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Rush Island Energy Center has successfully fired Powder River Basin (PRB) coal for two decades, as proven by the plant's excellent performance stats, dedication to minimizing its environmental footprint, and sterling safety record. The PRB Coal Users' Group top award recognizes the plant staff's long-term dedication to continuously improving its safe handling and efficient combustion of PRB coal. INSET: PRBCUG Recognizes Its 2016 Plant of the Year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents several case studies regarding the failure to secure the safety of employees which resulted to death and destruction of equipment. The flash fire experienced in a hydroelectric power plant in the West in October 2007 has killed five and injured three construction employees. The welder who is repairing equipment with a foreman at a process plant in New York in November 2010 died due to the ignition of flammable fumes.

The article offers information on the New Zealand's leading developers of sustainable power generation systems, Contact Energy Ltd., that has a diverse portfolio of geothermal, natural gas, wind, and hydroelectric assets. It states that the company owns and operates 10 plants located throughout the country and considered one of the five large New Zealand power companies.

The article focuses on the junior power plat, 600 megawatt John W. Truck, owned by American Electric Power's (AEP) Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) and located on a 2,800-acre tract near Fulton, in Hempstead Country, Arkansas. It states that this is the first modern plant in the U.S. to commercialize ultrasupercritical (USC) boiler technology.

The article highlights the continuous operation of a cyclone-fired boiler at the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Paradise Fossil Plant in Paradise in Tennessee. The operation has been attributed to plant operations and maintenance processes excellence, well-trained staff and a leadership that places value on both. The operation has also proved that plants cannot help getting older but do not have to get old.

The article discusses the completion of the $300 dollar worth expansion project of the waste-to-energy facility in Oahu and Honolulu, Hawaii. The Honolulu Program of Waste Energy Recovery (H-POWER) served as the cornerstone of reducing fuel oil imports, landfilled materials, and solid wastes. Covanta Energy Corp. has been hired to design, build, and operate the facility thereby increasing the plant's solid waste processing by 3,000 tons a day with an electric capacity to 90 megawatts (MW).

The article offers information on the economic forecasting for the U.S. energy industry. It states that the U.S. carbon dioxide emissions are expected to stay below 2005 levels through 2035, principally due to coal-to-gas fuel switching and a moribund economy. It mentions that the cost of renewable energy mandates was the primary cause of a 2.3 percent increase in the national average cost of residential electricity.

The article offers information on the Corporate Emergency Response Plan of Dominion's North Anna Power station in Virginia, after a magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit the power plant. According to chief executive officer David A. Christian, the company's culture is to be prepared for emergencies and that its corporate values guided them in their response. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) concluded that the company puts emphasis on delivering the highest margin of safety to service.

The article announces that AES Gener Angamos plant has been given the Power'S 2012 Plant of the Year Award.

The article offers information on the operations at Lakeland Electric's CD. Mcintosh, Jr. Power Plant (MPP) in the City of Lakeland, Florida. The plant is a microcosm of the entire power generation industry operating fewer hours plus a peaking gas-fired combined cycle plant. The plant plays an expanded role in producing electricity for the public power provider.

The article focuses on the construction of new Frame 7 DLN1.0 dual-fuel system. It mentions converting a gas-only DLN1.0 fuel system into a dual-fuel system required various innovative designs, that is on the primary end covers and the secondary nozzles. Further it focuses on the technical challenges faced by Pro Energy Services (PES) while installing the system.

The article reports on the future prospect for the power industry in the U.S. and Europe in 2012. The problem of sovereign debt is likely to impact all major capital projects in Europe, where Great Britain is moving ahead with new nuclear projects while many of its neighbors are finding it difficult to finance their commitment to renewables. The U.S. Federal Reserve Bank has lowered in November 2011 its forecast for economic growth through 2013.

The article focuses on the development of the 510-megawatt FlexEfficiency 50 combined cycle power plant by GE Energy in the U.S. An overview of the FlexEfficiency 50 design is outlined which is a 60 percent thermal efficiency class of plants. Features of the plant are highlighted which include a 9FB combustion turbine, heat recovery steam generator and the Mark VIe digital control system.

The article presents information on nuclear power plants from around the world and also presents several charts in this regard. As of October 3, 2011, 65 nuclear power plants were under construction worldwide. It is informed that there are 18 new plants that recently began construction while ten nuclear plants recently began service. Moreover, there were 14 plants that were recently shut down.

