Power Engineering International articles from March 2003

Power Engineering International archives from March 2003

No rush into Russia just a slow march. (Upfront).(Lower House of Russian parliament gives final approval to package of bills to fully privatize and liberalize Russia's monopolistic electricity sector)
March 1, 2003... Last month (February) the Lower House of the Russian parliament gave the final approval to a package of bills to fully privatize and liberalize Russia's monopolistic electricity sector. The passage of the key bill in the package means the...

The low carbon future? The UK's Energy White Paper sets out a vision for a 'low carbon economy'. Can this goal be met through renewables and energy efficiency alone, or will nuclear need to play a part? (Analysis).
March 1, 2003... "Our country needs a new energy policy," said UK Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt while unveiling the government's 'White Paper' on energy: Our Energy Future -- Creating a Low carbon Economy. "We need to make sure we have secure...

Transelectrica upgrades EMS. (International).(Alstom's Transmission and Distribution division to deliver full energy management system to Transelectrica)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Two key contracts have been awarded to Alstom's Transmission and Distribution division to deliver a full energy management system (EMS) to Romania's transmission system operator, Transelectrica, and a market management system to power market...

Jenbacher engines to warm Ural city. (International).(gets contract from Bashkir-energo for 10 combined heat and power modules equipped with Jenbacher's 620 series engines )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Austrian gas engine manufacturer Jenbacher has landed its biggest ever Russian order. Energy company Bashkir-energo, which serves the city of Sibai at the foot of the Ural mountains in the Republic of Bashkortostan, has ordered ten combined...

Oman invites private sector. (International).(invite private firms to bid for contracts to operate 3 of its largest operational power plants )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Oman plans to invite private companies to bid for contracts to operate three of its largest operational power plants. An official at the electricity ministry said: "The plants will be managed by private companies which will relieve the...

UAE's Dolphin Energy signs crucial gas agreement. (International).(Dolphin Energy Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A key gas purchase and sales agreement has been signed by Dolphin Energy Ltd., the $3.5bn gas pipeline developer jointly owned by the UAE government, TotalFinaElf and Occidental Petroleum. The agreement to purchase Omani natural gas from the...

Overseas firms share UAE power plant contract. (International).(consortium of International Power, Mitsui and Tokyo Power Generation chosen by Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority to build power generation and desalination plant )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A consortium of International Power, Mitsui and Tokyo Power Generation has been chosen by the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (Adwea) as preferred bidders for a contract worth $2.2bn to build a power generation and desalination plant...

Duma passes Russian laws. (International).(State Duma approves 2nd draft of electricity laws)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Russia's electricity market reforms have edged closer to reality with the approval by the State Duma of the second draft of the electricity laws. Opposition to the six-bill reform package had led to an eight-month delay in getting political...

Alstom and Voith Hydro Power Generation has been awarded. (News Digest: Bulgaria).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A consortium consisting of Alstom and Voith Hydro Power Generation has been awarded a [euro]15m ($1 6.4m) contract for rehabilitation of the Orfeus and Krichim hydro plants by Natsionaina Elektricheska Kompania EAD. Both plants were originally...

Russia and Bulgaria are to jointly study ways to increase Russian gas and electricity exports. (News Digest: Bulgaria).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Russia and Bulgaria are to jointly study ways to increase Russian gas and electricity exports to Bulgaria and southeastern Europe. A committee will report back to both governments by July.

Power company HEP. (News Digest: Croatia).(to invest [euro]307m in 2003, significant part of which will finance 4 transmission network projects)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Power company HEP is to invest [euro]307m ($355m) in 2003, a significant part of which will finance four transmission network projects needed to boost grid security and stability. Investments are also planned for the distribution network and...

Vestas Wind Systems. (News Digest: Egypt).(wins its first order in Egypt to supply 200 turbines for Zafarana wind farm)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Systems has won its first order in Egypt to supply 200 turbines for the Zafarana wind farm near the Red Sea. The order is estimated to be worth [euro]65.6m ($72m).

Iran's Energy Minister. (News Digest: Iran).(predicts additional 30 000 MW being added to country's power grid in next 10 years)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Iran's Energy Minister predicts an additional 30 000 MW being added to the country's power grid in the next ten years, with 40 per cent being developed by foreign investors.

