Plant Design

  • The Next Wave in Hydropower Condition Monitoring

    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 […]

  • AI Is Draining the Grid—and the Power Solution Is Sitting Idle Right Next Door

    Data centers are already among the world’s hungriest power users, and artificial intelligence (AI) is pushing their energy consumption to new heights. The International Energy Agency expects data centers’ electricity use to more than double by 2030, reaching roughly 1,000 TWh. That’s a growth rate four times faster than the overall grid. In some scenarios, AI-optimized facilities could […]

  • Texas Utility Turns to Fast-Start Reciprocating Engines for Grid Stability

    Greenville Electric Utility System (GEUS) has broken ground on a 104-MW power plant that will deploy 11 Jenbacher J920 FleXtra reciprocating engines, marking the largest U.S. installation of the engine model to date. Commissioning is scheduled for summer 2027. The plant reflects growing interest among utilities in generation assets that can respond rapidly to fluctuations […]

  • Old Turbines, New Tricks: How Retrofits Drive Efficiency and Extend Lifespans in Power Generation

    By retrofitting aging turbines with modern control systems, power generation companies are extending equipment lifespans, enhancing operational efficiency, and tapping into robust global support

  • Future-Proofing Wind Turbine Communications: Why Fibre Optic Rotary Joints Are the Next Frontier

    While the wind sector battles bearing failures and blade damage, a quieter revolution is unfolding at the heart of the nacelle. Fibre optic rotary joints are replacing electrical slip rings, promising to

  • Finding a Longer-Duration Alternative to Battery Storage

    The limitations of lithium-ion batteries are prompting a search for longer-duration solutions. Compressed air energy storage (CAES) and other emerging technologies are gaining traction as safer, scalable

  • On the Steam Side of Nuclear Energy

    Siemens Energy develops conventional islands for small modular reactors. When Rolls-Royce SMR began developing its small modular reactor (SMR)—using a unique factory-built approach to proven pressurized

  • Get the White Paper: Boost Efficiency with Advanced Water Analytics

    Sponsored by:
    Mettler Toledo

    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 […]

  • Valmet’s Automation Solution for Improved Waste Management and Resource Efficiency at the New South Korean Incineration Facility

    Valmet is to deliver an automation system to Seongnam City’s incineration facility currently under construction in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. The order was placed by GS E&C Corp., the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor for the facility. By leveraging intelligent automation, the plant will optimize energy production, minimize emissions, and deliver efficient, consistent performance […]

  • Entergy Ends Plan for Floating Methane Gas Power Plant in Louisiana

    Opponents of a planned methane gas power plant on a floating barge off the coast of Louisiana were successful in moving Entergy Louisiana to cancel the project. Earthjustice in a news release sent to POWER said the group represented the Alliance for Affordable Energy in opposition to the proposed 112-MW Bayou Power Station.

  • Ready, Go, Set: How Disruptions Are Flipping EPC Contracting

    What’s driving a fundamental shift in engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracting? Equipment lead times. Workforce shortages. Data center timelines. POWER examines how the traditional EPC

  • Beyond Traditional Controls: Managing Power Project Schedule and Cost Overruns

    From financial dashboards to factory-based assembly, utilities and their contractors are deploying new tools and processes to improve project cost performance. In decades past, the decision to pursue a major

  • The EPC Partnership Paradigm: How Smart Collaboration and Digital Tools Are Driving New Delivery Models

    Traditional owner-EPC relationships relied on sequenced approvals and risk allocation tied to project maturity. Today’s interdependent infrastructure, including for the grid, generation, storage, and

  • Nothing but the BESS: Why Integrating Temporary Small Batteries Optimizes Your Site

    Sponsored by:
    Caterpillar Electric Power

    With more distributed energy, sharper demand peaks and the push for renewables, today’s energy landscape is more complex than ever. The good news? Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are small, mobile and available to rent or buy from your Cat dealer. Discover how these flexible solutions can help you cut costs, boost efficiency and stay […]

  • OUC Opens One of the Largest Floating Solar Arrays in the U.S.

    Utility Uses Innovative Method to Deploy More than 3,400 Panels Orlando, Fla. – OUC—The Reliable One has launched one of the largest floating solar arrays in the United States, and the largest in Florida. The 2-megawatt system—located at 5301 S. Conway Rd. in Orlando—consists of two arrays and more than 3,400 solar panels that send […]

  • Thermal Flow Meter Offers Precise NH3 Injection for NOx Control in Coal-Fired Power Plants

    Ideal for Pollution Control & Monitoring Systems’ Stack or Flue NOx Scrubbers San Marcos, CA—November 6, 2025—Process and pollution control engineers will find that the FCI ST100A Flow Meter helps them more accurately control the application of ammonia (NH3) for nitrous oxide (NOx) removal under harsh operating conditions in large flue stacks at cleaner coal […]

  • Boost Profits & Reliability by Migrating and Integrating Critical Process Data

    Sponsored by:
    dataPARC

    Process manufacturers and power producers are feeling the pressure of tight margins and increasing economic uncertainty. The data tools that engineers and plant operators have relied on for years are rapidly evolving, prompting many to consider how and when to migrate to a new data management platform that enables a more efficient and seamless integration […]

