Power Engineering International articles from September 2003

Power Engineering International archives from September 2003

Completed competence in cooling technology: experience the world of cooling systems: Balcke-Durr & Marley cooling technology.(Advertisement)
September 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Two worldwide leading suppliers of recooling technology have merged their know how and experiences to offer a unique benefit: global synergy! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For our clients this means complete...

PowerLine: high quality, low cost power from Bechtel.(Advertisement)
September 1, 2003... BUILDING ON THE PAST, POWERING THE FUTURE Reputation alone doesn't keep Bechtel at the top. Delivering results does. Our more than 50 years of fossil power experience provides the basis for PowerLine,. Our money saving, mass customization...

A private moment.(Up Front)
September 1, 2003... It has been a long time coming but at last Saudi Arabia, the Middle East's largest power market, has announced the first equipment order for its first power project. Under a contract signed in the middle of August, Siemens is to supply two gas...

If only you could use Swagelok(R) for everything: extraordinarily reliable fluid system components and much more.(Advertisement)
September 1, 2003... From research and production to service and support, the Swagelok(r) mission remains: every component, every commitment, every commitment, every service we offer, each as reliable as the next. Brought to you by a network of independent sales...

Looking for a clear improvement in your power capacity? A Siemens upgrade adds years and megawatts to your plant's life.(Advertisement)
September 1, 2003... Technology and competition never look back to wait for an operating power plant to catch up. In many cases, all that a plant needs in order to compete well is an upgrade or modernization by Siemens, a retrofit of new technology to enhance...

Getting regulation right.(Analysis)
September 1, 2003... In the last weeks of august, power outages were experienced in London, Helsinki, and, of course, the USA. This summer has also seen blackouts in Italy, China and Argentina, while countries such as Australia warn of imminent power shortages. ...

What is your remedy for transformer stress? TEC by ABB.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... [Power.sup.IT] Transformer with Electronic Control - TEC by ABB sets your coolers to fit the situation. Each of the coolers can be individually controlled as opposed to the normal two-step option. TEC looks at the load, ambient conditions and...

UN approves Iraq power equipment contracts.(International)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The United Nations has sanctioned multi-million dollar contracts to provide equipment needed in the reconstruction of Iraq including heavy equipment and supplies for the electricity sector. Contracts valued at $794m have been agreed by the UN,...

AES sells Georgian power utility to UES.(International)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The sale of a controlling interest in the Georgian capital's electric utility by AES Corp. to Russian power monopoly, Unified Energy System (UES) has been criticized for being secretive and politically motivated. UES subsidiary, UES...

Siemens secures first Saudi deal.(International)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Siemens Power generation has won its first order to build a gas turbine power plant with process steam extraction in Saudi Arabia. The order, worth around $145m, is for the construction and commissioning of the Al Jubail power plant which will...

B&V to study Romanian power sector.(International)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Black & Veatch has been commissioned to perform a feasibility study into the upgrading of Romania's thermal power generation facilities. The study will provide recommendations to state-owned power company, Termoelectrica on improving its 28...

Uganda seeks dam partner.(International)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Following the decision by AES Corporation to pull out of the controversial World bank-sponsored Bujagali 200 MW dam project in Uganda, the government is looking for another developer and is hoping to persuade South Africa's Eskom Limited to...

Poland tackles stranded costs.(International)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Poland has swept away a major obstacle to reform of its power sector with its decision to refinance the stranded costs of domestic power generators through a Euro-denominated bond issue totalling $33.1-3.5bn. The costs incurred through...

Algeria.(News Digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Algeria: Alstom has won a $58m EPC contract from Sonelgaz to build a 300 MW power plant in the northeast of Algeria. The order is part of the country's drive to boost its installed capacity from 6000 MW to 7044 MW by 2005.

Bulgaria.(News Digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Bulgaria Bulgaria: The Bulgarian parliament has approved the first reading of an Energy Bill which would introduce reforms in line with European legal standards and introduce a marketbased system.

Egypt.(News Digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Egypt: Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Tomen Corporation are to supply and test two 250 MW steam turbines at Egypt's Nubaria combined cycle power plant, 100 km northwest of Cairo. The order is worth v8bn ($68m) and the project is slated...

Egypt.(News Digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Egypt: A consortium of Russia's Power Machines Group and Volth Siemans Power Generation has won a tender for reconstruction of the existing 12 hydrogenerators at the Aswan Hydro Complex in Egypt, German bank Kredltanstalt fur Wiederaufbau is to...

