POWERnews

A federal judge this week ruled the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) must continue to honor an agreement to sell the unfinished Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant to a real estate developer who has said he would complete construction of the long-idled project. U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke, in a 17-page opinion issued after a […]

May 16, 2019 GE Tops MHPS, Siemens in 1Q Turbine Orders General Electric, Siemens, and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems confirmed their gas turbine sales for the year's first quarter, with GE taking the top spot with six orders for its advanced… Read More Sponsored Content Piping Solutions Using Non-Welded Connections For hydropower and dams, welding […]

Sub-Saharan Africa’s power generation capacity is projected to surge 4% annually through 2040, and its current energy mix—which is today dominated by hydro and coal—will likely be more diversified as interest rises in renewables such as solar and wind, General Electric (GE) said in a white paper surveying market opportunities in the region that it […]

The fight about who owns equipment at the now-abandoned V.C. Summer 2 and 3 AP1000 reactors in South Carolina intensified on May 14, as key stakeholder Santee Cooper sued lead contractor Westinghouse for certification documentation related to that equipment.  The lawsuit filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, Charleston Division, […]

When it comes to gas turbines, size matters. Although the market for large, heavy-duty gas turbines has been challenging in recent years, demand for industrial gas turbines—generally units with output ranging from about 5 MW to 100 MW—has been growing, according to Reed Lengel, product line manager for SCC-800 solutions with Siemens Energy. “When you […]

General Electric, Siemens, and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems confirmed their gas turbine sales for the year’s first quarter, with GE taking the top spot with six orders for its advanced HA-class unit. The three companies on May 14 confirmed the numbers to Reuters. GE, which had no sales in the same period a year ago, […]

A utility industry coalition that has often challenged stricter air pollution and climate rules for power generation said it will dissolve. The Utility Air Regulatory Group (UARG), which has been under investigation from the House Energy and Commerce Committee due to its relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) top air policy official and his […]

In the days following its May 7 announcement that it will spin off its Gas and Power business, Siemens has fleshed out how and when the carveout will occur, laid out its reasons for lumping its energy businesses together, and put forth a market case for why a business separation may be a “win-win” situation […]

The percentage of coal-fired generation in the U.S. electricity mix will continue to decline, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said May 9, with gas-fired generation accounting for at least 40% of the nation’s power this summer and output from renewables continuing to rise. EIA’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) said coal-fired units will produce only […]

May 9, 2019 Siemens Will Exit Power, Gas, Renewable Businesses Siemens will spin off and give up its majority stake in its lucrative Gas and Power division—comprising its conventional power generation, power transmission, oil and gas, and related services businesses—and… Read More Last Reactor at Three Mile Island Will Shut by End of September The […]

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a fresh warning that continued “above-normal” growth in electric demand could require it to enter Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) status to maintain system reliability this summer.  As it released its final Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy (SARA) for the upcoming summer season (June to September), a preliminary […]

Combined heat and power (CHP), also known as cogeneration, is the concurrent production of electricity or mechanical power and useful thermal energy (heating and/or cooling) from a single source of energy. Although it may not be widely recognized outside of industrial, commercial, institutional, and utility circles, CHP has been providing highly efficient electricity and process […]

The remaining nuclear reactor at the Three Mile Island Generating Station (TMI) in Pennsylvania will shut down by the end of September. Exelon made that official May 8, setting the closing date for Unit 1 at the financially struggling plant that it first announced it would shutter two years ago. Exelon in 2017 said the […]

The UK has gone a week without using electricity from coal-fired generation, according to the National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO), which oversees the power network in England, Wales, and Scotland. Government officials said it’s the first time the UK has gone without coal in a week-long period since 1882, when a coal-fired plant opened […]

Siemens will spin off and give up its majority stake in its lucrative Gas and Power division—comprising its conventional power generation, power transmission, oil and gas, and related services businesses—and transfer its current majority 59% stake in Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) to the new business. The company’s supervisory board announced the spinoff on May 7 […]

