Power Engineering International articles from October 2004

Power Engineering International archives from October 2004

Make hay while the sun shines.(Up Front)
October 1, 2004... China looks like keeping the equipment manufacturers busy for some time to come--we hope. I recall Philippe Joubert, executive vice president of Alstom Power pointing out that 32 per cent of global equipment orders between 2003 and 2008 would...

Europe stalls on nuclear package: the European Commission has once again revised the 'nuclear package' on safety and waste disposal. But many EU states remain opposed to this draft legislation, writes Sian Green.(Analysis)
October 1, 2004... The European Commission last month put forward revised versions of two pieces of draft legislation covering nuclear safety and radioactive waste management in the European Union (EU). The Commission, and in particular, Loyola de Palacio,...

Enel wins Slovak tender.(international)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The privatization commission for the sale of Slovenske Elektrarne (SE) has named Italy's Enel as the winner of the tender to sell a majority stake in the Slovakian utility. Enel bid [euro]840m ($1031m) for the 66 per cent take in SE, outbidding...

New Iraq power plant.(international)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A consortium of US companies has commissioned a new, 40 MW power plant in Buzurgan, southern Iraq. The plant is believed to be the first new power plant to be constructed and commissioned in the country since 1976. Perini Corp., together...

Iran defies IAEA resolution.(international)(International Atomic Energy Agency)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Iran's atomic energy organization has said that the country is continuing to convert uranium mineral into fuel that can be used in nuclear centrifuges. The move defies calls from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the country to...

WEC forecasts 100 GW of capacity needed in Middle East by 2020.(international)(World Energy Council)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Recent projections published by the World Energy Council (WEC) state that the six Arab Gulf states will need to build 100 GW of power generation capacity before 2020 to meet demand. This translates into an investment requirement of $150bn, or...

UES approves hydro OGK.(international)(RAO UES )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The board of Russia's electricity utility RAO UES has approved the creation of the country's first wholesale generating company (OGK) based on four hydropower plants. The approval is a signal that reforms in the country's power sector are...

CEZ sale delayed.(international)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Czech government is to delay the sale of a 67 per cent stake in power utility CEZ until the EU's electricity market is fully liberalized. The sale of the utility will take place in 2009 at the earliest, according to the country's department...

International.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... International: Turkmenistan and Iran have officially inaugurated a 220 kV power line linking the two countries. The new line will enable up to 100 MW of power to be transmitted from the Mary hydropower plant in Turkmenistan to Iran's...

Bulgaria.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Bulgaria: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) has said that it will not take part in the forthcoming tender to construct two nuclear reactors at the Belene nuclear power plant in Bulgaria. The company says that it is unsure how transparent...

Egypt.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Egypt: Alstom has been awarded a [euro]10m ($12m) contract by the West Delta Electricity Production Company for the rewind of four generator stators at the Abu Qir power station in Egypt. The four 150 MW units have been in operation for over 25...

Kazakhstan.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Kazakhstan: AES Ekibastuz, owner of the Ekibastuz GRES-1 power plant in northern Kazakhstan, is planning to invest around [euro]5m ($6m) to overhaul the plant's generating units. The modernization will help AES Ekibastuz to increase its...

Kosovo.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Kosovo: The UN-administered Serbian province of Kosovo has decided to inject [euro]8.7m ($10.7m) into its KEK power utility to ensure that domestic electricity demand is met over the winter. The funds were originally intended for an overhaul of...

Lebanon.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Lebanon: Holcim cement works of Lebanon is planning to replace a 35 MWe power plant with a new $20m, 30 MWe plant located on the coast at Chekka. Holcim is currently undertaking a feasibility study for the project, and will shortly be seeking...

Romania.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Romania: Romanian utility Transelectrica has awarded VA Tech Transmission & Distribution a [euro]40m ($49m) contract for the replacement of two high voltage switching stations. The two stations are located near Bucharest and form an important...

UAE.(News digest)(Abu Dhabi Electricity and Water Authority )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... UAE: The Abu Dhabi Electricity and Water Authority (ADWEA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea's ministry of science and technology to carry out a feasibility study into the construction of the UAE's first nuclear power...

