Power Engineering International articles from February 2009

Power Engineering International archives from February 2009

Russia gets cosy with former Cold War ally.(UP FRONT)
February 1, 2009... Although Russia's image on the world stage is one of a strong independent country, in these days of globalization even the Great Bear is not immune to the continued global financial crisis. According to VTB bank's GDP indicator, January saw...

Obama set to turn the US energy setter on its head: with Barack Obama now settled in the White House, the United States' energy sector may be about to undergo a revolution. PEi examines the new president's ambitious clean energy plan, and the energy provisions in his economic stimulus package.(ANALYSIS)
February 1, 2009... With Barack Obama's inauguration as the 44th president of the United States of America on Tuesday, 20 January 2009, there can be few men, past or present, who are carrying the hopes and expectations of so many - not only in the US, but also...

Egypt.(INTERNATIONAL)
February 1, 2009... Egypt: The Egyptian energy sector looks set to take the lead in renewables in the Middle East region, according to a government official. Wind farms in the Saidi region are expected to produce 20 per cent of the country's electricity needs by...

Iran.(INTERNATIONAL)
February 1, 2009... Iran: The country has inaugurated Shiraz, Iran's first solar power plant. The plant has an initial capacity of 250 kW, with the potential to increase to 500 kW.

Iran.(INTERNATIONAL)
February 1, 2009... Iran: The deputy energy minister for electricity affairs (Aliabad) has announced that 3800 MW of new electricity capacity could be added by the summer of this year, with that increasing to 7000 MW by March 2010.

Jordan.(INTERNATIONAL)
February 1, 2009... Jordan: The president of the Jordanian Nuclear Energy Commission has announced a tender to conduct a study of a site in the south of the country for the construction of its first nuclear power plant.

Qatar.(INTERNATIONAL)
February 1, 2009... Qatar: The Consolidated Gulf Company and BPL Global have been awarded a contract by Qatar General Electricity ft Water Corporation (Kahramaa) for an online transformer monitoring system, which will be installed in ail substations as part of its...

Rwanda.(INTERNATIONAL)
February 1, 2009... Rwanda: The initial surveying for what will be the country's largest hydro power plant, the 27.5 MW Nyabarongo hydro plant, is well underway, according to the Infrastructure Ministry.

Saudi Arabia.(INTERNATIONAL)
February 1, 2009... Saudi Arabia: ABB has won an order worth $95m from the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) to provide turnkey solutions for five new substations that will help to strengthen the country's distribution network.

Seychelles.(INTERNATIONAL)
February 1, 2009... Seychelles: Masdar, Abu Dhabi's future energy initiative, and the Seychelles government have inked an agreement to develop renewable energy in the Seychelles. An initial target of 18 MW from wind power is envisaged.

UAE.(INTERNATIONAL)
February 1, 2009... UAE: The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region's biggest solar power plant is on schedule to be connected to the country's national grid in March. The 10 MW power plant, which costs over $50m, is designed to support the ongoing...

Carbon trading enjoys record year but set to feel the strain.(WORLD NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... The global carbon market in 2008 more than doubled in value from 2007 to [euro]92bn (125bn), according to the recent Carbon Market Monitor report, published by market analysts Point Carbon. The global carbon market last year grew...

International renewable energy champion launched without US, UK.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which will promote the use and development of renewable energy, and advise both industrialized and developing nations on reducing fossil fuel use, has been launched in Bonn, Germany. ...

GDF SUEZ and ADWEA secure $900m financing for Shuweihat 2 IWPP.(WORLD NEWS)(GDF Suez Energy International)(Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority)(independent water and power project )(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... GDF Suez Energy International and its partner Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) have secured a $900m financing facility for the Middle Eastern country's Shuweihat 2 independent water and power project (IWPP), The lenders to the...

South Africa looks to wind power to address power gap.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... A spokesman from Eskom, South Africa's state-run power utility, has said that the utility plans to build 50 wind turbines, each with a 2 MW capacity, before the end of this year to help boost the supply of electricity to the country. Eskom...

Sale of Turkish distribution grid firm finalized.(WORLD NEWS)(Baskent EDAS )(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... A consortium comprising Austrian electricity major Verbund and Sabanci of Turkey, and their joint venture, Enerjisa, have finalized the purchase of the distribution grid company Baskent EDAS from the Turkish government. The purchase price...

Cuba and Russia create power plant joint venture.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... Russia's Inter RAO EES and Cuba's Union Electrica have agreed on the creation of a joint venture to upgrade hydroelectric and thermoelectric plants in Cuba. The joint enterprise's first project is anticipated to be the modernization of the...

