O&M

Flexible plant operations are highly desirable in today’s power generation industry. Every plant owner desires increased ramp rates and the ability to operate at lower loads so their plants will remain “in the money” longer in today’s competitive power markets. This goal, while laudable, remains elusive. The ADEX self-tuning artificial intelligence (AI) system allows plants […]

April 6, 2021—CLEVELAND—The Heat Exchange Institute (HEI) will now offer the sale of all nine HEI standards on their own updated (2020) website. Each standard is available for purchase at https://www.heatexchange.org/products/hei-standards. No login or membership is required to purchase materials. Users from anywhere in the world can simply add the desired standard(s) to the cart […]

Kenosha, Wis., April 6, 2021 – With four different jaw-size widths, the new WV1700 Series Vises from Snap-on Industrial are a perfect addition to any work bench in the aviation, wind power, natural resources or manufacturing industries. The WV1700 Series Vises come with features that make them durable for demanding applications, including an oversized anvil […]

A predictive approach to finding potential issues with steam or gas turbine valve actuators can help power plant operators realize cost savings and avoid unit downtime. Having a way to analyze actuator

When distributed generation causes net reverse power flow on a distribution feeder, several voltage-related issues can occur. According to studies published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

Reliability performance is core to the utility industry. Utilities strategically design and invest in their system to maximize reliability performance—traditionally measured by System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI), System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI), and/or Consumer Average Interruption Duration Index (CAIDI). These quantitative metrics largely drive utility investment decisions, shape strategic priorities, dictate regulatory approvals, […]

Signs a 22-year maintenance services contract with Reliance Bangladesh LNG & Power Ltd. Power Plant to begin generating power in early 2023. It will provide the equivalent electricity needed to supply over 850,000 homes in Bangladesh.  DHAKA, Bangladesh, March 31, 2021 — GE (NYSE: GE) today announced that it will be providing maintenance services and […]

As the existing electric generation infrastructure matures, electric generation system owners are looking to the future for newer and greener technologies to meet the demands of electric consumption. An important part of this future perspective may include the demolition and removal of older generation plants and facilities to free up land resources for new development.  Prior […]

Cyberhawk drone-based inspections monitor over 11,500 transmission towers and nearly 150 substations across Scottish Utility Network DENVER – March 30, 2021 – Cyberhawk, a global leader in drone-based inspections and creator of iHawk, a cloud-based asset visualization software platform, has released a case study that examines how its drone-based visual assessment and data management of […]

The new DuPont™ B-Free™ pre-treatment technology reduces operational costs and boosts plant uptime and reliability. WILMINGTON, Del., March 30th, 2021 – DuPont (NYSE:DD), a global science and innovation leader, today announced the launch of a new pre-treatment technology that eliminates the effects of biofouling in Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems to reduce operational costs and to […]

As clean-power technologies become more mainstream, offshore and river-based energy generating systems are beginning to come into their own in terms of proven performance. While the sea and rivers are widely available resources, they do come with a unique set of equipment protection and sealing challenges. The sealing solutions should be robust, safe, and effective—able […]

Michell Bearings has successfully completed station blackout (SBO) tests on a thrust and guide bearing used within the reactor coolant pump at a new build nuclear power plant. In what is thought to be one of the world’s first successful bearing run downs, the test demonstrated the bearing’s ability to survive a station blackout condition […]

Utilities have a two-fold relationship with energy efficiency. On one side, public and private utilities gain from finding efficiencies in energy usage to reduce costs in their own operations—just like many other businesses. The U.S. Department of Energy’s 2002 Motor Market Assessment established that pumping systems offer the greatest optimization potential of all types of […]

ITH Bolting Technology combines digital bolting tool procedures, advanced fastener design, and installation know-how to reduce maintenance costs significantly — proven for onshore and offshore wind-turbine installation projects. Meschede, Germany ITH Bolting Technology is a leading global system supplier in bolting technology providing bolting tools, engineering, fasteners and service. Under their brand, IHF Fastener Systems, […]

Kenosha, Wis., March 9, 2021 – The new 40″ Three-Drawer Workstation Cart from Snap-on Industrial provides convenient mobility, a durable design, and generous storage of tools and equipment for any shop or hangar. The 40” Three-Drawer Workstation Cart (KRSC4130) comes with three 35” wide drawers of varying depths for more storage capacity. The oversized bottom […]

SNOQUALMIE, Wash. (March 9, 2021)—Zetec Inc., a global leader in nondestructive testing (NDT) technology, today introduced the ElbowFlex™ scanner for quick, manual ultrasonic inspections of pipe elbows in oil and gas, petrochemical, power generation, manufacturing and other industrial applications. ElbowFlex is the perfect tool for measuring wall thickness and detecting flow accelerated corrosion on elbows […]

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in January that the number of wage and salary workers belonging to unions decreased to 14.3 million in 2020, down 321,000 (2.2%) from 2019. That was the bad news

Maintaining and operating a coal-fired generating station requires the utmost attention to detail to stay competitive. Focusing on the fundamentals of combustion allows engineers to improve reliability

There is a trend churning in the wind power industry; it involves upgrading wind turbines with newer, more powerful generation systems. Thanks to higher-capacity turbines and more efficient components

Energy storage is becoming increasingly important in solar installations, and many renewable energy projects, including wind farms and others, are incorporating storage into their design. Figuring out the

Experience gained by a project team during a steam blowing operation for a combined cycle power project in Indonesia is described in this article. A specific challenge faced by the commissioning team is

While not a new occurrence, in recent years wildfires have wreaked havoc across the western U.S. We have also seen Mother Nature batter coastlines and landscapes around the globe, and the ever-mounting pace of

Engine-based power plants have proven to be dependable complements for intermittent renewables, but they are also capable of providing steady baseload electricity. With the right technical support, including

Austin, TX, February 8, 2021 – CTOTF, the Combustion Turbine Operations Technical Forum, has opened registration for its April 12-15, 2021 Virtual Spring Conference.  The conference, entering its 46th year in the power industry, promotes education and user-to-user communication in technical skills needed to operate Combustion Turbine (CT) power plants worldwide. Unlike other User Group […]

A centrifugal pump that performs well under steady-state conditions may be found to cavitate when transitioning between operating modes. Resolving a transient cavitation problem can seem daunting because many

Wood-burning facilities have seen a spike in refractory problems due to operating units at higher temperatures and at increased capacities than in the past. Refractory professionals offer three recommendations

One of the keys to boiler efficiency in thermal power plants is ensuring fouling and clinkers formed on superheater bundles are routinely removed. A mobile shockwave cleaning method offers one innovative

Flame-resistant (FR) garments are an important safety item for workers in the power industry. However, protection varies based on the arc rating of the clothing. Wearers must understand how the FR clothing

An Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) revolution is happening across essential power systems, and it’s helping make the challenges of maintenance walk-throughs a problem of the past. With more data and