Workforce
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Commentary
Coal Rebound Is Vital to Local Economies
In President Trump’s State of the Union address, he said, “We have ended the war on American energy, and we have ended the war on beautiful, clean coal.” It’s safe to say that things have gotten better
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Commentary
Changing the Power Industry Culture
The news has been filled with high-profile sexual harassment cases recently. Although more women seem to be coming forward lately to tell their stories and bring misconduct to light, it’s far from a new
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Commentary
Steps for Solving Combined Cycle Project Delays
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal heralded the following: “Power Plants Bloom Even as Electricity Prices Wilt.” Understandably, the WSJ editors are excited about the current spate of combined cycle construction projects. I’m also pleased about the growth in our sector (Figure 1). But I’m less sanguine about our ability to execute all […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Could Dispute Resolution Boards Keep Combined Cycle Projects on Schedule?
Owners and contractors can run into contractual disputes during combined cycle construction projects. Often, the disagreements snowball into lawsuits, which create a lot of activity in attorney offices, but can actually stop activity at the construction site. Engineers and laborers frequently end up taking off their hard hats and setting down their welding torches to […]
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Legal & Regulatory
A Bird’s-Eye View: Drones in the Power Sector
Unmanned aerial systems—drones—have quickly found their place in the power sector. But as the industry moves out of test cases and experiments, and into full implementation of drones, it is facing a whole
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O&M
How to Leverage the Value of Outsourcing Electrical Power Maintenance
From deregulation and restructuring to new technology and globalization, the power industry has undergone dramatic changes over the past few decades. Falling barriers to entry have led to the rise of small and independent power producers, and empowered consumers with choices when it comes to where to purchase their energy. These changes have transformed a […]
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Safety
Test Your Knowledge: Electrical Area Classification
Fires and explosions have caused a significant number of deaths and injuries to power plant staff over the years. To reduce hazards, protective measures must be considered during engineering, design, construction, and operation of power plants, particularly in electrical areas that are often a source of ignition. This quiz is designed to test your knowledge of electrical […]
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O&M
Test Your Knowledge: Differences Between Private Sector and Government Managers
It’s become a cliché that government would be better if it were only run by private-sector managers using standard business practices. However, there are significant differences between the private sector and government. This quiz is designed to test your knowledge of those differences. Create your own user feedback survey To learn 18 more differences, read “25 Differences Between […]
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Commentary
Power Plant Tragedies Bring Safety to the Forefront
Power plants are inherently dangerous. Although safety is taken very seriously at most facilities, every year workers around the world are killed on the job by electrocution, falls, explosions, fires, and
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Commentary
Keeping the Lights On: Power Professionals’ Noble Cause
Recently, two epic hurricanes—Harvey and Irma—struck North America with extremely destructive force. Harvey first made landfall in the U.S. near Rockport, Texas, about 30 miles northeast of Corpus Christi