Albania.(EUROPE)
February 1, 2009... Albania: The Albanian government has approved a [euro]950m ($1.37bn) deal with Austria's EVN utility and Norway's Statkraft to build three power plants on the Devol River, which flows into the Adriatic Sea south of the capital Tirana. The three...

Czech Republic.(EUROPE)
February 1, 2009... Czech Republic: Czech utility CEZ wants to build two new 1200 MW nuclear units at its Dukovany power plant by 2035. The two units would replace the current four power units due to retire in 2045.

Finland.(EUROPE)
February 1, 2009... Finland: Fennovoima has submitted an application for a decision-in-principle on a nuclear power station. Fennovoima has plans to build a nuclear power station in Pyhajoki, Ruotsinpyhtaa or Simo.

France.(EUROPE)
February 1, 2009... France: Renewable energy developer EOLE-RES said it hopes its [euro]300m ($391 m), 30 turbine, 100 MW offshore wind farm off the coast of Portbail, Normandy, will be operational in 2012.

Hungary.(EUROPE)
February 1, 2009... Hungary: Geothermal energy company CEGE, partly owned by MOL, plans to launch investment projects worth over [euro]35m ($46m) for the construction of geothermal power plants and technologies for directly supplying thermal heat.

Italy.(EUROPE)
February 1, 2009... Italy: Econcern has plans to install 42 MW of solar photovoltaic capacity in Puglia, Italy. Project Trullo will start with the construction of seven 1 MW solar parks early in 2009. The parks are expected to be in operation by 2010.

Poland.(EUROPE)
February 1, 2009... Poland: PKE is to invest [euro] 1.3bn ($1,7bn) in the construction of a new 900 MW power plant to replace the existing Blachownia power plant based in Kedzierzyn.

Slovakia.(EUROPE)
February 1, 2009... Slovakia: Slovakia and the Czech Republic will interconnect their electricity markets in the second half of this year, Robert Deak of Slovak grid operator SEPS said. The move should help both countries to better manage electricity supplies and...

Spain.(EUROPE)
February 1, 2009... Spain: Portugal and Spain will have a single electricity market from the summer of 2009. A new operator do Mercade Iberico, which was created following the merger of existing regulators OMIP and Omel, will regulate the joint market

European Union to pump [euro]3.5bn into CCS, grid connection, offshore wind projects.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... The European Commission has earmarked [euro]1.25bn ($1.63bn) for carbon capture and storage (GCS) projects, [euro]500m for offshore wind projects and [euro]1.75bn for gas and electricity interconnection projects from leftover funds. According...

Gargantuan London Array offshore wind farm in doubt - E.ON.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... The economics of what would be the world's largest offshore wind farm are said to be on a knife-edge, according to the chief executive of one of the companies involved. E.ON UK, the British arm of the German energy group, said the viability of...

E.ON and RWE form joint venture to build UK nuclear power stations.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... RWE and E.ON have announced the creation of a joint venture to develop new nuclear power stations in the UK. The 50:50 joint venture between E.ON UK and RWE npower will have a long-term focus on seeking to secure sires being sold by the NDA...

Poland's PGE plans two nuclear plants.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... State-owned power group Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE) plans to construct two nuclear power plants, each with the capacity of 3000 MW. PGE estimates chat the cost of 1 MW of capacity would be between [euro]2.5m and [euro]3m. "We want energy to...

Masdar to set up [euro]17 lm solar plant with SENER.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... Masdar, the energy initiative of Abu Dhabi, will set up a 17 MW utility grade solar power plant in Spain at a cost of [euro]71m ($228m) in alliance with Spain's SENER. The joint venture between Masdar and SENER is known as Torresol Energy...

Iberdrola chief wants better regulation.(WORLD NEWS)(Ignacio Galan)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Iberdrola's chair Ignacio Galan, has called for regulation of the European electricity sector that gives clear, predictable signals, which is sustainable over time, and provides incentives to invest in efficiency improvement. Galan said...

Australia.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
February 1, 2009... Australia: British energy company, EG Group has dropped plans for a gas fired power station in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales.

China.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
February 1, 2009... China: According to the State Electricity Regulatory Commission, China's power capacity increased 90.51 GW in 2008, up over 10 per cent year-on-year. The total; installed capacity reached 793 GW.

China.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
February 1, 2009... China: Guodian Corporation has begun construction of a $658m, 2200 MW coal fired power plant in the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous region.

