions for low- and medium-voltage switchgear, introduced the RSK-CSH-W Chicken Switch Hitter (Figure 1), a wireless

In reliability engineering, few indicators are as consistently revealing as the particles that infiltrate a lubrication system. Long before vibration, temperature, or performance changes become measurable

In early 2020, the prevailing narrative in the power sector was a continuation story of the developments from the decade before: renewable buildout will keep compounding, thermal capacity will keep retiring (albeit at a slower rate), markets will evolve to compensate for flexible generation products, capital will keep moving earlier in the development value chain […]

The hydropower industry stands at a critical juncture where traditional operation and maintenance are quickly becoming obsolete. As global energy demand surges and grid systems become increasingly dynamic, hydropower operators face unprecedented challenges in maintaining optimal machine performance under variable operating conditions while at the same time managing aging infrastructure and reduced staffing levels. Not […]

Global Energy Trends 2026   In this edition of Global Energy Trends, we examine how electricity markets are navigating the continued tug-of-war between the three aspects of the energy trilemma (affordability, sustainability and security) and how both innovation and inertia are shaping the sector. The climate signals of 2025 are harsh but clear. Heat, drought, […]

Utilities that provide natural gas to customers are investing in smart technologies to modernize their infrastructure. These measures are leading to better efficiency in gas delivery, while also enhancing safety measures along their delivery networks.

Lubricants used outside their design working conditions can bite you in unexpectedly painful ways. The morning of Monday, December 1, found Marnie Surfaceblow, vice president of Surfaceblow and Associates

Power company leaders face mounting challenges in asset management—keeping aging equipment reliable, integrating diverse assets from renewables to baseload units, and meeting strict reliability standards

A hydroelectric facility that first came online in 1903 stands as a testament to early 20th-century hydroelectric engineering. Although much of its original structure and machinery remains in service today, a recent breaker upgrade illustrates how thoughtful modernization and modern equipment built “like it used to be” can sustain aging infrastructure.

Negotiating contracts is a process that requires preparation and communication, as all parties work toward a mutually beneficial relationship. It’s particularly true for electric utilities, groups with multiple stakeholders in their projects. That includes the utilities themselves, their shareholders or other investors, and of course their customers.

Keith Kotimko is the U.S. Decommissioning and Demolition Leader for WSP, a full-service solution provider that offers comprehensive facility decommissioning and demolition services. Kotimko provided POWER with insight into the process of permanently shutting down a power generation facility. He emphasized that decommissioning is a separate activity from demolition.

Global shifts in energy demand are prompting power plants to reassess their production and efficiency needs. Energy-intensive AI data centers and increased renewable power loads to grids demand greater plant flexibility. Ramp-up and shutdown cycles require plants to rely more on cycle chemistry analytics to support fluctuations. The loss of personnel expertise due to layoffs […]

GOSSEN METRAWATT presents a new generation of multifunctional process calibrators for field use. The METRACAL CM series combines a calibrator and precise multimeter in a compact handheld device. Users can simultaneously simulate galvanically isolated sensor signals and measure output signals up to 30 VDC without time-consuming switching. The device measures and displays electrical quantities such […]

The retirement of older thermal power generation facilities, driven by a transition to cleaner forms of energy, has increased in recent years as utilities and other power generators mothball plants that are uneconomic or simply no longer needed.