Power Engineering International articles from April 2007

Power Engineering International archives from April 2007

EU energy policy: fact or fiction?(Up Front)
April 1, 2007... The key agreements from last month's intensive two-day European Union (EU) summit are nothing if not ambitious. As expected a target of cutting carbon dioxide (C[O.sub.2]) emissions by 20 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020 was set, with a...

Don't coal it a comeback: coal fired power plants are at the forefront of technological advances and will have a more important role in reducing global carbon emissions than renewable sources, writes Tim Probert.(Analysis)
April 1, 2007... Climate change, climate change, climate change. Those two words have dominated the media in recent months. While almost everyone is in agreement that it is occurring and that something needs to be done to reduce harmful emissions, how this will...

The New & Renewable Energy Authority.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Egypt: The New & Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) is preparing to award the contract for the joint EPC and O & M contract for the 30 MW solar phase of its 150 MW Kureimat hybrid power plant.

Three companies have been prequalified to carry out mechanical works on the 650 MW El-Tebbine power plant.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Egypt: Three companies have been prequalified to carry out mechanical works on the 650 MW El-Tebbine power plant. They are the Czech Republic's Skoda, Techint of Italy and Spain's Enertec Energia. The release of final tender documents is...

Jordan.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Jordan: The Energy & Mineral Resources Ministry is to issue an international tender for a wind power plant by the end of next month. The tender is one of several wind-power projects aimed at increasing the kingdom's installed capacity by 200...

Romania.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Romania: Calin Popescu Tariceanu, Romania's prime minister has called for the building of two new nuclear reactors to be speeded up. The new reactors in Cernavoda are due to be operational in 2012 and 2013 at a cost of $2.6bn.

Italian utility Enel and Rosatom.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Russia: Italian utility Enel and Rosatom, the Russian nuclear energy agency have signed a memorandum of intent to develop the electricity sector and nuclear energy generation in Russia and in Central and Eastern Europe.

Lukoil.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Russia: Lukoil is planning to build a 72 MW gas turbine power plant to supply power to its Vatyeganskoye oil field in West Siberia. The plant, which will have six gas turbine power units, is scheduled to begin operation in December 2007.

Yaroslavskaya CHPP-2.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Russia: The modernization of the Yaroslavskaya CHPP-2 has been completed, and a new cogeneration turbine has been installed at the power plant. The installed capacity of CHPP-2 has now increased from 210 MW to 325 MW.

Slovakia.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Slovakia: The International Energy Agency (IEA) has approved the accessions request by the Slovak government. The Slovak Republic becomes the 27th member country.

South Africa.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... South Africa: IPSA Group has acquired four high-efficiency gas turbines, with a total generating capacity of 500 MW. The four Fiat Avio turbines will be installed as part of the first phase of the Coega Fast track Project close to Port...

Turkey.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Turkey: Vestas has received a 90 MW order for 30 units of its 90-3.0 MW turbine for the Samli project in Turkey. The order comprises supply and installation, as well as a two-year service and maintenance contract.

UAE.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... UAE: According to Saeed Mohammad Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of DEWA, Dubai will spend Dh 50bn ($13.6bn) to boost its power generating capacity to 9.5GW and expand its transmission and distribution infrastructure by 2010.

Growth for global carbon market.(international)
April 1, 2007... According to figures released by Point Carbon, the international carbon market will see over 4.2bn tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (C[O.sub.2]e) traded in 2007, which is worth around [euro]23.6bn ($34.1bn). In 2006, 1.6bn tonnes of...

Libya and USA in nuclear link-up.(international)
April 1, 2007... Libya is expected to receive assistance from the USA to build its first nuclear power plant as part of a soon-to-be-signed agreement between the two countries. The General People's Committee, Libya's parliamentary body, has given its...

Power upgrade for Belarus.(international)
April 1, 2007... Belarus plans to invest close to $1.3bn in 2007 in a programme to upgrade its energy generating system, to introduce energy saving measures and to increase the utilization of local fuels. According to ministerial sources, over $470m will be...

