Power Engineering International articles from June 2005

Power Engineering International archives from June 2005

Give and you shall receive.
June 1, 2005... Jesus may have said it as advice on how we should conduct our daily lives. In business there is a similar phrase--even if the philosophy is different--give in order to receive. We call it negotiation. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Two of the...

Time to spread the word on ETS: the EU's emissions trading scheme is up and running, but are companies taking on board the full implications? Janet Wood reports.(Analysis)
June 1, 2005... Market activity in trading in greenhouse gas emissions has been steadily growing for a number of years. According to research from Natsource LLC, worldwide trades increased by 38 per cent from around 78 million tonnes in 2003 to 107 million...

Regulators warned lack of certainty threatens supply.(international)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Utility companies have warned that regulatory uncertainty is holding back the investment needed to secure power supply worldwide. According to the seventh annual PricewaterhouseCoopers global utility survey, titled Under Pressure,...

South East European grid would reduce costs, says Argonne report.(international)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... If the South East Europe region were to operate as a regionally integrated system dispatching on a least cost basis, operating costs could be reduced by 11-15 per cent, according to preliminary reports from a study by Argonne National...

Major interest in South African independent power projects.(international)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... More than 90 companies world wide have registered their interest in the South African government's R6bn ($912m) tender to build two new power stations planned to alleviate the threat of a power crisis. The winner will build two gas fired...

Estlink underwater cable project launched.(international)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The first interconnection between the Baltics and Nordic electricity markets has been launched after the European Commission approved an exemption which will charge Nordic Energy Link for the cable's construction rather than adding the costs to...

REEEP to spend [euro]1m on global energy projects.(international)(Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) is to invest just over [euro]1m ($1.3m) in clean energy projects in Africa, Asia, North America, Latin America and Europe. The [euro]1m will be spent on 18 new projects that...

Azerbaijan.(News digest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Azerbaijan: Japan Bank for International Co-operation is to loan the government $273.4m for the construction of a 400 MW gas fired combined cycle power plant that will be located near Baku, the country's capital.

Egypt.(News digest)(East Delta Company)(Alstom)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Egypt: East Delta Company for Electricity Production and France's Alstom are to modernize the 750 MW Talkkha, Delta power plant as part of the Ministry of Electricity's plan to secure power supply by 2007.

Finland.(News digest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Finland: The Karelian regional government may resume construction of the Beloporozhskaya hydroelectric station, which has stood idle since 1980.

Iran.(News digest)(electricity production expected to increase)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Iran: Domestic electricity production is expected to have increased 3000 MW by March 2006. Iran currently imports from its neighbours 1.2 million kWh, 500 000 kWh more than it exports.

Iraq.(News digest)(planning to build thermal power plant)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Iraq: Japan is researching the possibility of constructing a $100m 60 MW thermal power plant in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah. If it is established that Japanese engineers can work safely the power plant could be in operation by mid 2007.

Middle East.(News digest)(energy industry-contracts)( Asea Brown Boveri )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Middle East: Zurich based, Asea Brown Boveri is to bid for the $1.25bn Gulf Power Grid that will initially connect Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia by 2008. The first contracts are expected to be awarded by mid September 2005.

Romania.(News digest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Romania: VA Tech has secured the [euro]135m ($170m) contract for the construction of a gas combined cycle heat and power plant in Bucharest, Romania.

Russia.(News digest)(Power Machine's Group )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Russia: Power Machine's Group is to supply three 660 MW units for the construction of the Barh thermal power plant in Bihar, India.

Swaziland.(News digest)(energy policy)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Swaziland: The Swaziland government is planning to expand domestic power production after it became clear that South Africa's national utility, Eskom, would not be able to export more power into Swaziland than it already does. It currently...

Tanzania.(News digest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Tanzania: Following in Uganda's footsteps, Tanzania is to start an electrification project to make electricity and information technology more accessible in rural and semi urban communities.

UAE.(News digest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... UAE: Abu Dhabi has finalized a $2.7bn financing package to build its fifth water and power project in the Emirate. The Taweelah B project will supply 2000 MW of power and 728 million litres/day (160 MIGD) of water by 2008.

Uganda.(News digest)(thermal power plant - production management)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Uganda: A newly installed thermal power plant will provide the national grid with an extra 50 MW to halt the country's regular power cuts. Uganda has demand for 340 MW while it currently produces just 220 MW.

Greater European energy community considered.(europe)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The European Community is to investigate the possibility of creating an extended pan-European energy community that would include Russia and Ukraine. Energy director general, Francois Lamoureux, has told a parliamentary energy committee...

Enersis create world's first wave energy farm.(europe)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The world's first commercial wave energy farm is to be built off the northern coast of Portugal after a consortium led by Enersis ordered three Pelamis P-750 machines from Ocean Power Delivery (OPD). The total cost of the project is [euro]8m...

Vattenfall pilot for carbon dioxide free power announced.(europe)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... A pilot plant, championed as the world's first carbon dioxide-free coal fired power station, is to be built by Vattenfall south of Berlin in Germany, at a cost of [euro]40m ($50m). Ready for operation in 2008, the 30 MW plant will use...

Blair called to action over C[O.sub.2] target.(europe)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Recently re-elected prime minister Tony Blair has been called upon to put his promises over climate change into action after it was announced that the UK will miss its domestic target of cutting C[O.sub.2] emissions by 20 per cent by 2010. ...

EU rejects TSO regulator proposal.(europe)(transmission system operators)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The European Parliament has rejected major elements of the European Commission's draft security of electricity supply and infrastructure directive, on the way to voting for its adoption. One of the main elements the Parliament's energy...

Plans approved to expand Italian grid.(europe)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Italy's Ministry of Productive Activities has approved the grid operator, GRTN's plans to develop the country's power transmission grid. In addition to connecting new power plants to the national grid, over 160 projects are now planned...

Austria.(News digest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Austria: Verbund is to "strongly push" the Styrian provincial government for their support in an energy package, which would see a total investment of [euro]674m ($846m) in the regions power plants and grids.

Czech Republic.(News digest)(environmental policy)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Czech Republic: The government has agreed a three year plan with the European Commission to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions from 107.6 million tonnes to 97.6 million tonnes. Emissions trading vouchers will now be issued to 436 companies.

Europe.(News digest)(energy policy)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Europe: Regulation is growing in importance as a key rating issue across Northern Europe, according to a report issued by Standard and Poor's, which highlights regulatory problems in the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden and Germany.

Europe.(renewable energy industries has been forecasting their production)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Europe: Six renewable energy groups have forecast that Europe will have 4500 MW of solar PV installed by 2010 after last year saw an installation increase of more than 69 per cent over 2003 levels.

Europe.(News digest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Europe: The 33 members of the Union for the Co-ordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE) have formally agreed to a first set of security and reliability standards.

Finland.(News digest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Finland: The Finnish government has pledged to create a stable and favourable business environment to encourage the necessary investments in domestic energy production, transmission and distribution.

France.(News digest)(alliances and partnerships)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... France: EDF is reportedly searching for partners to collaborate over the European Reactor Project on a risk sharing basis. Enel is expected to take a ten per cent stake but EDF want to avoid giving a privileged role.

France.(News digest)(GE is to install 57 MW of wind capacity at six sites)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... France: GE is to install 57 MW of wind capacity at six sites in the Massif Central region. The projects will increase France's current installed wind capacity by nearly 15 per cent.

Germany.(News digest)(electricity industry association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Germany: A document from the electricity industry association that argues for the replacement of the current promotion and financial support of renewables with a quota system, has led to a clash with the Environment Ministry.

Ireland.(News digest)(Lough Ree power station )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Ireland: The 100 MW peat burning Lough Ree power station at Lanesboro, County Longford has been officially opened. Ireland's Electricity Supply Board invested over [euro]200m ($251m) in the project.

Italy.(News digest)(GME may create a electricity futures market)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Italy: Italy's market operator GME may create a electricity futures market. Such an exchange would be split in two, the trading period and the delivering period and would allow trading of power up to a month before the current limit.

Spain.(News digest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Spain: Iberdrola has surpassed FPL Energy as the world's largest wind farm owner after record expansion in 2004 saw its wind plant portfolio grow to almost 2950 MW in 2004, according to the latest rankings from Emerging Energy Research.

State blocked Dabhol rights.(asia-pacific)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... An independent arbitration panel under the auspices of the ICC International Court of Arbitration in Paris has ruled that the Indian State of Maharashtra must pay $125m to Bechtel Corporation and GE as compensation for 'appropriating the...

Coal could make Thai comeback.(asia-pacific)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The next round of independent power projects (IPP) in Thailand due at the end of this year may include coal fired plants after the government gave its consent for their inclusion in bids for plants due to come on line after 2010. ...

East Asian economies booming.(asia-pacific)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... East Asia's emerging economies are projected to grow by six per cent this year, according to the latest regional update from the World Bank. The report highlights as key drivers the reduced pace of global trade expansion, slowing growth in...

Nuclear contract competition hots up.(asia-pacific)(contracts)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The final winner of an $8bn contract to build four nuclear reactors at two power plants in Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces in China is likely to be known in October. The bidders are France's Areva, US-based Westinghouse, and Russia's...

Power Grid IPO.(asia-pacific)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... India's state run electricity transmission giant Power Grid Corporation is planning an initial public offering (IPO) in September or October of this year in an effort to raise Rs15bn ($345m). The IPO will take place subject to regulatory...

Australia.(News digest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Australia: Australia's environmental minister lan Campbell has predicted a huge expansion of solar energy as a mainstream electricity supplier as a result of the government's forthcoming Solar Cities project, which provides funding of A$75.5m...

China.(News digest)(Aveva )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... China: Aveva has become the biggest provider of engineering IT solutions to the $1.8bn Chinese industrial boiler market. The Dongfang, Shanghai Boiler Works and Harbin Boiler Companies have all purchased Aveva's flagship Vantage PDMS product in...

China.(News digest)(Licensing, certification and accreditation)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... China: China Yangtze River Three Gorges Project Development Corporation has been granted permission to restart a new underground power workshop after construction was halted earlier this year over environmental concerns.

China.(News digest)
June 1, 2005... China: Construction of China's largest thermal power plant in Zouxian County in East China's Shandong Province has begun. The $1bn Huadian Power International Corporation plant will be equipped with two extra super critical units rated at 1000...

India.(News digest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... India: Government officials are planning to expedite the financing of nine private power projects in order to address power shortages across the country. These include Reliance Energy's 3500 MW Dadri project and a 1000 MW Tata power project in...

Indonesia.(News digest)(ebergy policy)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Indonesia: Indonesia is to revive plans to build two large coal fired power plants that were shelved following the Asian financial crisis. The Tanjung Jati A and Tanjung Jati C plants, each with capacity of 1320 MW, will be built in Jepara,...

Philippines.(News digest)(planning of Aboitiz Equity Ventures)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Philippines: Aboitiz Equity Ventures plans to spend between $300-400m to build three power plants in the next three to four years in anticipation of a power shortage in the Visayas and Mindanao. The company plans to construct both coal and...

South Korea.(News digest)(Korean Independent Energy Corporation)(Macquarie Bank Group)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... South Korea: Macquarie Bank Group has taken a stake in the South Korean energy and utilities sector after purchasing a share in electricity generator Korean Independent Energy Corporation.

South Korea.(News digest)(South Korea has started work on two nuclear reactors in Gori with a combined capacity of 2000 MW)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... South Korea: South Korea has started work on two nuclear reactors in Gori with a combined capacity of 2000 MW. A total of Won4900 bn ($4.89bn) will be spent on the project which is due for completion between late 2010 and the end of 2011.

Thailand.(News digest)(contracts )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Thailand: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has received an order for the construction of a 1400 MW gas fired combined cycle power plant from Ratchaburi Power Company to be built 140 km west of Bangkok. Power generated will be sold to EGAT under a 25...

Light relief at debt agreement.(banks helps Light Servicos de Eletricidade S.A. in restructuring)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Twelve banks and investment funds have agreed in principle to extend debt facilities of over $760m owed by the Brazilian power distributor, Light. It is hoped that the restructuring package will reverse the company's fortunes. If Light...

