Power Engineering International articles from September 2008

Power Engineering International archives from September 2008

The USA needs a supergrid, and needs one now.(UP FRONT)
September 1, 2008... By definition it is arguable whether the United States of America is now the only superpower in the world - China and, following more recent events, Russia? Having said that, the USA is still the largest and most technologically powerful global...

Fact or fission? Energy security and the case for nuclear power.(ANALYSIS)
September 1, 2008... The Russian invasion of Georgia laid in stark terms, as if it needed reminding, that Europe is addicted to natural gas supplies from beyond the Caucasus. But nuclear power, seen as one solution to the problem of 'energy security' is back in a...

Bahrain.(INTERNATIONAL)
September 1, 2008... Bahrain: POWER-GEN Middle East has received the gracious Patronage of H.H. Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain along with full support of the Electricity and Water Authority of Bahrain for the 17-19...

Jordan.(INTERNATIONAL)
September 1, 2008... Jordan: Planning and international Cooperation Minister Suhair Al-Ali has signed an agreement for a $6m grant extended by the Global Environment Facility to support the country's wind energy market project.

Oman.(INTERNATIONAL)
September 1, 2008... Oman: Oman Power Et Water Company has issued a tender for the consultancy contract on two major power projects. While the Ghubrah West and Duqm plant projects will follow different timelines, they will use the same consultants.

Qatar.(INTERNATIONAL)
September 1, 2008... Qatar: GDF SUEZ Energy International, in a consortium with Mitsui, Shikoku Electric Power Company, and Chubu Electric Power Company, and its partners Qatar Electricity and Water Company, and Qatar Petroleum have completed the financing of the...

South Africa.(INTERNATIONAL)
September 1, 2008... South Africa: The World Bank's private is holding talks with Eskom on possible financing to help the power utility company boost its inadequate capacity, possibly up to $1bn over five years.

Tanzania.(INTERNATIONAL)
September 1, 2008... Tanzania: The state-run electricity utility has signed a five-year agreement worth $206.5m developing a new hydropower plant and improving power transmission and distribution systems in five regions in mainland Tanzania, as well as to lay a...

Turkey.(INTERNATIONAL)
September 1, 2008... Turkey: American Superconductor has licensed a 1.65 MW wind turbine design to Turkish manufacturer Model Enerji Ltd. The Turkish company plans to begin mass production of the turbine at the end of 2009.

UAE.(INTERNATIONAL)
September 1, 2008... UAE: Maat Green Knowledge was the lowest bidder with a price of AED700 000 ($190 000) out of a total of seven bids for the feasibility study for Dubai's first solar power plant project. The successful bidder will gather solar information,...

South Africa's Pebble Bed reactor moves closer to construction.(INTERNATIONAL)
September 1, 2008... South Africa's Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) project has moved a step closer to the construction of a commercial scale power station at Koeberg near Cape Town with the signing of a contract for the provision of engineering, procurement,...

Italy sees Tunisia tender in September for combined-cycle power plant.(INTERNATIONAL)
September 1, 2008... Companies will be invited in September to bid for a contract to build a [euro]2bn ($3bn) power station in Tunisia that will export electricity to Italy, an Italian government minister has told Reuters. Tunisia and Italy signed a deal in...

Quest Energy in deal to build Iran power plant.(INTERNATIONAL)
September 1, 2008... UAE-based Quest Energy and Iran's Mapna Group are developing a project to build 1000 MW power plant in southern Iran, reported MEED. Mapna is participating in the project to set up the open cycle gas powered plant in Shiraz, which is due to...

Russia's E4 Group and TGK-10 tie up deal for Urals combined-cycle units.(INTERNATIONAL)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Russia's E4 Group and TGK-10 have signed two contracts worth more than a combined $lbn for the building of a new combined-cycle gas fired power plant and the upgrade of an existing plant in the Urals region. E4 Group will act as turnkey...

Russia creates nuclear technology programme.(INTERNATIONAL)
September 1, 2008... Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced plans to implement a national nuclear programme that will develop a new generation of nuclear energy technologies. Putin said new technologies have warranted further study and new, updated...

Lebanon and Egypt sign energy pact.(INTERNATIONAL)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Egypt has agreed to supply Lebanon with electricity and natural gas to help alleviate the country's chronic energy shortage. Fouad Siniora, Lebanon's prime minister, who held talks with Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's president, said energy...

Bulgaria.(EUROPE)
September 1, 2008... Bulgaria: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited of Japan has entered the arena of producing electricity from wind in Bulgaria, and selling it locally through Kaliakra Wind Power AD, to the state-owned utility, Natsionalna Elektricheska Kompania.

