O&M

Coal burn in the power sector has fallen off a cliff. Demand peaked at 1.045 billion tons in 2007. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates consumption in 2020 will be 377 million tons, a drop of 64% in little more than a decade. The EIA is forecasting a modest rebound in 2021 (to 462 […]

New Multi-Year Agreement (MYA) includes generator maintenance services over the next three years at the Khmelnitskiy and Rivne nuclear power plants Supports Ukraine’s energy strategy and greenhouse gas emissions reduction objectives by helping to deliver 5.5 gigawatts of reliable, CO2-free power for six million residents Builds on GE’s proven services capabilities across more than 130 […]

The two VECO-Drives have been running successfully for more than 6,000 operating hours, after being installed in February. The customer, Guangzhou China Resources Thermal Power Co., Ltd. is particularly impressed by the increased efficiency. Efficiency can be improved significantly compared to the replaced variable speed solution and reaches approximately 97 percent. YORK, Pa./GUANGZHOU/SHANGHAI. (July 23, 2020) […]

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel Energy’s request to offer two of its coal units into the Midcontinent Independent System Operator market on a seasonal basis. That means the company can idle the two units for six months of the year, which is expected to save customers money while also reducing air emissions. “This […]

Summertime heat is cresting at the same time many economic restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic are easing in communities across the United States.  Meanwhile, as extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, much of the country is on alert as forecasters predict severe hurricane, tornado, and wildfire seasons will continue.   Utilities know they need […]

The power generation industry is among those whose aging infrastructure contributes to increased safety concerns, and can lead to costly unscheduled maintenance and shutdowns. Facilities must be vigilant about

In the competitive power market that exists today, utilities must utilize data to optimize their assets. With proper analysis, individual units, as well as fleets of plants, can balance operating costs

The technology and materials within hydropower plants have advanced substantially over the last century. This has required plant owners and operators to take a more proactive approach to maintenance and

The composition and heating values of fuel gas can vary from one moment in time to another. Using a Coriolis flow meter to obtain a mass flow measurement, rather than relying on a standard volume flow

The proper tools and operational supplies are important for the efficient operation of power plants and other industrial facilities. Such facilities each have their own combination of operations that need to

Baghdad, Iraq; 30th June, 2020: GE Gas Power successfully completed services on four 9F.03 gas turbines, two steam turbines and six generators at Iraq’s Besmaya Power Plant safely and on time, while continuing to execute wider operations and maintenance (O&M) works at the site despite the many challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. These service […]

Some experts have predicted there will be as many as 50 billion connected devices in service by the end of this year. That number basically includes all of the equipment, sensors, and gadgets around the world that together make up the internet of things (IoT). But how are they all connected, what allows them to […]

POTOMAC TESTING, a TechPro Power Group company, today announced the recent acquisition of Electrical Maintenance & Testing, Inc. (“EMT”), a NETA Accredited independent third party electrical testing firm based in Carmel, Indiana. CROFTON, Md., June 29, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — POTOMAC TESTING, a TechPro Power Group company, today announced the recent acquisition of Electrical Maintenance & […]

Why do industry leaders choose TapRooT® Root Cause Analysis to train their teams to be the best problem-solvers? At System Improvements Inc., we teach organizations to recognize and fix smaller issues in order to prevent repeat incidents or major accidents. Today, System Improvements offers its latest training tool—the new Complete TapRooT® RCA Book Set. KNOXVILLE, […]

Ancient Chinese fortune tellers used heated metal pokers to create cracks in bones or empty turtle shells. By reading the patterns in the cracks, they attempted to calm the unease that comes with the innate uncertainty of the world—especially the ancient world. They predicted the future and doled out advice that affected the fate and […]

Rheinberg / Germany, June 2020 The cement, steel and power industries are all energy-intensive, and still predominantly use fossil fuels in their processes releasing carbon dioxide which is damaging to the environment. At the same time these industries have to comply with increasingly stringent domestic and international legal requirements in order to reduce their CO2 […]

New Line of Rooftop Fall Arrest Systems Available in Stock for Shipment within 24 Hours (JUNE 2020) – Kee Safety, Inc., Buffalo, New York, announces the introduction of its comprehensive line of Kee Rigid Anchors fall arrest systems to provide personal fall protection in tie-back applications including suspended platforms, window washing, equipment tie-back, and general […]

Unique Design by Bulwark® Protection and Innovative Fabric by DuPont Are Winning Combination WILMINGTON, Del., June 23, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Bulwark® Protection and DuPont Safety & Construction today announced that the iQ Series® garment collection made exclusively with DuPont™ Nomex® Comfort fabric received a 2020 Innovation Award from the North American Association of Uniform Manufacturers & […]

The first GE 7F gas turbine began commercial operation 30 years ago this month. Since coming on the market, more than 950 7F machines have been commissioned, including four 7F.04 units that entered service recently at Techint’s Norte III combined cycle power plant in Mexico. The 907-MW Norte III facility is located in the municipality […]

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has put communities on lockdown and created a need for social distancing. Many are staying at home, but that’s not an option for the frontline workers running critical power transmission infrastructure and keeping the lights on. How can utilities keep up with their operational and safety obligations with a reduced onsite […]

NORTHBROOK, Ill., June 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — PPL Group, a premier buyer and seller of industrial machinery and equipment, is selling surplus assets from the Savannah River Site that are currently located at a property storage location in Barnwell, South Carolina. In partnership with AW Properties Global and Liquidity Services, Inc., PPL will sell approximately 450,000 […]

WILMINGTON, NC—June 10, 2020—Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) has awarded a contract to GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) to provide outage services for the Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant in Eurajoki, Finland. GEH will provide control rod drive mechanism exchange services for Olkiluoto units 1 and 2 for the remainder of the plant’s operating license. The first […]

Extreme weather events are hitting more often and harder than ever before, and storm-hardening regulations are prompting utilities to strengthen the electrical grid to withstand storm-force winds. As part of this effort, leading utilities are using drone-based data collection and analysis to assess how their electrical grids can withstand Mother Nature’s punishment. Aerial robotics and […]

Check valves are installed in many piping systems. Their purpose is to allow flow in only one direction, which can be critical for plant safety and to protect equipment from damage. There are a few different check valve designs, including swing check valves and spring-loaded poppet-style check valves. Understanding which type is best for a […]

It’s peak season for the U.S. power industry. While actual dates may vary from one utility to another, generally the summer peak period spans from Memorial Day (May 25 this year) to Labor Day (Sept. 7)

When a hospital’s primary mission is keeping people healthy, what happens when a power plant gets sick? That was the situation that faced the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center (MRMC) when it’s circa 1950

The growth of the energy storage industry in the past few years has been huge, and the sector is expected to add another 2 GW of capacity in 2020. In many ways, energy storage solutions (ESS) are at the

Construction equipment is a critical part of the power generation industry, as new facilities are built and older facilities are upgraded to enhance efficiency and comply with evolving regulations. The