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  • AEP CEO Nick Akins to Step Down, Julie Sloat Tapped as Next Company Head

    American Electric Power’s (AEP’s) long-serving chairman, president, and CEO, Nick Akins, will step down as CEO on Jan. 1, 2023, and has already passed the company’s presidency to Julie A. Sloat, AEP executive vice president, and chief financial officer (CFO). Sloat, 53, will become the power generating company’s CEO in January, making her the first […]

  • U.S. Utility Survey Suggests Industry Mulling Additions of 90 GW of New Nuclear

    A Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) survey suggests U.S. utility members expect to add up to 90 GW of new nuclear generation by the 2050s, including more than 300 new small modular reactors (SMRs) in the U.S. over the next 25 years. The nuclear industry group’s survey, unveiled on July 29, sought to gather input from […]

  • Report Notes Continued Growth of Hybrid Power Plants

    Hybrid power plants continue to be deployed across the U.S., with almost 300 such facilities (all with 1 MW or more of generation capacity) operating at the end of last year. An August 2022 report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, based on research funded by the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) and […]

  • How to Overcome Challenges to the U.S.’s Offshore Wind Energy Goals

    Lofty goals have been established in the U.S. for the offshore wind industry. The U.S. Department of Energy, Department of the Interior, and Department of Commerce announced a national goal in March 2021 to deploy 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030. That would mark a significant increase from the 42 MW of offshore […]

  • How Hydrogen Can Enhance Renewable Energy Grids

    From powering the first combustion engines to becoming a vital part of the modern-day refining industry, the relationship between hydrogen (H2) and energy spans centuries. It is the most abundant element on our planet. The gas burns clean, it’s light, energy-dense, and we’re only just beginning to uncover its true potential. Hydrogen could well be […]

  • A New Approach for Gas-Insulated Substations

    For decades, gas-insulated substations (GIS) have been used primarily in densely populated metropolitan areas. They take up only 10% of the footprint of outdoor or air-insulated substations and provide reliable medium- and low-voltage service where space needed to service areas for industrial locations, hospitals, and housing may be limited. However, as rural environments become desirable […]

  • California Sets Goals for Buildout of Offshore Wind

    California officials have taken a major step toward establishing the state’s offshore wind energy industry, setting a goal of installing as much as 5 GW of generation capacity this decade, and 25 GW by 2045. The California Energy Commission (CEC) on Aug. 10 put out a report detailing the state’s plan for offshore wind, which […]

  • Tackling Emerging Issues with 7FA Compressor Blade & Vane Replacement

    Sponsored by:
    MD&A

    Mechanical Dynamics & Analysis (MD&A) completed compressor blade replacement work on two 7FA units, including full inspections, and ongoing operational recommendations. We were responsive to emerging issues, scope change and flexible in supporting the customer’s needs. MD&A was mobilized to address suspected fuel nozzle leaks on the customer’s unit 1 gas turbine. The unit had been shut down […]

  • Chicago Announces Plan to Power City with 100% Renewable Energy

    Chicago’s public buildings could all be powered by renewable energy under a plan announced by Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Aug. 8. The mayor, along with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, on Monday said the city has an agreement with Chicago utility Constellation Energy, along with Massachusetts-based Swift Current Energy, a renewable energy developer. The two spoke […]

  • Illinois EPA Issues Permit for New 1.1-GW Gas-Fired Facility

    Environmental officials in Illinois have signed off on construction of a 1,100-MW natural gas-fired power plant sited near Springfield, the state capital. EmberClear, an energy company with offices in Houston, Texas, and Moosic, Pennsylvania, is behind the $1 billion project, which will be located near Pawnee in Sangamon County. The Lincoln Land Energy Center will […]