In This Issue
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EngineeringSelecting the Right Three-Phase Transformer Configuration: A Decision Guide for Power Distribution Systems
In power distribution systems, three-phase transformer configuration directly impacts system reliability and load management. Understanding the trade-offs between Delta and Wye connections enables engineers to
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Supply ChainsTransformers in 2026: Shortage, Scramble, or Self-Inflicted Crisis?
Analysts still see multi-year deficits in U.S. transformer supply, even as equipment manufacturers invest billions in new factories and advanced manufacturing processes. But some brokers suggest there is no
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News and NotesPOWER Digest [January 2026]
Vattenfall, Industrikraft Advance SMR Program at Ringhals in High-Stakes Deal. Swedish state utility Vattenfall and industrial consortium Industrikraft i Sverige AB signed an agreement, announced on Nov. 10
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InfographicsTHE BIG PICTURE: Power Affordability [Infographic]
Household electricity use is set to climb sharply through 2035 as electrification expands, shifting power system costs toward capital-intensive grids, renewables, and storage and making affordability increasingly sensitive to policy and financing choices. POWER’s monthly print infographic breaks down the forces reshaping electricity bills worldwide. In its November 2025–released World Energy Outlook, the International Energy […]
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TrendsThe Age of Electricity and 5 Other Forces Reshaping the Global Energy Outlook
The world has firmly crossed into the “Age of Electricity.” That is a unifying finding in the International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) 2025 edition of the World Energy Outlook (WEO), which shows a global
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TrendsMeeting the Moment: Industry Leaders Chart the Course for Power in 2026
From artificial intelligence-driven efficiency to transmission bottlenecks, power industry insiders share their perspectives on the opportunities and obstacles shaping 2026 and beyond. The power generation
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ElectrificationReshaping the Power Grid: Driving Resilience Through DERs
Distributed energy resources (DERs) have become a major part of the power generation landscape, particularly in support of a more reliable and resilient grid. Generating electricity from a variety of sources, including fossil fuels and renewables, using smaller-scale installations is now a key element of demand response and energy efficiency.
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O&MBridging the Gap: How the Power Industry Is Tackling Its Workforce Crisis
The power industry’s ambitious expansion plans for 2026 face an unexpected obstacle that has nothing to do with technology, regulations, or capital: there simply aren’t enough skilled workers to build and
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GasGermany Cuts New Gas-Fired Generation as Country Works on Energy Strategy
Officials in Germany are scaling back their plans to develop more natural gas–fired power plants, as the government wants to continue its path toward decarbonization while also recognizing the need to back
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O&MMarnie Surfaceblow: Marnie and Maya—She Spies
Critical plant control systems can be vulnerable to both physical and remote attacks. Marnie and Maya demonstrate some of these vulnerabilities as they become white-hat hackers at a biomass power plant. The
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InterviewHow Remote Operations Centers Are Reshaping Power Plant Operations
Centralized remote monitoring is reshaping power plant operations, enabling specialized teams to oversee multiple facilities from a single location. This discussion examines the technology, benefits, and
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O&MNew Products [January 2026]
Chicken Switch Hitter CBS ArcSafe, a leading manufacturer of remote racking and switching solutions for low- and medium-voltage switchgear, introduced the RSK-CSH-W Chicken Switch Hitter (Figure 1), a wireless
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CommentaryGrid Reliability Hinges on Workforce Stability
The grid faces unprecedented pressures as data center-driven demand skyrockets, with expected growth hitting 50% over the next 15 years. Meanwhile, utilities contend with record-high turnover rates and an aging workforce, half of which is expected to retire over the next decade. Without workforce stability, there can be no grid reliability. The sector is racing to modernize its infrastructure, but no amount of intelligent technology can replace human input.
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O&MFilter Debris Analysis: High-Resolution Diagnostics for Power Generation Reliability
In reliability engineering, few indicators are as consistently revealing as the particles that infiltrate a lubrication system. Long before vibration, temperature, or performance changes become measurable
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Legal & RegulatoryDespite Federal Support, Economic Forces Are Driving the Future of Coal
The Trump administration during both its terms has prioritized its efforts on reviving the coal industry by introducing a series of policy changes and executive actions intended to boost coal leasing and production on federal lands. Yet, despite these political moves, coal’s trajectory in the U.S. energy market has followed a different path.
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WaterFour Reasons to Consider Water Chemistry Early in the Design Process
Power plants are engineered with precision down to the smallest detail, yet one critical variable is often considered too late in the process: water chemistry. When it’s considered early in design rather