Verbund puts Austrian Power Solution on hold.(europe)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Austrian utility Verbund has suspended negotiations over the implementation of the 'Austrian Power Solution' following a public debate on industry consolidation and power price trends. Verbund says that it will wait until an investigation by...

Italy orders 400 MW CCGT.(europe)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... SET S.r.l. has awarded Foster Wheeler Italiana S.p.A a Iumpsum turnkey contract for the engineering, procurement and construction of a 400 MW greenfield combined cycle power plant at Teverola, Italy. The new plant will enter operation in 2006....

REpower installs prototype turbine.(europe)(REpower)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Last month German wind turbine manufacturer REpower began the installation of the world's largest wind turbine at a site in Brunsbuttel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The 5 MW prototype unit is designed for offshore operation and will undergo a...

Ireland and Wales to interconnect.(europe)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Irish government has given the go-ahead to the construction of two 500 MW electricity interconnectors to Wales, linking Ireland to the UK power grid and in turn to mainland Europe. The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) will now proceed...

Europe sues UK over Sellafield.(europe)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The European Commission has launched legal action against the UK by referring a decade-long row over inspector access to the Sellafield nuclear plant to the European Court of Justice (ECJ). It is the first time that the Commission has taken...

BETTA moves.(europe)(British Electricity Trading and Transmission Arrangements)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A single electricity market for Great Britain came a step closer to reality in September when National Grid Company was appointed system operator under the new British Electricity Trading and Transmission Arrangements (BETTA). The 'go-active'...

France.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... France: The new president of Electricite de France, Pierre-Gadonneix, has called for a complete examination of the company from top to bottom ranging from financial activities to productivity levels. The inquiry will be headed by Jean-Louis...

GE Energy.(News digest)(E. On Benelux Generation)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Netherlands: GE Energy's aeroderivative gas turbine services group has signed a contract with E. On Benelux Generation to supply two new LM2500+ DLE aeroderivative gas turbines to repower existing Rolls Royce Olympus packages at the Leiden...

Delta Energy.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Netherlands: Delta Energy is planning a $650m, 800 MWe combined cycle power plant at Vlissingen-Qost in the Zeeland area of Holland, adjacent to an aluminium plant and chemical works. Invitations to tender are due to be issued this month, with...

Northern Ireland.(News digest)(Balcas)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Northern Ireland: Timber processing company Balcas is building a new [pounds sterling]9m ($16m) timber plant at Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, which will produce high-energy wood pellets for combustion in power plants.

The Spanish government.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Spain: The Spanish government will increase the country's wind power target for 2010 to 20 000 MW, up 54 per cent from the current target of 13 000 MW. The country currently has an installed wind power base of 6200 MW, and wants to decrease its...

Viesgo Energia.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Spain: Viesgo Energia, part of the Enel Group, has applied for planning permission to build a $425m, 800 MWe combined cycle plant at San Roque, Andalucia. If the project proceeds, start up would be scheduled for 2008.

Sweden.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Sweden: Goteborg Energi has awarded the contracts to build a $395m combined cycle cogeneration plant at Rya Harbour, Hisingen, to Siemens. The plant will consist of three power trains and infrastructure for a fourth unit, and will produce 260...

E.On.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... UK: E.On is undertaking a feasibility study to convert Kingsnorth and Grain power stations in the UK from oil to gas firing. The scope of the work includes C & I, piping, valves, vessels, energy metering, burners, boiler modifications and...

Humber Wind Ltd.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... UK: Humber Wind Ltd. has appointed ERM as the lead environmental consultant for the Humber Gateway offshore wind farm. Humber Wind, a consortium of Vestas and United Utilities Green Energy, will construct the wind farm off the Holderness Coast...

B & V to design China CCGTs.(asia-pacific)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Black & Veatch Corp., in partnership with the Hebei Electric Power Design and Research Institute, has been awarded contracts for the engineering design of two combined cycle power plants in China. The plants will generate a total of 2100 MW for...

Queensland appoints PB Power.(CS Energy)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Australia's CS Energy has appointed PB Power as the owner's engineer for Kogan Creek, a 750 MW supercritical coal fired power station to be built near Brisbane. The plant will be the largest single generating unit on the Australian national...

