Power Engineering E-Newsletter 4/24

Welcome! Register for POWER-GEN Natural Gas! Join some of the top names in the energy industry to discuss the issues surrounding technology, operation, construction and maintenance of gas-fired power and production from unconventional hydrocarbon resources. Power-Gen Natural Gas is Aug. 18 - 20 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. Read More Share: Video Highlights White House releases energy plan to fight climate change Dominion Virginia Power to close coal ash ponds in state CB&I cited & fined for 2013 nuclear part damage cover up Residents near Duke ash dumps told not to drink well water View Now Share: From our Sponsor Compact Unit Offers Lube Oil Purification in Bypass Continuous solid-liquid-liquid separation improves longevity of lube oil without down time. The result is savings in lube oil and disposal costs, and less wear on bearings. Learn how this equipment can make your operation more efficient Top Stories White House releases energy plan to fight climate change The White House released a four-year energy plan designed to fight climate change, modernize power plants and find other ways to ensure the nation a steady supply of safe energy. Read More Share: Russia plans floating nuclear power plant by 2016 Russia says it will complete the world’s first floating nuclear power plant by 2016. Construction began in 2007 on the floating station, called the Akademik Lomonosov, but the project has not yet become fully operational after several delays. Read More Share: CB&I cited & fined for 2013 nuclear part damage cover up The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a Severity Level II violation and proposed a civil penalty of $11,200 to Chicago Bridge & Iron (CB&I, NYSE: CBI) and a Severity Level III violation to a former company official. Read More Share: Residents near Duke ash dumps told not to drink well water North Carolina officials are advising dozens of residents near Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) coal ash dumps not to drink or cook with water from their wells after tests showed contamination with toxic heavy metals. Read More Share: The Week's Most Read Articles EIA: Coal-fired generation alive and well in the coming decade Coal-fired power generation from existing plants will increase through 2025, this according to the Annual Energy Outlook 2015 (AEO2015) report published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) this week. Read More Share: Combined Cycle: The Preferred Option Most new generation in the U.S. is being fueled with natural gas, and the most dominant technology being used to burn the fuel is combined cycle. Read More Share: Top 5 U.S. Coal Plant Heat Rates According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, a power plant's heat rate measures the amount of electricity used by an electrical generator or power plant to generate one kilowatthour (kWh) of electricity, measured as btu/kWh. Read More Share: Areva's nuclear reactor vessel flaws may be "costly" Areva announced April 7 that it found weak spots in the bottom and lid of the European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) vessel, which could reduce the resistance of the metal. Areva said it discovered the flaw during mechanical and chemical tests of a representative model and reported the findings to the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN). Read More Share: More Headlines • Dominion Virginia Power to close coal ash ponds in state • Dominion installs solar, battery energy storage system at Virginia college • Ontario wind project enters into contract • Veolia to treat water at Korea nuclear power plant • RES to develop, construct battery energy storage project in Ohio • NC regulators told by House to prep for federal carbon rules • Hungary-Russia nuclear fuel agreement gets approval • New Jersey utilities seek proposals for solar projects • Job cuts hit shut down nuclear power project • NRC staff set Q&A on Surry nuclear power plant for April 28 • Study: Exelon subsidy would cost $1.6 billion over 5 years • TEPCO: Nuclear plant power outage sends radioactive water into ocean • Nebraska renewable energy tax credit bill sparks debate • Siemens supplies natural gas-fired equipment to project in Mexico • U.S., S. Korea, reach civil nuclear deal • State utility regulators confirmed by Florida Senate • MHPS rebrands its H-80 gas turbine • Toshiba to supply steam, gas turbines to Mexico power project Industry Trends Henry Hub Average Natural Gas Spot Prices The Henry Hub is the pricing point for natural gas futures contracts. Here's a look at how prices have changed up to April 15, 2015. Read More Share: Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas' Economic Indicators The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas offers a glimpse into how the markets are doing domestically and internationally. Read More Share: EIA’s weekly coal production report The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released its coal production report for the week ending April 18. Read More Share: Join In Send UNLIMITED delegates (employees) for one flat rate! Does your company generate electricity? Is your company a utility, muni, co-op, public power provider, on-site power producer or IPP? Does your company generate at least 1 MW of energy? If you answered YES to any of these questions then your company qualifies for the Power Generators Discount Program!* Read More Share: Add your hero to our Wall of Honor! The Wall of Honor pays tribute to military personnel around the world. It is on display at all of PennWell's North American conferences. Click to add a name or sponsor the wall. Read More Share: Power Generation Week 2014 Post-Show Report It was another successful year at Power Generation Week 2014! As the world's largest power generation event, the week was spent focusing on the industry's latest innovations, technical trends, and business strategies. The event boasted over 22,000 attendees from 115 countries, and 1,400+ exhibitors. Click here to learn more about Power Generation Week and what happened in 2014! Read More Share: From GenerationHub NRC considers variable annual fees for small modular reactors Because small modular reactors (SMRs) are expected to be much smaller in size than the reactors in the existing fleet the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering a variable annual fee structure for SMRs. Read More Share: Due to power plant retirements, California PUC may reject power line app The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on April 20 issued a Proposed Decision that would deny without prejudice Southern California Edison’s (SCE) request to construct the Coolwater-Lugo Transmission Project (CLTP). Read More Share: Power Engineering Slideshow U.S. Coal Plants with the Lowest NOx Emission Rates The Top 5 U.S. coal-fired power plants were rated on the lowest NOx emissions. Read More Share: Callaway Energy Center's Replacement Reactor Vessel Closure Head Project Progress photos of the replacement reactor vessel closure head, during fabrication, at Equipos Nucleares SA in Santander, Spain. Read More Share: