Power Engineering International articles from August 2006

Power Engineering International archives from August 2006

What legacy will you leave?(Up Front)(Tony Blair's nuclear policy)(Editorial)
August 1, 2006... Some of our lives pass by unnoticed. When we are gone, it is almost like we were never here. For others, their sole aim in life is to be remembered long after they are gone. Politicians, whether by design or circumstance tend to be remembered...

G8 tests Russia on openness: Russia appears to have taken a step towards opening its energy sector to foreign investment in order to enhance global energy security, but just how far is it willing to go? asks Sian Green.(Analysis)
August 1, 2006... The importance of Russia's energy supplies to the global market is growing and so it was entirely appropriate that the country chose energy security to top the agenda at last month's G8 Summit in St Petersburg. And it also meant that the seven...

G8 energy security accord masks underlying splits.(international)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... An agreement reached at the meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) industrial nations in St Petersburg over "Global Energy Security" included a pledge from Russia to, in principle, open its energy sector to foreign investment. The members could...

International trade boosts Africa's market.(international)
August 1, 2006... A report published by market analysts Frost & Sullivan into the steam and gas turbine business in Africa describes a market energized by population growth and by greater engagement with a globalized economy. It predicts that the power...

First wind park in Slovenia.(international)(Acciona Energia )(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... A wind park that, when constructed, will provide Slovenia with one per cent of its electricity needs, has been approved by the country's Ministry of the Environment. The 28.05 MW Volovja Reber wind park is jointly owned by Spanish renewable...

EPIC to advise Serbian utility.(lEuropean Privatization and Investment Corporation )(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The European Privatization & Investment Corporation (EPIC) has won a contract to advise the electric power industry of Serbia, along with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Belgrade (ETF). The assignment for EPIC...

Eskom upgrades Kriel I & C.(instrumentation and control)(Eskom contract with Siemens)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... South African utility Eskom has appointed Siemens to undertake the world's largest modernization project for instrumentation and control (I & C) systems at its 3000 MW Kriel coal fired power plant. Siemens will install its SPPA-T3000...

Sembcorp wins Fujairah IWPP.(independent power and water plant)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (Adwea) and Singapore's Sembcorp Industries have signed an agreement to jointly develop the $1.73bn Fujairah independent power and water plant. Sembcorp will acquire a 40 per cent stake in the...

Finland's nuclear reactor faces one-year setback.(europe)(TVO's nuclear facility)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Finland's fifth nuclear reactor being built by an Areva-Siemens consortium for electricity company TVO is to enter operation in 2010--a year later than planned--owing to technical and administrative complications. Areva said that teething...

Sardinia to get HVDC power link to Italy.(europe)(High Voltage Direct Current)(Terna signed contract with ABB)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The Italian transmission system operator Terna has appointed ABB to deliver a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) system connecting the power grids of Sardinia and peninsular Italy. The 1000 MW undersea link will carry surplus power between the...

UK Energy Review highlights security and climate.(europe)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Proposals set out in the UK Energy Review published in July are designed to tackle the mounting threats posed by climate change and energy security, according to a statement issued with the report. UK Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair...

EU boosts funding on clean energies.(europe)(European Parliament grants for energy research)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The European Parliament has allocated [euro]2.4bn ($3bn) to energy research in a vote on the EU's next seven-year R & D programme (2007-2013). MEPs have allocated [euro]1.6bn of this to research into renewable energies and energy efficiency...

Alstom to build UK power station.(europe)
August 1, 2006... Alstom has been appointed by UK utility Centrica as the EPC contractor for the first major new power station to be built in the UK for five years. Commercial operations at the 885 MW combined cycle gas fired plant to be built in Langage, Devon,...

Commission approves NAPs.(European Union )(national allocation plans for emission trading)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The 25 EU member states were due to submit their national allocation plans for C[O.sub.2] allowances for the second phase of the EU emissions trading scheme (ETS) covering the period 2008-2012 by 30 June. Five plans--from Denmark, Ireland, The...

Masinloc plant is back on the block.(asia-pacific)(Philippines Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The Philippines Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) has decided to re-bid the 600 MW Masinloc coal fired power plant after the chosen bidder, YNN Pacific Consortium failed to pay a $227.54m down payment. YNN...

Spanish technology behind Chinese wind.(asia-pacific)(Nantong CASC Wanyuan Acciona Wind Turbine Manufacture)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... A joint Spanish-Chinese venture has opened the largest wind turbine manufacturing plant in China in the Economic Development Area of Nantong. The company, Nantong CASC Wanyuan Acciona Wind Turbine Manufacture (NCWA), has invested RMB246m...

