Power Engineering International articles from March 2005

Power Engineering International archives from March 2005

Who gives a toss?(Up Front)
March 1, 2005... It is not as if the nuclear industry does not already have enough enemies in the form of environmental lobbyists. Now certain factions have started bickering amongst themselves; and over something which may not even happen in our lifetime. ...

High risk, high rewards for those seeking energy security: meeting wind energy targets does have an implication for power costs, but so does a heavy reliance on imported fuels. The long term rewards for wind may be worth the financial risk.(Analysis)
March 1, 2005... The Kyoto Protocol has been ratified and gone into operation and in Europe emissions trading has begun. That has put the cost of lowering carbon emissions under the microscope, and scrutiny has only been increased by recent reports that attempt...

Results add to Siloviye speculation.(international)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The 2004 financial results released by the Russian based Power Machines Company (Siloviye Mashiny) have added to the speculation over possible take-over contenders. Both revenue and EBITDA were up 81 per cent, to $639m and $82m,...

Iraq's power supply shows significant improvement.(international)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The provision of generators and the purchase of several power plants will result in a "significant improvement" in Iraq's electricity grid this over the next few months, according to Dr Ayham al-Samarra'i, Iraq's Minister for Electricity. ...

Companies compete in Bulgaria.(international)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... US-based company AES, Czech company CEZ and Italian utility Enel have all expressed an interest in exporting electricity produced by three thermal power plants in Bulgaria, before 2007. The three companies, together with Austria's EVN,...

Albania contracts distribution upgrade.(international)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Three Albanian towns are to have their power distribution networks upgraded by Iberdrola and the Greek branch of Siemens, after the southeast European country's state-owned electric company awarded contracts worth [euro]18.5m ($24.5m). ...

GCC first phase out to tender.(international)( GCC Interconnection Authority )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The Dammam-based GCC Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) has begun tendering for the first phase of the $1.2bn GCC electricity grid project, which will link the power networks of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. Contractor...

Fujairah meets demand for power and water plant.(international)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... A Dh3.5bn ($953m) water desalination and power plant is to be constructed in Fujairah after the Abu Dhabi state-owned water and electricity company, PJSC, conducted a successful feasibility study in the district of Qidfa. Speaking to Al...

Bulgaria.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Bulgaria: Loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank are to pay for the [euro]9m ($12m) expansion and reconstruction of the Plovdiv power utility substation in Bulgaria.

Dubai.(News digest)(Dubai Electricity and Water Authority )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Dubai: The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority has awarded contracts worth almost $354m for projects including the 400 MW expansion of H station, the supply and installation of nine 132 kV substations and extensive cabling work.

Ethiopia.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Ethiopia: The installation of a 283 km electric line that will allow Ethiopia to supply power to Djibouti is to be completed ahead of the original schedule, said the Ethiopian Electric Power Corp.

International.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... International: The World Economic Forum's Global Greenhouse Gas Register and the Carbon Disclosure Project have formed a partnership "to improve understanding and knowledge about carbon risks and opportunities."

Iran.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Iran: A 35 MW hydro power plant has taken Iran's electricity generation capacity to 4000 MW. By the end of the country's fourth Five Year Development Plan this figure will have risen to 12 000 MW.

Russia.(News digest)(AO Mosenergo)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Russia: AO Mosenergo has implemented a new admission system for electricity consumers that will enable extra investment in generation capacity. Customers will now have to sign an agreement and pay for access to the grid.

Russia.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Russia: The first of four substations created to boost St. Petersburg's electricity infrastructure, has been unveiled. The $11m substation will relieve the electricity shortages experienced by local businesses.

Rwanda.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Rwanda: The World Bank is to grant the Rwandan government $25m to alleviate the country's power shortages. The Urgent Electricity Rehabilitation Project will also receive [euro]5m ($6.5m) in additional funding from the Nordic Development Fund.