Jordan.(News Digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Jordan: The Jordanian Central Electricity Generating Company has Issued a tender for an EPC contract to build the Kherbet al-Samra power project. Estimated to be worth $160m, the contract calls for the construction of a 300 MW CCGT with two gas...

Libya.(News Digest)(contract for Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Libya: South Korea's Hyundai Engineering & Construction Company has won a $238m power plant order from the General Electricity Company of Libya on a turnkey basis. Hyundai will build turbines and heat recovery generators to raise output from...

Lithuania.(News Digest)(stakes in electricity distributors being sold)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Lithuania: Lithuania has invited bids for large stakes in its two electricity distributors. A 71.35 per cent stake is available in eastern power grid RST and 77 per cent of the western grid VST is being sold. Lithuania hopes to raise [euro]226m...

Morocco.(News Digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Morocco: Morocco and Spain have agreed on a [euro]117.2 ($127.7) project to construct a second undersea cable to transport electricity between the two countries. The cable will double transit capacity to 1400 MW and is due to come into service...

Nigeria.(News Digest)(Royal Dutch Shell Group of Cos.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Nigeria: Royal Dutch/Shell's Nigerian unit is to spend $770m to refurbish several power plants at a 936 MW complex in Afam, Nigeria.

Correction.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2003... Correction: The short news item outlying Oman's power plans in the August issue, page 7, of PEi was incorrectly listed under UAE.

Interest mounts for AES Drax stake.(Europe)(companies offering t buy Drax power station from AES Corp.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Competition is intensifying for control of Drax, the UK's largest power station, located near selby in North Yorkshire. This follows the decision by US owners, AES Corporation, to withdraw its debt restructuring plan for Drax, after banks and...

E.ON moves for Graninge majority.(Europe)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... German utility E.ON has acquired a 36.3 per cent stake in Graninge, taking its total interest in Sweden's fourth-largest energy utility to 72.6 per cent. E.ON paid Electricite de France [euro](381m) for the controlling stake through Sydkraft,...

Centrica goes for green look.(Europe)(investing into green energy)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... British utility Centrica plc plans to spend [pounds sterling]500m ($781m) over the next five years on generating its own green energy, mostly from offshore wind farms. It is planning a number of joint ventures and aims to have stakes in a least...

EU begins probe into British energy rescue package.(Europe)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The European Commission has launched an investigation into the package of measures aimed at rescuing troubled nuclear group British Energy on the grounds that it may constitute illegal state aid. The UK government and British Energy are...

Mitsui Babcock to decommission Gleep.(Europe)(Graphite Low Energy Experimental Pile)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Mitsui Babcock has been appointed by the UK Atomic Agency Authority to decommission Europe's first nuclear reactor, the Graphite Low Energy Experimental Pile (Gleep), which operated from 1947 to 1990. Gleep was initially used to prove the...

UK clean coal plant approved.(Europe)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The UK has passed plans for a new 430 MW clean coal power plant to be built by Coal power Limited at the Hatfield Colliery at Doncaster in Yorkshire. The plant is one of two planned by the company formed by Richard Budge, former chief executive...

France.(News Digest)(Enel Distribuzione S.p.A. seeks to enter French energy market)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... France: Italy's Enel is reported to be in talks with Electricity de France (EdF) about entering the French power market through the acquisition of generating capacity in exchange for a relaxation of rules restricting EdF's role in the Italian...

Germany.(News Digest)(Alstom receives contract from N-Ergie AG)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Germany: Alstom has been awarded a contract by N-Ergie AG, Nuremberg's electrical utility, to supply a cogeneration power plant to the Sandra combined heat and power plant as part of a modernization project costing [pounds sterling]90m...

Italy.(News Digest)(law to reorganize energy industries)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Italy: Italy's chamber of Deputies has approved an energy sector reorganization law intended to complete Italy's gas and power market liberalization process including the requirement for Eni and Enel to cut their stakes to 20 per cent in their...

The Netherlands.(News Digest)(electric utilities report from Datamonitor)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The Netherlands: Research from Datamonitor suggests that up to 60 per cent of Dutch major power users have switched electricity supplier since market opening eighteen months ago in a search for cost savings and improved service.

