Power Engineering International articles from January 2006

Power Engineering International archives from January 2006

Enrich yourself.(Up Front)
January 1, 2006... My mother often said: "Blessed is the child that has its own". The message was the importance of independence and the need to take charge of your own destiny. As we move into 2006, I think more of us will begin to see the wisdom of this...

Russian roulette sparks cold front: Russia's bitter row with the Ukraine over gas prices has marred the energy giant's reputation as a reliable supplier, and will force Europe to re-evaluate its long term security of supply situation, writes Sian Green.(Analysis)
January 1, 2006... European governments breathed a collective sigh of relief in early January when the dispute between Russia and Ukraine over natural gas prices came to an end. The uneasy compromise deal between Moscow and Kiev left both sides claiming victory...

Qatar awards power system upgrade contracts.(international)
January 1, 2006... The Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) has awarded a number of contracts to international firms to undertake work on the expansion and modernization of its electricity transmission network. The largest contract, worth...

Lithuania to get supercritical control.(international)(AB Lietuvos Elekrine appointed Emerson Process Management to install new instrumentation and control system )(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... AB Lietuvos Elekrine has appointed Emerson Process Management to install a new instrumentation and control system at its Elektrenai facility, Lithuania's largest supercritical gas and oil fired power station. Under the $20.2m contract Emerson...

GE Energy turbines to power Nigerian gas generation.(international)(GE Energy to provide gas turbines )(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... GE Energy has been selected to supply 18 Frame 9E gas turbines for five gas fired power projects being undertaken by the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Power and Steel. The projects are all in the Niger Delta area and will contribute more than...

IFC backs African fuel cell initiative.(international)(International Finance Corp.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has agreed to provide $3m financing for a programme to roll-out hydrogen fuel cell back-up power systems in South Africa. The three-year initiative has been implemented with IST Holdings, a...

Alstom wins Oman power project.(international)(Sohar Aluminium Company awarded a contract with Alstom S.A.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The Sohar Aluminium Company has awarded a [euro]425m turnkey contract to Alstom to build a 1000 MW gas fired combined cycle power plant to supply a new aluminium smelter in Oman. Work on the project, which will be the country's largest...

Mitsubishi supplies PBMR.(international)(Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is to supply components to the pilot Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) project in South Africa under contracts worth approximately $15m. MHI will undertake the basic design of the core barrel assembly (CBA), an...

Bahrain.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Bahrain: A consortium comprising International Power, Suez Energy and Sumitomo has been awarded preferred bidder status for the Bahrain government's Al Hidd IWPP acquisition and expansion project.

Bulgaria.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Bulgaria: US energy group AES along with a consortium of banks have signed loan agreements for the $1.2bn Maritza-Iztok 1 coal fired power plant. A 15-year power purchase agreement has been agreed with Bulgaria's state owned electricity...

Georgia.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Georgia: The government of Georgia is to recommence construction work on the $500m Khudoni hydroelectric power plant, the largest in the country, having secured a $6m grant from the World Bank.

Hungary.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Hungary: Hungary's MVM and German utilities RWE and EnBW, owners of Hungary's biggest coal fired power plant, plan to invest [euro]65m ($78.6m) in uprating capacity and efficiency at the Matra plant.

Lebanon.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Lebanon: A long-stalled plan to at least partly privatize the transmission and distribution activities of state electricity company Electricite Du Liban is to be revived and completed within the next two or three years.

Qatar.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Qatar: GE Energy has signed a contract with the Qatar Electricity & Water Company for the expansion of the Ras Abu Fontas B-2 power and desalination plant. GE will supply three of its Frame 9FA gas turbines for the new project.

Russia.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Russia: Finnish energy company Fortum has agreed to acquire 24.83 per cent of the shares in Kolenergo, a major power company serving the Kola region of North West Russia from mining company MMC Norilsk Nickel.

Russia.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Russia: The board of RAO Unified Energy Systems of Russia has approved the planned acquisition of a controlling stake in power equipment manufacturer Power Machines Group. RAO said it hoped that rival bidder Siemens would become a strategic...

Serbia.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Serbia: In cooperation with the World Bank and European Reconstruction Agency, the Serbian government is to appoint a strategic consultant to advise on a plan for privatization and the further development of the state owned Serbian Electric...

Syria.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Syria: The Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP) is granting to PEEGT a [euro]200m ($242m) loan for the construction of the 750 MW Deir Azzour combined cycle power plant on the Euphrates river in eastern Syria.

