Power Engineering International articles from July 2007

Power Engineering International archives from July 2007

'Incredible India': a wealth of opportunities.(UP FRONT)
July 1, 2007... During a recent trip to India, I was able to see at first hand the level of investment that the country is making in its infrastructure, and it is positively breathtaking. In Delhi, for example, countless massive motorway flyovers, partly...

Is Europe's door really open to full market liberalization? 1 July 2007 marked the opening of Europe's energy market to full competition, but is the EU's goal of creating a single energy market achievable in the short to medium term?(ANALYSIS)
July 1, 2007... After more than decade of policy making, legislative decisions and legal wrangling, every European energy consumer is, at least in theory, now free to choose which supplier they buy their electricity and gas from. However, with a high degree of...

Marafiq IWPP reaches closure.(INTERNATIONAL)
July 1, 2007... The world's largest Independent Water and Power Project (IWPP), the Marifiq project in Saudi Arabia, has reached financial close. A consortium consisting of Suez Energy International, Gulf Investment Corporation and the Arabian Company for...

French and Russia firms plan nuclear power islands.(INTERNATIONAL)
July 1, 2007... Russia's JSC Atomenergomash and French firm Alstom have agreed to form a joint venture for the manufacturing of conventional islands for Russian nuclear power plants investing [euro]300m ($411m) in the form of assets and cash. The joint venture...

Mitsui secure $1.3bn Middle East order.(INTERNATIONAL)
July 1, 2007... Japan's Mitsui & Company has won one of it its most valuable orders in the Middle East with the signing of a contract with the Kuwaiti government for a power and desalination plant worth about $1.3 bn. The trading house will construct a...

Abu Dhabi plans solar manufacturing centre.(INTERNATIONAL)
July 1, 2007... Supported by Abu Dhabi's $250m renewable energy Masdar initiative, the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Adfec) plans to set up a company to manufacture photovoltaic (PV) or solar panels in the Emirate. Adfec has signed a partnership...

Doosan wins smelter order in Qatar.(INTERNATIONAL)(Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Company Ltd.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... South Korea's Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. has received a $500m order to build a thermal power plant for an aluminium smelter in southeastern Qatar. Doosan won the order in consortium with General Electric from the Norwegian...

Qatar closes Mesaieed IPP financing deal.(INTERNATIONAL)
July 1, 2007... Financial close has been achieved for Qatar's largest power project to date, the $2.4bn Mesaieed A Independent Power project (IPP). A combination of debt and equity will finance the new gas fired power generation facility with a capacity of...

Algeria.(INTERNATIONAL)
July 1, 2007... Algeria: Alstom has signed a turnkey contract worth [euro]310m ($425m) with Algerian state-owned gas and electricity company Sonelgaz to build an open cycle gas fired power plant featuring two GT 13E2 gas turbines in Relizane in western...

Egypt.(INTERNATIONAL)
July 1, 2007... Egypt: The New & Renewable Energy Authority in Egypt, along with the Petroleum Ministry and Electricity Ministry, is preparing to reintroduce legislation aimed at encouraging private sector participation in renewable energy projects.

Iraq.(INTERNATIONAL)
July 1, 2007... Iraq: A 157 MW gas fired power plant project in the Iraqi town of Sadr is to be built by Iranian company Saneer, along with Ameran Ofoq Company and MAPNA, following an international tender at the cost of $150m.

Iran.(INTERNATIONAL)
July 1, 2007... Iran: The Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran will start generating 1000 MW in October, bringing total new power capacity added this year to 6000 MW, according to Iranian Energy Minister Parviz Fattah.

Jordan.(INTERNATIONAL)
July 1, 2007... Jordan: Jordan will begin supplying the West Bank city of Jericho with all electricity needs at preferred rates before the end of the year enabling the Palestinians to cease reliance on Israel for power.

Kuwait.(INTERNATIONAL)
July 1, 2007... Kuwait: Alstom has signed a [euro]150m ($206m) contract to provide five GT13E2 gas turbines with five TOPAIR turbogenerators and associated auxiliaries to the new 800 MW Az Zour power plant in Kuwait.

Russia.(INTERNATIONAL)
July 1, 2007... Russia: Russia's Atomic Energy Agency said that a fast neutron BN-800 reactor will be built for the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant by 2012. The Leningrad plant will see an existing 1000 MW reactor replaced by a 1200 MW WER (light water...

NCCI.(INTERNATIONAL)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Saudi Arabia: NCCI will provide the erection insurance coverage for the $1.8bn Al Shuqaiq II IWPP having agreed a contract with the Al Shuqaiq Water and electricity Company. The plant is scheduled for completion in 2010 and will have a capacity...