Alstom-led consortium. (News Digest: Kosovo).(wins [euro]38m contract to refurbish both units of fire-damaged Kosovo B power plant)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... An Alstom-led consortium has won a [euro]38m ($42m) contract to refurbish both units of the fire-damaged Kosovo B power plant. Alstom will supply, install and commission the P320 digital control system in each unit.

Germany's E.ON Energie. (News Digest: Lithuania).(plans to increase stakes in Lithuanian electricity utilities RST and VST )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Germany's E.ON Energie plans to increase its stakes in Lithuanian electricity utilities RST and VST in which the government plans to sell shares later this year. The govermnent has an ongoing dialogue with E.ON, which already owns 10.9 per cent...

GCC electricity grid. (News Digest: Middle East).(articles of association agreed and board chosen for authority overseeing development of unified GCC electricity grid)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Articles of association have been agreed and a board chosen for the authority overseeing the development of the unified GCC electricity grid. The project has an estimated cost of $1.1bn and the first phase of development could take up to five...

Belgian utility Electrabel. (News Digest).(to take a further 60% stake in Polaniec power plant in southern Poland)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Belgian utility Electrabel is to take a further 60 per cent stake in the Polaniec power plant in southern Poland, giving it full control over the 1800 MW facility. Electrabel is also bidding for the G-8 power distribution group.

Turkey's new government. (News Digest: Turkey).(warns that private power plant operators will have to lower prices or risk the cancellation of lucrative contracts)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... In an effort to bring down electricity prices, Turkey's new government has warned that private power plant operators will have to lower prices or risk the cancellation of lucrative contracts, It has cancelled 30 proposed BOT projects with a...

Backers agree BE rescue package. (World News: Europe).(British Energy plc obtains bank and bondholder approval for its government-backed rescue plan )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Nuclear generator British Energy plc has obtained bank and bondholder approval for its government-backed rescue plan under which some investors face losing 70 per cent of their initial investment. Under the deal the UK government will provide...

Poultry power boost for renewables firm. (World News: Europe).(Energy Power Resources Ltd. acquires controlling interest in Fibrowatt Group)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Energy Power Resources Limited (EPR), one of the UK's largest independent renewable energy companies, has acquired a controlling interest in Fibrowatt Group, which owns three renewable energy plants in eastern England that burn a combination of...

Spanish solar project inaugurated. (World News: Europe).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A photovoltaic solar energy plant with the largest installed capacity in Spain has been inaugurated in Tudela, Spain. The 1.2 MW project cost [euro]10.85m ($11.7m) and has 400 sun trackers and 12 602 photovoltaic panels. The plant has been...

Concern continues over E.ON-Ruhrgas takeover deal. (World News: Europe).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... E.ON's settlement with opponents of its merger with gas importer Ruhrgas has done nothing to calm those who see the deal as a setback for competition in Europe' s energy sector. The [euro]10bn ($10.8bn) deal leaves the German utility as the...

Belgium to phase out nuclear power. (World News: Europe).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Belgium will have to find an alternative way of producing 60 per cent of its electricity by 2025 following the decision by lawmakers to shut down the country's seven nuclear reactors from 2015. The controversial move means more government...

Nuon to buy Reliant Dutch generation. (World News: Europe).(Reliant Resources to sell its European generation assets to Nuon N.V.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... US energy group Reliant Resources is to sell its European generation assets to Netherlands utility Nuon NV for S1.3bn. Nuon will increase its capacity by approximately 3500 MW - equivalent to 55 per cent of its current sourcing needs. ...

Essent Energy. (News Digest: Belgium).(signs agreement to construct CHP plant for chemical company Ineos )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Essent Energy has signed an agreement to construct a CHP plant for chemical company Ineos in Antwerp worth [euro]80m ($87.3m). The project, scheduled for operation in 2005, will have a capacity of 120 MW and 220 t/h of steam.

Marketing consultants Frost & Sullivan. (News Digest: Europe).(reports predicts European waste-to-energy market will grow by almost 50 per cent by end of decade)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A report by marketing consultants Frost & Sullivan predicts that the European waste-to-energy market will grow by almost 50 per cent by the end of the decade stimulated by the EU Landfill Directive - despite opposition from environmental...

