GE Executive Outlines Opportunity For Transformation Of US Energy Future

The evolution of a smarter power grid in the United States and the resulting impact it could have on the economy and environment were highlighted in a keynote address by GE's Bob Gilligan at the Advanced Energy 2010 Conference. Gilligan explained how even conservative adoptions of technology solutions could enable Americans to sustain and improve their energy-dependent lifestyles. "While revolutionary energy technologies are developed each day, the way we apply them to modernize and nurture our electrical infrastructure is really more of an evolution than a revolution," said Bob Gilligan, vice president-digital energy for GE Energy Services.
"What's important is taking steps today to lay the foundation for our growing energy appetite. We can then sustain ongoing efforts to improve our energy landscape."
Using conservative technology growth estimates, Gilligan laid out a scenario where the total U.S. energy consumption and emissions saved between 2010 and 2030 could exceed the entire electrical consumption and electrical CO2 output for all of 2010.i "The net result would be like 2010 never happened," he explained.
In addition to the energy and pollution savings, Gilligan's scenario saw the creation of 140,000 sustainable new jobs and an electrical landscape that includes 3.3 billion fewer customer outage minutes. These power reliability improvements could result in savings of $65.7 billion from reduced power interruptions by 2030.
Gilligan supported his call for an energy evolution with a bevy of facts about the future of energy, including:
+ Growing cities that will house more than 60 percent of the world's population and consume a vast majority of its power by 2030 cannot rely on an infrastructure designed a century ago
+ Global electricity demand is forecasted to increase 75 percent by 2030
+ Energy costs are increasing worldwide; US rates increased an average of 42 percent between 2000 and 2007
+ More than 40 percent of current environmental emissions are from electric generation
+ Approximately half of the transformer assets in the U.S. electrical infrastructure are at or approaching the end of their design life
"The good news is that we are not talking gloom and doom," Gilligan said.
"Our electrical future can be a story of potential, opportunity and global competitive advantage. With increased reliability, efficiency and sustainability, we'll be able to power traditional economic growth and be ready for the next generation of life-changing technology. We can do it by taking measured, affordable evolutionary steps. However, we, as a country, must act today."
Gilligan cited electric cars, along with increasing levels of wind and solar energy, as examples of technology-enabled advances on the not-too-distant horizon.http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/GE_Executive_Outlines_Opportunity_For_Transformation_Of_US_Energy_Future_999.html

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Scientists, politicians take the threat of an electromagnetic pulse very seriously

Image via WikipediaScientists, politicians take the threat of an electromagnetic pulse very seriously
The sky erupts. Cities darken, food spoils and homes fall silent. Civilization collapses. End-of-the-world novel? A video game? Or could such a scenario loom in America's future? There is talk of catastrophe ahead, depending on whom you believe, because of the threat of an electromagnetic pulse triggered by either a supersized solar storm or terrorist A-bomb, both capable of disabling the electric grid that powers modern life.
http://www.physorg.com/news/2010-11-scientists-politicians-threat-electromagnetic-pulse.html

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Record electricity usage recorded in New England this summer

Heat, humidity sent power usage soaring in New England

 

ISO New England, based in Holyoke, Mass., was forced to use more expensive sources of power after intense summer heat and humidity sent electricity usage in New England to a record high. While cheaper sources of power, like nuclear power and natural gas, are preferred, record demands meant the company had to rely on costly oil-fired units, spiking electricity costs for their consumers. The Republican (Springfield, Mass.)

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IEA Says World Poverty Closely Linked to More Energy Supplies

IEA Says World Poverty Closely Linked to More Energy Supplies

The International Energy Agency has issued a report for the United Nations Millennium Development Goals meeting in New York that linked the eradication of the worst poverty in the world with access to energy resources, the New York Times reported today. The IEA said $36 billion a year was needed to help access to electric supplies and "clean-burning cooking facilities" over the next two decades to pull 395 million people out of poverty.