UAE.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... UAE: The Federal Electricity' and Water Authority in Dubai has awarded ABB a contract worth $15m for power equipment, including three 132 kV GIS stations to help meet growing demand for power in the northern parts of the UAE.

Europe.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Europe: Austria's energy regulator is predicting stable or falling electricity prices across Europe in contract to the German industry and power federation (VIK), which says trends are only upwards.

Europe.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Europe: Sir John Mogg, chairman of UK energy regulator Ofgem is to chair the Council of European Energy Regulators and the European Regulators' Group for Electricity and Gas.

France.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... France: The French government has reduced by 50 per cent the tax on basic nuclear installations as they are shut down and decommissioning started following recommendations by the French nuclear safety authority (ASN).

Germany.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Germany: GE Financial Services has acquired a 12 MW wind farm in Germany from Germania Windpark GmbH who will continue to operate the facility. The deal is the fourth wind investment GE has made in Germany during 2005.

Germany.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Germany: Germany's Green Party is proposing regulations requiring power companies to pay compensation to customers in cases of outage.

Germany.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Germany: The city of Dusseldorf has sold a 25.05 per cent stake in its municipal utility supplier Stadwerke Dusseldorf to EnBW for [euro]361m ($436m), increasing EnBW's share to a controlling 54.95 per cent.

Greece.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Greece: The Public Power Corporation of Greece has awarded a Foster Wheeler-led consortium a [euro]86m ($54m) EPC contract for a 100 MW heavy oil fired power plant on the Island of Crete.

Italy.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Italy: Alstom has won a [euro]30m ($36m) order from Hero SpA to supply flue gas treatment systems to its waste incineration plants expansion project involving four plants in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.

Spain.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Spain: A report from Emerging Energy Research says that Spain is set to overtake Germany as Europe's leading wind power market and to retain this position for the remainder of the decade.

Spain.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Spain: As a result of rising fuel costs the Spanish Industry Ministry is proposing a rise of 4.48 per cent on average electricity tariffs for 2006 with gas prices moving up 5.5 per cent. The National Energy Commission is currently discussing...

Spain.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Spain: The Group III project of Iberdrola's Arcos de la Frontera combined cycle power plant in Cadiz, Spain, the first in the world to use GE Energy's 9FB technology, has achieved full load operation.

UK.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... UK: ABB has been awarded a [pounds sterling]6m ($10.5m) contract by SeaScape Energy to supply the submarine cabling for the 90 MW Burbo Bank offshore wind farm in Liverpool Bay.

Britain and Norway sign accord on carbon storage.(government contracts)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The UK and Norway have signed an agreement under which they will explore areas of cooperation concerning carbon storage in the North Sea as part of a carbon sequestration programme. C[O.sub.2] separated from coal or gas at specially built power...

EU settles for energy efficiency compromise.(europe)
January 1, 2006... A proposal tabled three years ago to enact energy efficiency laws across the EU is to go forward amid criticism that it represents a watered-down compromise and is a missed opportunity to address climate change. Member states will be obliged to...

UK announces energy review.(europe)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... A review of UK energy policy is to be conducted. Energy minister Malcolm Wicks will lead the review and make a government policy statement in the early summer of 2006, which "will include specifically the issue of whether we facilitate the...

Alstom selected for Spanish CCGTs.(europe)(Alstom S.A.)(HC Energia)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Alstom will supply its GT26 gas turbines to two combined cycle power projects in Spain under turnkey construction contracts signed with Energias de Portugal subsidiary HC Energia. The contracts, worth [euro]450m ($544m), provide for...

Test for second 5MW wind turbine.(europe)(Repower Systems recieves a contract)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Germany's Repower Systems has received an order for one of its 5 MW wind turbines from EWC Cuxhaven GmbH, a joint venture between E.ON and German wind park developer Winkra. EWC plans to locate the turbine at the DEWI-OCC test field in...

Zero emission platform launched.(europe)(European Union. European Commission launches fossil fuels power plants)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The European Commission with the support of industrial organizations has launched a Technology Platform for Zero Emission Fossil Fuel Power Plants. The initiative is aimed at identifying and removing the obstacles to the creation of efficient...

Energy agency set up to avert crisis.(asia-pacific)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... A new energy agency is to be created by the government of the Philippines in an effort to attract and coordinate the private investment required to avert a looming power crisis in the country. The energy agency's first task will be to...

KESC owners pledge $800m investment.(asia-pacific)(Karachi Electric Supply Corporation Ltd.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Around $800m is to be invested in new power generation capacity for Pakistan's recently privatized energy company, Karachi Electric Supply Corporation, according to its chief executive officer. The new owners have also earmarked Rs4.34bn...