Eutilia, the European online marketplace. (News Digest: Europe).(wins contract to undertake e-tendering and e-auction for Germany's EnBW )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Eutilia, the European online marketplace for utilities, has won a contract to undertake e-tendering and e-auction for Germany's EnBW in respect of a range of chemicals used in power plants. Scottish-Power has also chosen Eutilia to carry out a...

Siemens Power Generation Group. (News Digest: Germany).(announced power plant orders totalling [euro]1.3bn)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Siemens Power Generation Group has announced power plant orders totalling [euro]1.3bn ($1.4bn) including a [euro]250m CHP plant in Cologne, Germany and a 760 MW CCGT plant in Spain.

Nordex AG. (News Digest: Germany).(completes 3 wind farms for Sachsen Fonds)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Nordex AG has completed three wind farms for Sachsen Fonds connecting 30 large wind turbines to the electricity grid. The projects, worth [euro]48.5m ($52.9m), include long-term technical management and maintenance. The largest Uetze wind farm...

Technip-Coflexip. (News Digest: Germany).(gets [euro]41m contract from RWE Systems to expand and modernize 2 gas fired cogeneration plants )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Technip-Coflexip has been awarded a contract worth [euro]41m ($44.7m) by RWE Systems for the expansion and modernization of two gas fired cogeneration plants in the cities of Bochum and Dortmund in midwest Germany.

The Irish government. (News Digest: Ireland).(further liberalized power market giving choice of supplier to another 16% of industrial and commercial consumers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Irish government has further liberalized the country's power market giving choice of supplier to another 16 per cent of industrial and commercial consumers. From mid-February independent suppliers have been able to access some 56 per cent...

The Italian government. (News Digest: Italy).(law prevents Enel from recouping [euro]7.7bn in 'stranded' costs by passing them on to consumers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Italian government has passed a law preventing Enel from recouping [euro]7.7bn ($8.4bn) in 'stranded' costs by passing them on to consumers. By way of offset, Enel will no longer be required to pay a hydroelectric adjustment levy to the...

VA Tech Transmission and Distribution. (News Digest: Liechtenstein).(successfully commissioned 3 substations for Liechtensteinische Kraftwerke )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... VA Tech Transmission and Distribution has successfully commissioned three substations for Liechtensteinische Kraftwerke following required modification and extension in order to meet a significant increase in energy consumption.

LogicaCMG and Edify Corporation have enabled Electricidade de Portugal (EDP) to establish its energy supply business. (News Digest: Portugal).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... LogicaCMG and Edify Corporation have enabled Electricidade de Portugal (EDP) to establish its energy supply business, EDP Energia, with the implementation of the e-point CRM solution from Point Information Systems.

ADB approves $62m loan to aid transmission sector. (World News: Asia-Pacific).(Asian Development Bank approves loan for India's first public-private partnership in power transmission sector)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has given thc green light to a $62m loan for India's first public-private partnership in the power transmission sector. Tala-Delhi Transmission Ltd., a joint venture company, will construct power lines from...

Indonesia looks to resume IPP PPAs. (World News: Asia-Pacific).(power purchase agreements)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The 19 power purchase agreements (PPAs) that were shelved by Indonesia's PLN, due in part to the Asian financial crisis, could soon be resumed to help meet the country's forecasted growth in energy demand. The state-owned power giant said...

Transco bill a must to ease Philippines power woes. (World News: Asia-Pacific).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The passing of the Philippines' Transco bill is essential to bringing down electricity rates in the Philippines, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has stressed. The bill will help improve the efficiency of the country's transmission sector and...

Upgrade for New Plymouth as NZ gas reserves dwindle. (World News: Asia-Pacific).(New Zealand)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... New Zealand's power giant, Contact Energy, will see its New Plymouth power station refurbished in a multi-million-dollar upgrade as the country's Maui gas reserves reach a low. Contact will refurbish the 25-year old plant into a dual fuel...

Alstom bags hydropower order in India. (World News: Asia-Pacific).(contract with Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Alstom has bagged a [euro]50m order with JPVL (Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd.) in India for the supply of hydropower generating plant equipment for a 400 MW project. The 4x100 MW project, called Vishnuprayag, is situated on the Alaknanda...

Ling Ao starts up ahead of schedule. (World News: Asia-Pacific).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Unit 2 of China's Ling Ao nuclear power plant has started supplying the Guangdong province two months ahead of schedule, Framatome ANP has announced. Unit 1 of the plant commenced operation in May 2002, and together with Unit 2, will help...

Australian Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane. (News Digest: Australia).(energy infrastructure needs investments)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Australian Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane said the country requires around $40bn of investment in new energy infrastructure over the next decade. The country is rapidly running out of time to attract major investors, Macfarlane said.

Geodynamics is hoping to become Australia's largest renewable energy producer. (News Digest: Australia).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Geodynamics is hoping to become Australia's largest renewable energy producer by pioneering the development of base load electricity generation from known Hot Dry Rock geothermal sources. The company has started drilling the $3.21 m Habanero 1...

Brunei Darussalam. (News Digest: Brunei).(plans natural gas development)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Brunei Darussalam has announced plans for the development of several large-scale industrial facilities to utilize the sultanate's vast natural gas reserves. The $3bn worth of projects are scheduled for operation from 2008.

Huaneng Power International. (News Digest: China).(approves generators)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... China's largest independent electricity generator, Huaneng Power International, said the Chinese government had approved its plan to build generators worth $450.1m. Huaneng said its plan to build three 300 MW combined-cycle gas turbine...

ABB has received two orders to supply switchgear and control systems for the Jiaxing Phase II power station. (News Digest: China).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... ABB has received two orders to supply switchgear and control systems for the Jiaxing Phase II power station, a 2400 MW coal fired plant under construction in Zhejiang. The contracts are worth a total of $17m.

China Power Regulatory Commission. (News Digest: China).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... China is to increase the desuiphurization capacity of thermal power plants to 21.5 GW by 2005. It also plans to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions by ten per cent, said an official from the China Power Regulatory Commission.

Babcock & Wilcox Beijing Co. (News Digest: China).(contract with Heng Shui Hengxing Electric Power Generation Co.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Babcock & Wilcox Beijing Co. will deliver two new coal tired boilers to the Heng Shul Hengxing Electric Power Generation Co. for delivery In 2004. Two complete 300 MW coal fired boilers will be supplied for the Hengshui power plant located in...

VA Tech CNI. (News Digest: Malaysia).(contract with Tenaga Nasional Bhd.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... VA Tech CNI, jointly owned by VA Tech Sat and PSI, was awarded a contract to supply a network control system for Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Malaysia's largest utility. The new system is designed to control the distribution network of TNB's metro...

The Commerce Commission. (News Digest: New Zealand).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Commerce Commission, the New Zealand regulatory body, has introduced price controls for electricity line companies effective 1 July 2003. Businesses that breach the thresholds could be investigated by the Commission.

Brazil's power problems mount. (World News: Americas).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Brazil's power utilities arc running out of money even though an electricity tariff increase has been approved by thc regulator, Aneel. The government is being blamed for its lack of effort in boosting investor confidence. President Luiz...

Ontario does u-turn in Hydro One spin-off. (World News: Americas).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Canada's state-owned transmission grid, Hydro One, is not for sale any longer, Premier Ernie Eves has announced. The government said the decision boils down to protecting energy consumers in Ontario. Uncertainty over the sale started in...

More for less in wind order. (World News: Americas).(for GE Wind Energy)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... GE Wind Energy, a unit of GE Power Systems, has reduced the footprint of a proposed wind farm without reducing the generating capacity. The offshore wind farm off the Cape Cod coast in the USA will now be 14 per cent smaller than...

Calpine tightens grip on turbine spending. (World News: Americas).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Calpine Corp. has reduced contract commitments with gas and steam turbine manufacturers including GE Power Systems, Siemens Westinghouse and Toshiba International Corp. The deal has allowed Calpine to release some $3.4bn giving them the...

Alliance to operate US assets. (World News: Americas).(between Wood Group Power and Miller, McConville, Christen, Hutchison and Waffel)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Wood Group Power and Miller, McConville, Christen, Hutchison and Waffel (MMC) have formed an alliance in a bid to work a portfolio of power assets in the US. MMC will fund acquisitions of selected power assets and will be responsible for...

Argentina power prices on the up. (World News: Americas).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... In a bid to aid foreign investors, Argentina has announced an electricity tariff hike of between seven and nine per cent. President Eduardo Duhalde signed a decree that will enable the increase by November 2003. The utilities have been...

Tenaris announced that its Argentine subsidiary, Siderca. (News Digest: Argentina).(buys Reliant Energy Cayman Holdings)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Tenaris announced that its Argentine subsidiary, Siderca, has acquired Reliant Energy Cayman Holdings from CenterPoint Energy Light, a subsidiary of CenterPoint Energy, for $23.1m. The company's principle asset is an electric power generating...

Chile-based electricity giant Enersis. (News Digest: Chile).(to sell two subsidiaries)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Chile-based electricity giant Enersis announced it would sell two of its Chilean subsidiaries as part of a restructuring plan to reduce its heavy debt. Enersis, Latin America's largest non-state energy holding and an investment unit of Spain's...

The Energy and Mines Ministry. (News Digest: Colombia).(contracts)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Energy and Mines Ministry expects to open a tender soon for the first phase of a major electricity transmission project. The two-phase project will strengthen the transmission grid between the Atlantic coast and central Colombia, and...

Ecuador's power regulator Conelec. (News Digest: Ecuador).(annulls ACS-Cobra-Omegaport contract)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Ecuador's power regulator Conelec has annulled a $520m contract with Spanish consortium ACS-Cobra-Omegaport to build and operate the 186 MW Mazar hydroelectric project due to proposed changes to the contract terms.

Siemens has won a $192m contract from Mexico's state power company CFE. (News Digest: Mexico).(Federal Commission of Electricity)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Siemens has won a $192m contract from Mexico's state power company CFE for the supply of two turnkey simple cycle power plants. One plant with two gas turbine units and a combined capacity of 263 MW will be built in San Lorenzo, southeast of...

Entergy Corp. (News Digest: USA).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Entergy Corp. has dropped plans to build a $500m power station in Iowa, citing overbuilt generating capacity in the Midwest and increasingly steep prices for natural gas to fuel the plant. The Iowa Utilities Board posted an order on its website...

Bechtel Power Corp. (News Digest: USA).(Westinghouse Electric Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Bechtel Power Corp. and its teaming partner, Westinghouse Electric Corp., completed a world record steam generator replacement for the STP Nuclear Operating Co. on its south Texas Plant Unit 2. All was accomplished without any lost-time...

US federal energy regulators aim. (News Digest: USA).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... US federal energy regulators aim to release in April a report on its proposal for creating a uniform US wholesale power market in an effort to collect one last round of comments before issuing its final plan in July.

Mirant Corp. (News Digest: USA).(drops plant plans)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Mirant Corp. said it will drop plans to build a $500m power plant in North Carolina. Mirant told financial analysts it would not pursue projects in the southeast and cut back other projects in the US and overseas as the global economy shows no...

Babtie wind advisors. (News Digest).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Babtie Power Consultancy Group has been appointed to advise power project developers AB Energy of the UK and Canada's ATCO on all aspects of their wind energy electrical generation projects.

Ballard fuel cell move. (News Digest).(buys assets of Coleman Powermate)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Canada's Ballard Power Systems is to buy the assets of Coleman Powermate's fuel cell-powered generator product line. Ballard plans to speed up the commercialization of Coleman Powermate's AirGen which runs on a Ballard fuel cell.

Citigroup settling. (News Digest).(in Enron case)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Bankers Citigroup is in advanced talks with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to settle allegations that it disguised loans to Enron as commodity trades enabling Enron to book the revenue and mask its true financial position.

CMS book sale. (News Digest).(to Constellation Power Source Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... As part of its parent company's liquidity improvement plan, CMS Marketing, Services and Trading has agreed to sell its wholesale electric book to Constellation Power Source Inc.

