Latest
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Coal
Advanced 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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Renewables
Australia’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 & Controls
What 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&M
Safety 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
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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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Nuclear
UK 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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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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Coal
Drones 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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Nuclear
Utilities Reach Agreement on San Onofre Closure Costs
Avoiding what could have been a nasty, expensive fight over costs stemming from the early retirement of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) last year, plant co-owners Southern California Edison (SCE) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) reached a settlement with the state Office of Ratepayer Advocates on March 27 that will potentially […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Senate Leaders Call for Investigation into FERC Leaks
In a letter to Department of Energy Inspector General Gregory Friedman, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) requested an investigation into sensitive information leaks suspected to have originated in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) offices. The letter—dated March 27—stated that “Recent reports in […]