POWERnews

The federal government in 2021 passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (BIIJA), which allocated $8 billion in funding to establish hydrogen hubs at multiple locations across the U.S. Seven hubs were approved for funding by the Biden administration, and some work has already begun to build centers of low-carbon hydrogen production within these […]

Modern power plants have many critical demands, including the need for more efficient energy management, enhanced safety and security, and reduced power consumption. Integrating a smart boiler system is essential to meeting these challenges. These advanced systems enable precise temperature control, optimize energy usage, and offer unparalleled operational convenience that transforms how power facilities manage […]

Managing the different oils and greases that make up your lubricant arsenal is a daunting task. Most power generation facilities employ a lubricant champion to keep those products carefully sorted and implemented. But like most highly skilled experts, lubricant champions can only do a great job when they’re properly supported. If you want to maximize productivity, […]

NRG Energy announced it would acquire 18 natural gas-fired power plants with 13 GW of generation capacity as part of a $12-billion cash-and-stock deal with LS Power.

Houston, Texas-based NRG on May 12 said the deal, expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, would double the group’s overall generation capacity portfolio to 25 GW. The gas-fired plants are located in the U.S. Northeast and Texas, the company said Monday.

Today’s energy resilience toolkit includes a growing array of technologies, including diesel generators, natural gas systems, lithium-ion battery storage, solar-plus-battery microgrids—and now, a new class of hydrogen-based solutions that generate clean electricity from moisture in the air. No single option is universally ideal, but understanding their strengths and applications can help communities build more robust and flexible emergency energy strategies.

Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) and Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS) are crucial grid management technologies in today’s modern power delivery system. ADMS integrates multiple utility operational systems into a unified control platform. It combines functions like outage management, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, and distribution automation (DA) to provide operators with […]

State-owned Coal India Limited (CIL) has announced plans to invest about $3 billion to build as much as 4.5 GW of renewable energy generation capacity. The memorandum of understanding, signed May 7 with major ammonia producer AM Green, is expected to significantly increase India’s green hydrogen and ammonia production capabilities.

Ontario’s provincial government has given Ontario Power Generation (OPG) the green light to begin construction on the first of four  BWRX-300 small modular reactors (SMRs) at its Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP) site in Clarington, Ontario. “This represents the first new nuclear build in Ontario in more than three decades,” the utility noted. The province […]

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on May 7 told lawmakers that the Department of Energy (DOE) is entering what he called “a golden era of American energy dominance,” outlining the Trump administration’s strategy to prioritize fossil fuels, nuclear power, grid modernization, and permitting reform, while positioning the U.S. to lead in artificial intelligence (AI) […]

On April 28, 2025, at 12:33 p.m. local time, a significant blackout affected the entire Iberian Peninsula, plunging Spain and Portugal into darkness. During a webcast on May 6, Sean McGuinness, Transmission and Distribution Protection Research Program Manager with EPRI, provided background on the Spanish and Portuguese power grids, and an overview of the events […]

A nuclear power project developer said it has a deal with Google, with the technology company agreeing to commit funding for at least three projects that each would have 600 MW of generation capacity. Elementl Power, founded in 2022 and based in Greer, South Carolina, on May 7 said Google would help the company move toward its goal of bringing more than 10 GW of nuclear power capacity online by 2035.

District energy systems can accelerate decarbonization of buildings in cities. The clock is ticking for building owners in U.S. cities that have enacted performance standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The carrots and sticks of local energy codes to tackle climate change are quickly becoming mostly sticks. With compliance deadlines looming, many owners of large […]

Residents to benefit from 75 MW of new renewable energy resources Chipotle Mexican Grill, the fast casual restaurant company cultivating a better world by serving responsibly sourced, classically-cooked, real food, has entered into an agreement with Nexamp, the nation’s largest community solar provider, to purchase renewable energy bill credits to support the construction and operation […]

Enverus, an energy-dedicated, software-as-a-service company that leverages generative artificial intelligence across its solutions, has released its 2025 Interconnection Queue Outlook, a comprehensive collection of power generation and transmission projects that show requests to connect to the U.S. power grid.

A group of attorneys general from 17 states, along with the District of Columbia, is suing the Trump administration over the president’s move to suspend leasing and permitting of new U.S. wind energy projects.