China.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
February 1, 2009... China: The China National Nuclear Corporation has said that construction of three nuclear plants will begin this year. The first will be the Sanmen nuclear plant, comprising two 1250 MW reactors.

India.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
February 1, 2009... India: Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has secured a turnkey contract from Jindal Power for a 2400 MW thermal power plant in the state of Chhattisgarh. The contract is valued at INR50.4bn ($1bn).

Indonesia.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
February 1, 2009... Indonesia: Babcock ft Wilcox Power Generation Group, part of the Babcock ft Wilcox Company, has been awarded a refurbishment contract for two BEtW Radiant Tower type boilers at the Suralaya steam power plant on Java Island.

Indonesia.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
February 1, 2009... Indonesia: Mitsubishi" Heavy Industries has received a turnkey order for a 750 MW gas turbine combined-cycle power plant from PT.PLN, Indonesia's state-owned electricity generator. The plant is slated to go on-stream late 2011.

Malaysia.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
February 1, 2009... Malaysia: Alstom SA has submitted a bid to Tenaga Nasional Bhd for a 212 MW hydropower plant in Hulu Terengganu, as well as a bid to be the equipment supplier for Sawawak Energys Bhd's Murum hydroelectric power plant.

Pakistan.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
February 1, 2009... Pakistan: Zorfu Enerji of Turkey is to build a 50 MW wind farm in Pakistan at a cost of $120m. At a later date, the farm's capacity could be extended to 250 MW. A power purchase agreement has been signed with the Hyderabad Electric Supply...

Sri Lanka.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
February 1, 2009... Sri Lanka: Suzlon Energy has received an order to supply 10 MW of turbine capacity to a project being developed by Senok Wind Power in the Kalpitiya region of Sri Lanka.

World bank awards loan to strengthen India's grid.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL), the government owned power transmission company, has inked a loan agreement for $400m with the World Bank. The loan will be utilized to fund power grid transmission projects during the remainder...

Initial price indication for Australia's carbon trading scheme.(WORLD NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... The first trade in Australian Emissions Units (AEU) since the government released its blueprint for a carbon-trading scheme has been made. Carbon broker Newedge Australia handled a transaction of 10 000 AEUs expiring on 20 June 2012 at...

Thailand's brings forward plans for output from small power producers.(WORLD NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Thailand's National Energy Policy Council has approved a revised small power producers (SPPs) plan. Pornchai Rujiprapa, the permanent secretary of the Energy Ministry, said new output from SPPs was expected to be ready three years earlier...

Tata Power synchronizes 250 MW unit near Mumbai.(WORLD NEWS)(Tata Power Company Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... India's Tata Power has synchronized the 250 MW, coal fired Unit 8 at the Trombay power station in Chembur, near Mumbai. The new unit, which is due to be commissioned in the near future, raises the installed capacity of the power plant to...

Vietnam lays out $294m 2009 power programme.(WORLD NEWS)(Vietnam Electricity Corp.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... The Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) has said it will invest close to VND50trn ($294m) this year in new electricity generation capacity. The state-owned company said that currently it has raised VND44trn, and is actively seeking the...

New Zealand's North-South grid link due by 2012.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... Three unnamed companies are vying to win the contract to upgrade of the subsea electricity link between New Zealand's North and South Islands. The new NZ$700m ($378m) link will double the amount of electricity that can be transferred...

Bolivia.(AMERICAS)
February 1, 2009... Bolivia: Bolivian president Evo Morales is reported to be planning the nationalization of three electric utilities, Empresa Electrica Corani SA, Empresa Electrica Guarachi SA and Empresa Electrica Valle Hermoso SA.

Canada.(AMERICAS)
February 1, 2009... Canada: Calgary-based TransAtta Corporation has commenced commercial operation of its CAN$170m ($139m} 96 MW Kent Hills wind farm, located 30 km southwest of Moncton, bringing its total installed wind capacity to 248 MW.

Costa Rica.(AMERICAS)
February 1, 2009... Costa Rica: Ormat Technologies has signed a contract worth $65m with Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economica for the supply, supervision of installation, start-up and testing of the Las Pailas geothermal plant in Costa Rica.

Ecuador.(AMERICAS)
February 1, 2009... Ecuador: Emaap-Q, the utility serving the Ecuadorian capital Quinto, is planning to invest $1.2bn in a potable water expansion project that will include the construction of two hydroelectric power plants. Technical studies will be complete by...

Uruguay.(AMERICAS)
February 1, 2009... Uruguay: Around 500 MW of new capacity from wind, biomass and mini hydro will be added to the grid by 2015 in order to reduce dependency on imported oil and gas, according to the government.