Saudi Electricity Company.(INTERNATIONAL)
July 1, 2007... Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia needs to invest around $50bn to meet demand for electricity growing at an annual rate of 7 per cent in the Kingdom up to 2015, according to a recent Saudi Electricity Company report.

France.(EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... France: EDF is to invest [euro]900m ($1.23m) in building new conventional thermal generation facilities in France by 2010.

Hungary.(EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... Hungary: A joint venture between Plambeck Neue Energien AG and GM Umwelt und Energiewirtschaft GmbH is to build a wind farm in Hungary. The companies will invest [euro]365m ($495m) into the project, with a 260 MW capacity by 2011.

Ireland.(EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... Ireland: Alstom has won the contract to build a 430 MW combined-cycle power plant in County Cork, Ireland. The [euro]275m ($375m) order was awarded by a division of the state-owned power producer Electricity Supply Board (ESB).

Netherlands.(EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... Netherlands: The Gas Turbine Services division of John Wood Group plc has won a $20m, six-year maintenance contract for three GE Frame 6B and two Frame 9E gas turbines operated at three cogeneration facilities in the Netherlands.

Poland.(EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... Poland: Emerson Process Management, a business unit of Emerson, has received an order worth $27m to modernize generating units 3 and 4 of the Belchatow power plant in Poland, which is the largest lignite fired power station in Europe.

Portugal.(Energias de Portugal Produca to use turnkey power station from GE Energy )(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Portugal: GE Energy is to supply a turnkey power station to Energias de Portugal Produca that will add 863 MW of capacity to the electricity grid. The new plant will be based on two GE STAG 109FB combined-cycle systems, and is scheduled to...

Romania.(EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... Romania: CEZ, the Czech energy company, is to bid for the construction of a new 400-500 MW power station for Termoelectica, the Romanian utility. The power plant, which will be fuelled by either gas or coal, is to be located at Borzesti in...

Endesa.(EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... Spain: Endesa has received a municipal permit to build a 20.1 MW photovoltaic solar energy plant in an industrial park in Cadiz. The first stage of the plant will have 12.3 MW of installed power and cover an area of 37 hectares.

The first commercial breakwater wave energy plant is to be built on the Atlantic coast of northern Spain.(EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... Spain: The first commercial breakwater wave energy plant is to be built on the Atlantic coast of northern Spain. The 300kW plant will use the Oscillating Water column technology of Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation's UK subsidiary Wavegen.

European Parliament backs unbundling.(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The European Parliament has given its support to the break-up of energy companies, putting it in direct opposition to France and Germany over planned legislation to increase competition in the region's electricity and natural gas markets. ...

Sweden hosts pilot C[O.sub.2] capture plant project.(EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... Alstom and E.ON have signed a joint development contract to launch a 5 MW carbon dioxide (C[O.sub.2]) capture demonstration plant in Sweden. The demonstration plant, which will be located at the Karlshamn power plant, will use Alstom's...

Germany to reform grid access tariffs.(EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... The German government is planning to reform the country's electricity and gas grid access tariff structure by replacing the current cost-based approach with an incentive-based scheme. The new scheme, which is due to be introduced in two...

Siemens backs Hydro's floating wind turbine.(EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... Hydro of Norway and Siemens Power Generation have entered into an agreement to jointly develop floating wind turbines based on Hydro's Hywind concept. Siemens will deliver the first wind turbine for the demonstration unit, which will be...

RWE npower adds more offshore wind investment.(EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... RWE npower is to begin construction on its second major wind farm off the Welsh coastline in the United Kingdom. The project is worth [pounds sterling]190m ($389m). The company reaffirmed its commitment to renewable energy by signing a...

No U-turn on Germany's nuclear energy policy.(EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... German chancellor Angela Merkel has made it clear that she is not prepared to see the break-up of the coalition government for the sake of a policy to extend the operating life of the country's nuclear plant fleet. Merkel has rejected...

Australia.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
July 1, 2007... Australia: Origin Energy has announced its decision to proceed with the construction of a 630 MW gas fired power station near Braemar in the Darling Downs region of Queensland. It will be the biggest combined-cycle power station in Australia,...

Bangladesh.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
July 1, 2007... Bangladesh: Because of various irregularities the 100 MW first phase of Chandpur 150 MW power project, the Fenchuganj 90 MW project and the 450 MW Meghnaghat-2 project may not go ahead. The contracts for these projects were awarded by the...