Oman throws the door open for IWPP.(international)
April 1, 2007... The Oman Power and Water Procurement Company has invited tender bids from multinational firms for the construction of a large independent water and power plant (IWPP) at Salalah in the Dhofar region of the country. The gas fired power...

Mozambique explores hydropower potential.(international)
April 1, 2007... Electricidade de Mozambique, Mozambique's national power company, has awarded Black & Veatch a contract to study the feasibility of using the lower Lurio River, in the northern part of the country as a potential hydropower source. Black &...

UK climate bill promises major carbon reductions.(europe)
April 1, 2007... The UK has become the first country to propose legislation setting binding limits on greenhouse gas emissions as it stepped up its campaign for a new global warming pact to succeed the Kyoto Protocol. In its draft Climate Change Bill, the...

EU to set country goals for renewables.(europe)
April 1, 2007... The European Commission (EC) plans by the end of this year to present details on how each European Union (EU) country should contribute to helping the EU bloc reach its goal of producing 20 per cent of its power from renewable sources by 2020....

Endesa acquires French and Italian interconnection capacity.(europe)
April 1, 2007... Endesa has acquired 275 MW of the interconnection capacity between France and Italy put out to tender by the transmission network operators, GRTN (Italy) and RTE (France). This acquisition, which corresponds to the Spanish utility's...

Acciona announces renewable energy investment.(europe)
April 1, 2007... Spain's Acciona Energia has announced plans to invest more than [euro]7.4bn ($9.8bn) over the 2007-2009 period, which it said would add around 5000 MW of renewables capacity to its portfolio. Of the total, approximately [euro]6.4bn is...

Spanish and Algerian companies in strategic talks.(europe)
April 1, 2007... Endesa is in talks with Algeria's Sonatrach over the construction of five gas fired combined-cycle power plants and the installation of a subsea cable linking Algeria and Spain. The two parties held talks over a large-scale strategic...

EDF Energies Nouvelles.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... France: EDF Energies Nouvelles has ordered 26 turbines for its Chemin d'Ablis wind farm from German company REpower. The [euro]75m ($99m), 52 MW plant is due to commence operations during the first half of 2008.

Jacobs Engineering.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... France: Jacobs Engineering has received a contract from French energy trader Poweo to provide engineering support for a new 400 MW combined cycle gas turbine plant at Pont-sur-Sambre.

REpower.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Germany: REpower has received orders totalling [euro]92m ($121m) for three wind farm projects in the UK and France. The Bicker Fen and Walkway projects in England, and the Chemin d'Ablis farm in France will combine 46 turbines and 92 MW of wind...

Siemens.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Germany: Siemens has received a [euro]440m ($581 m) order to supply 54 wind turbines with combined 180 MW capacity for the Lynn and Inner Dowsing wind farm projects in Lincolnshire, UK.

Oslo.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Norway: Oslo has pledged 30m Krone ($5m) over three years to the international Renewable Energy and Efficiency Partnership, in order to increase usage of clean energy in developing countries.

The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Norway: The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate has granted Statkraft a license for the construction of Selbjorn wind farm, expected to provide an annual output of 110 GWh, in Austevoll.

Endesa and Enerfin-Enervento.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Spain: Endesa and Enerfin-Enervento, part of the Elecnor group, have signed an agreement to jointly develop marine wind farm projects in Spain.

Vestas.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Spain: Vestas has secured a turnkey contract for 14 wind turbines from Spanish developer Parque Eolico Puerto Real. The V90 3 MW turbines will be installed at the Cortijo de Guerra project in Andalusia.

Sweden.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Sweden: Vattenfall Wind Power has announced that Sweden's largest wind farm, the 110 MW offshore Lilligrund project being constructed by Siemens, will be operational by the end of 2007.

Switzerland.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Switzerland: Swiss energy group Atel expects a consortium to be formed by the end of 2007 for the construction of one or more nuclear power plants in the country, naming Axpo and BKW as its potential partners.