The article focuses on the efforts being made in much of the Nordic region to secure a sustainable energy supply for the future. It particularly discusses the extent to which the innovative solutions of these countries can be exported around the globe. It is reported that the Nord Pool network is the world's only multinational exchange for trading electricity, incorporating Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland.

The article examines the economic value, public acceptance and political implication of shale gas reserves in Europe Union (EU) countries and in the U.S. It opines that the immense flow of unconventional gas will be a game changer for the global power generation industry. It predicts that shale gas reserves will be undermining the economics of renewable and nuclear projects and provide reductions of carbon and other emissions than retrofitting solid fuel power plants which are expensive.

The article focuses on the significance of Kansas City Power & Light Co.'s regional energy plan that balances the customer's interest for low electricity cost and environmental requirements in Kansas City, Missouri. The company has installed 6,700 megawatts on its coal-fired Iatan Station as the finale of its Comprehensive Energy Plan (CEP). It outlines the significance of the initiative since it enables the company to save energy and control emission.

The article focuses on the move of Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) to upgrade the old combustion turbine in CTG Universidad in Monterrey, Mexico. The CFE is a national government agency that provides electricity in the whole country, however, it encounters challenges in providing efficient energy sources due to its lack of sufficient reactive power production and new turbines. Nevertheless, it has improved its operation and services following the upgrade of its equipment.

The article discusses the challenges faced by the U.S. power industry to fit into the parameters of regulations proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is stated that some coal-fired plants with poor efficiency, limited remaining life, and inadequate capital will be forced to close under the latest regulatory requirements to bring upgrades in the technology. An analytical process to measure coal-fired plant performance metrices is also given.

The article discusses causes behind carbon deposition in high power (HP) steam turbines blades installed at electric power plants and presents several methods to erase it. It is stated that the carbon deposits reduces the electric power generating capacity in the power plants.Three stages that causes copper plating problems in turbines are given. Methods like electrical surge comparison and motor-current signature analysis to keep check on electric motors are also given.

The article offers information on low-cost energy storage technologies that will make the storage and release of the renewable energy easy for the use. It discusses the process of producing natural gas which results in the combination of hydrogen electrolysis and methanation, which helps generate energy. It also discusses the process of producing synthetic fuels for energy.

The article offers information on predictive maintenance (PdM) program for maintaining equipment. It states that machines must be analyzed properly before they undergo the program. The goals of the program must be determined in realistic terms before implementing it. The data under PdM should be easy enough to be measured.

The article forecasts on the operations of electric power production industries for the year 2011 in the U.S. It mentions that the development in technology helps in the improvement of gas-fired generation plants around the world. It states that the coal-fired plants will be regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the upcoming years.

The article evaluates several boiling water reactors including Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) and Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) from GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy.

The article presents information on the significance of flexible turbine operation. It is stated that renewable electricity generation has several environmental benefits, but adding large amounts of far-flung renewable resources to a grid needs increased operating flexibility from dispatchable generators in the absence of wind and sunshine. Detailed information on features and applications of Low Load Operation Capability (LLOC), developed by Alstom SA, is presented.

The article focuses on the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station located on the eastern shore of Lake Huron, Toronto, Ontario, which was regarded by experts as the leading nuclear capacity factors of Canada. It is stated that the Bruce A and Bruce B of the nuclear plant has four Canada deuterium uranium reactors (CANDU). While Bruce A reactors started commercial service during 1977 to 1979, Bruce B started between 1984 to 1987. The reactor is owned by Bruce Power LP.

The article profiles Madison Unit 3 power plant of Cleco Power LLC in Louisiana. The plant has been given the 2010 Marmaduke Award by the magazine "Power," for achieving excellence in operation and maintenance. The company claims that the plant is the largest 100% petroleum coke-fired circulating fluidized bed power plant in North America.

The article offers information on the Oak Grove power plant in Texas, which has been constructed by Luminant power plant manufacturing company. The plant has been awarded the 2010 Plant of the Year by the magazine "Power." It is reported that, the company used twin oaks and forest grove plants to construct the plant, which has the capacity of 1,600 MW. The plant, as reported, has two different steam generators which have been melded and adopted into a single project.

The article focuses on the efforts of the U.S. government to address the issue of disposal of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive wastes from the closed nuclear Yucca Mountain project in Nevada. It mentions the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has filed a motion with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission withdrawing its pending license application for a high-level nuclear waste depository at Yucca Mountain. It also presents statements from DOE General Counsel Scott Blake Harris regarding the issue.