Nanjing calls in consultants.(asia-pacific)(China State Power Corp. signed contract with EDF Energy Networks and PB Power )(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... China's State Grid Corporation has chosen EDF Energy Networks and PB Power to jointly report on how the rapidly expanding city of Nanjing can manage future growth in electricity demand and also to provide enhanced training to Chinese engineers....

Indian link goes into overload.(asia-pacific)(Power Grid Corp. selects Siemens AG)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Power Grid Corporation of India has appointed Siemens to increase the capacity of the "East-South" high voltage DC (HVDC) transmission link connecting the Talcher power plant complex in Orissa to the industrial region around Bangalore. The...

US-Indian pact gathers support.(asia-pacific)(from Committee on Foreign Relations)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... A plan for the US to share civilian nuclear technology with India in return for opening its civilian nuclear facilities to inspection has won the support of the House of Representatives' International Relations Committee. The deal was finalized...

TRUenergy appoints Alstom for CCGT project.(asia-pacific)(combined cycle gas fired power plant)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... CLP subsidiary TRUenergy has awarded Alstom a turnkey contract to supply a 400 MW gas fired combined cycle power plant in Australia along with a 12-year long-term service agreement for the gas turbine equipment. The two contracts are worth...

Work starts on Siepac grid interconnection.(Siepac Central American transmission line)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Construction has begun on the 1830 km transmission line for the Siepac Central American electricity interconnection system. Presidents and vice presidents from the six participating countries, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,...

Mitsui Babcock wins US clean coal order.(signed contract with Louisville Gas and Electric Co. and Kentucky Utilities Co.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Mitsui Babcock has been awarded a contract worth over [pounds sterling]50m ($94m) for the steam generator and auxiliary equipment for Louisville Gas and Electric Company's (LG & E) and Kentucky Utilities' (KU) Trimble County power plant in...

Hydro Quebec sells Transelec.(Hydro Quebec acquired Transelec)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Canadian power company Hydro Quebec is to sell its 92 per cent stake in Chilean transmission firm Transelec to a consortium led by Canadian investment fund Brookfield for C$1.7bn ($1.5bn). Transelec is the major transmission provider in the...

Mexico forecasts $44.6bn power bill.(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Mexico's Energy Ministry has published a new report on the country's electricity needs up to 2014. It estimates that an investment of peso509bn ($46bn) will be required to meet an average annual power demand growth of 5.2 per cent. The report...

Ontario studies wind impacts.(americas)(GE Energy contract with Ontario Power Authority in Canada )(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... GE Energy has signed a contract with the Ontario Power Authority in Canada to study the impact of wind power on the Ontario electricity system. The study, which is also sponsored by the Independent Electricity System Operator and the Canadian...

US launches solar power initiative.(Department of Energy funding for solar energy systems)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The US Department of Energy is offering $170m over a three-year period for cost-shared, public-private partnerships to advance solar energy technology. The solicitation is part of President Bush's Solar America Initiative (SAI). The SAI...

MTU re-brands with Tognum.(companies)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... A newly devised name, Tognum, is being adopted by the strategic holding company for the MTU group of companies. Tognum GmbH will perform all corporate functions including corporate strategy, finance, communication, planning, organization and IT...

Mirant offers buyback.(companies)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Mirant Corporation has announced a plan to enhance shareholder value by offering to repurchase up to 43 million shares of Mirant common stock for an aggregate purchase price of up to $1.25bn. The tender offer is being made through a...

Aggreko enjoys the rent party.(also introduced telephone customer service )(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... A boom in the rental of power generating and temperature control equipment in Europe has prompted Aggreko to invest [euro]25m ($32m) over the past year in new equipment. Aggreko has also established a new telephone customer service that routes...

Uranium technology etc.(formed by Areva and Urenco )(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... French nuclear group Areva and energy group Urenco have created their uranium Enrichment Technology Company (ETC) joint venture following clearance from the European Union's competition authority. ETC will be the only vehicle for the centrifuge...

Land measures up for Ametek.(AMETEK Inc. acquired Land Instruments Inc.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Ametek, headquartered in Pennsylvania, USA, has acquired British-based Land Instruments International. Specialising in industrial temperature measurement, combustion and emissions monitoring, Land also has subsidiary offices based in the USA,...

BNFL businesses to be sold by 2007.(British Nuclear Fuels PLC)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The UK government's decision to sell its nuclear assets is likely to see the break-up of British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) by the end of 2007, according to chief executive Mike Parker. BNFL group profits totalled [pounds sterling]208m ($389m) in the...

Algeria.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Algeria: SNC-Lavalin has signed contracts with SKH SpA worth C$1.3bn ($1.15bn) to provide EPC and operations and maintenance services for a 1227 MW gas fired power plant in the province of Tipaza, Algeria.

Alstom.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Bahrain: Alstom has signed a contract worth over [euro]100m ($128m) with Bahrain's Ministry of Electricity and Water for the modernization of the 20-year old Rifaa II power plant.

