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South Korea, one of the “Four Asian Tigers” known for their aggressive economies, is boosting its electrical capacity with the recent addition of the Bugok II Power Plant. Ranked as the top plant in South Korea because of its efficient, environmentally friendly operation, the 565-MW plant is powered by combined-cycle units that burn natural gas. Part of this project’s success derives from the fact that Bugok I and II were the first projects awarded to a foreign company by a South Korean independent power producer.

At 564 MW, Sierra Pacific Resources’ Frank A. Tracy Combined Cycle Plant is the largest power project constructed in northern Nevada in 24 years and will reduce the state’s dependence on expensive power purchases from out-of-state suppliers. The project achieved a significant safety milestone by expending 1.5 million safe work hours during construction with zero lost-time accidents.

With greenhouse gas caps on the horizon, more U.S. utilities now have another reason–besides tightening air pollution limits–to consider replacing some of their old coal-fired plants with less-carbon-intensive gas-fired capacity. Even local residents are pleased with the results of an Xcel Energy project to do just that in St. Paul, Minnesota. For Xcel, the key ingredient in the recipe for its recently commissioned High Bridge plant was hiring an EPC contractor smart enough to overcome formidable site constraints.

Power supplies are looking brighter these days in the Land of the Midnight Sun now that the Kårstø combined-cycle power plant has begun commercial operation. Kårstø is Norway’s first commercial onshore gas-fired combined-cycle plant. Combining Scandinavian savvy with German engineering, this 420-MW plant showcases maximum efficiency coupled with minimal emissions.

We Energies’ Port Washington Generating Station Phase 2 is recognized as a 2008 POWER Top Plant for its design innovation and strong teamwork among the owner, contractor, and craft personnel that ensured project completion on time, on budget, and with a stellar safety record. While staying true to its historical roots, the plant will remain a good neighbor and a reliable provider of intermediate-load power to the region for many years to come.

River or ocean water has been the mainstay for condensing turbine exhaust steam since the first steam turbine began generating electricity. A primary challenge facing today’s plant developers, especially in drought-prone regions, is incorporating processes that reduce plant water use and consumption. One solution is to shed the conventional mindset that once-through cooling is the only option and adopt dry cooling technologies that reduce plant water use from a flood to a few sips.

Gas-fired power plant designers and operators are increasingly challenged to reduce their plants’ water consumption and improve their thermal efficiency. Closed-loop, evaporative cooling systems (known as wet surface air coolers, or WSACs) are a cost-effective heat transfer technology that can simultaneously achieve both goals. In addition to providing lower-temperature cooling and condensing while requiring less space and horsepower than conventional systems, WSACs can use poor-quality water as spray makeup.

I haven’t always been a supporter of former President Jimmy Carter’s politics, but I did vote for him, mainly because we shared the Navy experience and he was educated as an engineer. His later opposition to nuclear power surprised many of us in the power business at the time, and I found his suggestion to […]

Australia considers seabed sequestration legislation / ElectraTherm installs its first commercial waste-heat generator / Mass. researchers achieve dramatic increase in thermoelectric efficiency / Nuclear power option for developing nations gaining steam / The great green wall of China / POWER digest / Correction