POWERnews

Researchers in China have published the results of a study that the group said provides an efficient catalytic approach to directly transfer solid biomass into natural gas, while enabling the gas to have a low-carbon footprint. The researchers said bio-natural gas produced from the hydrogen combined with lignocellulosic biomass could be used at power plants, […]

The digital transformation in the power generation industry touches several areas, encompassing engineering, monitoring and control, asset performance, and operations optimization, among others. Power plant operators know the digital era has been a perfect fit for their industry, enabling digitization to reduce risk, save costs, optimize performance, and speed crisis response. Doble Engineering is a […]

Parts of Texas have suffered localized, distribution-level power outages as an Arctic outbreak sent temperatures plummeting across the state, but its heavily scrutinized grid is largely prepared to weather the storm, state entities said. Frigid temperatures stemming from a large dome of Arctic high pressure are sending temperatures into the single digits and below zero […]

California’s power grid continues to evolve and will look much different by 2040, according to a 20-year draft transmission plan released by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). The plan calls for significant additional renewable energy resources, along with a $30.5-billion build-out of the transmission grid.  The outlook, developed by the grid operator along with […]

POWER Magazine   Jobs   White Papers  Webinars   Events   Store   February 3, 2022 Georgia Power Plans to Retire All Coal Units by 2035 Georgia Power plans to shutter most of its coal fleet by 2028 and completely exit coal-fired power by 2035, according to the utility’s latest integrated resource plan (IRP) filed […]

The 462-MWe Carbon-Free Power Project—the first six-module NuScale Power VOYGR-6 power plant—has completed field investigation activities at its Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The achievement announced on Feb. 3 marks a major milestone for CFPP LLC, the entity Utah state energy services interlocal agency Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) established […]

Handing a muted victory to proponents of nuclear and gas, the European Commission (EC) on Feb. 2 adopted a measure that labels some nuclear and gas energy activity as climate-friendly investments. However, it set out strict, potentially limiting technical screening criteria for those activities to qualify, prompting pushback from the nuclear and gas industries. The […]

In February 2021, a severe cold weather event, known as Winter Storm Uri, caused numerous power outages, derates, or failures to start at electric generating plants scattered across Texas and the south-central U.S. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which manages the power supply for about 90% of the load in Texas, ordered a […]

The Biden administration has made clear its intention to promote the transition to clean energy, setting ambitious goals like carbon neutrality for the power sector by 2035 and for the entire country by 2050. A critical step toward these goals was congressional passage of the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which President […]

Georgia Power plans to shutter most of its coal fleet by 2028 and completely exit coal-fired power by 2035, according to the utility’s latest integrated resource plan (IRP) filed with state regulators on Jan. 31. The Southern Co. subsidiary on Monday said it would make more investments in natural gas-fired generation, along with renewable energy, […]

POWER Magazine   Jobs   White Papers  Webinars   Events   Store   January 31, 2022 Former Nuclear Leaders: Say 'No' to New Reactors The former heads of nuclear power regulation in the U.S., Germany, and France, along with the former secretary to the UK's government radiation protection committee, have issued a joint statement… Sponsored […]

The energy transition is likely to result in the continued growth of wind energy project development, and by 2030 more than 224.07 GW across 47 states could be installed, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Along with the environmental benefits of replacing fossil-fuel power with wind power, this will undeniably affect songbirds, raptors, […]

POWER Magazine   Jobs   White Papers  Webinars   Events   Store   January 27, 2022 Oft-Delayed Vogtle Expansion on Track for 2022 Start The two-unit expansion at the Plant Vogtle nuclear power facility in Georgia remains a work in progress, a project that still holds the promise of emissions-free electricity even as construction… Sponsored […]

Eight ocean energy projects representing the first round of open-water testing at the 20-MW PacWave South wave energy test site off the Oregon coast have garnered a combined $25 million in federal funding to support technology research, development, and demonstration at the trailblazing facility. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) […]

The two-unit expansion at the Plant Vogtle nuclear power facility in Georgia remains a work in progress, a project that still holds the promise of emissions-free electricity even as construction delays and cost overruns continue to spark debate about its future. Proponents, including Georgia regulators and nuclear energy advocates, remain optimistic about the amount of […]