Hidd Power Company.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Bahrain: Hidd Power Company has appointed PB Power to be Owner's Engineer for the Phase III expansion of desalination capacity at the Hidd power and water complex.

Energie Lyonnaise.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Hungary: French energy company Energie Lyonnaise has taken a 96.6 per cent stake in the Hungarian wind farm developer Pannon Wind Power Plant, which is planning a 15 MW wind park at Babolna in northwest Hungary.

GE Energy.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Hungary: GE Energy has supplied eight Jenbacher cogeneration gas engines to Energott Kft for the largest combined heat and power project in Hungary in the city of Szekesfehervar.

Iceland.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Iceland: A consortium comprising Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Corporation and Balcke-Durr has received a turnkey order to build two 40 MW geothermal power plants for Reykjavik Energy.

Namibia.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Namibia: The construction of the 360 MW Baynes hydroelectric power station co-funded by NamPower and ENE, an Angolan power utility, will commence following the signing of a bilateral agreement between the two governments.

Power Machines Group.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Russia: Power Machines Group has completed a modernization of the Konakovskaya GRE thermal power plant for customer WGC-5, equipping it with a 328 MW K-300-240-7P turbine.

Russia's Federal Nuclear Energy Agency.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Russia: Russia's Federal Nuclear Energy Agency plans to build a low capacity floating nuclear power station to be located in the White Sea and equipped with two power units using KLT-40S reactors.

Slovakia.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Slovakia: Rolls Royce has signed a contract for two RB211-6761 DLE gas turbine generator sets to power a plant that will provide both electricity and heating to an industrial park in Levice, Slovakia.

Tanzania.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Tanzania: Finland's Wartsila is to supply gas fired emergency power generators with a capacity of 100 MW to the Tanzania Electric Supply Company under a contract worth $92.3m, to address the country's current power shortfall.

Uganda.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Uganda: The Ugandan government and the consortium selected to develop the 250 MW Bujagali hydropower dam along the river Nile are seeking to deal with resettlement and finance issues ahead of the bidding process in September.

Europe.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Europe: A European branch of the Hydro Equipment Association has been established in Brussels in order to strengthen the association's presence towards the European Commission.

Austria.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Austria: Construction work has commenced on the [euro]365m ($461m) Limberg II pumped storage power plant in Kaprun, Austria that will add 480 MW to the Verbund-owned facility.

EDF.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... France: EDF says it has leaned lessons about the operation of its nuclear power stations, barrages and electricity network from the 2003 heat wave and expects to perform better in 2006.

Ocean Power Technologies.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... France: Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) has signed an agreement with Total and Iberdrola for the development of a wave power station in France with a capacity of 2-5 MW using OPT's PowerBuoy technology.

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Germany: Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited has agreed to supply German energy company EWE with ten NetGen micro combined heat and power (m-CHP) units as part of an ongoing trial to commercialize m-CHP for the European market.

The Essen-based Galileo Integrated Georeference Applications.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Germany: The Essen-based Galileo Integrated Georeference Applications (GIGA) project has entered its second phase focusing on providing Galileo services to the energy industry based on feasibility studies and a yet-to-be-developed demonstrator...

Italy.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Italy: The Enel-owned Littigheddu Wind Park in Sardinia, which features 36 GE Energy 1.5 MW wind turbines, was officially opened in June. Italy's wind capacity is set to rise from 1717 MW to 4600 MW by 2010.

Portugal.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Portugal: Power generation licensing arrangements in Portugal have been reworked to favour coal over gas fired generation. Observers see this move as protecting Portugal from dependence on gas imports through Spain.

Spain.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Spain: Vestas has received an order for 31 of the V82 wind turbines along with its online remote monitoring system from Spanish wind farm developer Parque Eolico de Alentisque S.L., for a project in the west central part of Spain.

Sweden.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Sweden: Vattenfall has obtained Swedish government approval for its SEK8bn ($1bn) plan to build a large offshore wind farm at the Kriegers-Flak shallow water area in the southern Baltic Sea.

A deepwater demonstrator wind farm.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... UK: A deepwater demonstrator wind farm to be built adjacent to the Beatrice oilfield in the North Sea has won UK government approval.

A new 72 NW power plant.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... UK: A new 72 MW power plant planned for the south east of London, which produces energy from waste that would otherwise go to landfill, has been given UK government approval

Australia.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Australia: Echelon Corporation's Networked Energy Services System has been selected by Integral Energy for an advanced metering project to be initially rolled out to residential customers in Sydney.

Bangladesh.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Bangladesh: India's state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals has secured Rs550m ($11.8m) contract from Power Grid Corporation of Bangladesh for setting up a 230 kV substation in Bangladesh.

