Electric Power Research Institute

U.S. nuclear power plants typically refuel every 18 to 24 months. Refueling outages normally occur in the spring and fall of the year when demand for electricity is at its lowest. The Energy Information

A group of researchers found that “Adopting electric end-use technologies instead of fossil-fueled alternatives, known as electrification, is an important economy-wide decarbonization strategy that also reduces criteria pollutant emissions and improves air quality.” Findings from the study conducted by nine researchers—four from EPRI, four from Ramboll, and one from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory—were published […]

Climate and extreme weather are increasingly impacting energy systems around the world. Whether it is prolonged, extreme cold in Texas, wildfires in California, high winds in the Midwest, or the recent prediction for an above-normal 2022 hurricane season, it is clear extreme weather events are testing the resilience of the North American grid. Changes in […]

Condensation-induced water hammer (CIWH) is the term commonly used when describing a variety of transients that occur when water vapor is rapidly condensed by cold water. This article describes the various

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a report at the end of February titled “Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability.” Among the warnings found in the 3,675-page

Natural gas electrical generation has increased significantly in recent years due to its cost advantage and reduced carbon footprint relative to coal. Many utilities are shifting to natural gas as a bridge fuel on their path to the ultimate goal of a net-zero carbon future. With the increase in gas-fired generation, the evaluation and demonstration […]

Electric Power Research Institute, Santee Cooper and Whooshh Innovations conduct field study of fish passage portal. PINEVILLE, S.C. – For more than 80 years, the Santee Spillway has helped control water flow between Lake Marion and the Santee River, but it has also blocked the migration of fish swimming upstream to spawn.  Now, a new […]

The new year is obviously a time when many people reflect on the past and make resolutions for the future. Surveys have shown that exercising more, improving one’s diet, losing weight, and saving money are

For more than three decades, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has led the power industry in developing, advancing, and demonstrating cost-effective heat rate improvements via new technologies, hardware, software, and best operating/programmatic practices for enhancing efficiency at minimal cost and maximum reliability. As the power industry moves toward net-zero carbon emission goals, heat rate […]

Proper water chemistry has always been important for dependable steam plant operation, but it may be even more critical today due to changes in operating routines and increased plant cycling. Failure not only

Insiders have long been talking about the energy transition taking place within the power industry. Most of the chatter has revolved around renewable energy, specifically wind and solar power, and the shift from coal- to gas-fired generation in the U.S. However, one expert from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) told POWER that carbon capture […]

As leaders around the world take steps to decarbonize energy supplies, many people have focused their attention specifically on wind and solar power. What they may fail to recognize is that nuclear power provides more electricity in the U.S. than all other carbon-free sources combined. This is true in some other countries, such as France, […]

Recent Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) research aims to better understand the potential of process control enhancements, such as load control, sliding pressure control, and steam temperature control

The mid-February blackouts in Texas have raised a lot of questions about power grid reliability. While investigations into the underlying causes of the outages could take a while to complete, and I don’t

When evaluating resource adequacy requirements, many power companies and grid operators have used a methodology that originated more than 70 years ago. This probabilistic reliability approach has generally performed adequately through the years. It has generally evaluated loss-of-load events occurring at frequencies of one-day-in-10-years (1-in-10) to be acceptable in terms of system reliability. However, it’s […]

Welding Method 7 (WM7), which was supported by an extensive set of research experiments led by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), was approved in March 2020 by the National Board Inspection Code

Des Plaines, IL (Aug. 10, 2020) – The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Gas Technology Institute (GTI) are embarking on a five-year initiative to accelerate the development and demonstration of low-carbon energy technologies. With increasingly ambitious decarbonization goals from private companies and governments alike, existing technology is not enough to achieve those targets. The […]

A study published by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) shows peak demand and energy use decreased as much as 21% in some areas as a result of actions taken to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The report—COVID-19 Bulk System Impacts: Demand Impacts and Operational and Control Center Practices—was released on March 27. It reviews […]

An Electric Power Research Institute study has developed a systematic process for introducing sequence automation to fossil power plants. Researchers are now exploring its implementation in case studies. As

An Electric Power Research Institute-led collaborative utility project, called I4Gen (Insight through the Integration of Information for Intelligent Generation), is exploring new technologies for digitally

The Electric Power Research Institute’s full spectrum of online monitoring-related research offers nuclear power plant operators guidance for monitoring program implementation. The research results are used

Cycling a combined cycle plant places additional stresses on all equipment, but the impacts extend beyond the gas turbine and heat recovery steam generator. Plant owners and managers are beginning to see

SAN CARLOS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SSI announces completion of a pilot test of the SSI Core water treatment system at Southern California Edison’s Mountainview plant in Redlands, CA. “Demands to supply water to a growing population are increasing worldwide and are having profound impacts on the use of limited water resources,” said Richard Breckenridge, program manager at […]