POWER
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News
India Starts Up Its First-Ever USC Coal Unit
NTPC Ltd., one of India’s largest power generating companies, on Sept. 3 announced it had commissioned the country’s first ultrasupercritical (USC) coal-fired unit at the two-unit 1,320-MW Khargone plant that is under construction in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The development marks a major milestone for India, which depends on coal for 56% of its […]
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Gas
Competitive Advantages: Power Plant Wins with Low Fuel Costs, High Efficiency
The cost of fuel is one of the most important factors affecting power plant profitability, but flexibility and efficiency are also vitally important to success. One impressive new plant in Ohio—the Lordstown
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Coal
Removing Asbestos and Regulated Materials Key to Power Plant Decommissioning
Retiring and decommissioning coal power plants is becoming a more-frequent occurrence around the world. The job comes with many challenges, but projects in the U.S. and UK have proven that remediation and
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News
What’s Driving the Rise of Behind-the-Meter Distributed Energy Resources
A substantial shift in implementation of distributed energy resources (DERs) is on the horizon with the collision of new technologies and higher energy demand. Innovation is spawning an abundance of potential
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News
Redefining Modern Gas Power: Lackawanna Energy Center
To endure a highly competitive and rapidly changing marketplace, Invenergy made the bold choice as it developed the 1,480-MW Lackawanna Energy Center in Jessup, Pennsylvania, to pair a first-of-its-kind
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News
Investing in African Energy—Weighing Risks and Rewards
Foreign energy companies are investing in Africa as that continent builds out its power generation infrastructure. But there are risks to those investments, as some governments—Angola, Tanzania, and Libya
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Gas
Work Ethic Leads to ‘World Class’ Performance
Wolverine Power Cooperative’s Alpine plant in Michigan has impressive operating numbers, and a culture of teamwork dedicated to maintaining efficiency. Power plant operators will tell you it takes a team
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News
Power to the People—Family Approach Supports Plant’s Positive Impact
Dominion Energy’s Greensville County Power Station is noted for its efficient performance and its strict emissions limits, and its workers also contribute to its success. There are many adjectives to
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News
Upward Trajectory: Energy Storage Paired with Renewables
The growth of distributed power generation worldwide is increasingly reliant on microgrid systems incorporating several technologies, including solar power plus battery storage. The move toward more commercial
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Coal
A New Technology for Bottom Ash Conversion Emerges
New environmental regulations have forced many coal power plant operators to consider alternative options for handling their boiler bottom ash. Although mechanical drag systems can often meet regulatory
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O&M
Improving Field Operations with New Technologies
Utilizing new technologies in today’s business environment is a necessity for operations leaders looking to optimize their resources. Smartphones, GPS, radio-frequency identification (RFID), on-demand/cloud
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News
POWER Digest—October 2019
First Unit at 2-GW Coal Plant in Malaysia Begins Operation. The first of two proposed 1-GW coal-fired power plants in Port Dickson, Negi Sembilan, Malaysia, began commercial operation on Aug. 22, expanding
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Distributed Power
Almost No Heat Is Wasted at This Highly Efficient German CHP Facility
This modern Bavarian factory produces 105,000 tons of wood pellets, enough to heat tens of thousands of homes. To help manufacture them, it integrates a uniquely designed combined heat and power facility that
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News
A Busy Summer for New Nuclear Power Plants
Several new nuclear plants around the world marked important milestones over the summer. Among notable projects are those that began second units of new third-generation reactor designs—such as the EPR
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Business
Public vs. Private: The Boulder Case
In my “Speaking of Power” column last month, I explained that JEA, a community-owned utility in northeast Florida, is contemplating privatization. One of the reasons JEA is considering the change is that
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Gas
DLN Upgrade Helps Gas Turbines Meet ‘Blue Sky’ Requirements
Power plants around the world are being tasked with reducing emissions. In China, Shenzhen Nanshan Power Plant installed an innovative dry low-NOx upgrade on its gas turbines, helping the units meet
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Hydrogen
THE BIG PICTURE: Hydrogen Power