EDP Renewables North America (EDPR NA) has inaugurated the company’s 200-MW Scarlet II Solar Energy Park, in Fresno County, California. Scarlet II follows EDPR NA’s Scarlet I Solar Energy Park—a 200-MW solar farm with and 40 MW/160 MWh of battery energy storage system (BESS)—which achieved commercial operation in 2024.

Abundance Energy, sonnen, and Energywell Technology Licensing on May 6 said they will work together on development of behind-the-meter, battery-enabled VPPs. The program is designed to support retail energy customers of Texas-based Abundance Energy, while also providing support for the state’s power grid.

In late March, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced it would eliminate four efficiency standards enacted during the Biden administration. In addition, the Trump administration has issued statements suggesting that the power to choose appliances and energy-efficiency standards should not belong to the federal government, setting the stage for a state-level approach.

Sunraycer Renewables LLC, a developer, owner and operator of clean energy power sites, on May 1 announced the execution of two Environmental Attribute Purchase Agreements with Meta Platforms for Sunraycer’s Midpoint and Gaia projects in Texas. Meta will purchase 100% of the Environmental Attributes from Sunraycer’s Midpoint Solar project in Hill County, Texas, and the […]

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are revolutionizing our power grids, dramatically enhancing resilience, and facilitating greater integration of renewable energy sources like solar and wind. This technological evolution promises a cleaner, more sustainable energy future, but it also introduces significant new risks, particularly fire safety challenges. High-profile incidents involving lithium-ion battery systems highlight critical gaps […]

Since 2024, America’s airwaves have been flooded with phrases like “nuclear renaissance” and “drill, baby, drill.” Energy affordability has occupied the minds of the president, state legislators, regulators, energy suppliers, and utility companies, as everyday Americans confront rising energy costs. States like California have seen an increase in electricity bills between 2021 and 2024 of […]

The U.S. stands at a critical juncture. We’re experiencing electric load growth for the first time in decades, as fierce global competition reshapes the energy landscape. Nuclear power, both the resurgence of fission and the promise of fusion, could secure our energy future and position the U.S. as the global leader in energy technology for […]

While Alberta’s historical energy legacy has been defined by coal and crude oil, the Canadian province has embraced renewables and carbon capture over the past two decades, and is now exploring small modular

Electrification is about offsetting energy coming directly from fossil fuels with electrons. And it’s a key strategy to support decarbonization across sectors. Depending on the generation mix providing the electrons, the amount of decarbonization may vary. But wherever a customer has electrified their energy usage, they stand to benefit from future deployments of clean generation resources.

U.S. President Donald Trump was sworn into office for the second time on Jan. 20, 2025. That means April 30 marks his 100th day back in office. A lot has happened during that relatively short period of time (Figure 1). The Trump administration has implemented sweeping changes to U.S. energy policy, primarily focused on promoting […]

Clean energy is accelerating, and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a major driver. It introduced the largest package of federal clean energy tax incentives in U.S. history, with significant implications for developers, investors, and manufacturers across the sector. But taking advantage of these incentives isn’t automatic. The credits come with detailed rules around eligibility, […]

Alliant Energy said a 200-MW solar facility in Linn County, Iowa, was recently brought online.  The Pleasant Creek Solar installation—renamed after being known as Duane Arnold Solar during development and construction—is the largest solar power installation built to date in the state. Pleasant Creek Solar joins two other solar projects—Creston and Wever, which began operating […]

Aggreko said it has launched a 500-kW liquid-cooled resistive load bank, purpose-built for liquid-to-liquid data center commissioning and testing for North American customers. The energy solutions group said the load bank enables the testing of data center liquid cooling systems to ensure they will keep server racks within their optimal operating parameters, a key part […]

Pittsburgh International Airport, in partnership with Duquesne Light Company (DLC) and IMG Energy Solutions, a Liberty Energy company, on April 29 announced an expansion of a solar field as part of the airport’s energy innovation plans. The project marks DLC’s first power purchase agreement, boosting local energy production and economic development while making clean energy more accessible for the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania region.

The commercial solar industry, now more than 50 years old, is facing a pivotal moment. Years of rapid growth—driven by exponentially falling costs and rising demand—are running up against global supply chain instability, geopolitical tensions, and structural vulnerabilities in the latest module designs.