Fatih Birol, the IEA's chief economist, was quoted as saying: "Without electricity, social and economic development is much more difficult. Addressing sanitation, clean water, hunger — these goals can't be met without providing access to energy." Wrote the Times: "Without a concerted international effort, it's unlikely that the problem will be solved, because markets alone won't address it. Companies are reluctant to invest in many areas because the return is not guaranteed, he said, so seed money is needed from wealthier countries."

New York Times, Sept. 22

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Blog Post: IAEA Raises Nuclear Power Supply Forecast

Blog Post: IAEA Raises Nuclear Power Supply Forecast

from Nuclear Power Industry News by Nuclear Street News Team

- Edited By Chris Reed -
Nuclear power is set to play a bigger role in the global energy mix than previously forecast, according to new data discussed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) governing board in Vienna on 14 September. IAEA projections had also risen in the previous two years, as more and more countries showed interest in atomic energy despite the global economic crisis.
Up to 10.4% of global electricity will come from nuclear reactors by 2030, the Vienna-based agency said, higher than last year's estimate of up to 9%. The organization for the first time also made projections for 2050, foreseeing a maximum share of 11.9%.
There are currently 60 nuclear power reactors under construction world-wide, a figure that nearly doubled in the last two and a half years. Since 2008, the number of countries interested in introducing nuclear energy or actively pursuing this has risen from 43 to 65. Most of these are Asian and African countries. At the same time, the number of countries planning to phase out their reactors has dropped. The 372 gigawatts of nuclear energy produced last year accounted for 7.6% of global electric energy.

Securing critical digital assets at nuclear power plants

It’s 10 PM. Do you know what the computers at your reactor are doing right now?
In an often cited incident, in January 2003 the Davis Besse nuclear power plant in Ohio was affected by the “Slammer” computer worm for five hours.  Although the plant was shut down at the time, and a redundant system safety system was not affected, the incident raised concerns across the nuclear industry about the arcane field of computer cyber security. 
Cyber attacks are a lot more than just Halloween pranks. They are carried out by criminals seeking to blackmail businesses or to steal intellectual property.  In case of nuclear power plants, the risks of compromised digital control systems by a cyber attack are all too real.
The issue is of critical importance for new nuclear plants that will be built in the U.S. and globally. The renewed emphasis is due to the fact that control rooms will use digital systems to operate the plants. The fact that digital instrument and control systems are now state-of-the-art makes them targets by hackers from our nation’s enemies.
The Wall Street Journal reported in April 2009 that “cyberspies have penetrated the U.S. electrical grid” and left behind software to take control of it.  In May 2009 the Wall Street Journal reported that the nation’s power plants are being targeted by “well organized” efforts to break into control centers for the nation’s power plants and electric grids. 
In both reports defense officials cite Russia and China as the source of the cyber stalking incidents.  Diplomats from both countries denied the charges in statements to the WSJ.
Government response to cyber threats
What is the government doing about the threats?  The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to pushing the nation’s 104 nuclear power plants to complete cyber security plans which will be amendments to the utility licenses to operate the reactors.  The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly “quietly dispatching teams” to test power plant cyber security. 
The Wall Street Journal reported last month that the federal government has launched a new program called “perfect citizen” to detect cyber attacks on power plant and their grids. The surveillance will be carried out by the National Security Agency.   The WSJ reported that defense contractor Raytheon Corp. won a $100 million contract to set up the initial phase of the system.
The computer industry isn’t impressed with this response pointing out the reason digital systems that control the nation’s electricity grid are vulnerable is because they are old.  Instead of wrapping the systems in the digital equivalent of idiot mittens experts says, the federal government should be pushing nuclear utilities to develop the most secure systems possible and helping them with technology from government labs. 
Making digital control systems resilient
Part of that is already happening. This week (August 10-12) the Idaho National Laboratory will host a major conference (flyer) on “resilient control systems.”  It turns out that keeping computers safe at a nuclear power plant takes a lot more than just putting up a firewall and calling it good.  Here’s what the lab is talking about.