Serbia.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Serbia: Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution is to create three new 400 kV substations in Serbia and upgrade a fourth to 400 kV specification.

South Africa.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... South Africa: Eskom has awarded the $530m contract to recommission a mothballed 1200 MW power station in Grootvlei, near Balfour to a joint venture between Fluor Corporation and Pangaea.

Tajikistan.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Tajikistan: A cascade of hydropower plants is to be built in Tajikistan. Sangtudin plant 1 will be built by UES of Russia and Sangtudin plant 2 will be built by Iran.

Tunisia.(News digest)(Areva T&D)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Tunisia: Five high voltage substations and two electricity control centres are to be built by Areva T&D after it was awarded contracts by Tunisia's national utility.

European power good to 2007.(europe)(Union for the Coordination of Transmission of Electricity )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Europe's Union for the Coordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE) has issued a new system adequacy forecast which predicts that security of supply across Europe will be sufficient in the period 2005 to 2007. UTCE foresees security...

Dong increases share.(europe)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Within days of outmanoeuvring Sweden's Vattenfall Group over ownership of Danish power group Elsam, the Danish state-owned oil and gas group Dong has secured control of Energi E2, Denmark's second-largest power generator. Through a series...

East-West operators get closer.(europe)
March 1, 2005... Rating agency Standard and Poor's has published a report in which it compared six electricity transmission system operators (TSOs) and predicts a narrowing of credit quality between Western and Eastern Europe TSOs. The report, entitled...

Germany costs connections.(europe)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... A study into wind energy in Germany from the German Energy Agency (DENA) has concluded that, with appropriate expansion of the grid network, 20 per cent of the country's power could come from renewable sources. It estimates that in the...

UK renewables lobby.(europe)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... A group of 11 UK renewable energy trade associations, representing over 600 companies, has published an action plan aimed at expanding the use of renewables to meet 25 per cent of UK energy needs by 2025. Central to the plan is a call to...

Kyoto will cost.(europe)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The annual cost to Europe's electricity users of complying with the Kyoto Protocol could be around [euro]5bn ($6.6bn), says new research by Datamonitor. The climate change agreement, which came into force in February, will mean major...

Austria.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Austria: The Energy Alliance, the proposed grouping of six energy suppliers in eastern Austria, is facing a legal challenge from the economic chamber in the state of Carinthia, which argues that competition in electricity supply is being...

Europe.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Europe: Only three EU member states have met the deadline to complete the allocation of emission allowances under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Finland-Estonia.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Finland-Estonia: ABB has won the contract to design, build and install the underground power link between Estonia and Finland. The Estlink project is worth [euro]110m ($145m) to ABB and will use HVDC Light technology.

Finland.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Finland: Plans for a new nuclear reactor in Finland advanced when the government issued a construction licence to operator TVO. Startup is scheduled for 2009.

France.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... France: Electricite de France is to undertake its largest hydro power project for 20 years at Gavat (Isere) on the Romanche, scheduled for commissioning in 2013. The underground power station will have two turbines with total output of 46 MW.

France.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... France: The French government has confirmed it will privatize Electricite de France (EDF), Areva and Gaz de France (GDF) this year. GDF will go to market in early summer followed by Areva in late summer and EDF by the year end.

Germany.(News digest)(BioTherm Baden and Cop KG)(Wartsila Biopower Oy)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Germany: Wartsila Biopower Oy has been contracted by BioTherm Baden & Cop KG to supply a biomass-fuelled combined heat and power plant to the town of Baden-Baden in Germany.

Greece.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Greece: The government of Greece has invited proposals from parties for a [euro]40m ($52.5m) project to prepare the national electricity grid to link up to alternative energy sources.

Norway-Netherlands.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Norway-Netherlands: Statnett, the Norwegian national transmission system operator, has entered an agreement with Nexans to provide 156 km of cabling for the deep water section of NorNed, an HVDC interconnector between Norway and the...