E.ON and RWE.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... UK: E.ON and RWE are said to be close to striking a deal with Westinghouse to work together on the next generation of Britain's nuclear power plants.

Areva T & D.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... UK: Areva T & D has won a [euro]21m ($28m) contract from E.ON to design, supply and install the onshore and offshore substations for the Robin Rigg East and Robin Rigg West wind farms.

China expects wind capacity to balloon.(asia-pacific)
April 1, 2007... China is expected to add 3 GW of wind power capacity between 2006-2010, as part of the government's plan to generate more electricity from clean energy sources. The country's wind power industry has developed relatively slowly. By the end...

South Korea pumped for action.(asia-pacific)
April 1, 2007... South Korea's first remote controlled pumped storage power plant has finally been completed after six years of construction. The two 30 MW generator built at the new Cheongsong plant in North Gyeongsang province were built at the cost of...

Shanghai firms to report power usage.(asia-pacific)
April 1, 2007... Leading industrial and commercial companies in Shanghai will now have to report their power usage on a monthly basis, according to a report from the Xinhua News Agency. Shanghai's economic planners said they have set a target of cutting...

Chinese nuclear power plants deal approaches closure.(asia-pacific)
April 1, 2007... China's State Nuclear Power Technology Company (SNPTC) have negotiated a framework agreement with US firms Westinghouse Electric Company and the Shaw Group for the provision of four AP1000 nuclear power plants. The framework agreement...

Vietnam nets $4bn thermal plant deal.(asia-pacific)
April 1, 2007... Elsenham of Australia will increase its investment capital to $4bn for the construction of a thermal power plant in Southern Vietnam, increasing its capacity to 3.6 GW. Construction of the plant is scheduled to start in late 2008 in the...

India gives approval in principle for nuclear new builds.(asia-pacific)
April 1, 2007... India has given its approval in principle for the construction of two nuclear plants at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan, according to a report by BBC Monitoring South Asia. The minister of state in the prime minister's office, Prithviraj Chavan,...

Beijing is to veto plans for new coal fired power plants with a capacity below 300 MW.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... China: Beijing is to veto plans for new coal fired power plants with a capacity below 300 MW because official statistics show that they are responsible for most of the sulphur dioxide and soot emissions generated by the power sector.

The construction of China's first cross-sea power transmission link has started.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... China: The construction of China's first cross-sea power transmission link has started. The 500 kV link will cross the Qiongzhou Strait, connecting Zhanjiang City and Hainai Island. The link is expected to be in service in the first half of...

India.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... India: GE Energy Financial Services is to finance the construction of a 22.3 MW thermal power plant for the Binani Cement Limited at Sirohi, Rajasthan, India.

Black & Veatch.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Indonesia: Black & Veatch has been awarded a contract to provide EPC services for the expansion of the natural gas fired Indralay power plant. The expanded plant will have an output of 124 MW and is due to go into operation in mid-2008.

Zelan Bhd.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Indonesia: A consortium led by Zelan Bhd of Malaysia has won a $50m EPCC contract for a new power plant in Indonesia. The project is for two 300 MW coal fired turbines in Rembang, Central Java.

Japan.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Japan: REpower Systems AG has signed a contract for the delivery of ten wind turbines to the Japanese prefecture Hyogo on the island of Honshu. The beginning of the installation is scheduled for the end of this year, and completion of the wind...

Studies into the feasibility of ten hydropower projects have been finalized.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Pakistan: Studies into the feasibility of ten hydropower projects have been finalized to ensure that the required 11.6 GW of new generating capacity will come online within the next three to seven years.

Asian Development Bank.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Pakistan: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is to extend a loan up to $800m over the period of 2007-2016 for a programme aimed at major power transmission enhancement in the country.

Singapore.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Singapore: CEIS Singapore is to build the country's largest trigeneration power plant that will produce electricity, steam and chilled water from a single integrated system. The 9.2 MW on-site facility is due to be completed in mid 2008.