China.(SgurrEnergy to povide technical advice on wind farm project )(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... China: Scottish renewable energy company SgurrEnergy has been appointed to provide technical advice on the first-phase of the Bailing-miao wind farm project on behalf of Honiton Energy. The project is the first Chinese wind farm to be funded by...

Alstom.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
July 1, 2007... India: Alstom has won a contract worth approximately [euro]175m ($241 m) with Gujarat State Electricity Corporation for the construction of the a 370 MW plant, as an extension of the existing combined-cycle power plant located at Utran, Surat...

Invensys Process Systems.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
July 1, 2007... India: Invensys Process Systems has been selected by Shandong No. 3 Electric Power Construction Corporation (SEPCO III) of China to implement Foxboro I/A Series distributed control systems for a 3600 MW generating station being built in...

Indonesia.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
July 1, 2007... Indonesia: The country's biggest power producer PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara has selected Mitsubishi as the winner of a project to double power generating capacity at its Muara Karang gas fired power plant to 720 MW at a cost of $430m.

New Zealand.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
July 1, 2007... New Zealand: The Environment Court has shaken the foundations of the Motorimu wind farm project by slashing the number of turbines by 40 per cent. This threatens to make the project unviable.

Philippines.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
July 1, 2007... Philippines: The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has signed a loan agreement of up to $2.1bn with Crimson Power Holdings Company. The loan will help CPHI to acquire interests in three thermal power plants with a power capacity...

Thailand in $6bn nuclear plunge.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
July 1, 2007... Thailand's largest utility will invest $6bn on building the country's first nuclear power plant, which is expected to start operation in 2020. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) said the 4000 MW plant will be part of...

MAN wins contract to build Pakistan diesel plants.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
July 1, 2007... MAN Diesel has signed a deal with Pakistan's Atlas Group to build diesel power plants in the country. The cooperation agreement "covers the development, design, construction and maintenance of four turnkey diesel plants of between 120 MW...

MHI launches fast breeder group.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
July 1, 2007... Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has formed Mitsubishi FBR Systems (MFBR) as part of its plan to develop fast breeder reactors. The launch follows an April decision by the Japanese government to select MHI to be the core company for fast...

Huaneng Power International gets approval for Qinbei power plant.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
July 1, 2007... China's largest listed power company, Huaneng Power International, has won approval from China's policy regulator, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), for construction of two 600 MW coal fired supercritical generating units in...

France to help Vietnam build first nuclear power plant.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
July 1, 2007... A French diplomat has affirmed his country's willingness to aid Vietnam to develop a legal corridor for the construction of its first ever nuclear power plant. Vietnam has planned to build the first nuclear power plant at Phuoc Dinh...

Myanmar installs more transmission lines for new power plant.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
July 1, 2007... Myanmar is to extend transmission lines across the country to tap electricity from the Shweli hydropower plant in Shan state, which is close to completion, according to a government spokesman. The lines will cross the seven states and...

AEP gives full support to bill capping GHG at 1990 levels.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... American Electric Power (AEP), the largest coal-fired generator in the United States, has given its support to legislation that would cap emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the USA at 1990 levels by 2030. The Low Carbon Economy Act of...

Brazil to get new CHP plant.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... Suez Energy International is to build a new cogeneration plant fuelled by sugar cane biomass at Sao Joa da Boa Vista, in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Sao Joao thermoelectric power plant, with an installed capacity of 70 MW, will be...

Environmental approval for large Amazon hydropower project.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... Ibama, Brazil's federal environmental protection agency has approved the Environmental Impact Statement for the 6450 MW Madeira hydroelectric complex in the western Amazon region. The EIS approval will allow the government to begin...

GE confident of global nuclear renaissance.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... According to GE executives, worldwide as many as five nuclear power plants could be built each year if its much anticipated re-emergence materializes over the next decade. It is believed that the biggest demand will come from the United...

Suez to build Chile thermal plant.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... Suez Energy International, through Central Termoelectrica Andino SA, will begin construction of a modern coal fired 150 MW power station in the north of Chile. The thermoelectric plant will supply power, along with associated energy, to...

Nuclear plant gets go-ahead in Brazil.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... The construction of the 1350 MW Angra III nuclear reactor has been given the green light by the Brazilian federal government, according to a report by the Latin American news agency BNamericas. Angra III will be the country's third nuclear...

Argentina.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... Argentina: GE Energy is to supply an LM2500PE aeroderivative gas turbine for installation at Usina Termica de Rio Grande power plant. The 22 MW machine will be used in simple cycle operation.