Hydrogen is emerging as a formidable player in the energy transition, owing to its potential to decarbonize a range of sectors and its versatility. According to a June 2019–released report prepared for the G20 by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the government of Japan, 76% of dedicated hydrogen produced today (around 70 metric tons) […]
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Connected Plant
Empowering Data to Efficiently Build the Connected Grid of the Future
The power industry is witnessing rapid changes thanks to technology. Networks are evolving, and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has taken root, with autonomous systems contributing to the rise of
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T&D
Hurricane Dorian Provides Real-Life Test of Upgraded Storm Systems
As Hurricane Dorian made its slow progression up Florida’s east coast in September, the state’s 21.3 million residents waited in anticipation for what the Category 5 storm would bring. While, thankfully, most of Florida was left relatively unscathed except for minor damage due to storm surge and dangerous winds, Jacksonville-based JEA was prepared for the […]
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Plant Design
How to Avoid Common Genset Room Design Mistakes
Reliable power is essential for all facilities, but it is even more critical for places like hospitals, data centers, and military bases. Therefore, many decision-makers are purchasing power generator sets (gensets) to supply their facilities during emergencies. It is crucial to consider where the genset will be positioned and how it will be operated. If […]
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Business
The X Factor in the Power Market’s New Math
How power companies are using experience management, or XM, to reshape customer relationships and reveal new revenue opportunities Here was a company with one of the largest investor-owned electric systems in the U.S.—the owner of close to a dozen electricity distribution entities—and a strong desire to pursue new opportunities outside its traditional regulated business. Those […]
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News
THE BIG PICTURE: Renewable Portfolio Standards
As of August 2019, 29 U.S. states and the District of Columbia had renewable portfolio standards (RPSs), and eight others had non-binding renewable portfolio goals. Three states also had clean energy standards, which set targets for low-carbon non-renewables, like nuclear, and two had clean energy goals. Shown in the bars below are the shares of generation by source […]
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Instrumentation & Controls
How to Ensure Plant Reliability and Regulatory Compliance
Lock in safe, reliable operations by opening the door to third-party expertise There’s still a big takeaway from a 2008 Florida blackout, and it’s not the size of the fine that followed. Although it was the largest penalty levied under the new reliability standards at that time, here’s the bigger elephant in the room: Florida […]
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News
Rush to Renewables Brings Wind Power to Colorado’s Plains
The growth of wind power worldwide is literally transforming the energy landscape, with massive turbine blades providing a visual backdrop. Xcel Energy’s Rush Creek project, covering 95,000 acres in eastern
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News
Small Hydro Innovation Revitalizes Scotland’s Storr Lochs Plant
The refurbishment of Storr Lochs, a small hydropower plant built nearly 70 years ago at an isolated location in Scotland’s mountainous Isle of Skye, has given the project new life and purpose. The reason
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News
Solar Plant Aims to be ‘Benchmark of Excellence’
The Veltoor facility in India has been honored for its cutting-edge technology, which helps maximize its energy production. The project also is notable for the developer’s commitment to communities near the
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Hydrogen
Decarbonizing the Power Sector with Renewable Gas
One way to help decarbonize the electric grid is through the use of renewable hydrogen, that is, hydrogen produced from renewable power resources. The process involves using excess wind and solar power during
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Business
Public vs. Private: What’s Best for Power Customers?
There are generally three types of electric power utility ownership structures: public power utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and investor-owned utilities (IOUs). The American Public Power Association
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Technology
Five Inspections Made Easier with Drone Technology
Today, drones equipped with sensors and cameras are proving their worth in gathering real-time footage that can be stored for later analysis. Uncrewed aerial systems can detect failing structures and equipment
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News
POWER Digest—September 2019
Kenya Launches Africa’s Largest Wind Farm. Kenya in July began operating the 310-MW Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) facility, which the government said is Africa’s largest wind power farm. The LTWP project