O&M

Maintenance equipment and tools have always been important for plant operators. In the early days, the tools were likely made entirely of iron and steel, copper and brass, lead, leather, rubber, or glass. Some

Hazardous area solutions from foreign suppliers may not be tested to the same standards as those in general use across the U.S. It’s essential to understand there is tremendous liability to use those

The Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (CSCU) system wanted to install solar power to save money on energy costs, reduce its carbon footprint, and demonstrate its commitment to sustainability for

Power plants are planning very large investments in generators fueled by hydrogen, methane, mixtures, or ammonia. While hydrogen has the environmental advantage of zero carbon emissions, it has many disadvantages in terms of physical characteristics and safety. The demand on the valves, compressors, burners, NOx control, and other air, water, energy (AWE) products and services […]

Did you know that Val-Matic’s Plug Valves have 100% port? An excellent choice when you have more than just water flowing through your system such as when slurries, grit or solids are present. Its eccentric action allows the plug to rotate and lift out of it seated position minimizing rubbing or scraping. Features such as […]

Michell Bearings has secured an order from ANDRITZ Hydro Canada to provide three sets of PTFE thrust pads for the Sir Adam Beck I hydropower station Situated close to Niagara Falls and operated by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), the station diverts water from the Niagara and Welland rivers which is then released into the lower […]

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., March 14, 2022 – The Gas Turbine Filtration Division of Parker Hannifin Corporation, the global leader in motion and control technologies, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its clearcurrent® filtration solution. Since it was first introduced one decade ago, clearcurrent continues to provide customers in the power generation industry with improved gas […]

I’ve come to depend on the navigation system in my car. It predicts traffic jams, gives me the fastest route, informs me of store hours, and even tells me where to get a burger. To give me this experience, the navigation system draws on multiple data sources, puts it into context, and presents it through […]

Xcel Energy is exploring a role as operator of the 462-MWe Carbon-Free Power Project (CFPP), potentially becoming a key member of the first-of-its-kind small modular reactor (SMR) power plant that is under development at an Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site in Idaho Falls. The development is another sizable step for the six-module NuScale Power VOYGR project. […]

An innovative software program, coupled with an experienced team of engineers, allows plant operators to evaluate creep and fatigue stress in components exposed to more frequent cycling, thereby identifying

Severe weather conditions have a tremendous impact on our power grid as well as downstream costs for people, property, and brands that are costly and time-consuming to recover from. For example, Entergy New

Anthony Perera The U.S. is facing a growing power crisis. Millions of Texans were left without power for weeks during the severe winter storms of February 2021. Fears of summer blackouts across the western U.S.  were amplified by droughts and extreme heat. Hurricane Ida left another 1 million people throughout Louisiana, New York, and New […]

The U.S. power network received attention for tragic reasons in 2021. From February 10 through 20, Texas suffered a severe power crisis due to a confluence of catastrophic winter storms. Failures occurred across all types of electricity generation facilities—natural gas, coal, and nuclear plants shut down, and wind turbines froze. Problems cascaded, as the compressors […]

Scale removal is an important maintenance activity on heat exchangers and other industrial water handling equipment. Over time, calcium carbonate from hard water builds up on the surfaces of pipes and heat exchangers, reducing water flow and heat-transfer efficiency. Harsh minerals and organic acids like muriatic acid are sure to solve the problem quickly but […]

DAVIDSON, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE: CW) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Teledyne FLIR Defense to supply unmanned systems and integrated solutions to the U.S. nuclear power market and Department of Energy (DOE). Mobile unmanned systems (MUS), including drones, robotics, and submersibles, play a critical role in industrial and defense applications […]

In February 2021, a severe cold weather event, known as Winter Storm Uri, caused numerous power outages, derates, or failures to start at electric generating plants scattered across Texas and the south-central U.S. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which manages the power supply for about 90% of the load in Texas, ordered a […]

Today, power generators often don’t have the same in-house capabilities that they did in years past. Therefore, managing operations and maintenance at many facilities has become more difficult. Here are some

By the time Lagunitas Brewing Co. began its conversion to solar power in 2017, it had grown to become one of the largest craft beer businesses in the U.S.—a far cry from the one-man, home-kitchen operation

From generation to transmission and distribution, the power industry is changing. With distributed energy resources (DERs) increasingly participating in wholesale capacity, energy, and ancillary services

There are countless risks associated with power plant operations. For example, the risk of equipment failure is present in virtually every power plant system. In some cases, the risk is very low and could even be inconsequential. In others, it’s much higher and could be catastrophic, not only to plant operation, but also to the […]

A new product from GE Digital will improve the operation of gas turbines through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), resulting in lower fuel consumption and reducing emissions, the company announced Jan. 20. GE Digital in its announcement said turbines “require seasonal adjustment of flame temperatures and fuel splits, which is generally a manual […]

The vast majority of 324 electric generation units and transmission facilities in Texas have fully met or “go beyond” new state winter weatherization requirements, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) said in a final readiness report filed with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) on Jan. 18. Onsite inspections at 302 generation units […]

JAN. 19, 2022 — Sulzer & Schmid Laboratories AG, a Swiss company pioneering UAV technology for wind rotor blade inspections announces the launch of its latest 3DX™ High Productivity (HP) solution specifically designed for high volume inspection campaigns. Thanks to advanced automation and AI-enabled analytics, 3DX™ HP delivers a streamlined single-stop process, making it the […]

The world is changing rapidly as technology advances at breakneck speed. From the fourth industrial revolution and virtual reality to 5G and artificial intelligence (AI), our society is on the brink of tremendous technological upheaval. Although many industries evolve alongside innovations, some, such as utilities, have not moved at the same pace. This is in […]

Lifetime Management, the innovative service and maintenance programme from Rotork, has been enhanced by the launch of IQ3 SET, offering backwards compatibility to the 1960s. Lifetime Management helps you to manage the risk associated with ageing assets. It includes tiered maintenance options, upgrade services, planned shutdown support and life cycle services. The backwards compatibility offered […]

VERONA, Pa., Jan. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Conco Services LLC, with its headquarters in Verona, PA, and offices in La Porte, TX, Gonzales, LA, and Antioch, CA, has completed its third consecutive year with zero OSHA recordable incidents. In addition, by the end of November 2021, Conco had accumulated 1 million recordable-free man hours qualifying […]

Hurricanes are the leading cause of power outages in the U.S. Power outages can make storms exponentially more dangerous for local populations, especially if they affect critical facilities like hospitals, fire stations, and police departments, which are vital in times of crisis. But what can utilities and municipalities do to prepare for natural disasters? How […]

Latest Lincoln grease gun model is now available in North America; coming soon to the rest of the world LANSDALE, PENNSYLVANIA, January 6, 2022 – SKF, a leading global supplier of bearings, sealing solutions, lubrication management, condition monitoring systems, and services, launched a new tool within its Tools and Equipment product linethat simplifies the critical […]

Engineering designs for functional safety systems used in the process industry sector are typically thorough, detailed, and follow a stringent safety life-cycle process. In a non-digitized execution model, the valuable information needed to enable an efficient safety process is not always readily available. Consider the following example: A refining plant has had an unplanned trip […]

While some sectors of the power industry are struggling to stay relevant, there are many more segments that are thriving. As new technologies are developed and perfected, there is more reason than ever for