Brazil.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... Brazil: Steel producer, Thyssen-Krupp CSA Companhia Siderurgica has awarded Alstom a $450m turnkey contract to build a 490 MW combined-cycle power plant. The plant will be fuelled by blast furnace waste gas from the steel mill.

Canada.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... Canada: SkyPower Corporation and SunEdison Canada LLC have been awarded a second build, own and maintain contract for a solar park in northern Ontario by the Ontario Power Authority.

Panama.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... Panama: Vattenfall Power Consultants has won an assignment to provide detailed engineering for the civil works of the 223 MW Changuinola I hydroelectric power project. The hydropower project is scheduled for completion in 2010.

Constellation Energy.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... USA: Constellation Energy has concluded a three-year planning, engineering and permitting process, and begun construction of a state-of-art environmental control system at its Brandon Shores power plant in Maryland.

DTE.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... USA: DTE is to sell a 50 per cent interested in a portfolio of select power and industrial projects to GE Corporate Lending. The company expects to realize gross proceeds of $805m from the sale and a refinancing of the portfolio.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... USA: Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG & E) has entered into agreements with Cleantech America LLC and GreenVolts Inc, two developers of utility-scale photovoltaic solar power plants, which will deliver up to 7 MW of power to PG & E's...

GE Energy.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... USA: Working in partnership with Robbins Community Power, GE Energy will provide the engineering, design, construction and start-up phases of a power plant. The plant is being converted from a waste-to-energy facility to a biomass plant.

Western Power Administration.(AMERICAS)
July 1, 2007... USA: Western Power Administration has confirmed it will connect Navitas Energy's $300m, 200 MW White wind farm to its grid. The proposed wind farm will be built in Brooking county and will be the biggest farm in South Dakota.

China.(COMPANIES)
July 1, 2007... China: Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Company has said it has signed an agreement with Electricite de France (EDF), under which the European firm will buy carbon credits for 3.6 m tonnes of C[O.sub.2] equivalent from the Chinese wind power...

France.(COMPANIES)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... France: Enel Erelis, the French subsidiary of Italian utility Enel, has acquired four wind projects in France that will total 58 MW in capacity once complete at the end of 2009. Two of the plants will be in Brittany and will total 1.4 MW and 1...

RWE AG and E.ON AG.(COMPANIES)
July 1, 2007... Germany: RWE AG and E.ON AG are planning to drastically increase their electricity prices from around September, Der Spiegel said, citing sources. It said the prices would be raised because of the increases in procurement costs.

Voith Turbo.(COMPANIES)
July 1, 2007... Germany: Voith Turbo, a group division of Voith AG, Heidenheim, plans to acquire the German gear manufacturer BHS Getriebe GmbH from the former majority shareholder Halder.

Greece.(COMPANIES)
July 1, 2007... Greece: European utility Edison's board of directors has authorized the signing of a memorandum of agreement with Greek hydrocarbon player Hellenic Petroleum, which establishes guidelines for the creation of a 50:50 joint venture to operate in...

Netherlands.(COMPANIES)
July 1, 2007... Netherlands: The Royal Decree ordering Dutch energy companies to split their operations may present opportunities for foreign energy companies in the Dutch market, say industry insiders. The eventual un-bundling process is likely to take up to...

Nicragua.(COMPANIES)
July 1, 2007... Nicragua: Spain's Union Fenosa has received a $2.45m fine from the Nicaraguan Trade, Commerce and Finance Ministry after refusing to recognize the authority of the Consumer Defense Directorate in processing users' complaints about their...

Norway.(COMPANIES)
July 1, 2007... Norway: Statoil has signed an agreement gaining considerable interests in technology company Sway, which has developed promising solutions for floating wind turbines in deep water. The first full-scale wind turbine is expected to be completed...

Paris to give GDF extra time to examine options.(COMPANIES)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The French government is to give Gaz de France (GDF) up to six months to study strategic options as a way out of the stalemate in the utility's planned merger with Suez, La Tribune has reported, citing unnamed sources. The business daily...

Areva and Mitsubishi to develop jointly new mid-sized reactor.(COMPANIES)
July 1, 2007... Areva and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) have signed a memorandum of understanding setting the framework of a joint venture to develop and market an advanced mid-sized nuclear reactor worldwide. Teams from both companies have since...

Alstom enters wind power market with Spanish deal.(COMPANIES)
July 1, 2007... French engineering group Alstom has bought Spanish wind turbine maker Ecotecnia for [euro]350m ($471.1 m) in its first move into the wind power industry. Alstom said in a statement that Ecotecnia was likely to have sales in 2007 of between...