White elephant turns gold.(asia-pacific)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... A consortium bidding to build an aluminium smelting plant in Malaysia has offered to buy all of the power generated by the Bakun hydroelectric dam, the country's largest power plant. The consortium, made up of companies from China and...

Vietnam makes New Year power industry resolutions.(asia-pacific)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Electricity of Vietnam has pledged to invest over VND37bn ($2.3bn) in 2006 on building new generation capacity, bringing forward the start-up dates of projects already under construction and ensuring greater grid stability by commissioning new...

Bangladesh counts on coal power.(asia-pacific)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Coal will play a vital role in Bangladesh's future energy supply as it aims to reduce its reliance on natural gas and make use of the recent discovery of coalfields in the northwest of the country. A draft policy compiled by the government...

India promotes pyramid project.(asia-pacific)(MSC Power Corporation )(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Construction of the world's first renewable power plant that uses solar and wind energy together in a unique pyramid structure to produce electricity as well as drinking water has started in India. Singapore-based MSC Power Corporation is...

Australia.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Australia Energy company Alinta has placed a [euro]70m ($84.5m) order with Alstom for two 172 MW GT13E2 gas turbines for the first stage of a cogeneration facility at Alcoa's Wagerup alumina refinery.

Australia.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Australia: GE Energy is to supply ten Jenbacher generator sets for a new 10.6 MW power plant that will use waste coal mine gas pumped from an active coal mine in the state of Queensland.

Bangladesh.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Bangladesh: Norway is to play a role in infrastructure improvement projects after its national Agency for Development agreed to provide Bangladesh with Kr68m ($10m), 50 per cent as a grant and the remainder as an interest free loan.

China.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... China: China Southern Power Grid is to build a 2000 km, 800 kV extra high tension direct current transmission line by 2010, which will transmit between 5000 MW and 6400 MW.

China.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... China: The world's largest Corex gas turbine combined cycle power plant, to be located in Shanghai, will feature technology supplied by GE Energy and Oil and Gas.

India.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... India: The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership has opened an office in New Delhi to help improve access to energy for rural communities in South Asia.

Indonesia.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Indonesia: The government's latest energy policy will encourage greater use of varied types of gas and coal as necessary alternatives to oil for electricity generation.

Korea.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Korea: Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Company has ordered two GE Frame 6B gas turbines that will each produce 42 MW for a new cogeneration plant being built in Yeochun City.

Laos.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Laos: Construction has started of the $1.25bn Nam Theun 2 hydropower dam in Laos, which will export power to 17 provinces in Thailand when it enters operation in 2009.

Malaysia.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Malaysia: Tenaga Nasional Berhad will this year invest between Rm200m ($52.6m) and Rm300m on improving its substation network.

Malaysia.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Malaysia: The first installation of GE's new distributed control system will take place at a 100 MW gas fired combined cycle power plant currently being developed by Sepangar Bay Power Corporation.

Philippines.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Philippines: The local subsidiary of German company Steag has secured $210m from a consortium of international banks to finance the construction of a power plant in Mindanao.

Thailand.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Thailand: The use of hydropower and coal in the country's generation mix will increase by at least 50 per cent of total fuel demand over the next 15 years, according to the country's energy minister.

Boards approve FPL takeover of Constellation.(americas)(FPL Group Inc. acquires Constellation Energy Group Inc.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... FPL Group is to acquire Constellation Energy Group in an $11.1bn all-stock deal after the boards of the two companies agreed to create what will be one of the USA's largest power generators. The new company will trade under the...

Climate conference sets post-Kyoto agenda.(americas)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... A new group created at the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Montreal, Canada will begin discussing in May ways in which developed countries can reduce emissions when the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. More than 40...

Ecuador's new power plan courts private players.(americas)
January 1, 2006... The latest attempt from the Ecuadorian government to solve its chronic power problems will see private investors building new hydro or natural gas fired generation capacity exonerated from income tax, import duties, operating taxes and other...

Contract for Pacific plant awarded.(americas)
January 1, 2006... Mexican state owned power company, CFE has awarded a consortium that includes Mitsubishi Corporation the contract to build the 651 MW Pacifico coal fired power plant, after it extended the bid deadline for the third time. The Mitsubishi...

Brazilian firm wins its largest foreign order.(americas)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... A Brazilian construction company's efforts to expand internationally have been rewarded with a $450m contract in Colombia, its largest foreign project win to date. Construcoes e Comercio Camargo Correa will head a consortium at the Porce...

