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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 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 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 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 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 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 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 discusses the methods to reduce the torsional dynamics in rotating equipment power trains found in a power plant. It is mentioned that torsional vibration easily affects high-inertia power trains. It is stated that a full dynamics study is required before implementing aftermarket modifications that could significantly affect torsional dynamics. The article notifies that direct modification of the torsional stiffness is the traditional method to detune the natural frequencies.

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 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 discusses the challenges faced by U.S. public electric utilities in integrating wind power plants and renewable wind energy development projects into their strategic plans and electric power production portfolio. Wind power requires a perspective different from the approach used by utility resource planners. Key integration issues are wind forecasting tools, wind power grid reliability, and electric power transmission constraints. The policies of the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security, as well as the actions of the Federal Aviation Administration, have an immediate and potentially costly impact on wind power plant developers.

The article reports that Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades in Media, Pennsylvania has been training power plant operations professionals for 112 years, and its graduates hold top positions at many major power generation companies, petroleum refineries, equipment suppliers, and design and construction companies. It provides one of the best models for training future plant operators. Workforce training and transition are colossal concerns for the U.S. electricity industry. The average age of power plant craft workers is 50, and 30 percent of them are expected to retire within the next 10 years. Over the past decade, as utilities cut costs to become leaner and meaner competitors, openings for plant operators dwindled. With the rollback of deregulation and an urgent need for new generating capacity in many states, the demand of plant operators outstrips their supply.

This article asserts that the Magnolia Power Project, a 310-MW combined-cycle plant in downtown Burbank, California, proves that "urban load-centered generation" is indeed practical, if the right pieces are put in place. SCPPA financed and owns Magnolia on behalf of six of its member municipal utilities. The state's deregulation bomb was built by mixing equal parts price regulation, plant construction delays, regulations prohibiting long-term wholesale power supply contracts, and gross mismanagement by public officials. The fuse was lit by the market-fixing shenanigans of a few traders, and consumers took the brunt of the blast. A quick analysis of data from the California Energy Commission Web site reveals the depth of the problem. Since the advent of deregulation in 1996. Exacerbating the problem. California's electricity supply system is old. and its reliability continues to rely heavily on kilowatt-hours imported from nearby states. As a result, the impact of anticipated new capacity must be put in context. INSET: About SCPPA.

Discusses the evolution of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) as a primary tool for analyzing and solving power plant design and operations problems. Advantages of CFD; Physical phenomena that can be modeled by the CFD software tools; Overview of case studies presented to explain how CFD can be used to make the modeling and analysis of power plant systems more precise.

Addresses the importance of fire prevention and mitigation in power plant operations. Causes of accidental fires in power plants; Information on the average cost per square foot of an open-floor power generation plant; Analysis of three different kinds of fire hazards. INSET: The University of Loss Prevention.

Discusses the significance of dynamic volt-ampere reactive (VAR) controls technology developed by GE Wind Energy for wind turbines. Roadblocks to the wider use of wind in electricity generation; Problems with other devices used in controlling VAR; Comment from electrical engineer Tom Wind on WindVar control technology; Performance testing of WindVar-based turbines.

Focuses on photovoltaics (PV) or solar cells and its growing presence in the U.S. electrical power generating industry. Percentage growth of the PV market in the U.S.; Reason for California's dominance in the PV industry; Role of PV in the U.S. near-term energy future; Advantages and disadvantages of PV.

Discusses the status of the U.S. power generating capacity as of June 2003. Information on a report released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration; Factors that restrain the power capacity expansion in North America; Possible retirement of several oil, gas, and coal-fired power plants.

Focuses on the plan to repower old coal-fired power plants in the U.S. Factors that influence the closure of some coal-fired power plants; Replacement of coal or oil-fired boiler with a gas-fired combustion turbine or generator set; Background on the concept of repowering a power plant.

The article reports that power company Mass Global Holding Ltd. has repowered the Erbil Gas Power Station (EPGS) in Iraq. The development of the EGPS Phase 1 started in January 2007 with the installation of four GE Frame 9E multi-shaft combustion turbines (CTs) with a capacity of 500 MW. The pase 1 was completed in May 2008.

Focuses on the role of information technology (IT) in electric power production. Issues discussed at the Second Annual Powerplant IT Symposium, held in New Orleans, La., February 18-20, 1997; Networks, intranets and the Internet; Life-cycle issues; IT trends; IT's role in improving work processes. INSETS: IT group seeks like-minded professionals.;Latest announcement confirm IT trends..

The article presents information on Nebraska City Station Unit 2 power plant located on the Missouri River in Nebraska. It is stated that the new plant will supply reliable energy for the Omaha Public Power District's (OPPD) 340,000 customers located in all or parts of 13 counties in east and southeast Nebraska. The first unit of the plant entered commercial service on May 31, 1979, and produced 100 million MWh net of electricity on Feb. 2, 2009.