Areva.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... China: Areva has opened two factories in Xiamen, China, producing vacuum switch tubes and medium voltage circuit breakers, representing an investment of [euro]10m ($12.7m).

GE Energy.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... China: GE Energy has opened its first wind turbine assembly plant in China in Shenyang. The facility is located alongside two GE joint venture facilities and will produce 1.5 MW wind turbines.

Datang International Power.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... China: Hong Kong-based Datang International Power generation is to team up with Datang Coal, China's second largest coal producer, to construct two 600 MW coal fired power plants in Shanxi Province.

MTU Group.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... China: MTU Group has announced the start of local assembly of its Series 2000 diesel engines at a new facility in the city of Suzhou.

Indonesia.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Indonesia: PT Apexindo Pratama Dutu Tbk has won a contract worth $22.3m from Star Energy Holdings and Magma Nusantara for the exploration of geothermal energy sources in Indonesia.

Chubu Electric Power.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Japan: Chubu Electric Power has developed technology for mixing powdered coal ash with concrete for use as reinforcement in tunnel excavation that will allow it to recycle 100 per cent of its coal ash.

NTT Facilities.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Japan: NTT Facilities has purchased a 250 kW Direct FuelCell power plant from FuelCell Energy to provide base load electrical supply to a university, welfare institution, high school and water purification plant.

Philippines.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Philippines: Kepco Philippines has secured Export-Import Bank of Korea financing for much of the $200m cost of construction of its 200 MW coal fired power plant in Naga, Cebu.

Singapore.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Singapore: GE Energy has opened a Customer Application Centre in Singapore to provide support for products and services for the power generation, oil and gas, pulp and paper, cement and mining segments.

South Korea.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... South Korea: PowerLight Corporation has secured a 15-year renewable energy Ex-lm Bank loan for the export of a 1 MW Power Tracker solar power system to an exhibition centre in South Korea.

Vietnam.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Vietnam: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has established a new office in Hanoi in response to increasing volumes of large-scale business opportunities in Vietnam.

Argentina.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Argentina: Alstom has been awarded a ten-year service agreement by Aluar Aluminio Argentino for the Aluar Extension II combined cycle plant that Alstom is building in Puerto Madryn, Argentina.

Chile.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Chile: Canadian engineering firm Dessau-Soprin has secured a contract from Hidrosur S.A. with an estimated value of C$70m ($62m) for the design and engineering of the Rucatayo hydroelectric power plant in southern Chile.

Hawaii.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Hawaii: Shell WindEnergy is to develop its first wind farm in Hawaii. The first phase of the project would provide up to 40 MW of wind power with later plans to add a pumped hydro storage element.

Mexico.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Mexico: Mexico's state power company CFE has begun a consultation process over the bidding rules for the 535 MW Agua Prieta combined cycle and solar hybrid generation project.

Peru.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Peru: Suez Energy Peru is in discussions with BPZ Energy over jointly developing an export gas pipeline from Peru's Corvina natural gas field to supply the 180 MW power plant it is building near the town of Arenillas, Ecuador.

Basin Electric Power.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... USA: Basin Electric Power is in discussions with GE Energy and Bechtel Power about the feasibility of developing an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle power plant in South Dakota.

Nanosolar.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... USA: California-based Nanosolar has announced more than $100m of funding and plans to build a mass-production facility with an annual capacity for solar cells totalling 430 MW.

FuelCell Energy.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... USA: FuelCell Energy has announced the successful demonstration of its stationary power plant's ability to switch rapidly between natural gas and secondary fuel propane.

Researchers.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... USA: Researchers at Penn State University have unexpectedly created a type of diamond in the process of investigating storage of hydrogen from anthracite coal.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... USA: The National Institute of Standards and Technology is proposing new test and ratings methods for residential fuel cells that can help prospective buyers assess the economic value of fuel cell technologies.

Corporation.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... USA: Toshiba International Corporation has been awarded a contract worth approximately $60m to supply a large supercritical steam turbine generator for Kansas City Power & Light's 850 MW latan 2 power plant.

Williams Power.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... USA: Williams Power is to implement the InFusion Generation Management System from Invensys for its fleet of power generation assets to integrate its various automation systems.

Acta on track.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Acta on track: Acta has achieved important technical milestones in the development and demonstration of its Hypermec platinum-free fuel cell catalyst technology using ethanol.

AES controls wind.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... AES controls wind: AES Corporation has acquired majority control of the Wind Energy Limited group of companies, a UK-based wind development company with 640 MW of wind generation projects.

Duke plans separation.(News digest)
August 1, 2006... Duke plans separation: Duke Energy Corporation has announced plans to create two separate publicly traded companies by spinning off Duke Energy's natural gas business to shareholders.