Denmark.(EUROPE)
September 1, 2008... Denmark: According to a poll conducted by domestic news channel, DR Nyheder, all of country's main political parties appear to support plans what will be the second largest wind farm, comprising 100 turbines.

Germany.(EUROPE)
September 1, 2008... Germany: The Merkel government has announced that it will spend $22m a year on atomic research, to ensure that its scientists keep up with the latest nuclear research, despite the agreement that all its nuclear plants will be shut down by 2020....

Greece.(EUROPE)
September 1, 2008... Greece: Solar developer Clear Skies Solar, in partnership with Aspen Energy, has been awarded a $1m contract to build a 150 kW solar plant in Greece, which will generate around 1800 kWh a year.

Italy.(EUROPE)
September 1, 2008... Italy: The first three units of Enel's refurbished 1980 MW Torrevaldaliga Nord clean coal power plant have been inaugurated. Once fully operational in 2009, the plant is expected to be the most efficient in its class and have lower carbon...

Spain.(EUROPE)
September 1, 2008... Spain: Spanish utility Iberdrola has won a [euro]43m ($62.4m) contract to build a grid connection to nine onshore wind farms in the province of Huelva, in the south of Spain. The wind farms are due to come on-stream next year.

UK.(EUROPE)
September 1, 2008... UK: Plans for Britain's fourth largest offshore wind farm have been approved. The Sheringham Shoal farm will comprise 108 turbines and have a capacity of 315 MW, enough to power over 170 000 households.

UK.(EUROPE)
September 1, 2008... UK: Fluor has awarded Siemens Energy a contract to connect the 500 MW Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm to the UK's national grid, as well as supply the 140 turbines. Once operational Greater Gabbard will be the world's largest offshore wind...

$10bn network upgrade for the UK.(EUROPE)(National Grid Company PLC)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... National Grid, the company responsible for managing the UK's power network, has outlined plans for a [pounds sterling]10bn ($17.9bn) overhaul of the country's transmission & distribution networks, which will help to support the 35 GW of...

Spanish nuclear operator could face fine.(EUROPE)
September 1, 2008... Spain's nuclear watchdog agency proposed a fine of up to [euro]22.5m ($33m) over a. leak at a nuclear power plant, accusing operators of being too slow in reporting it and downplaying the amount of contamination released. The Asco plant...

Irish energy group launches CCS project.(EUROPE)
September 1, 2008... Irish oil and gas group Providence Resources has launched a project that could lead to the first carbon capture & storage (CCS) scheme commerically operational in the British Isles. Providence Resources is cooperating with Star Energy...

E.ON to build third UK biomass power plant at Bristol.(EUROPE)
September 1, 2008... E.ON has announced plans to invest $600m in a biomass power station at the Port of Bristol, making it E.ON's third biomass plant in the UK. At 150 MW, the proposed Port-bury Dock renewable energy plant would generate enough power for more...

Scotland to 'bulk-buy' electricity.(EUROPE)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... The Scottish government has announced that it is to bulk-buy electricity for the whole public sector in an effort to save taxpayers' money at a time of soaring energy bills. Ministers have launched a tender to supply electricity on a...

Norwegian carbon capture plant deal.(EUROPE)
September 1, 2008... Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has signed a contract to carry out the technical pre-studies for the planned carbon dioxide ([CO.sub.2]) capture plant in Norway from Gassnova SF. If MHI's pre-studies are qualified, it will compete with...

Brunei.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
September 1, 2008... Brunei: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the government and Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan to build a large-scale photovoltaic demonstration project, which will be the largest in the ASEAN region.

China.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
September 1, 2008... China: The Chinese Ministry of Finance has published guidelines, which will support research & development in wind power generation in an effort to further promote the domestic wind power industry.

China.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
September 1, 2008... China: The first generator unit of the 400 MW Manzhouli coal fired combined heat and power plant is on course to begin production in September next year, with the second unit coming on-stream in the following December.

China.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
September 1, 2008... China: Power Investment Corporation, one of the country's five power giants, said it was investing 2.8bn yuan ($410m) in building a wind power plant, the largest of its kind in the northeastern Liaoning Province. Upon completion, the plant will...

Indonesia.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
September 1, 2008... Indonesia: Emerson Process Management has received a contract to digitally automate the 600 MW coal fired PLTU 2 Banten-Labuan power plant being built in Indonesia's Banten Longwan Province.

Japan.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
September 1, 2008... Japan: An action plan to put underground storage of carbon dioxide ([CO.sub.2]) into practice by 2020 has been adopted, with the aim of cutting [CO.sub.2] collection costs from 4200 yen ($39) per tonne to 2000 yen.

South Korea.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
September 1, 2008... South Korea: Local media report that government officials have announced plans to build a solar power facility near islands in the East Sea that are at the centre of a diplomatic dispute between Seoul and Tokyo.