Portugal.(News Digest)(VA Tech Hydro receives contract from Electricidad de Portugal Energia)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Portugal: VA Tech Hydro has been awarded a [pounds sterling]2.7m ($2.9m) contract by Electricidad de Portugal Energia for the turbine modernization of the Belver IV hydroelectric unit on the river Tajo.

Portugal.(News Digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Portugal: The Portuguese government has approved a resolution setting out the objectives of a reorganisation of its energy sector and the measures to be adopted, including improving security of supply, increasing competition and promoting...

Spain.(News Digest)(Royal Dutch Shell Group of Cos. to acquire wind park from TXU Europe Energy Trading)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Spain: Royal Dutch/Shell has bought a 40 per cent share in the 99 MW LaMuela wind park in Spain from TXU Europe Energy Trading, it owns four wind parks in the USA where it plans to build a 160 MW wind park.

Spain.(News Digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Spain: GE Oil & Gas has delivered a 56 MW steam turbine generator for a combined cycle waste-to-energy project at Bilbao's municipal waste incineration plant which will supply 100 MW to the national grid when commissioned in 2004.

Spain.(News Digest)
September 1, 2003... Spain: Spanish utility Endesa has entered into a long-term deal with Nigeria LNG Limited to buy one billion cubic metres of LNG per year from 2006 and also secured a similar 20-year deal with a Qatar-based company in order to supply its growing...

UK.(News Digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... UK: Britain's National Grid and Dutch network operator TenneT have completed a seabed survey as part of a project to build a power link between the two countries with a capacity of between 1000 MW and 1300 MW.

Powerful services to improve your profit.(Advertisement)
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China faces power shortage.(Asia Pacific)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Rapid economic growth and heatwaves are causing power shortages in China. Blackouts have hit the eastern and southern parts of the country this summer and power shortages are expected to continue. The government has asked industrial and...

Nam Theun 2 to continue without EDF.(Asia-Pacific)
September 1, 2003... Thailand's state-owned electricity Generating Authority (EGAT) will continue with the construction of the Nam Theun 2 dam venture in laos despite the withdrawal of Electricity de France (EDF) from the project. EDF polled out of the project...

Vietnam to build hydro plant in Laos.(Asia-Pacific)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... A Vietnamese consortium has signed a deal to construct a large scale hydropower plant in Laos to help meet growing electricity demand in both countries. The Vietnam-Laos Investment and Development Joint Stock Company, which consists of six...

Pakistan approves five gas EoIs.(Asia-Pacific)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Pakistan has accepted five expressions of interest (EoIs) from independent power producers to implement 775 MW of gas based thermal power at a cost of $543m. The country's Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) said that since the...

China gives thumbs up to four reactors.(Asia-Pacific)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... China's government has approved the development of four new nuclear power plants in the country. Two of the 1000 MW generators will be situated in Sanmen in east China's Zhejiang province and another two in Lingdong, Guandong province...

Indonesia to boost power with $624m loan.(Asia-Pacific)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Indonesia has signed two loans worth a total of $624m with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to repower an existing power plant in Jakarta and extend the Maura Tawar gas fired facility. The Muara Karang plant in north...

China.(News Digest)(China Yangtze Power Co.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... China: The company operating the Three Gorges hydropower project has signed its first contracts for the delivery of electricity produced by the dam. China Yangtze power Corp. will supply electricity to the east China and central China grids.

China.(News Digest)(Westinghouse Electric signs contracts for nuclear research in China)
September 1, 2003... China: Westinghouse Eclectic Company signed two nuclear fuelrelated contracts with major companies in China. The contracts call for westinghouse to provide engineering services and 10 t of zicronalum-alloy TREX for use in the production of fuel...

India.(News Digest)(Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... India: Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. has won a contract to set up the 1000 MW (stage II) Kahigaon super thermal power project in Bihar which is being implemented by the National Thermal power Corporation. The contract, comprising two500MW...

Indonesia.(News Digest)(Duke Energy International sells stake in PT Puncakjayan Power)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Indonesia: Duke Energy International has completed the sale of its 85.7 per cent majority interest in PT Puncakjayan Power in indonasia for $300m, including [??]

Korea.(News Digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Korea: BP announced the Tangouh liquefied natural gas project in inconesia has been selected as the preferred supplier of LNG to two south Korean Companies-SK power Company and POSCO-which are constructing gas-fird power plants in South Korea.

