Current Issue – Coal POWER Direct

Power Marketer to Tri-State: We’ll Buy and Close Your Coal Plants

A wholesale power provider in Colorado wants to supply the state’s largest electric cooperative with power from mostly renewable sources, saying it will pay Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association to…

Illinois Passes Landmark Coal Ash Legislation

Illinois on May 27 became the third state in the nation to pass legislation requiring coal ash protections beyond federal requirements.  The state’s House passed the Coal Ash Pollution Prevention…

The Future Direction of Respiratory Protection

An estimated 5 million U.S. workers wear respirators. Employers are required to provide National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-certified respirators using a written respiratory protection program enforced by…

Enhanced Wastewater Treatment Technology for Ash Transport Water

Evolving environmental regulations have forced many coal power plant operators to re-evaluate how they handle water and ash. Many units have been retrofit with dry handling systems, but there are other

Vietnam Supports Solar and More Coal Generation

The first solar power plant licensed to operate in Vietnam came online in late April, another signal of the country’s increasing reliance on renewable energy. But analysts forecast that coal-fired power

Transformer Reliability: An Overview of Data-Driven Decision-Making

Are you properly quantifying and assessing the health of your plant’s transformers? Oil testing, infrared scanning, electrical testing, and inspection provide a much deeper understanding of what is happening

Coal Power Plant Improves Pump Seal Performance

A German power plant experienced premature wear and excessive seal corrosion in its boiler feed circuit and flue gas desulfurization slurry pumps. By upgrading the performance of the pump seals and

Xcel Sets Closure of Minnesota Coal Plants

Xcel Energy on May 20 announced it would close its two remaining coal plants in Minnesota over the next decade, and the utility said it also wants to operate its…

Innovative Fabric Structures Offer Power Plants Options

The design of a power plant often revolves around efficiency and mapping out operations in a manner that decreases unnecessary expenditures, while increasing productivity. This challenge produces the need for

How to Hire the Best Talent

It’s no secret that the power industry workforce is aging and managers are struggling to find qualified candidates interested in filling open positions. In my April column, I referenced a