POWER
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Engineering
Marnie Surfaceblow: Haunted Hydroelectric Horrors (Fiction)
Providing employees with a safe and healthy workplace is paramount. Never dismiss persistent workplace environmental complaints, no matter how “crazy” they may seem. A lone SUV motored through wooded hills
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News and Notes
POWER Digest [October 2023]
Coal-Fired Plants Serving EV Battery Makers Could Get Special Financing. Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (OJK), which supervises and regulates financial services for Indonesia, in early September said it is considering
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T&D
The Benefits of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer in Power Transmission
Wood, steel, and concrete are commonly used materials for power poles. However, fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) offers a relatively lightweight, safe, and resilient alternative, which also offers a long service
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Legal & Regulatory
EPA’s Expansion of Coal Ash Regulation Could Impact Beneficial Use
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in May of this year issued a proposed rule that would greatly expand the scope of federal regulations governing the management of coal combustion residuals, or
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Electrification
Is America’s Electric Grid Equipped for the Electrification of Everything?
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) introduced a proposal in July to increase the adoption of more efficient water heaters. Water heaters are major energy-consuming appliances, second only to heating
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Distributed Energy
Choosing the Right Distributed Energy Resource
The decision on whether or not to invest in distributed energy resources is complicated. Evaluating all aspects, including cost, consumption metrics, resource availability, personal goals, and reliability
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Gas
Realize the Opportunity from Advanced Air Inlet Filtration
For maximum efficiency and operational flexibility, advanced gas turbines have rightly been optimized to the nth degree. However, there are big opportunities in important related components like the air inlet filtration systems too. The latest developments from Parker Hannifin show what can be achieved when a new approach is taken. Today’s advanced gas turbines are […]
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O&M
The Added Value of Corrosion Protection for Pump and Valve Maintenance
Power plants depend on hundreds of valves and many different pumps to carry out operations 24/7. Good maintenance procedures—including routine tasks and predictive maintenance—are critical to keeping these
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News
Propane: A Clean Energy Solution for Tomorrow That’s Available Today
Electrification is often presented as an optimal way to reduce carbon emissions, but it’s simply not practical to rely on electricity alone. No single energy source can solve the long-term environmental challenges the world faces. Why isn’t all electrification the answer? The infrastructure required to keep up with the electrification movement would take decades to […]
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Sustainability
Engineering the Largest Post-Combustion Carbon Capture Plant
As part of the UK’s Humber Zero initiative, VPI Immingham’s gas-fired combined heat and power (CHP) plant will be home to the world’s largest post-combustion carbon capture facility. The Humber region is
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Wind
A Symbol of Courage and Invincibility: DTEK Completes Wind Farm Despite War
When a hostile foreign country invades your homeland, many power projects might fall by the wayside, but for DTEK, providing reliable power to customers and continuing to develop secure energy resources was
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Hydro
Hydropower Horizons: Pioneering a Pelton Turbine Breakthrough
Voith Hydro in 2022 replaced four vertical Pelton turbines at Verbund’s 75-year-old 326-GWh Gerlos 1 pumped storage facility in Austria with a first-of-its-kind horizontal six-nozzle Pelton turbine
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Solar
Solar Farm at a Landfill Site Brings New Meaning for Waste to Energy
The Mount Olive project in New Jersey is a model for turning a brownfield site into a “brightfield,” supporting cleaner power generation and providing a wealth of benefits for the local community. The U.S
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Sustainability
Accelerating Sustainable Hydropower Development Around the World
The hydropower industry has placed a keen focus on sustainability in recent years. “The San José Declaration on Sustainable Hydropower,” a landmark declaration issued on Sept. 24, 2021, by the hydropower
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Gas
Companies Announce Advancements for Diesel-, Gas-Powered Engines
The global market for diesel- and gas-powered engines continues to grow, as manufacturing companies unveil products designed to produce power more efficiently while at the same time lowering emissions. The
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Gas
South Korea’s First ‘K-Gas Turbine’ Begins Commercial Operation
Marking a significant inroad to establish a South Korean foothold in the world’s gas turbine technology market, heavy industrial company Doosan Enerbility this summer began commercial operation of its first
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Nuclear
Planning Is Key to Successful Nuclear Refueling Outages
U.S. nuclear power plants typically refuel every 18 to 24 months. Refueling outages normally occur in the spring and fall of the year when demand for electricity is at its lowest. The Energy Information
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Gas
Austin Energy Power Production Cable Defects
Between 2022 and 2023, Sand Hill Energy Center encountered two serious defects in cabling, one of which resulted in an arc fault. These were surprises and have led the team to consider inspections and testing
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Fiction
Marnie Surfaceblow: Bowing Under Pressure
Just because something hasn’t failed doesn’t mean it won’t—especially when an “old dog” of a plant is taught new tricks. Two women wearing personal protective equipment waited impatiently in the
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Solar
AusNet Embraces Data-Driven Storm Impact Modeling
Power companies must respond to outages caused by extreme weather events. Having accurate predictions concerning the severity of impending storms can ensure companies are prepared with the right resources on
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Commentary
Building Energy Transmission Takes Time—Batteries Can Fill the Gap
California’s summertime energy challenges are well-documented. While energy shortfalls appear less likely in 2023, thanks to the series of atmospheric rivers that drenched the Golden State this winter, we
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Legal & Regulatory
Streamlined Permitting Key to California’s Floating Offshore Wind Development
Earlier this year the Biden administration hosted its inaugural Floating Offshore Wind Shot Summit, showcasing the efforts of federal departments to work with state, tribal, industry, and other interests to
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T&D
How the Energy Transition Is Impacting the Transformers Market
Power grids around the world require upgrades to accommodate growth and incorporate new clean energy resources. Transformers are a necessary component in the modernization. Estimates suggest hundreds of
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News and Notes
POWER Digest [September 2023]
Indian USC Coal Plant, First Transnational Power Project, Begins Operation. Indian independent power producer Adani Power on July 12 began full commercial operation of the coal-fired 1,600-MW Godda Ultra
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Energy Storage
Major Austrian Utility Optimizing Energy Storage with Battery Analytics Software
Many utilities are recognizing that battery energy storage is a critical part of the transition to cleaner forms of power generation. This is especially true in Europe, where many countries have adopted
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O&M
Ester Transformer Fluids Bring Innovation to Clean Energy Systems
Clean, green, renewable energy deployments continue to grow each year. A recent statement from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) noted, “By the end of 2022, global renewable generation
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Trends
Lessening the Impacts of Extreme Weather—How Utilities Should Be Preparing
Climate change is a threat multiplier. Clean-up costs are ballooning and natural disasters are growing more expensive. In 2022 alone there were 18 natural disasters that caused more than $1 billion in damage, up from only three events in 1980. These are taking a bigger bite out of the energy sector’s operating costs and profits, […]
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Hydrogen
Moving Toward a Hydrogen Economy in the U.S. and Beyond
While using low-carbon hydrogen is not a viable economic option in most markets today, the wheels are set in motion for hydrogen to support the decarbonization of the world’s energy supply. It is a journey
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Top Plant
Power to the People: Microgrid Gives Community Control of Its Energy
A residential development in Florida provides a model for the future of grid modernization, showcasing reliability and resiliency. Community microgrids provide a new approach to the design and operation of the
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Connected Plant
TECO Achieves Highly Reliable Power Grid Service with Advanced Technology
Tampa Electric Company (TECO) has enhanced its power system operation through the adoption of advanced technology. Its pioneering culture and the benefits obtained with these new innovative tools have led to