Deutz back in profit. (News Digest).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... German diesel and gas engine manufacturer, Deutz AG, has returned to profit for 2002 following the implementation of its "Re-Launch" programme two years ago. Sales increased five per cent and a provisional profit of [euro]2m ($2.2m) is forecast...

DynaMotive success. (News Digest).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Biofuel specialists DynaMotive Energy Systems Corporation has successfully completed its pilot programme using its patented pyrolysis system and said it will now construct a 100 t/day commercial plant in Canada.

GE Jenbacher move. (News Digest).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... GE Power Systems has launched a public tender offer for the remaining shares in Austrian-based engine supplier Jenbacher following its agreement to acquire a 55 per cent controlling interest last year.

Instrumentation partnership. (News Digest).(Dranetz-BMI and LEM)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Dranetz-BMI, the US power quality instrumentation unit of WPT Group, has agreed a co-branding and co-marketing deal with LEM, initially focusing on the Americas. LEM is a leader in the measurement of electrical parameters.

Powergen job cuts. (News Digest).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Powergen said it would be cutting nearly 1000 jobs following a review of retail business activities in the wake of its purchase of TXU Europe's retail business last year. Two hundred jobs are also going with the closure of former TXU power...

QinetiQ Mars study. (News Digest).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... QinetiQ, a science and technology solution provider, has been chosen to carry out a study for the European Space Agency to identify power generation and storage technologies in the harsh Martian environment.

Babcock Hitachi buys boiler group. (Companies).(Babcock Borsig Power Systems GmbH)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Babcock Hitachi K.K. of Japan is to acquire a 90 per cent stake in Babcock Borsig Power Systems GmbH, the boiler and pollution control division of Germany's Babcock Borsig Group. Details of the transaction, due to close by 31 March 2003, were...

ABB agrees asbestos bankruptcy plan. (Companies).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Engineering group ABB has succeeded in capping its exposure to asbestos-related liabilities arising from its US subsidiary Combustion Engineering by gaining approval for a "pre-packaged" Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan for the division. An...

Survey shows power utilities fearful of regulatory risk. (Companies).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A recent study published by Cap Gemini Ernst & Young shows confidence in deregulation has fallen among global utility executives during the past year. Some 43 per cent of the 130 senior executives surveyed in the Autumn of 2002 are now less...

Data Systems acquires Schneider nuclear I&C unit. (Companies).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Data Systems & Solutions, a 50/50 venture between Rolls-Royce and Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), has acquired the nuclear unit of Schneider Electric, based in France, which specializes in nuclear instrumentation and control...

Asset write-downs hit AES. (Companies).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... US independent power company AES reported a fourth quarter loss of $2.8bn after making provisions totalling $2.7bn for asset impairments in Latin America, the US and the UK. Revenues for the year increased 13 per cent to $8.6bn. AES said...

European boiler industry link-up. (Companies).(Wellman Robey and Loos International alliance)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Two of Europe's specialist suppliers of boilers and pressure vessels -- Wellman Robey and Loos International -- have formed an alliance to combine their 200 years of combined know-how and experience. Fabrications, produced at Loos...

To pool or not to pool? (Power Trading Report).(electric companies)
March 1, 2003... Most European countries have adopted a power model with bilateral contracts and a voluntary power exchange. However, others, like several Asian countries, are implementing pool models which specifically offer advantages for smaller power...

Seeking the sun in Spain. (Solar Power).(Energia Hidroelectrica de Navarra)
March 1, 2003... Energia Hidroelectrica de Navarra has commissioned a 1.2 MW solar energy plant in Spain, The facility represents an investment of [euro]10.85 million and is the only one in Europe with solar tracking in the en fire generation field, One third...

Safety is the key with switchgear technology. (Distribution Systems).
March 1, 2003... ABB has completed the development of AX1, a new medium voltage switch gear product. The technology has unique construction characteristics and incorporates several design concepts. The new air insulated medium voltage switchgear from ABB,...

Senoko moves on. (Refurbishment & Repowering).
March 1, 2003... The second phase of the Senoko repowering project is now underway in Singapore. The conversion of two more units to combined cycle will result in efficiency, environmental and economic gains for owners Senoko Power. In January 2002, Alstom...