GE’s first earnings release after the American conglomerate last November announced it would combine and spin-off its Renewable Energy, Power, and Digital business suggests flagging orders for onshore and offshore wind equipment and gas turbines amid a business environment wrought with uncertainty. GE on Jan. 25 reported revenues of $15.7 billion for its Renewable Energy business, […]

S&C Electric Co., an employee-owned company with global headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, rolled out an innovative solution designed to mitigate nuisance outages for power customers located on the grid edge. The new VacuFuse II Self-Resetting Interrupter has the ability to test if a fault is temporary, and if so, it automatically restores power, eliminating the […]

There are countless risks associated with power plant operations. For example, the risk of equipment failure is present in virtually every power plant system. In some cases, the risk is very low and could even be inconsequential. In others, it’s much higher and could be catastrophic, not only to plant operation, but also to the […]

The Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility in California, already the largest utility-scale battery storage development in the world, is adding more capacity. Vistra, the Texas-based energy company that lists Luminant, TXU Energy, and Dynegy among its subsidiaries, on Jan. 24 said it would further expand Moss Landing, adding a new 350-MW/1,400-MWh battery energy storage system […]

Nevada utility NV Energy has received approval from state regulators to purchase two solar-plus-storage projects that will replace power generation from the group’s coal-fired North Valmy Generating Station. The 522-MW North Valmy plant is scheduled for closure in 2025. NV Energy in June of last year filed its triennial integrated resource plan with the Public […]

The last two years have had a profound effect on businesses in all industries, including power generation. Looking into the future, it’s evident that even more change is on the horizon. To accommodate these changes, one thing has become clear within the realm of finance: Digital transformation is no longer optional. Instead, it’s a necessary […]

Energy Transfer, a major pipeline firm that threatened to terminate natural gas service to five Vistra Corp. gas-fired power plants in Texas next week as part of a $21.3 million penalty payment standoff, has relaxed its ultimatum, though the underlying dispute continues. In a letter filed with the Texas Railroad Commission late on Jan. 20, […]

A subsidiary of billionaire Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy has announced it plans to invest another $3.9 billion into renewable energy in Iowa, with a project that would add more than 2 GW of wind power to the state. Des Moines-based MidAmerican Energy on Jan. 19 said the Wind PRIME project also includes solar power […]

Two Vistra Corp. subsidiaries have alleged in a complaint filed with the Texas Railroad Commission that a major pipeline firm has threatened to terminate natural gas service to five Texas gas-fired power plants—a combined 2 GW—“at any time” after Jan. 23. If escalated, the issue could pose new hurdles for the state’s electricity security as […]

A new product from GE Digital will improve the operation of gas turbines through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), resulting in lower fuel consumption and reducing emissions, the company announced Jan. 20. GE Digital in its announcement said turbines “require seasonal adjustment of flame temperatures and fuel splits, which is generally a manual […]

The vast majority of 324 electric generation units and transmission facilities in Texas have fully met or “go beyond” new state winter weatherization requirements, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) said in a final readiness report filed with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) on Jan. 18. Onsite inspections at 302 generation units […]

The U.S. International Trade Commission concluded its investigation into a complaint filed by GE against Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) concerning the importation “of certain variable speed wind turbine generators and components thereof.” In its ruling, the commission found that SGRE violated section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and it issued […]

A power plant in Tennessee is the site of a project using carbon dioxide (CO2) to help manufacture carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which can be used in a variety of products from wind turbine blades to cellphone batteries to lightweight bicycle frames. SkyNano Technologies, a Knoxville, Tennessee-based developer of a manufacturing process to produce carbon-based nanomaterials […]

POWER Magazine   Jobs   White Papers  Webinars   Events   Store   January 20, 2022 Vistra Claims ‘Extortion’ by Pipeline Company, Says Natural Gas Supply to Texas Power Plants Threatened Two Vistra Corp. subsidiaries have alleged in a complaint filed with the Texas Railroad Commission that a major natural gas pipeline firm has threatened […]

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts are factoring into merger and acquisition (M&A) deal activity within the power and utilities sector across North America, according to a report issued by PwC, a professional services firm serving the “Trust Solutions and Consulting Solutions” segments. “As policies are clarified and ESG strategies are strengthened, broad investor interest […]