Duke and Cinergy merge to create giant.(Duke Energy Corp. merges with Cinergy Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Duke Energy and Cinergy's boards have unanimously agreed to a merger that would create a combined company with an approximate market capitalization of $36bn. The new energy company, which would trade under the name of Duke Energy, would...

Banks prepare to finance upcoming tenders in Brazil.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Brazil's national development bank BNDES and the Inter American Development Bank are forming a finance package for generation projects the Brazilian government is expected to tender later this year. It is understood that the banks will...

World FGD orders to hit $11bn in 2006.(flue gas desulphurization systems demand forecast)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Orders of flue gas desulphurization (FGD) systems are expected to hit a record high of $11bn in 2006, according to a report published by the McIlvaine Company. During the 1990s annual sales of power plant FGD systems were less than $1bn a...

Bush proposes new nuclear plant incentive scheme.(George W. Bush)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... President Bush has proposed a new nuclear power plant incentive, designed to give investors confidence that licensing will not be impeded by regulatory delays. Speaking at the US Small Business Administration's conference in Washington,...

Grid companies to co-ordinate on connections in US.(Midwest Independent Transmission Operator, PJM Interconnection and the Tennessee Valley Authority)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Midwest Independent Transmission Operator, PJM Interconnection and the Tennessee Valley Authority have signed a Joint Reliability Co-ordination Agreement that will see unprecedented co-operation in the management and operation of the...

Edison tempt with ten year PPA.(Southern California Edison Co. offering power contracts, purchased power adjustment)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Power contracts lasting up to ten years have been offered by Southern California Edison as part of its bid to attract new generation plants to the south of the power hungry state. The company issued a competitive Request for Offers for...

Brazil.(Areva to supply a transformer banks and switchyard equipments )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Brazil: Areva is to supply a new 345 kV transformer bank and switchyard equipment to boost the electricity transmission network in the state of Espirito Santo. It will also build five new air insulated 138 kV substations in Mato Grosso.

Brazil.(power distributor Celpe's investment plans)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Brazil: Local power distributor Celpe will invest Reals 127m ($53m) over the next 12 months after it took a Reals 150m loan from Brazil's national development bank, BNDES.

Central America.(transmission line construction contract)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Central America: Bids have been called for the contracts to build the 1800 km Siepac transmission line that will connect six countries in Central America.

Chile.(Colbun plans build new power generation facilities)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Chile: Generation company Colbun could pursue alternative gas supplies and may build new hydro or coal fired generation facilities after it was revealed Argentina's gas export restrictions would be worse than predicted.

Panama.(AES Panama signs contract with GE Energy )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Panama: AES Panama has awarded a contract to GE Energy for the repowering of two hydroelectric plants that will add a total of 12 MW to its national grid. The projects will be completed in April 2006 and April 2007.

Uruguay.(government reduced plant construction contract)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Uruguay: The government has halved the tender that state power company UTE issued for the construction of a new thermoelectric plant. Instead of 400 MW, the company will now request 200 MW to be operational by August.

USA.(a firm conducting research on metal membranes to separate hydrogen from carbondioxide)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... USA: A Colorado firm will conduct scale up and advanced research on metal, alloy and ceramic metal membranes to separate hydrogen from carbon dioxide in a stream of synthetic gas produced in coal gasification.

USA.(Climate Energy and Honda Motor Company Ltd develops an electric equipment )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... USA: An appliance that gives homeowners the ability to create electricity from the energy they use to heat their homes has been developed by Climate Energy and the US Honda motor company.

USA.(News digest)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... USA: BESS, a battery that consists of 13 760 rechargeable nickel cadmium cells in four parallel strings, has smashed a Guinness world record after it delivered 46 MW for five minutes.

USA.(power plants pollution statistics)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... USA: Of the 359 largest power plants in the US, the dirtiest 50, which generate just 14 per cent of the electric power, account for up to 42 per cent of mercury, 40 per cent of nitrogen oxides and 35 per cent of carbon dioxide pollution,...

