In This Issue
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InfographicsTHE BIG PICTURE: Small Modular Reactors
Interest in small modular reactors (SMRs) has ramped up of late owing to applications in niche electricity or energy markets where large reactors would not be viable—such as for cogeneration in countries with small grids, remote and off-grid areas, and for nuclear/renewable hybrid projects. Modular attributes may also enable SMRs to target the economics of […]
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CommentaryUsers’ Groups Provide Value to Plant Operators
If you look up the history of users’ groups, you’ll find that many early organizations focused on computers. While it’s hard to confirm all the details, at least one source suggested that the first
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IIOT PowerNetwork-Level Optimization: The Golden Ticket to the Future of Energy
To remain efficient and profitable, utilities must anticipate the ebb and flow of the market. That means companies must gain visibility into the generation and consumption of energy. With network-level
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RenewablesSouth Korea Adding Bio-Heavy Oil as Renewable Energy Resource
South Korean legislators in September passed a law allowing the use of bio-heavy oil to generate electricity. The law, expected to be implemented at the start of 2019, is designed to use the oil, made from
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IIOT PowerHow Digital Intelligence Can Be a Difference-Maker for Power Plants
Advanced technology now makes it possible for computers to do many of the monitoring and diagnostic tasks that used to require seasoned experts. Artificial intelligence and machine learning tools are being
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O&MPrecision and Partnership Spur Innovations for Nuclear Project
Replacing two 40-year-old feedwater heaters at a plant of Oconee Nuclear Station’s size and age was fated to be a complicated project, but through meticulous modeling and planning, and seamless
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O&MEquipment Showcase: Valves, Piping, and Fittings
Proper valves, pipes, and fittings are important for successful operation of power generation facilities. This equipment includes products with versatile designs to establish effective joining and sealing
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RenewablesChina Sets a New Renewable Portfolio Standard
China in mid-September increased its renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to 35% of electricity consumption by 2030. The country has already heavily invested in wind and solar, and it anticipates more gains will
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IIOT PowerAdvanced Process Control for Optimizing Flue Gas Desulfurization
Coal-fired power plants can significantly improve wet limestone scrubbing with advanced process control. One optimization system implemented at a Japanese facility utilized enhanced regulatory control
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Legal & RegulatoryA Legal Guide to Power Generation Mergers and Acquisitions
A myriad of issues come into play when parties execute power industry mergers and acquisitions. Part 1 of this two-part series examines what dealmakers need to know before making any transactions
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NuclearBig Gains for Tiny Nuclear Reactors
As the hubbub of interest and activity surrounds development of small modular reactors (SMRs) hovering between 60 MW and 300 MW, and medium-sized nuclear reactors of under 700 MW, several nuclear technology
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RenewablesNew Zealand’s Largest Geothermal Plant Comes Online
New Zealand’s largest geothermal plant was synchronized to the country’s national grid in October. The project took just more than three years to complete. Eastland Group, a Gisborne, New Zealand-based
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NuclearTakahama a Model for Japanese Nuclear Restarts
The challenges for Japan’s nuclear power industry have been many in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. Returning units to commercial operation requires meeting new government safety standards, along with
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O&MUsing Throttling Valves for Blowdown and Other Power Plant Applications
Understanding which valve to use in which application is essential to operate a steam power plant as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. For example, a critical step in steam power generation is
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CommentaryLatest Carbon Fee Initiative May Succeed Where Others Have Failed
Washington state’s latest effort to fight climate change, Initiative 1631 (I-1631), is on the November ballot. With a broad coalition of support from business, environmental, and special interest groups
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RenewablesPOWER Digest [November 2018]
Ørsted Snaps Up Deepwater Wind in Major U.S. Offshore Wind Deal. Danish offshore wind farm developer Ørsted in October entered into an agreement with U.S.-based D.E. Shaw Group to buy a 100% equity interest
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Coal
Advanced Coal Technologies Improve Emissions and Efficiency
New coal-fired generating plants are not showing up in the U.S. Elderly plants are retiring in large numbers. But other parts of the world continue to develop coal generation. Advances in combustion and
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O&MLiDAR Technology Mated with Wind Energy Quickly Becoming an Industry Standard
The profitability of a wind farm depends directly upon reducing uncertainty when wind resources are being assessed and when wind turbines are being fine-tuned. Project risks vary from site to site, depending
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O&MA Semi-Automated Metal Decontamination and Recycling Process
A semi-automated and patented process for decontaminating and recycling radioactively contaminated heat exchanger tubes has been successfully demonstrated at the Ignalina nuclear power plant in Lithuania
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O&MImplementing an ASME Covered Piping Systems Program
Power plant piping with a nominal pipe size of four inches or larger that carries steam or water operating at greater than 750F or 1,025 psi is considered a “covered piping system.” That means the
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CommentaryTax Reform Legislation Drives Increased Focus on Cash Flows
In the wake of the implementation of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), many utilities and their holding companies are experiencing increasing pressure on cash flow due to the elimination of bonus