Spain.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Spain: Spanish utility Endesa has reported a 5.1 per cent rise in net profits for last year to [euro]1.38bn ($1.82bn) on sales up 8.7 per cent at [euro]17.6bn. Sustained demand in Italy and Latin America has offset lower profits in Spain and...

Spain.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Spain: Electricity network operator REE has exercised an option to acquire the remaining 75 per cent of Iberdrola's high voltage network that it does not own from Grid Industries, owned by CVC Capital Partners.

China delays power projects on environmental grounds.(asia-pacific)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Power projects worth $14bn are among 30 major construction projects halted in China on environmental grounds. A petrochemical plant, a paper plant and two highway projects were also affected. The projects were stopped by the State...

Mirant seeks public listing in 2005.(asia-pacific)(Mirant Philippines Corp)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Officials from Mirant Philippines Corp, the country's largest IPP, want it to go public this year, says Philippines Energy Secretary Vincent Perez. He said Marcie Fuller, president and CEO of US-based parent Mirant Corp, wanted the sale to take...

Wood to power in Thailand.(asia-pacific)(United Power Generation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... United Power Generation (UPG) has announced plans to invest $585m in an integrated reforestation and renewable energy project in Nakhon Ratchasima, northern Thailand. The 300 MW biomass project was proposed last year and approved in early...

Pakistan wants power from coal.(asia-pacific)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The Pakistan government is planning to focus on power generation from coal instead of hydropower, and is planning to provide support for the provinces to develop new coal fired power stations, reports Associated Press of Pakistan. Liaqat...

Northeast India increases capacity.(asia-pacific)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... India's North Eastern Electric Power Company is planning to invest Rs38600 m ($883m) in three new power generation and transmission projects. The projects are a 600 MW hydropower project in Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, a 280 MW gas fired...

Indonesia plans power IPO.(asia-pacific)(PT Pembankit Jawa Bali)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Power generating companies PT Indonesia Power and PT Pembankit Jawa Bali plan to launch initial public offerings in the second half of this year. The plan is part of a programme set out by the two companies' parent company, state-owned...

Azores.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Azores: A third geothermal power plant will be completed in the Azores by the end of 2006, under a $25m contract signed with Ormat Technologies. Two Ormat plants are already in operation on the island.

Australia.(News digest)($3bn required for upgrading Queensland's electricity system)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Australia: $3bn ($2.4bn) of investment will be required to upgrade Queensland's electricity system, according to Energex chief executive Gordon Jardin. He said labour and resource shortages would slow investment.

China.(News digest)(waste to energy plant is ready)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... China: Fujian's first waste to energy plant is ready for startup, Xinhua said. The state aims to develop 120 MW of waste to energy projects in the period 2006 to 2015.

India.(News digest)(Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to construct coal-fired station )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... India: A memorandum of understanding is expected for construction of a 2000 MW coal-fired station in Madhya Pradesh. The Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh governments would share the costs and the electricity produced.

India.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... India: The National Thermal Power Corp and Indian Oil Company are planning to set up a joint venture power generation company. IOC would provide fuel, enabling NTPC to diversify its power portfolio.

India.(News digest)(Himachal Pradesh planning to tap hydro potential)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... India: The government of Himachal Pradesh says it wants to exploit its 21 000 MW hydro potential. It is in talks with Brakel of the Netherlands to investigate projects of 1000 MW and will seek Clean Development Mechanism registration.

New Zealand.(News digest)(Electricity Commission decided not to issue tenders )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... New Zealand: The Electricity Commission has decided not to issue tenders for reserve generation to meet winter demand, despite increased prices and low hydro levels. Suppliers said a repeat of earlier power crises was unlikely.

Pakistan.(News digest)(Saudi Kanooz Group)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Pakistan: A consortium of Saudi Kanooz Group and Siemens Pakistan will take over management of the Karachi Electricity Supply Corp after offering a bid of Rs1.65 per share. Its total payment will be Rs20.24bn ($340m).