Pubugou to power Sichuan.(asia-pacific)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... China's GuoDian Dadu River Hydro Development Ltd. has awarded GE Energy a contract to supply three turbines and associated equipment for a new hydropower plant that will play a significant role in meeting China's growing power needs. GE will...

Origin Energy bids for NZ's Contact.(asia-pacific)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Australia's Origin Energy has made a bid for the remainder of New Zealand's Contact Energy following its purchase of a 51.2 per cent stake earlier this year. It is offering NZ$5.57 ($3.71) per share, compared with the NZ$5.67 per share it paid...

Sri Lanka studies power sector policy.(asia-pacific)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Sri Lanka's Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is to undertake a comprehensive analysis examining the needs of the country's power generation and transmission sector over the next 20 years. The study will cover the whole country, and will be...

BHEL bags Mangalore project.(asia-pacific)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... India's BHEL has won a contract to supply equipment and services to Nagarjuna Power Corporation Limited's 1015 MW thermal power project near Mangalore, India. The company outbid a Chinese consortium to win the Rs24 670m ($536m) contract in a...

Bangladesh.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Bangladesh: The Bangladesh government has invited interested parties to prequalify to construct a $295m gas fired combined cycle power plant with an output of 450 MWe. The plant will be developed on a build-own-operate basis, with startup...

China.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... China: The Three Gorges Project Development Corporation is to build four hydropower plants on the Jinsha river in the upper reaches of the Yangtze river, China. The plants will have a combined generating capacity of 38.5 GW. Construction will...

The Himachal Pradesh state government.(News digest)(Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... India: The Himachal Pradesh state government has given the go-ahead for the 400 MW Rampur hydropower plant. The project will be executed by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. at a cost of Rs25bn ($555m) and will be 30 per cent owned by the state...

Jindal Power Ltd.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... India: Jindal Power Ltd. has achieved financial close on the first phase of its 500 MW power plant at Raigarh in Chhattisgarh, India. A consortium of 12 banks and financial institutions, including Power Finance Corporation, the State Bank of...

Japan.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Japan: FuelCell Energy and its partner in Japan, Marubeni Corp., are to enter an agreement with Kawasaki Heavy Industries to become a packager of Direct FuelCell (DFC) power plants in Japan. As part of the agreement, Kawasaki will purchase a...

Pakistan.(News digest)(Kot Addu Power Company)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Pakistan: Pakistan's Privatization Commission is to make the initial public offering (IPO) of 20 per cent of the shares in the Kot Addu Power Company (KAPCO) through the Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad stock exchanges this month, KAPCO is an...

South Korea.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... South Korea: South Korea is to invest won40bn ($34m) in a programme to develop and harness renewable sources of energy. The programme will involve 19 research centres, 29 universities and around 50 companies, and will help the country to...

Vietnam.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Vietnam: The Vietnamese government has given approval for the 200 MW, VND3.5tr ($222m) Son Dong thermal power plant in northern Bac Giang province. The National Coal Corporation (Vinacoal) will carry out a feasibility study on the project and...

Westinghouse gets NRC OK.(americas)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has granted final approval to Westinghouse Electric Company's AP1000 standard nuclear plant design, clearing the way for the company to begin selling the 1100 MW design internationally....

Oil price good for wind power.(americas)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A report by Standard & Poor's Rating Services (S & P) points to the high level of oil prices in 2003-2004 as a reason for greater political interest in renewable energy, particularly wind power, but says that daunting obstacles remain if the...

DE making US residential inroads.(americas)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... New research from energy market analysts Primen suggests that there is an increasing take-up of distributed energy (DE) in North America's residential market. In a survey, 22 per cent of households expressed a high interest in some form of DE,...

Fluor signs EPC agreement.(americas)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Peabody's Prairie State Energy Campus and Fluor Daniel Illinois have signed a letter of intent for engineering, design and construction of Prairie State's planned 1500 MW power generation plant and coal mine facilities in southern Illinois. ...

AEP plans IGCC.(American Electric Power; integrated gasification combined cycle )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... American Electric Power (AEP) is to build at least one commercial baseload integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) clean coal plant as part of its programme to manage future emission constraints. "Continuing significant environmental...

Enron deals.(americas)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Two high ranking former Enron officials have pleaded guilty to charges related to fraud allegations and have struck deals with US prosecutors. Former head of investor relations Mark Koenig pleaded guilty to securities fraud and pledged to...