USA.(AMERICAS)
February 1, 2009... USA: Mississippi Power has filed for a certificate to build a new 582 MW integrated gasification combined-cycle (IQCC) power plant wit carbon capture capabilities in Kemper County, estimated to cost in the region of $2.2bn.

USA.(AMERICAS)
February 1, 2009... USA: Dynergy is reported to have abandoned plans to construct six coal fired power plants across six states, under a joint venture with New York-base energy company LS Power, citing external credit and regulatory barriers.

USA.(AMERICAS)
February 1, 2009... USA: FuelCell Energy has been awarded a $30.2m contract under Phase II of a US Department of Energy's Clean Coal programme to build a 25 kW Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stack operating on coat based syngas, in conjunction with Versa Power Systems.

USA.(AMERICAS)
February 1, 2009... USA: National Grid has placed an order with American Superconductor to install and maintain a D-VAR STATCOM reactive compensation system on eastern Long Island, New York.

Ohio partners with Bechtel on new coal plant.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... Wholesale power supplier AMP-Ohio is to partner with Bechtel Power Corporation in the construction of a major coal fired generating plant and associated facilities adjacent to the Ohio River in southeast Ohio. Bechtel has been granted a...

Nexans win [euro]26m Brazilian 230 kV cable contract.(WORLD NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Nexans is to supply All Aluminium Alloy Conductor (AAAC) cable for the construction of five 230 kV overhead transmission lines in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. The [euro]26m($ 34m) order was placed by EBTE, the winner of the auction held...

National Grid chooses Balfour Beatty for New England project.(WORLD NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... UK-based National Grid has awarded compatriots Balfour Beatty a five-year contract for the design and build of substations and transmission lines in the New England region as part of its US electricity transmission capital investment programme....

Ontario wind power projects announced.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... Ontario Power Authority and Renewable Energy Systems Canada (RES Canada) have announced plans to develop and construct two new wind projects with total installed capacity of 198 MW, enough to power 52 000 average homes. Capital expenditure...

Illinois agrees rules for IGCC plants.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... The US state of Illinois has passed a law that creates a framework for developing coal gasification projects with carbon capture and storage. The Clean Coal Portfolio Standard Act requires emission from coal fired plants to be as clean as...

Calgary's Enmax turns to MHI CCGT solution.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has received an order for an 800 MW gas combined-cycle gas power plant from Enmax Green Power Inc., for its planned Shepard Energy Centre to be built near Calgary, Alberta. The plant will be commissioned by...

Fair share.(COMPANIES)
February 1, 2009... Fair share: RWE Energy has acquired Luxembourg energy holding company Luxempart's 51 per cent share in the new Luxempart Energie venture for around [euro]186m ($243m). The Cegedel, Soteg and Saarferngas utilities will be merged into the new...

Swedish takeover.(COMPANIES)
February 1, 2009... Swedish takeover: Citec Engineering has acquired the Swedish company KPA Engineering, a consulting firm in industry and plant technology. The company has a turnover of around [euro]5m ($6.52m) and offices in Karlstad, Goteborg, Norrkoping and...

Green fund.(COMPANIES)
February 1, 2009... Green fund: French bank BNP Paribas and Impax Asset Management have launched an environmental fund in Australia. The A$1.l3m ($1.67m) Impax Environmental Markets Trust will invest in companies that have at least half of their revenues, profits...

Geothermal venture.(COMPANIES)
February 1, 2009... Geothermal venture: RWE Innogy has set up a joint venture with Daldrup ft Sonne in Ascheberg, Germany, to develop, plan and construct a range of geothermal power stations.

Swiss stake.(COMPANIES)
February 1, 2009... Swiss stake: EOF has agreed to buy a 25 per cent stake in Switzerland's leading energy company Alpiq Holding SA for [euro]705m ($922m). The company has hydraulic generation capacity in Switzerland of about 3000 MW, as well as 765 MW in nuclear...

SPE sell-off.(COMPANIES)
February 1, 2009... SPE sell-off: The UK's Centrica has received full regulatory approval from the European Commission for its proposed purchase of GDF-Suez's 25.5 per cent stake in Belgian power company SPE.

Waving, not drowning.(COMPANIES)
February 1, 2009... Waving, not drowning: Swedish utility Vattenfall has acquired 51 per cent of the Irish company Pandion in a [euro]0.5m ($0.65m) deal. The remaining shares are held by the ocean energy developer Wavebob.

Dubai delight.(COMPANIES)
February 1, 2009... Dubai delight: Emerson has inaugurated a regional headquarters in Dubai designed to better serve its growing portfolio of business in the Middle East.