Pakistan.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Pakistan: A Rs28m PV project for schools and mosques in rural areas has been approved.

Singapore.(News digest)(SP PowerGrid awards contract to ABB China )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Singapore: ABB China has won its first export order, from SP PowerGrid. It will provide auto-transformers and shunt reactors in a $22m contract.

Thailand.(News digest)(Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding PLC to issue debentures )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Thailand: Ratchaburi Electricity Generation Holding is to issue debentures worth Baht 7.5bn ($195m) to raise funds for new power stations, it has announced. New power projects can enter the Thai grid from 2011.

Vietnam.(News digest)(Vinh Son and Song Hinh hydro plants shares for sale)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Vietnam: Shares in the Vinh Son and Song Hinh hydro plants worth $28m are being offered for sale. The shares represent 35 per cent of stock. The remainder is held by the government (60 per cent) and employees.

NY's high five.(americas)(New York)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority has selected five green power producers to provide renewable energy in the first phase of New York State's Renewable Portfolio Standard. The energy authority selected five...

C[O.sub.2] Capture Project enters second phase.(americas)(Carbon dioxide)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The C[O.sub.2] Capture Project has entered the second phase of its mission to develop technologies that could mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. In order to build on the first phase of the project, a range of capture technologies are being...

Former US Energy Secretary calls for change in power policy.(americas)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Former US Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham has called on the current US government to implement major changes in its energy policy or else risk placing the nation in jeopardy for the foreseeable future. Blaming sky-rocketing world energy...

Two year biomass gasification project begins in Alabama.(americas)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Southern Company has expanded its current research into biomass for power generation by testing a process of gasification in the belief that it has the potential to compete effectively with other renewable energy sources. The project will...

Environmental studies begin for gas plant in Peru.(americas)(BPZ Energy )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Houston-based oil company BPZ Energy has begun environmental studies for a 140 MW gas fired power plant at Caleta La Cruz in northern Peru. The plant would use gas from the 16 km pipeline currently being built from the Corvina gas field. ...

Steelmaker explores industrial ecology project.(americas)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Canada's largest steelmaker is exploring the possibility of creating a wind farm on its 2200-acre property in Fort Erie, that would generate enough electricity to power its Nanticoke steel plant. Around 80 MW of power would be needed to sustain...

Brazil.(News digest)(Caxias do Sul, Nova Santa Rita increases power supply)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Brazil: The power supply from the substations of Caxias do Sul and Nova Santa Rita will be increased after ABB announced it is to supply equipment for both the extension of an existing substation and the creation of a new one.

Brazil.(News digest)(VA Tech Transmission and Distribution awarded six contracts to Brazil)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Brazil: VA Tech Transmission and Distribution has been awarded six varying contracts in Brazil worth a combined total of [euro]55m ($72.6m).

Canada.(News digest)(Hydro-Quebec purchases wind energy from Northland Power)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Canada: Hydro-Quebec has purchased 990 MW of wind energy to be supplied over twenty years. Owned by Cartier Wind Energy and Northland Power, the wind farms that will supply Hydro-Quebec wil begin generation between 2006 and 2012.

Caribbean.(News digest)(St. Maarten awards contract to Wartsila Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Caribbean: The national utility of the Caribbean island St. Maarten has contracted Wartsila to supply two gensets to ensure that the growth in tourism does not affect the reliability of its power supply.

Chile.(News digest)(Endesa Chile stopped generation at its thermoelectric plant )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Chile: Endesa stopped generation at its 370 MW thermoelectric plant after the Argentine government redirected all natural gas supplies back into its domestic market.

Colombia.(News digest)(Generadora Union to sell carbon emissions reduction credits to Austrian government )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Colombia: Colombia is to sell 360 000 t of carbon emissions reduction credits to the Austrian government from the 7.5 MW Agua Fresca hydro project owned by Generadora Union.