Sri Lanka.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Sri Lanka: The Sri Lankan government has begun work on a 300 MW thermal power station, which will help to avert a potential power crisis in 2008-2008.

Thailand.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Thailand: The National Energy Policy Council of Thailand has announced it is to form a committee to conduct a feasibility study into the construction of a nuclear fission power plant.

Vietnam.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Vietnam: Tae Kwang Vina industrial Company Limited of South Korea has submitted a plan to the authorities of Vietnam's Dong Nai province to invest $1bn in a 1 GW coal fired power plant in the Nhon Trach district.

Brazilian capacity set for Tractebel boost.(americas)
April 1, 2007... Brazilian power generator Tractebel Energia, a unit of Suez Energy, plans to invest 516m reais ($248m) this year. The investment will go mostly towards expanding installed capacity by building two new hydro projects and studying new coal...

Chile spurns the nuclear route for now.(americas)
April 1, 2007... The Chilean government will not promote the use of nuclear energy in the country for the time being, according to a statement by energy minister Karen Poniachik. Chile will stick to its "Chagual accord", as promised by President Michelle...

Alstom to modernize Laguna Verde.(americas)
April 1, 2007... Alstom, in consortium with Iberdrola, has signed a contract with the Mexican state-owned utility Comision Federal de Electricidad to modernize the Laguna Verde nuclear plant in Veracruz state. Alstom's scope of supply is for the full...

Investment bank signs renewables deal.(americas)
April 1, 2007... Distributed Energy Systems Corporation has entered into a joint venture with Morgan Stanley to develop and finance power generation projects focused on renewables and efficiency in the USA. Primary applications include waste-to-energy,...

British Columbia pours water on coal fired plants.(americas)
April 1, 2007... Canada's British Columbia has effectively slammed the door on coal fired electricity generation after recent legislation passed by the provincial government. The legislation requires all new and existing electricity produced in the...

Cuba inaugurates large wind farm experiment.(americas)
April 1, 2007... Cuba has inaugurated an experimental 1800 MW wind farm in a bid to curb reliance on crude oil. The $3.4m wind project, featuring six, 55 m windmills, was established on Isla de la Juventud, an island south of Havana. Officials estimated...

CESS.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Brazil: CESS, an affliate of Suez Energy South America, has signed a loan agreement with the Brazilian development bank BNDES for the construction of a 241 MW hydro power plant in Sao Salvador. BNDES will provide $275m--67 pr cent out of the...

Eletonuclear.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Brazil: The country will continue to build the halted 1229 MW, $3.3bn Angra III nuclear reactor in 2007, according to state firm Eletonuclear. Operation is scheduled for 2013.

Alstom.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Canada: Alstom has signed a contract with TransCanada and Halton Hills Power Partners to supply two heat recovery steam generators and one 300 MW steam turbine generator for the Halton Hills facility in Toronto.

Finavera Renewables.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Canada: Finavera Renewables has bought the 150 MW Three Hills wind project for C$3.35m ($2.85m) from an undisclosed vendor. Operation of the 75 MW first phase will begin in 2009.

Washington Group.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Canada: Washington Group has been contracted by Suncor Energy Services to provide engineering and construction service for a gas fired cogeneration project at the Firebag oil sands reserves in Alberta.

Mexico.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Mexico: AES has bought two 230 MW petroleum coke fired circulating fluidized bed power generation facilities in Tamuin from Exelon and Alstom for a total $611m.

Areva T & D.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... USA: Areva T & D has signed a deal with Northeast Utilites to provide 14 200 MVA-345/115 kV single-phase autotransformers to be installed in Connecticut and New Hampshire.

Black & Veatch.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... USA: Black & Veatch has been chosen by Westar Energy to provide engineering, procurement and construction services for the construction of a 600 MW power plant in Emporia, Kansas.

GE Energy.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... USA: GE Energy plans to install 200 MW of branded solar electric products in the domestic residential and commercial markets by 2010.