Several charts are presented depicting the benchmarking data of U.S. nuclear plant staffing, which include the correlation between overall electricity use and Gross Domestic Product (GDP), nuclear electricity production, and total U.S. nuclear industry average staffing by plant.

The article discusses the desuperheater that works by injecting condensate into high-temperature steam. It states that when desuperheater does not operate correctly, it might damage an equipment that will lead to a dangerous operating condition for tube and its surrounding components. It also states that a well made desuperheater will develop atomized water droplets that are vaporized completely.

The article focuses on the meaning of efficiency in power plants. It states that to calculate the thermal energy of power plants, electricity produced should be divided by how much fuel has been consumed. It discusses the first law of thermodynamics. The second law of thermodynamics is related to "rational efficiency." It highlights that Vattenfall AB has misused many terms in calculating its efficiency.

The article presents information on the gas reserves in the U.S. It states that the U.S. Potential Gas Committee (PGC) estimated that the total gas reserves in the nation is over 1,800 trillion cubic feet. It also states about the plans of Progress Energy Carolina Inc. to close its three coal-fired power plants to build a new gas-fired power plant.

The article presents information on Rio Bravo Rocklin Power Station in Lincoln, California, jointly owned by subsidiaries of Constellation Energy Group Inc. and North American Power Group Ltd. It is stated that without making much improvement in its operating numbers, Rocklin stuttered through several years of poor performance while working with biomass. Facts about how the plant tackled problems related to fuel supply management are given.

The article focuses on the operating costs of the nuclear plants in the previous years. It presents a comparison of the operating and generating costs of nuclear plant with the help of graphs. The production costs were 16.1/MWh (Mega Watt Hour) for the highest quartile of plants during the years 2006 to 2008 , according to the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) nuclear plant operating data. Also presented is the brief profile of the Electric Utility Cost Group (EUCG) Nuclear Committee.

The article presents information on Hindalco Power plant located in Orrisa, India. The power plant is the first in Asia to achieve ISO 14001-1996 certification for its high-quality environmental management system. The plant has been recognized as a progressive electricity producer. It is also stated that the plant ensures that any waste products from the coal-fired units are recycled or are properly disposed of.

The article presents information on Seminole Generating Station located in Palatka, Florida. Its operator Seminole Electric Cooperative Inc. (SECI) provides electricity in central and northwestern Florida counties. SECI is ranked third-largest in the U.S. based on wholesale energy sales. SECI has invested investment about 300 million dollars in the power plant to reduce its air emissions and minimize its solid waste disposal problems.

The article informs that Xcel Energy Inc. has completed the third and final project required by its 2003 metropolitan emissions reduction project (MERP) agreement. The project was for repowering the Riverside Plant in California and tearing down the old coal-fired plant. The existing and unused facilities were demolished or relocated to make room for new equipment. MERP gave two more projects to Xcel Energy Inc. which was completed in 2007 and 2008.

The article focuses on the efforts of Dallman 4 project of City Water Light & Power Co. in winning the 2009 Plant of the Year award given by the journal "Power." The project is considered as the most expensive and best coal fired power plant of Springfield, Illinois. The company had an agreement with the Sierra Club in deciding the latest coal fired technology, air quality control systems, and building a team of workers.

The article focuses on the Hague Repowering Project of E.ON AG, which won the 2009 Marmaduke Award for Excellence in Operation & Maintenance, presented by the journal "Power." It is stated that the century-old combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Hague, the Netherlands, was unable to provide satisfactory performance. Hence, it was repowered with low-emissions electricity generator to improve efficiency. Allocation of new turbines, steam engines, and generators are some of the highlights.

The article offers information on the new Harquahala Generating Project (HGP) a combined-cycle 1080 Mega Watts (MW) natural gas power plant owned by MACH Gen LLC, Maricopa County, Arizona. As stated, the new system is capable of handling all automation tasks of the plant including steam and gas turbine controls, boiler protection as well as monitoring the plant and datalogging in the control room. Tangible and intangible benefits of the system are also discussed in the article.

In this article the authors comment on the impact of global financial crisis on the power industry in the U.S. As stated, with the shrinking of international credit markets, high-capital energy projects were constrained to be called off, despite the 700 billion dollar bank bailout package and renewable energy tax cuts in the year 2008. Rick Sergel, chief executive officer (CEO) at North American Electric Reliability Corp., says that major problem in the energy sector is lack of investment .

