In This Issue
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T&DEEI Report: Investment in Transmission Infrastructure Set to Soar
Investor-owned electric utility companies spent $14.8 billion in 2012 to upgrade transmission infrastructure, and investments in 2013 and 2014 are expected to soar even more, peaking at about $17.5 billion, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) says in a new report. The eighth annual publication of the EEI’s report “Transmission Projects: At A Glance,” estimates more […]
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Smart GridUsing Spent EV Batteries for Grid Storage
One of the world’s first power storage systems employing used electric vehicle (EV) batteries began operating on Japan’s Yumeshima Island in Osaka this February. The 600 kW/400 kWh system developed by Tokyo-based Sumitomo Corp. consists of 16 EV batteries that were recovered and inspected by the Sumitomo and Nissan Motor Co. joint venture 4R Energy […]
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Wind
Generation of Vestas 8-MW Offshore Wind Prototype Begins
The crown for the world’s most powerful operating wind turbine was transferred this January to Danish wind turbine maker Vestas, as its first 8-MW prototype began generating power at the Danish National Test Center for Large Wind Turbines in Østerild. Compared to the first 450-kW offshore wind turbine that was installed in 1991 at Vindeby, […]
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Renewables
Photo Essay: Ivanpah CSP Plant Inauguration
The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating Station was inaugurated on Feb. 13 in California. Our news story on the launch included several photos, but below are additional shots of the world’s largest concentrating solar power plant taken during the event. —Thomas Overton, JD is a POWER associate editor (@thomas_overton, @POWERmagazine).
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Supply Chains
3D-Printed Turbine Replacement Parts Could Cut Repair Times by 90%
3D metal printing is still an experimental process in nearly all industries, used primarily for prototypes and test products. But if Siemens and GE have their way, it will soon become a standard means of
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T&D
Federal Cybersecurity Framework Calls for Increased Vigilance
The energy industry, already familiar with the latest iteration of the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) reliability standards, should take note: Meeting
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NuclearUK Uses “Lead and Learn” Strategy for Magnox Reactor Fleet Decommissioning
Many American readers may not realize that, although the first major nuclear fission successes were achieved in the U.S., after World War II, when nations expanded their nuclear research to include power
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Coal
How Competitive Are You?
I spent the week before this issue went to press at IHS Energy’s CERAWeek in Houston, listening and talking to many of the attendees representing 55 countries during the annual event that examines strategic
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O&M
3D Visualization Could Benefit Plant Inspection Programs
Taking a cue from the petrochemical sector, power plants may be on the cusp of applying high-fidelity 3D models of the as-built plant environment to streamline flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC) and other
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Renewables
Energy Systems Integration: Innovative Solutions for an Integrated World
Dr. Bryan Hannegan The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is spearheading innovation in Energy Systems Integration (ESI) research. ESI is a comprehensive
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CoalDrones Promise Faster, Easier Inspection of Boilers, Stacks, Towers, and More
Mention the word “drone,” and most people will have a mental picture of what a drone is and does. They likely will think first of military drones carrying missiles and other weapons that could malfunction
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NuclearMomentum for Turkey’s Nuclear Ambitions
After decades of planning, Turkey may finally see the first four reactors at the Akkuyu nuclear plant completed by 2023. The country has had plans to establish nuclear power generation since 1970, but several
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General
POWER Digest
Second Nuclear Unit in Northeast China Begins Operation. The second nuclear unit at the Hongyanhe plant (Hongyanhe-2) in northeast China’s Liaoning Province entered commercial operation on Feb. 25
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RenewablesJapan’s Energy Policy Still Murky Three Years After Fukushima
The administration of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in late February announced details of its first draft energy policy since the Fukushima crisis three years ago, and it suggests that nuclear power
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NuclearEPRI and Luminant Collaborate to Create Common Understanding of Cybersecurity Requirements
Nuclear utilities are facing stringent cybersecurity requirements for plant digital assets that fulfill safety-related, important-to-safety, security, and emergency preparedness functions or that are
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GasAbout That Gas-Fired Power Boom…
If you were thinking the shale gas boom had permanently changed the natural gas business in the U.S., gas market fundamentals have some news for you. Natural gas prices have traditionally risen during the
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NuclearNuclear Plant Closings: What About the Workers?
Once upon a time, obtaining a job at a nuclear power plant meant a person was set for life. If an individual did at least acceptable work and kept their nose clean, they were rewarded with a career that
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Nuclear
Worldwide Nuclear Commerce: Good News and Bad News
It’s a hoary setup for a joke, but it’s no joke in talking about nuclear power. When it comes to worldwide prospects for nuclear expansion, there is good news and there is bad news. The bad news is found
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CoalAdvanced Cooling and Water Treatment Technology Concepts for Power Plants
Technology development to reduce freshwater withdrawals and consumption for all types of thermoelectric power plants is emerging as a top research and development (R&D) priority. Thermoelectric plants in
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RenewablesAustralia’s Carbon Policy Predicament
On the energy front, Australia seemingly has it all. It is endowed with significant reserves of coal, natural gas, uranium, and thorium—as well as resources that excel by world standards for wind, solar
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Instrumentation & ControlsWhat You Need to Know Before Replacing Your Control System
Power plants were among the leaders in implementing distributed control systems (DCSs), starting in the 1980s with systems based on mini-computers and continuing through the turn of the century. Although many
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O&MSafety Is Not an Accident
Many generation companies have made safety a cultural norm, often beginning internal meetings with a safety note and requiring monthly safety training sessions. Zero lost time accidents during the two- or