Siemens.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... USA: Siemens has won a $405m deal from Genpower to provide equipment for a 700 MW ultra-supercritical coal fired power plant in West Virginia.

Wood Group Power Solutions.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... USA: Wood Group Power Solutions has been awarded a $48m turnkey project from Unisource Energy Development to construct the 90 MW Black Mountain generation station in Kingsman, Arizona.

Alstom Hydro.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Venezuela: Alstom Hydro has won a contract worth $106m for the refurbishment of four 400 MW Francis turbines at the Guri I power station near Puerto Ordaz.

CMS Energy.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Venezuela: CMS Energy has agreed to sell its 88 per cent stake and power assets in private uility Seneca to the Venezuelan government for $105.5m.

Areva leads Repower race.(companies)
April 1, 2007... French nuclear energy firm Areva has raised its bid for Repower to [euro]140 ($186) per share, beating India's Suzlon Energy's bid and securing a 30 per cent stake in the German wind turbine maker. Suzlon Energy and Martifer, a unit of...

Enel and Endesa endeavours endangers Eon's efforts.(companies)
April 1, 2007... Italian power utility Enel has raised its stake in Spanish Electricity company Endesa to 24.99 per cent, the maximum permitted without triggering a mandatory bid for the whole of Endesa under Spanish law. The move is widely seen as a...

ABB earnings rise by 45 per cent.(companies)(Financial report)
April 1, 2007... Swiss-based power equipment and automation firm ABB has reported earnings before tax up 45 per cent to a record $2.6bn for 2006, continuing its recovery following four years of heavy losses between 2001-04. Revenues for 2006 reached...

AGL Energy scraps merger with Origin.(companies)
April 1, 2007... AGL Energy, Australia's largest power and gas retailer has officially ended its pursuit of a A$14bn ($10.8bn) merger with rival Origin Energy. "AGL put a very attractive merger of equals proposal to Origin on an exchange ratio which would...

Alstom secures Calpine subsidiary.(companies)
April 1, 2007... Alstom has signed a deal with Calpine Corporation to acquire is Power Systems Manufacturing (PSM) subsidiary in a cash deal worth S225m. The Florida-based firm is an independent supplier of gas turbine parts and low-N[O.sub.x] upgrade...

HgCapital makes biogas investment.(companies)
April 1, 2007... Major European renewable investor HgCapital has made an investment in biogas projects through Aufwind Schmack GmbH Neue Energien. Aufwind Achmack, based in Regensburg, Germany, is the world's leading biogas project developer and is also an...

ACON grows.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... ACON grows: An investor group led by ACON Investments, in partnership with former managers of ABB have announced the acquisition of ABB's Power Lines Components manufacturing businesses in Monterrey, Mexico and Belo Horizonte, Brazil, producers...

Argentlna arrangement.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Argentina arrangement: CMS Energy subsidiary CMS Enterprises has sold its 17.2 per cent interest in its El Chocon hydroelectric generating business to Endesa for $50m.

Sulzer rejected.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Sulzer rejected: Metallurgical and materials testing firm Bodycote has rejected the latest proposed cash offer by machinery and equipment manufacturing company Sulzer. Bodycote believes that the [pounds sterling]3.25 ($6.38) per share bid...

Electrabel energy group.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Electrabel energy group: The Suez Group is to regroup all its energy sector activities, including electricity and gas operation, engineering and network businesses, within its Belgian company Electrabel, including those of its other Belgian...

HTS collaboration.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... HTS collaboration: Zenergy Power has entered into a five-year co-operation agreement with Converteam to exclusively supply its high temperature superconductor (HTS) wires and coils in relation to wind power and small hydropower projects.

Mitsubishi in Singapore.(News digest)
April 1, 2007... Mitsubishi in Singapore: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) plans to set up a regional headquarters in Singapore this spring to oversee its overseas engine business. MHI is looking to expand aftersales servicing operations for medium and...