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to take final action to repeal the Clean Power Plan in June 2019, a federal court filing shows. The agency told the D.C. Circuit—in a May 6 status report—review of the Obama-era rule that sets the first carbon dioxide limits for existing power plants “continues to be a high […]

May 2, 2019 Iraq Chooses Siemens as Partner in $15 Billion Power Deal Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and Germany-based Siemens on April 30 confirmed reports that Iraq has chosen Siemens as its main partner in what it calls a “roadmap” agreement… Read More Sponsored Content Timken Power Systems: The Complete Drivetrain Solution What […]

Depending on the hazard field, electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) resulting from detonation of a nuclear weapon at high altitude or in space could cause significant damage to electronics on the bulk power system and even prompt a regional voltage collapse, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) says in much-anticipated findings from its three-year study on high-altitude […]

NuScale Power, the front-runner in the race to commercialize small modular reactors (SMRs), has bagged another major backer that could broaden its nuclear supply chain base and expand its financial standing.  On April 29, NuScale signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction (DHIC), a South Korean–based engineering, procurement, and construction […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has certified the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400), a third-generation design developed by deployed by South Korean state-owned companies Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) and Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP). The U.S. nuclear regulatory body on May 1 said it will issue a direct final rule certifying the reactor […]

Marc Yeston kicked off the Combustion Turbine Operations Technical Forum (CTOTF) spring conference on April 29 in St. Augustine, Florida, with a keynote presentation focused on safety, and how power plant managers and supervisors can improve safety programs. Yeston (Figure 1) has worked as a flight paramedic, a federal and state law enforcement officer, a […]

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and Germany-based Siemens on April 30 confirmed reports that Iraq has chosen Siemens as its main partner in what it calls a “roadmap” agreement to develop power generation projects in the country. Siemens in a news release Tuesday confirmed that the document was signed by Joe Kaeser, president and […]

Duke Energy this week said it has a definitive agreement to sell a minority interest in part of its commercial renewable energy portfolio owned and operated by its affiliate, Duke Energy Renewables, to the John Hancock Infrastructure Fund and John Hancock Life Insurance Company. Duke in an April 24 release said the interest is valued […]

Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) on April 24 said an updated analysis of its operations suggests the company could lower costs for customers if it accelerates the retirement of four coal-fired units in Wyoming. Gary Hoogeveen, president and CEO of RMP, which is part of Pacificorp, told state and local officials the company has not made […]

April 25, 2019 GE Power Engineer Implicated in Turbine Technology Theft for China’s Benefit    A former GE Power engineer and a Chinese businessman conspired to steal General Electric (GE) trade secrets related to gas and steam turbine technologies to benefit China, the U.S. Department… Read More Sempra Energy Exits U.S. Renewables Sector Sempra Energy […]

A former GE Power engineer and a Chinese businessman conspired to steal General Electric (GE) trade secrets related to gas and steam turbine technologies to benefit China, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has alleged in an indictment unsealed on April 23.  The 14-count indictment charges Xiaoqing Zheng, 56, of Niskayuna, New York, and Zhaoxi […]

Sempra Energy on April 22 marked its complete exit from the U.S. renewables business as it completed the sale of 724 MW of operating wind generation and battery assets to American Electric Power (AEP) for $1.05 billion.  The San Diego–headquartered utility holding company, which says it has the largest U.S. customer base, said the move […]

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) on April 24 rejected Vectren’s proposal to build an 850-MW natural gas-fired power plant to replace two coal-burning units at its A.B. Brown Generating Station, along with another coal unit at a nearby plant. The commission said it based its decision on the potential financial risk to ratepayers who they said […]

Managing the power load of a Las Vegas casino might seem a daunting task. MGM Resorts International, which operates several iconic properties on the city’s famous strip along with other hospitality and entertainment venues worldwide, took matters into its own hands a few years ago as it tried to control its energy costs and also […]

Washington this week became the latest state to establish a goal of 100% carbon-free clean electricity, as lawmakers passed Senate Bill 5116, which mandates a transition to clean power across the state by 2045. The bill was first introduced in January and is expected to be signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee. Washington joins […]