• Human Systems – Human reliability analysis that provides information on ergonomics, workload, complexity, training and experience. The analysis may be used to characterize and quantify human actions and decisions.
• Data Fusion – Various data types associated with proper operation or performance of critical infrastructure, including cyber and physical security, process efficiency and stability, and process compliancy.
• Cyber Awareness – Because of the human element of a malicious actor, traditional methods of achieving reliability cannot be used to characterize cyber awareness and resilience. Novel techniques in characterizing wellness and randomizing system response to the adversary are needed.
• Complex Networked Control Systems – Understanding how control systems become more decentralized and their ability to characterize interactions, performance and security while ensuring resilience.

What’s a nuclear reactor plant owner to do?
The NRC’s has published stringent requirements for the protection of critical digital assets (CDAs) or as the NRC calls then “digital computers and communications networks.”  The Nuclear Energy Institute is working with its members and the NRC to develop technical, management, and operational controls.
Technical controls are things that can be done to actually secure CDAs.  Management controls are policies to insure the cyber security work will be done.  Operational controls are what actually happens at the plant.
The cyber security plan required by the NRC must do four things.

• ensure the capability for timely detection and response to cyber attacks
• mitigate the consequences of such attacks
• correct exploited vulnerabilities
• restore the affected systems, networks and equipment.

In another case of the old rule that ‘you can never do one thing,’ cyber security measures have to be analyzed to make sure they don’t result in the types of risks they are designed to prevent.  You could lock down the computer systems so tightly the plant could not insure that the reactor could not be operated in a reliable matter.  This outcome would create a safety risk which also gets the NRC’s attention.
What's in a cyber security plan?
When utilities develop their cyber security plans they start with an assessment. The outcome is a “gap analysis” that looks at the existing digital assets of the reactor and the non-safety or business systems of the utility.  The gaps are reviewed and the utility’s IT Department develops a plan to meet the NRC’s requirements.  Implementation measures can also include changes to physical security of the plant, training personnel to detect and respond to cyber attacks including incident reporting. 
A key challenge for utilities is developing cyber security measures for computer systems that were developed before the Internet age. Simply isolating them from other plant system isn’t good enough.  On one hand, it is fearsomely expensive to replace the systems, and on the other, they can’t be operated outside the new security rules.  One approach is to develop a second layer of security, like an envelope or wrapper, which has up-to-date measures, and then control access to the legacy systems through the wrapper. It’s a lot cheaper than “rip and replace.”
Human social behavior is a target
The human side of cyber security is the most complex.  For example, many businesses ban access to social media sites like Facebook because they are breeding grounds for malware mayhem.  Computer malware can be found lurking on the Internet which takes up residence on a personal computer capturing keystrokes to collect login IDs, passwords, credit cards numbers, and all manner of sensitive information. 
According to Kiplinger Magazine for August 3, "nearly 30% of corporate computer users admitted to checking social network sites while at work last year, up from 15% the year before.”
“Essentially, users are volunteering to be infected,” says David Perry, global director of education at Trend Micro Inc., a provider of Internet-security software."
Mobile devices are part of the package
Mobile devices are also at risk.  The next time you fire up your mobile device you might ask the question who are you really talking to?  
Utilities increasingly rely on mobile platforms to manage their workforce having replaced aging pager systems. The phones are now just as vulnerable to outside infection and some malware can target the phones just because they are on.  Worse, NRC’s IT staff have said it’s has been proven that cell phones can be hacked and used against the owner even when they are off.
The BBC reported that in July 2009 the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a country that is planning to build four new nuclear reactors, an update for Blackberry users turned out to be spyware. The update was prompted by a text message from UAE telecom firm Etisalat, saying it would improve performance.
Blackberry maker Research in Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) said in a statement that "Etisalat appears to have distributed a telecommunications surveillance application.”
“Independent sources have concluded that it is possible that the installed software could then enable unauthorized access to private or confidential information stored on the user's smartphone."
The concern over the spyware came to light when users started reporting problems with their phones. Etisalat is a major telecommunications firm based in the UAE, with 145,000 Blackberry users on its books according to the BBC. The spyware’s victims reportedly included the phones of foreign nationals hired by the UAE to mange the process of acquiring and building the reactors as well as ensuring the safety and security for the plants.
More recently, the UAE has sought to ban the use of Blackberry phones calling them a security threat.
It is a scary world in the new world of digital control systems.  The nuclear industry is responding to the threats, but there is more work to do.
# # #http://www.coolhandnuke.com/Cool-Hand-Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/45/Securing-critical-digital-assets-at-nuclear-power-plants.aspx