Mexico.(News digest)(CFE awards contract to Areva subsidary )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Mexico: A local subsidiary of Areva is to build seven substations and 12 transmission lines across 140km in the states of Queretaro and Guanajuato after being awarded a $3.6m contract by state power company, CFE.

USA.(News digest)(broadband forecast)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... USA: A document published by the New Millenium Research Council has predicted "real growth in 2005 and beyond" across the United States for broadband over power-line technology.

USA.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... USA: Calpine's Inland Empire Energy Centre in southern California is to build a 775 MW power plant that will house the first GE H System gas turbines in North America.

USA.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... USA: Six electric power trade associations, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the US Department of Energy have established a framework for the power sector to voluntarily reduce its greenhouse gas emission intensity over the next decade.

USA.(News digest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... USA: Two hydroelectric plants in Northeast US have been sold by Reliant Energy to Brascan Power. The plants, with a combined total output of 48 MW or 96 GWh, sold for $42m.

Venezuela.(News digest)(investments in energy industries)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Venezuela: State-owned and private companies invested $600m in generation and $400m in transmission and distribution in 2004 to match the high growth in demand of seven per cent.

Siemens awaits approval from competition authorities.(companies)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Siemens has acquired of 90 per cent of VA Tech after the company's shareholders accepted a price of [euro]65 ($84) per share, although doubts have been raised as to whether the takeover will gain approval from the necessary competition...

Enel's SE acquisition finally signed.(Slovenske Elektrarne)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The Slovakian Minister for the Economy, Pavol Rusko, and Enel CEO, Paolo Scaroni, have signed the [euro]840 million ($1.1bn) agreement for Enel's acquisition of 66 per cent of the electricity company Slovenske Elektrarne (SE). After...

EDF considers offers for its Italenergia stake.(Electricite de France)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... EDF has said that has received around ten offers from utilities for its stake in Italenergia Bis, the company that controls 63 per cent of Edison. It is widely accepted that EDF is seeking to sell its share in order to avoid being forced to...

Merger and Acquisition activity still increasing in power and gas sector.(companies)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... A global bounce-back in deal activity is taking place in the electricity and gas sector, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers' annual review of Mergers & Acquisition activity in the industry. The Power Deals 2004 review shows a resurgence in...

ABB back in black.(companies)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... After three years of restructuring and asbestos-related litigation left ABB deep in the red, results for 2004 saw it return to profit. The Swiss-Swedish powerhouse earned $1.1bn before interest and taxes (EBIT), while net income was $210m,...

Debt finance.(News digest)(GE Commercial Finance to provide debt financing)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Debt finance: GE Commercial Finance is to provide debt financing to businesses that deliver clean or renewable energy directly, or develop new technologies for cleaner and more efficient energy generation and distribution.

Iberdrola.(News digest)(company sales )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Iberdrola: Spanish electricity group Iberdrola has announced that net profits in 2004 rose 14.2 per cent to g1.2bn ($1.6bn). The company said this was due to both cost controls and investments of some g2.7bn, 80 per cent of which was spent in...

Dong stake increased.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Dong stake increased: State-owned Danish utility Dong is to buy Kobenhavns Energi, including its 34 per cent stake in Energi E2, for a combined price of DKK10.5bn ($1.9bn). Dong now has a majority stake in both Elsam and E2.

Legal action.( )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Legal action: The Finnish power group Forturn has launched legal action against E.ON in order to exercise its option to buy the German company's 66 per cent stake in E.ON Finland for [euro]390m ($521m).

Limiting fault.(partnership between American Superconductor and Siemens)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Limiting fault: American Superconductor and Siemens have formed a strategic partnership to develop and explore the commercial viability of high temperature superconductor fault current limiters (FCL) by building and testing related components.

Nuclear focus.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Nuclear focus: Areva and Siemens' joint venture, Framatome, has formed a new organization to focus on the future need for commercial nuclear generation in North America. A team will lead the North American deployment of the Evolutionary...