The article presents information on Bull Run Fossil Plant located on the Clinch River near Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The plant is the only single-unit, coal-fired plant on the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) power system. It is stated that the TVA invested 450 million dollars for its SCR and FGD system upgrades at Bull Run alone.

The article offers information on the Goodman Energy Center (GEC) by Midwest Energy Inc (MWE). Goodman Energy Center provides peaking electricity, improved overall system reliability, and backstop capacity for a 325 milli watt electrical system that features 16% wind power generation. Earnie Lehman, MWE's president, paid tribute to the plant's namesake. GEC was constructed on a 4.2 acre site which is an appropriate location to build a peaking plant to supply electricity to central Kansas.

The article offers information on Edward W. Clark Generating Station of NV Energy Inc. Clark which provides electricity to Las Vegas in Naveda has been upgraded with two combustion turbine combined-cycle power blocks operated as intermediate-load resource. It is stated that NV Energy Inc. receives electricity from 27 different plants fired by a range of renewable energy sources including geothermal, hydro and biofuels.

The article offers information on Air Products & Chemicals Inc.'s Port Arthur II Integrated Hydrogen/Cogeneration Facility, a cogeneration plant. The plant is built adjacent to Valero Energy Corp's oil refinery in Port Arthur, Texas. The cogeneration plant is integrated with combined-cycle generation technology and steam methane reformer (SMR) technology because of which it is able to simultaneously produce about 100 megawatt of electricity and steam. It is stated that the power plant has four major operating units.

The article offers information on General Electric Co.'s (GE), 100-megawatt (MW) LMS100 gas turbine-generator. The LMS100 is equipped with a synchronous clutch between the hot-end output flange and the generator shaft flange that increases the unit's operating flexibility. The LMS100 has a triple redundancy design that ensures greater safety of the workers. The LMS100 was first commercially installed by the firm Basin Electric Power Cooperative at their Groton, South Dakota-based power generating station. It is stated that LMS100 is GE's first aeroderivative gas turbine rated higher than 100 MW.

Provides information on a public/private project announced by the U.S. Department of Energy in February 2003 to build and operate a FutureGen coal power plant. Role of coal in the U.S. electric power sector; Technology to be used by the prototype plant; Skepticism about the project; Estimated project component costs. INSET: Will carbon sequestration work?.

The article reports on the Ottumwa Generating Station in Iowa that has been recently renovated by Alliant Energy Corp. to improve air quality, plant reliability, and efficiency. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized its proposed Carbon Pollution Standards for Existing Power Plants on August 3, 2015.

The article focuses on Cengiz Enerji Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S., which operates 1,000 MW of natural gas-fired plants that produce power for the wholesale energy market in Turkey. It is noted that the Electricity Market Law that was passed by the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 2001 opened the Turkish electricity market to competition. It is said that one of the objectives of the law was to make Turkey's power market compatible with those of the European Union (EU).

The article focuses on the Ulsan 4 combined cycle power plant in the Ulsan Metropolitan City in South Korea. The success of the Ulsan 4 project is due in part to East-West Power Co. Ltd.'s ('EWP's) project management skills. Energy company EWP's project management team was responsible for developing creative and cost-effective.

The article reports that JEA's Northside Generating Station's two repowered units have undergone a series of modifications and repairs to make its two circulating fluidized bed boiler plants reliable. The changes in the boiler systems were reportedly made to address two main problems including ash agglomeration on heat transfer surfaces and poor intrex heat exchanger performance.

An interview with vice president of Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas Inc., Bill Newsom is presented. He states that to support the power generation market, the company continues to develop industry-leading technologies. He mentions that the company invests in the infrastructure of the power generation industry in the U.S. He states that the company is offering products that offers a shift from hydrocarbon supply to renewable energy consuming society.

The nearly 4-GW, three-unit Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station remains the largest generator of electricity in the U.S. for the 23rd consecutive year, producing more than 30 million MWh in 2014, for the 10th time (the only plant in the U.S. to do so), all while using only treated wastewater for cooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the privatization of Bahrain-based Al Ezzel Power Plant. It is stated that Al Ezzel 950-megawatt (MW) plant, powered by two identical 2 x 1 combined-cycle units that burn natural gas, went commercial in May 2007. The plant has now become Bahrain's first independent power generating station that supplies about half of the national grid's demand. The plant was built by Al Ezzel Power Co. (AEPC), and it is stated that the plant's use of state-of-the-art technology to raise its efficiency and reliability and lower its operating and maintenance costs delivers big benefits to Bahrain.

