POWER
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Infographics
The Big Picture: Energy Storage Mandates
While 29 states and the District of Columbia currently have Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS)—goals for power producers to provide a certain amount of power from renewable sources by a specific date—a growing number of states are also instituting standalone targets and mandates for energy storage procurement. Sources: Energy Storage Association, North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center, Lawrence Berkeley […]
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IIOT Power
How to Automate Workforce Scheduling
If you’re a power plant supervisor, you’ve undoubtedly been forced to find a worker during off-hours on the spur of the moment. New tools are being used today that allow automating the callout process—and workforce schedule. Last summer City Utilities (CU) of Springfield, Missouri, joined a list of power companies automating workforce scheduling and callout […]
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Coal
King Coal Is Alive and Kicking in Poland
Running counter to the overwhelming trend in Europe, coal remains the king in Poland. The country’s governing party unabashedly champions the industry as the foundation of its energy sector—a footing it doesn’t want to abandon. In December 2018, as ministers and delegates from all over the world attend the United Nations-sponsored climate conference (COP24) in […]
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Renewables
Spain’s Market Regulator Rejects Attempt to Save Coal Plants
Spanish market and competition regulator CNMC (Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia) in a report published on January 24 said a draft government decree to block power plant closures if they
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O&M
Special Flooring Considerations for Mission-Critical Facilities
Every element in the construction and operation of power generation plants must be considered to keep such mission-critical facilities running around the clock. The proper flooring can contribute not only to
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O&M
Taking Visual Inspection Technology to a New Level
When many of us pick up our smartphones and take a panoramic photo, we probably think that’s a neat feature. But for inspection personnel at a nuclear energy facility, the technique behind those panoramic
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O&M
Software Helps with Proactive Maintenance
Utilities and power plant equipment providers know that maximizing the value of their assets includes keeping them maintained and online. Minimizing downtime is critical, certainly when it comes to keeping the
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Commentary
How the Offshore Wind Energy Industry Can Overcome the Jones Act
Europe’s decade-long economic and regulatory commitment to the offshore wind industry has paid off. With approximately 14 GW of power installed as of June 2017, the continent now boasts more than 90% of
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IIOT Power
Using Data Analytics to Improve Operations and Maintenance
Power plants are challenged to generate value from their data, but this can be a tedious and slow process, with uncertain outcomes. Now, as shown in these use cases, data analytic solutions can put innovation
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Coal
Future Looks Bright for Gas-Fired Generation
Analysts who spoke with POWER differ slightly on the numbers, but they all agree that U.S. demand for natural gas for power generation will continue to rise. Supply should not be a problem—domestic
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Legal & Regulatory
A Break in the Nuclear Waste Impasse?
Spent nuclear fuel has continued to accumulate at sites across the nation, paralyzed by a government deadlock on a nuclear waste management strategy formally established 35 years ago. Can recent developments
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Legal & Regulatory
Successful Torrefied Biomass Test Burn at a Coal Power Plant
The ability of a coal power plant to accommodate significant changes in fuel quality is often limited by many constraints. When faced with a challenging goal to test torrefied biomass fuel at its Boardman
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O&M
Design and Care of Reverse Osmosis Systems
Reverse osmosis (RO) systems offer power plant owners and operators a reliable and well-proven water treatment solution. However, designing and caring for an RO system requires a thorough understanding of a
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Solar
Can C&I Customers Lead the Energy Storage Revolution?
The private sector is traditionally known as a driver of innovation, so it may be surprising to some people that many businesses have only recently begun to consider advanced energy technologies. Looking at
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Commentary
Coal Rebound Is Vital to Local Economies
In President Trump’s State of the Union address, he said, “We have ended the war on American energy, and we have ended the war on beautiful, clean coal.” It’s safe to say that things have gotten better
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Instrumentation & Controls
Electric Power Show Preview
The ELECTRIC POWER Conference + Exhibition for two decades has been the place for those in the power generation industry to come together for up-to-date training and continuing education—a place to gain a
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Renewables
POWER Digest [March 2018]
ABB Receives Contract to Upgrade, Expand Combined Cycle Plant. A consortium including Doosan Heavy Industries and state-owned construction company PT Hutama Karya has awarded a $40 million contract to ABB to
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History
As Nuclear Giant AREVA Reforms, Framatome Is Resurrected
Reforging its core business to return to competitiveness after record losses of €4.83 billion in 2014, French nuclear firm AREVA has split its five operational business units and rebranded them—again. All
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Renewables
Human Errors Contributed to Oroville Spillway Failure
Damage to the main and emergency spillways of the Oroville Dam in California, triggered in February 2017 by heavy rain that was part of Northern California’s wettest winter in almost 100 years, has brought
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History
THE BIG PICTURE: Abandoned Nuclear
This month’s THE BIG PICTURE infographic is accompanied by an interactive map. For more, visit: https://www.powermag.com/interactive-map-abandoned-nuclear-power-projects/
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Legal & Regulatory
Pipeline Project Prompts Plan for Nigeria Power Plants
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC) in December 2017 announced a plan to build three natural gas-fired power plants in the country, thanks to a $2.8 billion pipeline project that would bring natural gas from the southern part of the African nation to its northern region. The plants, sited in Abuja, Kaduna, and Kano, would […]
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History
THE BIG PICTURE: Abandoned Nuclear Power Projects (Interactive Map)
Increasing uncertainties concerning low forecasted load; construction financing constraints and reversals; state certification hurdles; and challenges to nuclear profitability posed by the growing share of coal plants beset the nuclear industry in the early 1970s. The nuclear suffered a renewed economic meltdown and fierce public pushback in the aftermath of the Three Mile Island accident […]
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IIOT Power
Battery-Gas Turbine Combination Provides Power Plant Flexibility
With a broadening portfolio of generation technologies and rapidly changing demands, effectively combining and integrating diverse technologies is important to a reliable power grid. Siemens’ SIESTART
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O&M
Turbophase Dry Air Injection Optimizes Aero-derivative Combustion Turbines
Turbophase enables combustion turbine owners and power grids to increase flexibility, power, and efficiency, which is critical at a time when dispatch of renewable energy is growing. Combustion turbines
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Press Releases
Connected Plant Conference Show Preview
The Connected Plant Conference is a forum designed for professionals in the power generation and chemical process industries who are leading digital adoption at all stages. Sessions are tailored to offer
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Commentary
Changing the Power Industry Culture
The news has been filled with high-profile sexual harassment cases recently. Although more women seem to be coming forward lately to tell their stories and bring misconduct to light, it’s far from a new
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Commentary
Pressing Forward with Vogtle, a Nuclear MVP
Georgia wasn’t looking for an award or recognition when we set out to build new nuclear reactors in our state. Yet, we now find ourselves as the last team on the field as our commissioners unanimously voted
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O&M
How the Internet of Things May Help Power the Future
Utility poles are the literal backbone of the electric utility industry. With an estimated 180 million or more in the nation’s power grid, it’s not hard to imagine the monumental task associated with
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Gas
Energy Transitions Begin to Leave Out Natural Gas Power
The world’s energy transition took an interesting turn at the end of 2017 as global power firm Engie announced it would switch all its gas operations to biogas and renewable hydrogen, the UK slashed its
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O&M
Replacement Instruments Improve Turbine Water Induction Protection
Turbine water induction protection systems are designed to keep water out of the turbine and prevent damage. Steam turbine damage from water induction is a costly economic, safety, and reliability concern. Any