Senator makes his pitch for nuclear energy But, don’t bet on it joining the state’s power grid anytime soon Read more: Senator makes his pitch for nuclear energy - Pacific Business News (Honolulu)

Senator urges inclusion of nuclear into Hawaii's energy mix
Hawaii's energy portfolio should include small nuclear reactors so that the state can wean itself from oil and coal within two decades, said state Sen. Fred Hemmings. Speaking at an energy summit in Honolulu, Hemmings said he predicts small modular reactors can produce electricity together with solar and wind facilities. This new technology has also helped resolved the safety concerns with bigger reactors, he added. American City Business Journals/Honululu

The US Power Sector is Changing -- Even Without a Climate Bill

Now that the climate bill is in hibernation, it would be easy to despair that the US power sector will resume its tradition of burning high-polluting coal to sell increasing amounts of electricity.

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Journal Special Report Focuses on Business Side of Energy

Journal Special Report Focuses on Business Side of Energy

The Wall Street Journal today published a 13-article special report on investment in the energy and electric industries and various forms of generating power. The articles were led by Liam Denning's analysis that, as he wrote, "there's money to be made in the energy business--if you know where to look."

Articles examined the trend toward switching to natural gas and away from coal to generate power, hydropower and geothermal, backyard wind turbines and leasing solar panels, and companies on the cutting edge of R&D into fuel cells, algae, the smart grid, lightweight gasoline-powered cars and diesel.

Wall Street Journal (editor's note), (power investing), (backyard turbines), (hydropower), (fuel cells), (quitting coal), (geothermal), (wind business), (algae), (solar leasing), (smart grid investing), (lightweight engines), (diesel), Sept. 13.

Hyperion and Savannah River Site Announce Partnership on a Small Modular Reactor

Hyperion and Savannah River Site Announce Partnership on a Small Modular Reactor

"The Hyperion power module developed at SNRS can be plugged into small villages around the world. To provide electricity, purify water and help elevate the standard of living for those people." said Dr. Terry Michalske - Edited By Chris Reed - According to WJBF-TV in Augusta Georgia, Savannah River Site and Hyperion are in discussions to develop...

Posted to Nuclear Power Industry News by Nuclear Street News Team on 09-10-2010

Argentina renews interest in nuclear energy

Argentina renews interest in nuclear energy
Argentina aims to build new nuclear plants to curb its dependence on diminishing oil and natural gas reserves. The South American country opened its first nuclear facility in 1974, but safety concerns worldwide later prompted it to stop the use of two plants. Argentina is completing work on its third nuclear facility and seeks to construct another two by 2025, as part of its goal to obtain 15% of its electricity from nuclear sources. Reuters

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6884TS20100909

Group: Nuclear power is clean, safe and reliable

Image via WikipediaOpinion: Nuclear energy helps curb carbon emissions
Years of research verifies that nuclear energy is clean, safe and reliable, writes Karen Walsh of the Pennsylvania Energy Alliance. It is the only energy source capable of producing continuous electricity without emitting greenhouse gases, she writes. Nuclear-generated power saves the atmosphere nearly 700 million tons of carbon dioxide and 3 million tons of sulfur dioxide every year, Walsh writes. The Mercury (Pottstown, Pa.)

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