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Increasingly fierce competition driven by deregulation and privatization is putting downward pressure on power plant operations and maintenance (O&M) budgets. Recently, lower natural gas prices have pushed natural gas – fired combined-cycle plants higher up in many utilities’ dispatch order in some regions, a welcome change from the twice-a-day cycling experienced by some plants during the past few years. However, with more operating hours comes more interest in plant operating availability, and that means increased emphasis on reliable gas turbine operation.

The recently released EX-5165 Sensor/Transmitter from ENMET Corp. is a three-wire 4-20 mA sensor for the detection of carbon dioxide in ranges from 0 to 500 ppm and 0% to 100% by volume. It also features a 24 VDC loop-powered transmitter. The nondispersive infrared sensor continuously monitors high concentrations of the gas, and it can […]

Caterpillar Inc. introduced a new family of remanufactured generator ends for standby, prime, and continuous power applications. The C32 and 3500 series Caterpillar engines have been used for applications ranging from distributed generation to prime power for remote communities. The first wave of remanufactured generator ends includes 34 part numbers, which are available worldwide in […]

Rotork Process Controls introduced the SM-6000 S2, an electric rotary actuator for a wide range of heavy-duty damper drive applications found in power plants. The actuator provides high speeds and high torque for continuous modulating duty. It also offers positioning accuracy and can operate well in harsh and rugged environments. The SM-6000 S2 includes an […]

Chicago Blower has developed a series of 16 higher-pressure blowers that are suited to combustion air, aeration, cooling and drying systems, and other high-volume processes. The blowers support pressures of up to 91-inch water gauge and volumes of up to 18,000 cubic feet per minute. Features include a lightweight aluminum alloy wheel design to reduce […]

Washington-based software developer Dynamic Systems Inc. launched the Basic Tool Manager, a software based on barcode technology, which has been developed for companies that want to reduce the loss of tools and save time tracking down equipment and tools. Using a wireless barcode reader, users can scan a personnel badge and then a piece of […]

Posi Lock’s hydraulic line featuring the patented “Safety Cage” has been expanded to include the PH-113IE, a three-jaw, 25-ton internal/external puller that is designed to solve problems associated with the removal of gears, bearings, and other press-fit items. The PH-113IE’s internal puller jaws have a reach from 2.5 inches to 7 inches and a spread […]

An Arkansas appeals court last week overturned on technical grounds a key decision by the state regulators that authorized construction of Southwestern Electric Power Co.’s (SWEPCO’s) 600-MW John W. Turk Jr. coal-fired power plant in Hempstead County—the nation’s first ultrasupercritical project. SWEPCO on Monday filed an appeal with the Arkansas Supreme Court and said it would continue the plant’s construction because delays could prove costly.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed by a narrow vote of 219–212 a mammoth climate change and energy bill on Friday that, among other things, seeks to establish a carbon emissions reduction goal, a cap-and-trade program, and a federal renewable energy standard. The bill now heads to the Senate.

The Ontario government has suspended a 10-year multibillion dollar nuclear upgrade project to replace two reactors at the Darlington site, citing pricing and uncertainty regarding the future of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL), Canada’s sole bidder.