New Zealand.(News Digest)(Contact Energy)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... New Zealand: New Zealands's largest listed power company, Contact Energy said it will build and operate a new government owned, dry year reserve electricity generating plant on the comp nay's whirinaki site.

New Zealand.(News Digest)(Tuaropaki Power Co. to build power plant)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... New Zealand: The Tuaropaki Power Company plans to build a new $90m power plant on the Mokai geothermal field between aliamur, 25 km southeast of Tokorpa and Taupo Completion is scheduled for April 2005.

Sri Lanka.(News Digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Sri Lanka: The US government has awarded a $560 000 grant to the government of Sri Lanka to fund a technical assistance programme for providing consonancy services on the development of a 300 MW coal fired power plant.

Singapore.(News Digest)(InterGen signs agreement with Singapore)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Singapore: InterGen announce the signing of a gas sales agreement for the Island power Project, a 720 MW natural gas fired combined cycle power facility located on jurong island, Singapore.

Vietnam.(News Digest)(Machines Group and Song Da Corp.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Vietnam: Russian machinery building company power Machines Group and Vietnamese Construction corporation Song Da Corporation singed a contract for deliver of equipment and carrying out service works for Se San 3 HPP.

Theirs SIMULATION ours: When it comes to the future of simulation, our competitor gets a little fuzzy.
September 1, 2003... At Simci-Esscor, however, our vision is crystal clear-build better simulation. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ask our competitor what they are doing to develop process simulation technology and you may not get a clear answer. Their SEC 10k...

Central America expands energy integration initiative.(Americas)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The Inter-American Development Bank has approved a $37.5m loan for Guatemala to help finance transmission lines linking the Mexican and Guatemalan power grids. The Project is part of the Plan Puebla Panama energy integration initiative and...

Venezuela plans $1.5bn expansion.(Americas)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The Venezuelan government is planning to invest $1.5bn in the construction of new thermoelectric power plants over the next seven years avoid power shortages. Around 2380 MW of capacity will be added to the country's grid. The plan will...

Solar tower heads for the USA.(Americas)(SolarMission Technologies)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... SolarMission Technologies has adopted a strategy to implement solar tower technology across the USA and has already started the search for a suitable site that will allow it to develop and commercialize the technology. Solar tower...

Mexican project selects Fluor.(Americas)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Ameco, the construction arm of Fluor Corporation, announced that it has been awarded a site services contract to support the construction of a hydropower project in Mexico. The 750 MW El Cajon hydroelectric plant near Tepic, Nayarit will be...

GE tests HTS generator.(Americas)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... GE has successfully tested a demonstration unit of a high temperature superconducting (HTS) generator. The test was part of a DOE-funded project to commercialize a high efficiency generator that could lead to millions of dollars of energy...

NOxStar wins.(Americas)(Mitsui Babcock awarded contract by the Tennesse Valley Authority)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Mitsui Babcock has won a contract to supply its proprietary NOxStar technology to the Tennessee Valley Authority's Colbert facility. NOxStar is an innovative emission reduction technology that enables plant operators to meet [No.sub.x]...

Brazil.(News digest)(ABB to supply electrical equipment and transmission towers to Brazil)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Brazil: ABB has won contracts worth $15m to provide equipment to three companies building transmission lines in Brazil, ABB will primarily be supplying transmission towers and fittings as well as automation for substations, telecom systems and...

Canada.(News digest)(VA Tech to supply transformers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Canada: VA Tech transmission and distribution has been awarded a [euro] 11.5m contract by Canada's Hydro One Networks to manufacture and supply pole-mounted distribution transformers.

Canada.(News digest)(Hydro One contracts Siemens)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Canada:Siemens has been selected by Canada's Hydro One to design and build an integrated end to-end asset and work management solution Hydro One seeking a solution within this project that combines technology, systems integration and management...

USA.(News digest)(investigation of Barclays Bank and it's role in the Enron scandal)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... USA: AN official US investigation has attacked Barclays Bank for its role in the Enron scandal, saying it knew the US energy trader was trying to mislead investors. Barclays earned hundreds of million of dollars in fees from the collapsed...

USA.(News digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... USA: GE Wind Energy will supply TXU Energy with the first 25 wind turbines, or 37.5 MW for phase of the proposed 400 MW Sweetwater wind project in Texas which, when completed, will be among the world's largest wind developments.