  • Using Data to Drive Power Decisions with Energy Management as a Service (EMaaS™)

    Sponsored by:
    Sunbelt Rentals

    Power requirements for industrial and utility operations change constantly, creating a mismatch with static power solutions. This whitepaper discusses Energy Management as a Service (EMaaS™) and how it transforms temporary power into actively managed systems. Key topics include: How load analysis, real-time monitoring, and specialized expertise optimize power delivery and performance Applications for infrastructure transitions, […]

  • Wedge Kammprofile Gasket Critical to Complete Turnaround in October 2021

    In this case study, Lamons helped a Montana refinery overcome a critical flange misalignment issue during the final stages of an FCC unit turnaround. Traditional methods and standard gaskets failed to resolve the problem, threatening costly delays and safety risks. Leveraging our engineering expertise and rapid response capabilities, Lamons designed and delivered a custom wedge […]

  • Data Centers Are Turning to Gas Generators for Prime Power to Eliminate Long Lead Times for Grid Connections

    Backup generators are gaining a new lease on life in data centers. For decades, they have been a rarely used part of the infrastructure, existing for those moments when other power sources fail. But their profile is shifting due to the chronic shortage of available power across North America. Data center developers have grown impatient […]

  • Selecting the Right Calibration Software for Power Generation Facilities

    Sponsored by:
    Beamex

    Accurate calibration is essential in power generation, where reliability and compliance must work together. The Beamex Calibration Software Buyer’s Guide explains how digital calibration management helps reduce manual errors, streamline operations, and support compliance with standards such as ISO 17025. It outlines key software features, vendor evaluation criteria, CMMS and ERP integration options, and return-on-investment […]

  • Powering Taiwan’s Future: Inside the Award-Winning Sun Ba II Power Plant

    Taiwan stands as one of Asia’s most dynamic economies, a densely populated island of approximately 23 million people compressed into just 36,000 square kilometers. The island is a global technology powerhouse, producing more than 60% of the world’s semiconductors and serving as home to manufacturing giants that supply everything from smartphones to advanced computing systems. […]

  • Amazon Unveils ‘Cascade’—Energy Northwest’s Xe-100 SMR Project, Targeting Construction by 2030

    Amazon has unveiled detailed plans and renderings for the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility, an initial 320-MW small modular reactor (SMR) complex that will serve as the first major project in its broader 5-GW nuclear partnership with advanced reactor developer X-energy, announced last year. The project will be owned, built, and operated by Energy Northwest just […]

  • Mining Our Nation’s Scrap to Transform Our Electric Grid

    Today’s demand for energy is extraordinary and expected to continue rising. The rapid growth of data centers, reshoring manufacturing operations and electrification of transportation has accelerated the market demands for electricity. Rethinking how industries use, and re-use materials is central to both the future of the electrified world and the work of Nucor, North America’s […]

  • Award-Winning Cogeneration Project Turns Hydrogen-Rich Waste into Industrial Energy

    In Brazil’s industrial heartland, a pioneering energy project has earned a POWER Top Plant award for turning hydrogen-rich waste into clean, reliable power. The Vesta Cogeneration Plant not only boosts

  • Grid Modernization: A Utility’s Guide to Resilience and Flexibility

    Sponsored by:
    Honeywell

    Utilities are confronting a convergence of challenges, including aging infrastructure, rising energy demand and the accelerating shift to renewable energy sources. The electric grid, much of which is decades old, is increasingly exposed to risks like extreme weather and cyber threats. Digital transformation can offer a practical path forward, helping utilities modernize operations, improve visibility […]

  • Laser Wireless Power Transmission Breakthrough Could Transform Remote Energy Delivery

    NTT Inc. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) conducted an optical wireless power transmission experiment using a laser beam to wirelessly transmit energy over a distance of one kilometer. By irradiating a laser beam with an optical power of 1 kW, the team succeeded in receiving 152 W of electric power. This marks the world’s […]

  • Magnetar Investment Supports Torus’ Deployment of Modular Power Plants

    Torus, a full-stack energy platform offering storage, management, security, and generation solutions, on September 9 announced a $200-million investment by Magnetar, an alternative asset manager. The investment is expected to accelerate the deployment of Torus’ proprietary modular power plants for utilities, data centers, and commercial and industrial customers across the U.S. Torus builds small, inertia-based […]

  • NRC Accepts COLA for Fermi America’s Behemoth Four-Unit AP1000 Nuclear Plant in Texas

    The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has accepted for review initial portions of a combined license application (COLA) from Dallas-based Fermi America to build and operate four Westinghouse AP1000 reactors in Carson County, Texas. The proposed project—which will be called the “President Donald J. Trump Advanced Energy and Intelligence Campus” (also known as Project Matador)—is slated […]

  • Best Practices in Solar Farm Damage Evaluation

    Utility-scale solar farms are essential players in the energy transition. But with growth comes more exposure, and large solar arrays are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, especially hailstorms. As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, utility executives, plant managers, engineers, and energy policymakers need proven, scalable methods for assessing and repairing solar farm damage quickly and effectively.