Focuses on the top power plants selected by "Power" magazine for 2003. Criteria used in the selection; Problem with the selection process; Power generation technologies represented by the nominees.

Focuses on proposals to repower aging electric utilities in the United States to boost electric power production. Cost consideration of repowering projects; Viability of the proposal for supplying anticipated power demands in the 21st century; Discussion of high technology repowering programs called the Low-Emission Boiler System (LEBS) and the High-Performance Power System (HPPS).

In this article the author presents various forecasts for the power generation industry for 2013. He says that the average price of the natural gas is expected to rise by 20 percent in 2013, and the amount of electricity produced by natural gas is expected to drop by about 10 percent. He mentions that the average domestic cost of electricity is expected to increase by two percent.

The article presents news briefs related to the power generation periodical "Power Magazine." David Wagman has agreed to join the Power team. The journal is now available on the iPad and now each month the complete issue of the magazine can be downloaded. Every Thursday morning, the staff-researched and written electronic newsletter covering the most important power generation industry developments will arrive in the reader's inbox.

In this article, the author presents his top 10 predictions related to the power generation industry for 2012. In one of his predictions, the author predicts that the plaintiffs in the lawsuits filed by Texas on May 24, 2011 and joined by 14 states, challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) greenhouse gas (GHG) endangerment finding and tailoring rule will prevail in these lawsuits against the EPA. Other predictions are related to the Production Tax Credits and The Kyoto Protocol.

The article presents information on the predictions regarding the future of the power industry. It is stated that the new nuclear plants in the U.S. will not show much progress in the future. It says that the U.S. electricity usage growth will rise in the year 2010 after two years of negative electricity consumption. It further states that the real cost of renewable energy generation will increase.

In the article the author discusses the possibility of replacing coal by wind energy for electricity generation. Considering the minimal contribution by the wind energy sources to the electricity production in US in 2008, the costs of installing off-shore wind turbines and the prices of the electricity thus produced, he terms this plan as a fantasy. He further comments on the low capacity factor of the wind energy project as compared to the coal and nuclear fleets.

The article focuses on the long term effects of Spain's renewable energy policy on jobs and the economy. According to a study by Gabriel Calzada Álverez the policy has led to loss of many jobs with the creation of supposedly green jobs. The study further reveals that consumers have paid large amounts for the renewable energy and the real cost of electricity generation has actually increased but it hasn't been visible as it formed a part of the government debt.

The article reports on the commitment of energy developer Newmont Mining Corp. in establishing an environmentally friendly and coal-fired TS Power Plant (TSPP) in Eureka County, Nevada in June 2008. The construction of the electric facility is due to the company's recognition that local power supplies were inadequate and too expensive to meet long-term electricity needs. The facility is specifically intended to reduce the mining operations's cash operating costs. It is designed to comply with the environmental and safety measures including a state-of-the-art air quality control systems (AQCS) that assure cost-effective approach in maximizing of mercury removal, and the use of digital bud technologies framework resposible for monitoring specific control functions.

The article praises the growing commitment of the Rawhide Energy Station in protecting the bisons surrounding the facility in Fort Collins, Colorado in 2008. One remarkable feature of the power plant is the existence of bisons in its surroundings and in different parks and public lands in the state. It is the aim of the power committee in the locality to return the bisons to the grasslands as they symbolize the ruggedness of the region and to prove that power plants can operate and exist in harmony with native plants and wildlife. It clearly commits in improving its technology and equipment to further optimize performance, reduce emissions and keep cost competitive.

The article discusses the use of air cooled condensers (ACC) in reducing water consumption in a power plant. The dry cooling system is preferred by plant developers since it accelerates the processing of construction permits due to water issues. ACC are widely used in countries such as North America, Belgium and China. With the use of ACC, a plant does not need to be located near a water source due to various plant options available.

The article discusses energy plans of the U.S. It mentions about former President Jimmy Carter, whose opposition to nuclear power surprised many of power businessmen at that time. It mentions that Carter in his national energy policy speech in 1977 quoted about energy crisis to be faced by the country. It also mentions about the wind power plan of oil man, T. Boone Pickens that points out natural gas as the only fuel available in quantity that can be used as substitute transportation fuel. The plan aims to use wind resources of the Great Plains, from the Texas panhandle to North Dakota to produce 20% of nation's electrical energy.

The article discusses some of the technical, regulatory, and political issues related to water use of electric power plants in the U.S. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects a 22% increase in U.S. installed generating capacity by 2030. Of the 259 GW of new capacity expected to have come on-line by then, more than 192 GW will be thermoelectric and thus require some water for cooling. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report prepared in 2003 indicated that, assuming normal rainfall conditions, the water managers of 36 states anticipated shortages in localities, regions, or even statewide over the next 10 years, from 2003 to 2013.