USA.(News digest)(Black and Veatch's Global Renewable Energy group is awarded contract)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... USA: Black & Veatch's Global Renewable Energy Group, which provides comprehensive project service for renewable energy projects in the areas of wind. solar, blomass, hydroelectric, geothermal and ocean energy, has been awarded a three-year...

USA.(News digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... USA: Caterpillar has sold of five of its largest gas-fired engines to a new electrical power plant in Geneva, Illinois. The $18m project involves construction of a 29 MW power plant capable of providing critical peak power for up to 40 000...

USA.(News digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... USA: Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution (PTD) has begun construction of a high voltage back-to-back converter of the public Service Company of Colorado (PSCO). The tie will connect Xcel Energy's Southwestern Public Service Company...

Venzuela.(News digest)(Electricidad de Caracas )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Venezuela: Electricidad de Caracas (EDC) plans to spend $75m to build the 200 MW La Raisa fossil plant outside Caracas by the end of the second quarter 2004. It will be located on the southwest side of Caracas.

City light made from waste.
September 1, 2003... Energy from waste is a bright idea by 40 years experience in the construction of gas engines that guarantee the efficient production of electricity and heat wherever a renewable source of energy is available. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] GE...

Brussels could veto Alstom rescue package.(Companies)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The European Commission has warned the French government that it will face a probe if it goes ahead with plans for a [euro]300m ($327m) bail-out of Alstom, the troubled engineering group. The French government is planning to subscribe to...

Framatome ups China ties.(Companies)(Framatome ANP acquires stake in Shenzhen Nuclear Engineering)
September 1, 2003... Nuclear services company, Framatome ANP, has taken a 35 per cent stake in the Chinese company Shenzhen Nuclear Engineering (SNE) which has been established to provide services for the entire Chinese fleet of nuclear power plants, based on...

Malaysia ups stake in YTL Power.(Companies)(YTL Corp. to acquire stake in YTL Power International Bhd)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Malaysian power and construction company YTL Corporation has agreed to buy a 5.16 per cent stake in YTL Power International Bhd. from CLP Power Projects Limited. On completion of the deal, YTL Corporation will have increased its stake in...

Acciona acquires half of EHN stake.(Companies)(Corporacion Energia Hidroelectrica de Navarra)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Spain's Corporacion Energia Hidroelectrica de Navarra (EHN) approved the sale of 50 per cent of the company's capital to Acciona for [euro]382.68m. The remainder of EHN is owned by Sodena and Grupo Corporativo Empresarial de Caja Navarra. ...

Funding achieved for Powerspan development.(Companies)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... US clean energy company, Powerspan, has raised $20m from investors to enable it to complete commercial development of the firm's Electro-Catalytic. Oxidation (ECO) technology. The multi-pollutant control technology is for existing and new coal...

Acquisitions drive up E.ON profits.(Companies)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... E.ON has focused its electricity interests in regional markets, principally central Europe, the UK, the Nordic regions and Midwestern USA. These markets are to receive the lion's share of E.ON's planned investments of some [euro]26-28bn...

B & V forms GPM unit.(News Digest)(Black and Veatch)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... B & V forms GPM unit: Black & Veatch has created a new business unit. Generation Portfolio Management, to provide comprehensive solutions to help clients maximise the benefits of generation asset ownership in the US market.

ComAp joins AMPS.(News Digest)(Association of Manufacturers of Power Generating Systems)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... ComAP joins AMPS: ComAP Limited, which designs and manufactures modular engine control systems and relay protection devices, has become a member of the Association of Manufacturers of Power Generating Systems.

EdF downgraded.(News Digest)(Electricite de France)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... EdF downgraded: Concerns over Electricite de France's [euro]50bn pension deficit saw Standard & Poor's cut its long-term corporate credit rating on the energy group from AA to AA- ahead of planned privatization.

EnBW losses.(News Digest)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... ENBW losses: Write-downs and risk provisions were to blame for a pre-tax loss of around [euro]1.1bn for the first six months of 2003 at EnBW. The company said that these Inherited problems would not affect operation in its core energy business...

ENER-G expands.(News Digest)(ENER-G launches Nedalo ENER-G BV)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... ENER-G expands: The UK's ENER-G Group, a distributed power and energy management provider, has made an acquisition in Holland enabling it to launch Nedalo ENER-G BV to provide cogeneration products and services in continental Europe.