Brazil's national development bank, BNDES.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Brazil: Brazil's national development bank, BNDES, has approved a real551m ($189m) loan to the Novatrans consortium that is concluding construction on the 1200 km, 230 kV Norte-Sul II transmission line.

Furnas.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Brazil: Furnas has received government approval to build a $120m, 135 MW power plant in Arraial do Cabo municipality, Rio de Janeiro state. Start up is scheduled for 2006.

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Canada: Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro has selected the Foxboro unit of Invensys Process Systems to upgrade the existing Westinghouse WDPF distributed control system currently installed at its 490 MW Holyrood thermal plant.

The Newfoundland government.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Canada: The Newfoundland government is to invite expressions of interest to develop a hydro project on the Lower Churchill river. The river has significant energy potential and a number of parties have expressed interest in the project.

Chile.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Chile: The International Finance Corporation is considering financing the $250m La Higuera hydro project in Chile being developed by Australian power generator Pacific Hydro and Norway's Statkraft Norfund Power Invest.

Dominican Republic.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Dominican Republic: Wartsila has been selected to supply a baseload power plant to supply electricity for a large cement factory located near the village of Sabana Grande de Palenque in the Dominion Republic. The order is for four 18V32LN...

Ecuador.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Ecuador: Ecuador's government plans to reduce power consumption through an energy efficiency programme running over the next four months, which aims to trim $70m from the country's fuel import bill.

Guatemala.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Guatemala: Hidroelectrica Tres Rios is negotiating with construction companies to build the $83m, 50 MW first stage of its Tres Rios hydro project in Guatemala's San Marcos department.

CMS Energy.(News digest)(license renewal)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... USA: CMS Energy is to seek a license renewal for Consumers Energy's Palisades nuclear power plant, which is due to expire in 2011. A 20 year extension will be sought for the 789 MW plant.

Babcock & Wilcox.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... USA: Babcock & Wilcox has received a $190m contract to engineer, design, procure and construct a new 500 MW coal fired boiler and associated equipment at Wisconsin Public Service Corporation's proposed Weston power plant in Rothschild, Wis.

American Superconductor Corporation and GE Energy.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... USA: American Superconductor Corporation and GE Energy have announced an order for two D-VAR transmission grid reliability systems from International Transmission Company to be installed in a 120 kV transmission system in east central Michigan....

Foster Wheeler merges power business units.(companies)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Engineering firm Foster Wheeler has announced the consolidation of its two power businesses into one global business to be known as Foster Wheeler Global Power Group. The new unit brings together the European and North American operations that...

VRB acquires Regenesys.(companies)(from RWE npower plc)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Canadian energy storage company VRB Power Systems has bought the exclusive license, assets and intellectual property rights for the Regenesys electricity storage technology from RWE npower plc. VRB plans to incorporate some of the Regenesys...

CERA joins IHS Energy.(companies)(Cambridge Energy Research Associates)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA) has been acquired by IHS Energy, an information, analysis and software provider for the oil and gas industries. CERA has developed an extensive client base of energy companies, technology providers,...

Konarka adds Siemens solar.(companies)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Konarka Technologies has acquired the organic photovoltaic research activities of one of its biggest competitors, Siemens AG. The deal merges the world's two largest programmes of this kind into one. Konarka hopes that it will enhance its...

VA Tech denies Siemens takeover.(companies)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Speculation that Austria's VA Tech is to sell its Transmission and Distribution (T & D) division to Siemens was rejected in a statement by VA Tech chairman Klaus Sernetz. He admitted that the two companies had engaged in talks to discuss...

Commission approves rescue.(companies)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The UK government has welcomed the decision by the European Commission to approve its restructuring aid to nuclear utility British Energy (BE), subject to certain compensatory measures. Secretary for trade and industry, Patricia Hewitt, said,...

AES enters wind market.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... AES enters wind market: AES Corporation is making an equity investment in the privately held wind energy project development company US Wind Force, as a first step into the US wind market.

CFCL plant agreement.(News digest)(Ceram Research Ltd.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... CFCL plant agreement: UK-based Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited has signed an agreement with ceramics consultancy Ceram Research Ltd. to design the manufacturing plant to put its fuel cells into mass production.