Taiwan.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
September 1, 2008... Taiwan: State-owned Taiwan Power has awarded a multi-million dollar contract to Invensys Process Systems to provide a critical digital upgrade to its Kuosheng nuclear power station in the north of the country.

Thailand.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
September 1, 2008... Thailand: Demco plc has signed a MoU with Sustainable Energy Corporation to build a 100 MW wind farm in Petchaboon. The Electricity Authority of Thailand will receive 60 MW, while 40 MW will be sold to the Provincial Electricity Authority.

Australia turns to solar power.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
September 1, 2008... WorsleyParsons, Australia's biggest engineering company, has outlined a proposal to build a solar solar power plant at an as yet unnamed site in Australia, which upon completion will be the world's biggest solar project. The solar plant,...

Longer term PPA for international power.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
September 1, 2008... International Power plc has signed a 30-year power purchase agreement (PPA) between PT Paiton Energy and PT.PLN, the state utility, for the new 815 MW, coal fired Paiton 3 plant in Indonesia. The Paiton 3 project comprises a single 815 MW...

China reaches nuclear milestone.(ASIA-PACIFIC)(Qinshan nuclear power complex)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... The expansion of the Qinshan nuclear power complex, which was China's first commercial nuclear facility, recently reached a milestone with the installation of a 350 tonne steam generator. This now clears the way for the installation of two...

Indonesian CCGT expansion deal.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
September 1, 2008... Alstom, in consortium with Marubeni Corporation, has won a contract worth [euro]160m ($232m) from Indonesia's national electricity utility PT.PLN for the construction of a combined-cycle power plant close to Jakarta. The project consists...

GE carbon storage deal on the cards.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
September 1, 2008... US giant GE could sign a deal in the not too distant future to build a $3bn clean coal power plant in New South Wales or Queensland that would incorporate underground storage of carbon dioxide ([CO.sub.2]), reports The Australian. It is...

Indonesia bags financing for coal plants.(ASIA-PACIFIC)
September 1, 2008... PT.PLN, Indonesia's state-owned power generator, has signed a series of six long-term credit facilities with a combined value of some 10trn rupiah ($1bn) to finance its ambitious plan to add an additional 10 GW of power generation capacity. ...

Canada.(AMERICAS)
September 1, 2008... Canada: Hydro One Networks Incorporated has been given the go- ahead by the Ontario Energy Board to reinforce the existing 12 km of single circuit transmission line in Norfolk County, between Vanessa Junction and the Norfolk transformer...

Mexico.(AMERICAS)
September 1, 2008... Mexico: EDF Energies Nouvelles has awarded Clipper Turbine Works, a subsidiary of Clipper Windpower, a contract to supply 27 x 2.5 MW wind turbines for the La Ventosa wind farm in Mexico.

Peru.(AMERICAS)
September 1, 2008... Peru: The country's Corihuarmi mine is now receiving low cost hydropower following the connection of a 44 km transmission line and its subsequent energization.

Puerto Rico.(AMERICAS)
September 1, 2008... Puerto Rico: A series of projects to create incentives to cut the island's electricity consumption and promote the greater use of renewables have been announced. They include a so-called 'Green Loan' and the 'Efficient Lightbulbs Incentive'.

USA.(AMERICAS)
September 1, 2008... USA: Covanta Holding Corporation has entered into an agreement to buy two biomass energy facilities from Ridgewood Maine LLC and Indeck Energy Services Incorporated, co-owners of the plants.

USA.(AMERICAS)
September 1, 2008... USA: Wind turbine manufacturer, Clipper Windpower has entered into 50:50 joint venture with BP Alternative Energy to develop one the world's largest wind farms in the USA. Called the Titan wind energy project, it will have a capacity of 5050...

USA.(AMERICAS)
September 1, 2008... USA: PSEG Fossil has finalized a 30-year contract with the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) to add 130 MW of peaking generation at its New Haven, CT station. The contract calls for PSEG Fossil to install three dual-fueled...

Siemens selected for Canada's first low carbon power plant.(AMERICAS)
September 1, 2008... Siemens coal gasification technology has been selected for Canada's first low-carbon integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) powerplant. EPCOR Power Generation is planning to build an IGCC power plant featuring carbon capture and...

Wartsila wins fourth Brazilan contract.(AMERICAS)(Geradora de Energia do Maranha)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Wartsila received an [euro]159m ($230m) order for a power plant project, comprising two plants on the same site, to be delivered to a Brazilian energy consortium. The order was placed by Geradora de Energia do Maranhao, a consortium made...

