POWERnews

Georgia Power declared Plant Vogtle Unit 3 commercially operational on July 31, 2023, making it the first “newly constructed” nuclear power unit to be added to the U.S. fleet in decades. “Today is a historic day for the State of Georgia, Southern Company, and the entire energy sector, as we continue transforming the way we […]

Electric utilities are looking to green hydrogen as a tool to help alleviate over-congested grids and renewable energy curtailment. But what makes hydrogen “green?” The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will soon issue its much-anticipated guidance on what qualifies for the new green hydrogen tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed last year. The […]

An astonishing surge of heat across the globe shattered temperature records and marked three days of July 2023 as likely the hottest in Earth’s modern history. When temperatures rise dramatically, data centers also struggle to keep their servers cool. As the effects of climate change become more pronounced, energy market volatility is expected to persist. […]

POWER Magazine   Jobs   White Papers  Webinars   Events   Store   July 27, 2023 Hydrogen Offers a ‘Multi-Billion-Dollar Opportunity’ This Decade for Innovative Companies Hydrogen demand throughout the world reached 94 million metric tons in 2021, according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) Global Hydrogen Review 2022, an annual report issued by the […]

Hydrogen demand throughout the world reached 94 million metric tons in 2021, according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) Global Hydrogen Review 2022, an annual report issued by the IEA in late September last year. Demand for new applications grew to about 40,000 metric tons (up 60% from 2020, albeit from a low base). Notably, […]

A number of companies in the power industry revealed new projects and other interesting developments this week. The following are some the more noteworthy announcements that POWER has been monitoring. BWXT to Provide Nuclear Reactor Engine and Fuel for DARPA Space Project BWX Technologies Inc. (BWXT) announced on July 26 that its reactor and fuel […]

A group that includes Rivian, the California-based electric vehicle manufacturer, said it will turn the site of a former coal mine in Kentucky into that state’s largest solar farm. The Starfire Mine, located in Breathitt, Knott, and Perry counties in Kentucky, for years operated as one of the largest coal mines in Appalachia, producing as […]

Framatome, the France-based nuclear power company, said its Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel (EATF) assembly reached a milestone, with the group on July 25 announcing the EATF successfully completed its first cycle of operation at a U.S. nuclear power plant. The assembly was installed at Unit 2 of the Calvert Cliffs plant in Maryland during a […]

Officials in France have announced the existing Bugey nuclear power station near Lyon will be the site of two new EPR reactors. The government of President Emmanuel Macron last year said the country could add more than a dozen new reactors to the country’s energy mix over the next several years. Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the minister […]

A Virginia-headquartered group said it has brought online the first two of the company’s four planned energy storage systems (ESS) designed to support and stabilize the New York City power grid. Summit Ridge Energy on July 25 said the projects, located across Brooklyn and Staten Island, ultimately will provide 58 MWh of generation to the […]

A UK-based energy supplier that counts former U.S. Vice President Al Gore among its investors announced it would pour about $20 billion into offshore wind projects by 2030. Octopus Energy Group on July 24 said the investment would come through its generation division. The company said it envisions building 12 GW of offshore wind capacity […]

Extreme temperature and weather events have become more prevalent in the past decade. In fact, July 2023 is shaping up to be “the hottest single month on Earth on record, and possibly in more than 100,000 years,” according to an article published by The Washington Post. The article, published on July 20, says, “Every day […]

Site safety, equipment reliability, and a balanced budget from smooth operations are the cornerstones of a successful power grid. Today’s utility companies face immense challenges with current equipment monitoring practices, such as failures from aging electrical equipment, the need to extend the life of critical assets, and carrying out ongoing lifecycle management that is essential […]

The oft-delayed two-unit expansion of the Vogtle nuclear power plant in Georgia took another step forward on July 21, as Georgia Power said several tasks needed for Unit 4 at the site have been completed and the company is readying the reactor for fuel loading. The utility on Friday announced that Southern Nuclear, part of […]

Solar energy is a clean and environmentally friendly source of energy. It can also help in reducing the global carbon footprint and mitigating the impacts of climate change. Due to the positive aspects of solar energy, its demand is growing exponentially. Photovoltaic (PV) modules are undoubtedly the most significant component of a solar power system. […]