Iberdrola buys Energy East for $4.5bn.(COMPANIES)
July 1, 2007... Spain's Iberdrola SA has acquired Energy East Corporation for $4.5bn, increasing its presence in the United States as it expands internationally. Iberdrola said it would pay $28.50 per share in cash for Energy East, an electricity and...

Vote on bill threatens foreign ownership in USA energy sector.(COMPANIES)
July 1, 2007... The United States House of Representatives has voted 370-45 to pass a bill that could block international companies acquiring US energy-related entities. The legislation, identical to a bill passed by the Senate in late June, will now move...

Siemens secures tidal power tie-up.(COMPANIES)(Voith Siemens Hydro GmbH und Company KG)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Voith Siemens Hydro and Korea-based renewables developer Renetec have agreed to establish a joint venture for the development of tidal current technology. The new company--51 per cent owned by Voith Siemens--will be located in the South...

Thailand focuses on diversification to cut dependence on fossil fuels: gas-dependent Thailand is diversifying its energy sources to lessen its reliance on fossil fuels, in order to head off an energy shortfall. PEi looks at Thailand's current power structure and the plans in the pipeline for future power generation.(Power Brief)
July 1, 2007... The electricity sector in Thailand is dominated by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), the main generation and transmission company responsible for supplying the whole country. It is the sole transmission company and buys...

Ups and downs of global electricity prices: the main conclusions of NUS Consulting Group's International Electricity Report and Cost Survey 2006-2007, are that the cost of electricity across the globe is at its most volatile for several decades, and this volatility is set to continue for the foreseeable future.(GLOBAL ELECTRICITY PRICING)
July 1, 2007... This year's benchmark report looks at the trends in the price of electricity across 14 countries. It reveals interesting developments in the world's electricity industry as seven countries surveyed showed an increase in pricing, while seven...

Europe takes a step closer to full market integration: the recent announcement that France, Germany and Benelux are set to join their electricity markets is another important step towards a fully integrated electricity market in Europe.(Electricity Trading)
July 1, 2007... It was announced on 6 June this year that a coupled electricity market would be created between France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany by 1 January 2009. The agreement, based on a Memorandum of Understanding between...

Advanced metering--the time is now.(Metering & Billing)
July 1, 2007... For the past 20 years, building a business case plan for advanced metering seemed to lack the momentum to make it a reality, in addition to the expense involved. However, with climate change concerns, rising fuel costs, power blackouts and the...

It's either high water quality or bust! Power stations can find their water supplies varying in quality as the supplier mixes and matches waters from a variety of sources. The result can be devastating to the make-up water treatment plant feeding the boiler. Mobile, containerized water treatment plants can help mitigate such circumstances.(Feedwater Quality)
July 1, 2007... The modern power station boiler is the result of two centuries of development in materials and fabrication techniques. Parson's first turbine was fed with steam from a Lancashire boiler operating at around 5 bar, with a furnace heat flux of 50...

A core route to achieving optimized plant maintenance: in the on-going challenge to maintain reliable, efficient operation at the lowest possible cost, Mike Tucker of Furmanite International outlines a route to optimize maintenance resources for maximum value.(Operations & Maintenance)
July 1, 2007... It is widely acknowledged that effective maintenance strategies and practices impact directly on power plant efficiency and productivity, thereby contributing to bottom-line profitability. Maintenance is therefore not just an essential...

Steaming ahead with optimizing power plant boiler startup: as plant engineers focus on the effects of startup procedures and load cycles as a way of improving power plant efficiency, ABB discusses how its BoilerMax control software package can optimize steam generators' startup strategy.(Boiler Control)
July 1, 2007... In the search for improved power plant efficiency, engineers are focusing on the effects of startup procedures and load cycles. ABB has responded to these by developing its BoilerMax control software package that automatically calculates the...

Meeting the cogeneration needs of the UK's first bioethanol plant: as more industrial companies look to cogeneration to meet their heat and power needs, a new contract to for a CHP plant for the UK's first bioethanol plant has been awarded to Aker Kvaerner.(Cogeneration)
July 1, 2007... As the expansion of the biotechnology market continues alongside an increased confidence in the petrochemical industry, so the need to secure production of additional steam and power within a petrochemical complex has become increasingly...

Supercritical power plants offer new lease of life for header-type heaters.(Heat Exchange Technology)
July 1, 2007... Over 200 power plants are currently being planned or built throughout Europe with a nominal electrical output of between 300-i100 MW. Supercritical coal plants are increasingly turning their attention to a heat exchanger technology that offers...