Domestic firms triumph in Brazil.(americas)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Domestic companies won six of the seven contracts offered at Brazil's first auction for new power generation projects. The only successful foreign company was Iberdrola of Spain, through its Brazilian company Neoenergia. Of the 11 projects...

Barbados.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Barbados: A new 60 MW plant will be built to meet increased demand after Mott MacDonald was awarded a contract to design and manage a $100m plant and replace equipment at the end of its life.

Brazil.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Brazil: The Inter-American Development Bank has approved $331.4m in financing to support the expansion and upgrade of Centrais Eletricas do Para's and Centrais Eletricas Matogrossenses' power distribution systems.

Canada.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Canada: Bids are being evaluated for two hydropower projects worth a combined $5.1bn, which will generate 2800 MW when they start operating at Gull Island and Muskrat Falls in 2013.

Central America.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Central America: Companies that have bid for contracts on the 1800 km Siepac electricity transmission line that will interconnect six Central American countries will find out in the next few weeks whether they have been successful.

Chile.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Chile: GE Energy Financial Services has paid $24.4m for an 80 per cent interest in three 220 kV transmission lines spanning 295 km in Chile. Built and previously owned by Abengoa, the company will continue as lead manager.

Peru.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Peru: Following the Initial Public Offering of 17.2 per cent of EnerSur, Suez Energy International owns around 62 per cent of the company's equity, with institutions and individuals now holding 38 per cent.

USA.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... USA: A group of California power companies and regulators are testing a first of its kind energy storage technology that aims to increase reliability on the grid. The scheme is based on a series of large, high-speed flywheels.

USA.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... USA: Cambridge Energy Research Associates has predicted that 100 000 MW of merchant generating capacity will be traded over the next 12 to 18 months, the same amount that was traded in the last three years combined.

USA.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... USA: CMS Energy will hold a competitive bid process to sell the Palisades nuclear power plant by 2007. It is seeking to extend the plant's operating licence by 20 years.

USA.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... USA: Sea Breeze Power and Pacific Gas & Electric have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of an undersea 1600 MW transmission line.

USA.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... USA: The Department of Energy has entered into an agreement with the FutureGen Industrial Alliance to develop a zero emission coal fired power plant with hydrogen production and carbon dioxide sequestration capabilities.

USA.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... USA: The Electric Power Research Institute is to develop distributed energy after a collaborative project was selected to receive funding from the Department of Energy.

Blow for wind firm.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Blow for wind firm: Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas warned that component shortages and unprofitable US orders would result in a three per cent operating loss.

British Energy rebounds.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... British Energy rebounds: Higher electricity prices and improved output has seen nuclear generator British Energy report a first-half profit of [pounds sterling]113m ($199m), three years after the firm was rescued by a [pounds sterling]5bn UK...

Cerodo handover.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Cerodo handover: AEP subsidiary Appalachian Power has completed its purchase of the 505 MW gas fired Ceredo power plant in West Virginia from a Reliant Energy subsidiary.

CTC studies wind deal.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... CTC studies wind deal: California's CTC Wind Systems has negotiated the rights to acquire 48 per cent of the shares in UK-based EU Energy, owners of the DeWind wind turbine business.

EDF slims workforce.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... EDF slims workforce: EDF is to shed 5000 jobs over the next two years to ease its wages bill. Over 3000 jobs will disappear through natural wastage.

EDP relinquishes.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... EDP relinquishes: Portuguese national energy group EDP has announced the sale of its stake in the Galp petroleum group for [euro]720.5m ($869m), neting EDP [euro]398m after costs and charges.

E.ON spending.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... E.ON spending: E.ON plans to invest [euro]18.6bn ($22.4bn) over the next three years largely on property, plant and equipment, reinforcing security of supply in its markets.

Eskola in the chair.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Eskola in the chair: The World Alliance for Decentralized Energy (WADE) has elected as its chairman Jaakko Eskola, VP sales & marketing for Wartsila's Power Plants business.

FuelCell optimism.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... FuelCell optimism: Despite a fourth quarter loss of $19.5m FuelCell Energy Inc. says it is in a strong financial position going into 2006 with production costs declining and new orders in the pipeline.

Gnudi gets nod.(News digest)
January 1, 2006... Gnudi gets nod: The OME, the non-profit group that promotes cooperation between energy companies in the Mediterranean basin, has elected Enel chairman Piero Gnudi as its chairman.