The 19th century battle between Nikolai Tesla’s alternating current (AC) and Thomas Edison’s direct current (DC) technologies had an undisputed winner. The vast majority of the world’s transmission and distribution grids work now on AC. But DC—and high-voltage direct current (HVDC)—is attracting renewed interest. New Applications Emerge for HVDC The benefits of HVDC include its […]

POWER Magazine   Jobs   White Papers  Webinars   Events   Store   July 20, 2023 Emissions Rules Could Target More Gas-Fired Power Plants Much of the discussion after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier this year issued new emissions standards for power generation units focused on the impact for coal-fired power plants.…   […]

There are many reasons to be excited about the U.S. nuclear power industry and its potential for growth. For activists focused on climate change, its carbon-free attribute makes it a viable long-term power resource. Additionally, its around-the-clock generating capability makes it a vital option in a world increasingly filled with intermittent renewables. Furthermore, new technology […]

Much of the discussion after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier this year issued new emissions standards for power generation units focused on the impact for coal-fired power plants. The rule in effect would require most fossil fuel-burning power plants to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution 90% between 2035 and 2040. Energy industry […]

In more than one RTO market, aggregators may find themselves in the position of making capacity offers for future delivery periods based on projections of how much aggregated capability they will have available in the future. This presents somewhat of a dilemma, as there are financial incentives to project aggressively. COMMENTARY Capacity revenues may play an […]

The power grid is stressed. Aging infrastructure is a problem, exacerbated by extreme weather events that increasingly threaten reliability and result in outages. The integration of more renewable energy resources, with stochastic output, is another challenge. Then there are threats both cyber and physical, heightening the need for sophisticated visibility and control all along the […]

A Japanese news service said General Electric (GE) will join with Toshiba to establish a supply chain for equipment that would support Japan’s offshore wind power industry. Nikkei, a Tokyo-based financial and business news outlet, on July 16 reported that the deal is another move by Japanese officials as part of the country’s zero-carbon strategy. […]

Global solar power equipment provider First Solar announced a massive deal with Israel-based Energix Renewables, an agreement in which First Solar will deliver more than 5 GW of ultra-low carbon thin film solar modules for projects in Israel, the U.S., and Poland. Energix, among the largest renewable energy companies in Israel and with more than […]

POWER Magazine   Jobs   White Papers  Webinars   Events   Store   July 17, 2023 Estrella del Mar III, a Visionary Floating Power Plant, Is POWER's Plant of the Year Winning POWER’s highest honor is Estrella del Mar III, a first-of-its-kind floating combined cycle gas turbine power barge that fulfills a remarkable assortment of […]

Egypt’s support for renewable energy has received another boost, with ACWA Power and Egyptian officials on July 17 signing an agreement to allocate land for a 10-GW wind power project. Saudi Arabia-based ACWA Power, the world’s largest private water desalination company, on Monday announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the New and Renewable Energy […]

A modern town without power—shuttered stores, empty parking lots and useless traffic lights—can resemble an eerie, dystopian future where residents struggle to get what they need. This is the short-term reality for localities that have been victims of targeted substation attacks, which have been rising steadily for the past decade. COMMENTARY At best, these widespread […]

The utility industry is facing a major challenge as it navigates the constantly evolving landscape of the electric grid. Managing the transformation brought about by the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, the rise of remote and hybrid work, and the growing reliance on renewable energy sources has become central to the industry. Operators must adapt […]

Renewable energy technologies, including solar, wind, hydro, and battery energy storage systems (BESS), are at the forefront of the global energy transition. The U.S. and Latin America (LATAM) are witnessing significant advancements in these technologies, driven by geopolitical and economic trends. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects a growth of electricity demand from 1,295 TWh […]

POWER Magazine   Jobs   White Papers  Webinars   Events   Store   July 13, 2023 Three More BWRX-300 SMRs Planned for Canada's Darlington Site GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) said it is working on deployment of three additional BWRX-300 small modular reactors (SMRs) at the Darlington New Nuclear Project site in Ontario, Canada. GEH… […]

Calculating and comparing air emissions from electric vehicles (EVs) and gasoline- or diesel-fueled vehicles is a complicated endeavor. While EVs, including hybrids, produce lower tailpipe emissions than conventional vehicles do—and zero tailpipe emissions when running only on electricity—tailpipe emissions are only one factor to consider in a vehicle’s lifecycle emissions. Gasoline and electricity fuel pathways […]