USA.(Texas Genco has been purchasing a nuclear power plant)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... USA: Texas Genco has purchased an additional 13.2 per cent stake in the South Texas Project nuclear generating plant. The $174m acquisition has raised its total interest to 44 per cent.

USA.(Federal Energy Regulatory Commission contracts with PJM Interconnection LLC.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... USA: Wind, solar and cogeneration units under 2 MW should find it easier to connect to the electric system after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission accepted a proposal from PJM Interconnection.

Calpine considers disposal of natural gas assets.(planning divestments)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Heavily indebted US power producer Calpine is considering selling some or all of its natural gas assets. Calpine's assets are primarily located in the Sacramento basin of California, south Texas and the Gulf of Mexico. It also has a...

Dynegy returns heavy first quarter loss.(after-tax charges effects sales)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Two after-tax charges are the cause of a $267m 2005 first quarter loss, according to the US utility Dynegy, which returned a $65m profit in the first quarter of 2004. The two charges, which totalled $265m, included $156m spent on settling...

Chinese coal casts black cloud.(Alliant Energy Corp.'s sales effected with high cost of coal)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The high cost of coal in China has hit US energy company Alliant, where first quarter earnings have taken a tumble due to its ownership of eleven Chinese power plants. Alliant's net income for the first quarter of 2005 was $2.4m, compared...

Enel acquires majority Romanian stake.(Electrica SA sells Electrica Banat and Electrica Dobrogea's stakes to ENEL S.p.A.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Romania's state electricity company, Electrica SA, has sold Enel a 24.62 per cent stake in the distribution companies Electrica Banat and Electrica Dobrogea for [euro]112m ($140m), raising Enel's stake in each to 51 per cent. The selling...

Italy lifts EDF voting cap in Edison.(EDF Energy, Edison S.p.A.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Italian government has withdrawn the decree barring EDF from having more than two per cent voting rights in Italy's Edison, a move expected to put an end to a four year dispute over competition in their respective power markets. EDF...

European utility consolidation helping rating stability.(companies)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Ratings stability among the top 20 European utilities over the first quarter of 2005 reflects the positive impact of a period of business consolidation and debt reduction, according to a report from Standard and Poor's (S&P). The Report...

GE 2005 wind turbine revenues to exceed $2bn.(GE Energy)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... GE Energy has received orders and commitments totalling 2400 MW of new wind power capacity for 2005, representing a projected increase in revenue from its wind business of 300 per cent compared to the year it entered the commercial wind turbine...

VA Tech orders up.(sales and earnings of VA Technologie AG)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... VA Tech orders up: Austria's VA Technologie reported record order intake at [euro]1.6bn ($2bn) for the first quarter of 2005 and sale up 11 per cent at [euro]984bn. Subject to anti-trust approvals, VA Tech is due to be taken over by Germany's...

Double diesel plans.(Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. to double its production of diesel engines)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Double diesel plans: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries intends to increase production capacity in medium and large industrial diesel engines from the current 2300 to 4200 per year by financial year 2006 in order to meet demand in China, south east...

Reliant sells hydro.(Reliant Energy sells hydroelectric power plants to Brascan Power)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Reliant sells hydro: Reliant Energy has completed its sale of two hydroelectric power plants for $42m to Brascan Power. The two stations near Clarion, Pennsylvania and Deep Creek in western Maryland, have combined capacity of 48 MW.

Konarka expands.(Konarka Technologies, Inc. opens new facility in Germany)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Konarka expands: US light to energy technologies company Konarka Technologies has opened a new centre of operation and R & D facility in Nuremberg, Germany.

Exelon sets green goal.(Exelon Corp. to reduce its gas emissions )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Exelon sets green goal: Exelon Corporation has established a voluntary goal to reduce its green-house gas emissions (GHG) by eight per cent from 2001 levels by the end of 2008 and has pledged to work with its suppliers to reduce their GHG...

Edenor for sale.(EDF Energy to sell its Argentinian company Edenor)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Edenor for sale: EDF has begun the process of selling off its Argentinian electricity distribution company Edenor as part of its strategy to refocus on Europe. Bankers JP Morgan have been engaged to handle the sale.