Nuke deal.(COMPANIES)
February 1, 2009... Nuke deal: ONET Group, has acquired UK nuclear engineering manufacturer Gravatom. Under the terms of the deal, Gravatom will become part of ONET Technologies, which is part of the ONET Group.

RWE acquires Essent for [euro]9.3bn in push for expansion.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... German utility RWE has struck a [euro]9.3bn ($12.1bn) deal to buy the Netherlands, power company Essent, in what is the largest deal of the year so far. RWE has been seeking to expand its reach outside German borders and the acquisition of...

GE confirmed as first tenant in Abu Dhabi's $22bn Masdar City venture.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... GE has been unveiled as the first tenant of the $22 billion Masdar City, the carbon-neutral, zero-waste project in Abu Dhabi. GE's facility in Masdar City will house a centre focused on sustainable business solutions. To be known as the...

Indian Larsen & Toubro to partner Toshiba unit for nuclear power.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... India's Larsen & Toubro (L&T) is co partner a unit of Japan's Toshiba to build nuclear reactors, hoping to tap Indian orders for power projects. The two companies plan to build 1000 MW reactors in India but other terms of the partnership...

Russia's TGK-1 plan investment of 40bn rubles.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... TGK-1, a power generator based in St. Petersburg, is to spend 40bn rubles ($1.3bn) this year to upgrade and expand power plants even as nationwide demand for electricity slumps. TGK-1, which is part-owned by Gazprom, expects to borrow as...

GDF-Suez, Iberdrola, SSE plan UK nuclear venture.(WORLD NEWS)(Scottish and Southern Energy PLC)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... GDF-Suez, Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) and Spain's Iberdrola plan to work together to build nuclear power plants in Britain. GDF Suez and Iberdrola said in a statement they had formed a 50/50 industrial partnership to bid for...

Areva T&D makes two acquisitions.(WORLD NEWS)
February 1, 2009... Areva T&D has acquired Pawermann in the UK and RB Watkins Inc in the US in an effort to get closer to key customers in chose areas. Powermann strengthens the Areva T&D's high voltage service activity in the UK, especially with power...

The economics of low carbon power in a capital constrained world.(Q&A)(Interview)
February 1, 2009... Professor Dieter Helm CBE is on energy economist and Professor of Energy Policy, University of Oxford. Professor Helm talks to Deputy editor Tim Probert about the downturn and its impact on infrastructure investment, carbon trading, carbon...

Two cheers for EU energy-climate package: there was a collective sigh of relief at the end of lost year when the Europeon Union legislators finally agreed on an energy-climate package. Although the package contains a far-reaching set of legislative measures, Eurelectric, an association that represents the electricity industry at the 6uropean level, argues it does not go far enough.(Opinion: Electricity & Climate Change)
February 1, 2009... European Union (EU) delegates arrived in Poznan in December for the 1 4th Conference of the Parties (COP14) to the United Nations Climate Change convention with their credibility on the line. After repeatedly urging other countries--both the...

Retro chic: advanced dual fuel stationary engines: engine manufacturer MAN Diesel has completed the first retrofit of its dual fuel technology on existing heavy fuel engine at o cogeneration power plant in Portugal.(Dual Fuel Engines)
February 1, 2009... MAN Diesel's new 51 /60DF dual-fuel gas engine (bore 510mm x stroke 600 mm, 8560 to 1 7 550 kWe) with its advanced pilot injection and gas admission technology has gained it first orders for land-based applications, including both a contract...

Black to green: Abu Dhabi leads the way: the second annual World Future Energy Summit took place in Abu Dhabi last month amid much fanfare and expectation. P6 sent Associate Editor Nigel Blackaby along to see how an oil-rich Middle Eastern Emirate has re-branded itself as a centre for renewable energy.(World Future Energy Summit)
February 1, 2009... On the face of it, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi would seem to be an unlikely host for the major conference and exhibition devoted to renewable energy and energy efficiency. After all, it is one of the world's highest energy consumers per capita, is...

Diary dates.(Calendar)
February 1, 2009... February POWER-GEN Middle East 17th - 19th February Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain www.power-gen-middleeast.com Infrastructure Asset Management Exchange 18th - 19th February London, UK www.iamexchange.com ...

Lister Petter launches two major customer initiatives.(Genset Roundup)
February 1, 2009... Lister Petter, a leading manufacturer of diesel and gas powered engines and generating sets, has announced the launch of two major initiatives to benefit new and existing customers worldwide. The first is the new Sigma series of...