Dief takes West Control.(News digest)(Dief A/S; West Control: Instrumentation )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Dief takes West Control: Instrumentation and control firm Dief A/S has bought fellow Danish firm West Control, which specialises in supplying wind turbine controllers and frequency converters for the international market.

Elsam and Dong talk.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Elsam and Dong talk: The Danish energy groups Elsam and Dong have entered into discussions concerning a possible merger of the two companies.

Elliot and Wood form alliance.(News digest)(Elliot Company)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Elliot and Wood form alliance: The Elliot Company and Wood Group Heavy Industrial Turbines Division have signed an MOU to form an alliance in the provision of repair services for rotating equipment in the United States.

Entergy-Koch Trading sold.(News digest; to Merrill Lynch)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Entergy-Koch Trading sold: Entergy Corporation and Koch Industries have sold their US and foreign energy trading businesses of Entergy-Koch to Merrill Lynch. The firms also announced plans to sell Gulf South Pipeline.

Fluidex goes to GE.(News digest)(Fluidex Engineering acquired by GE Energy )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Fluidex goes to GE: GE Energy has completed its acquisition of substantially all the assets of Fluidex Engineering, a South African firm involved in the development of advanced technology in transformer oils processing and one of the world's...

Fortum in Dow.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Fortum in Dow: Finnish utility Fortum has been selected as a component for Dow Jones world-wide index this year. Fortum is the first Nordic company to be selected to the Dow Jones Utilities Sector.

GE completes BHA deal.(News digest; BHA Group Holdings Inc.; General Electric Co.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... GE completes BHA deal: GE has completed its $260m acquisition of BHA Group Holdings, a provider of high quality parts, services and performance upgrades for particulate matter control systems.

VA Tech, Schneider JV.(News digest)(VA Tech Elin EBG Elektronik)(Schneider Toshiba Inverter SAS)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... VA Tech, Schneider JV: VA Tech Elin EBG Elektronik, which develops, produces and markets variable speed drive systems has formed a joint venture with Schneider Toshiba Inverter SAS, the global market leader in the field, to co-operate in the...

Waukesha gets rights.(News digest)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Waukesha gets rights: Waukesha Engine has purchased the technology rights to Wartsila's W200D and W220SGD high-speed engines and will integrate the technology into its own product line-up.

Trouble on the horizon: the goal of European electricity liberalization was to bring choice and price benefits to the customer. But with large parts of the market under the control of a few major utilities, is there any hope for competition?(REPORT)
October 1, 2004... In the early days of the European Directive, the transition from 15 markets to one was believed to be the best means to reduce or eliminate market power. This goal for European electricity liberalization was expected to bring consequent...

Diary dates.(Calendar)
October 1, 2004... October POWER-GEN Asia 2004, 5th-7th October 2004, IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand. Details From: Seonaid Thomas, PennWell Publishing UK Ltd, Warlies Park House, Horseshoe Hill, Upshire, Essex, EN9 3SR, UK...

Mawan showcases seawater FGD.(Emission Control)(flue gas desulphurization)
October 1, 2004... The Mawan power station is a 6 X 300 MW coal fired power station owned by Shenzhen West Power Company, a subsidiary of Shenzhen Energy Group. The plant is the site of a large and important environmental project for China--not only is it the...

A future for coal: coal fired power plants form part of the generation portfolio in most countries, but have the disadvantage of relatively high levels of carbon dioxide emissions. But a number of solutions--both short and long term--can put coal on a level with other technologies.(Supercritical Technology)
October 1, 2004... In a balanced energy generation portfolio comprising nuclear, coal, gas and renewables, coal has a number of attractive features: * It is easy to store and transport and can be sourced from diverse stable suppliers worldwide *...

Vintage upgrade: in order to compete in today's electric power market, steam plants are required to operate reliably over a wide range of outputs and for long periods of time. These demanding operational patterns have brought a need for modern control systems that can be retrofitted to existing plants.(Control & Instrumentation)
October 1, 2004... Today, the American power generation industry is running its existing steam turbines for much longer periods of time than had been planned just two years ago. In order to compete in today's American power market place, steam power plants are...