The article offers information on the 17th refueling and maintenance outage of the Unit 2 of the Saint Lucie Nuclear Plant owned and operated by Florida Power & Light Co. (FPL) in Hutchinson Island, Florida in 2007. It reports that a team comprising of the members from SGT LLC completed the complex work of replacing the reactor vessel head and two steam generators. It discusses the safety challenges faced by the team and lists several safety acheivements of the team.

The article reports on the plan of Alstom to commercialize the chilled ammonia carbon dioxide-capture process. The company is funding an extensive research and development program for the carbon dioxide capture system aiming to embark the flue gas treatment market. According to Wiscon Energy chief executive officer (CEO) Gale Klappa, the development of the cost-efficient carbon capture technology is an important step in gaining a long-tern environmental technology solution. American Electric Power Co. (AEP) has signed an agreement with Alstom to bring the pilot project in the marketplace.

The article features the Fermi 2 Nuclear Power Plant in Newport, Michigan. It is a 1,150-megawatt nuclear power plant, which consists of a single operating unit that is based on the General Electric Co. boiling-water reactor design. It entered into commercial service in January 1988, which made it one of the last nuclear power plants to enter service in the U.S. The plant teamed up with the Washington Group for the upgrade of its moisture separator reheaters (MSRs), after a recommendation by DTE Energy that their MSRs needed to be changed.

The article presents information related to FirstEnergy Corp.'s R.E. Burger Plant, which began operating, for demonstration purposes, a 50-MW version of Powerspan Corp.'s Electro-Catalytic Oxidation (ECO) multipollutant removal process. It is informed that after successful pilot testing funded and hosted by FirstEnergy, Powerspan installed the commercial demonstration unit (CDU) of its ECO process at the Burger plant and began testing it as an integrated system. Powerspan says it expects operating costs to be about 20% less than those of conventional technology solutions, even discounting the value of ECO's ability to meet the new environmental regulations.

The article presents information on the expansion of coal-fired power plants in Japan. It informs that Japan tripled its installed coal-fired generating capacity from 8,000 MW in 1988 to 23,400 MW in 2004. For Japan, which lacks indigenous coal reserves, one of the big attractions of Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plants is their ability to burn imported coal feedstocks whose low fusion temperatures would wreak havoc on a conventional pulverized coal (PC) furnace. The design of a demonstration plant began in 2001, and an environmental impact assessment of it was submitted in June 2004. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) supplied the plant's gasifier and desulfurization system, its steam turbine and gas turbine, and its heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG).

The article presents information about a formal program provided by Scottsville, Virginia-based Tenaska Virginia Generating Station (TVGS) to make operation and maintenance (O&M) personnel aware of best industry practices and apply them on the job. The program has shortened the plant's start-up time and elevated its availability, making it much more dispatchable and profitable. The results of using best operating practices at TVGS are the biggest reason for which it has been recognized as the Top Plant of 2007 by the periodical "Power." Tenaska Inc. developed the facility and formed Tenaska Virginia Partners LP to build, own, and operate it.

The article presents information on the company Public Service of New Hampshire's (PSNH) Northern Wood Power Project (NWPP) that won "POWER" magazine's 2007 Marmaduke Award for excellence in operations and maintenance in New Hampshire. The project, completed in December 2006, reduced emissions and expanded the local market for low-grade wood. The NWPP is among the largest renewable energy projects in the U.S. and the only sizable one to replace a coal boiler with a biomass-fueled steam boiler. PSNH estimates that the NWPP will generate between 300,000 and 400,000 renewable energy certificates (RECs) each year, bringing in about $15 million of additional revenue and helping to keep rates low for PSNH customers.

The article presents information on MidAmerican Energy Co.'s Walter Scott, Jr. Energy Center (WSEC) Unit 4, the first major new supercritical plant in the U.S. in more than 15 years, which won "POWER" magazine's 2007 Plant of the Year award. Burning pulverized coal to produce steam at supercritical pressure and temperature, which increases efficiency by 3% to 6% and reduces carbon dioxide emissions, made the technology even more compelling for MidAmerican and its partners, who built the plant. In 2002, MidAmerican chose a competitively bid, turnkey approach to building Unit 4. It awarded the project's engineering/procurement/construction (EPC) contract to a team led by Mitsui & Co. Energy Development Inc. on February 2, 2003.