Battle over US coal fired plant ends.(AMERICAS)
September 1, 2008... Opponents to the Oak Creek coal fired power project in Wisconsin, USA, have finally reached agreement after more than eight years of legal battles, accepting a $105m deal that will see some of some of the money being used to expand renewable...

GE to bid for Canada's largest single hydro project.(AMERICAS)
September 1, 2008... GE Energy Financial Services and Plutonic Power Corporation, have signed a memorandum of understanding to partner on a bid for a 1000 MW run-of-river hydropower plant in the Toba and Bute Inlets in British Columbia, Canada. With...

DOE provides $36m for carbon capture technologies.(AMERICAS)
September 1, 2008... The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that it will provide $36m for 15 projects aimed at furthering the development of new and cost effective technologies for the capture of carbon dioxide ([CO.sub.2]) from the US' existing fleet of...

Equipment supply deal for new Brazilan hydro project.(AMERICAS)
September 1, 2008... Energy Power, the partner of Power Machines of Russia in the Latin American market, has signed an equipment supply contract for the Sao Joao hydroelectric power plant under construction in Brazil. The equipment supply contract, which is...

Come together.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... Come together: Yokogawa has merged the activities of its two main operating companies in the Netherlands-Yokogawa Nederland BV and Yokogawa System Center Europe BV-under the new name of Yokogawa Europe Solutions B.V.

Fuel my fire.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... Fuel my fire: Babcock & Wilcox, has agreed to buy Nuclear Fuel Services, Incorporated, a provider of specialty nuclear fuels and related services.

Too much, too young.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... Too much, too young: Southern California Edison's plans to build a $875m, 250 MW solar project have come under fire from industry trade groups, saying it would give it too much of a monopoly on California's nascent solar market.

Credit where credit's due.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... Credit where credit's due: Czech power company CEZ has signed a contract with the Hunan Liang Renewable Energy Power of China to buy emission credits from a planned biomass plant in the province Hunan, China.

Life's a (bio) gas.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... Life's a (bio) gas: Tokyo Gas has acquired a 4.44 per cent stake in eastern Japan's Agatsuma Biopower, which was previously a wholly owned unit of Orix, for an undisclosed sum.

Pump up the volume.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... Pump up the volume: Tognum Group is to invest an additional [Euro]75m ($110m) in capacity expansion in the production of MTU engines, L'Orange high performance injection systems, as well as the extension of the MTU Onsite Energy power...

Everything must go.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... Everything must go: Dynegy has completed the sale of the Rolling Hills Power Generation Facility, a peaking plant located in Wilkesville, Ohio, to a company managed by Tenaska Capital Management, LLC for $368m in cash. The sale equates to more...

Get smart.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... Get smart: GE Energy has expanded its smart grid product portfolio with the acquisition of Kelman Ltd. of Lisburn, Northern Ireland, which provides advanced monitoring and diagnostics technologies for transformers.

Sunny day.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... Sunny day: GE Energy Financial Services and Grupo Corporativo Landon are to invest $350m in Fotowatio, one of Spain's largest and most successful solar power project developers. Fotowatio is developing almost 960 MW of solar projects in Italy...

EDF, CGNPC create venture to build nuclear reactors in China.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... France's EDF and the China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Company have created the Guangdong Taishan Nuclear Power Joint Venture Company, to construct and operate two European pressurized water reactor nuclear power stations at Taishan,...

AEP, Duke Energy partner to build $1bn power lines in Indiana.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... American Electric Power and Duke Energy have formed a joint venture to build 240 miles of new transmission lines and related facilities in Indiana at an estimated cost of $1bn. The proposed deal would be a 50-50 partnership to build and own...

Google invests $10m in geothermal technology.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... Google will invest more than $10m in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) technology, as part of its Renewable Energy 'Cheaper than Coal' initiative. Through its philanthropic arm, Google.org, the internet giant will invest in two geothermal...

Gas Natural raises Union Fenosa stake above 50 per cent.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... Gas Natural has raised its potential stake in power generator Union Fenosa to over 50 per cent after agreeing to buy a 5.15 per cent stake from savings bank Caja de Ahorros Del Mediterraneo (CAM) In separate statements, the buyer and seller...

Oman's Sohar Power IPO over 20 times oversubscribed.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... The $34.6m IPO of Sohar Power was more than 20 times oversubscribed. Oman's Sohar, in which a unit of French utilities group GDF Suez is the main stockholder, offered a 35 per cent stake to institutional and private investors to raise...

Iberdrola to spend $1bn on renewable energy projects.(COMPANIES)
September 1, 2008... Spanish energy giant Iberdrola has said it is developing $1.05bn worth of wind and solar energy projects. In total, the projects will have the capacity to generate 1.25 GW of electricity, with the bulk of that coming from wind. In...

Latin America: sharing a vision: Latin American governments are turning to closer integration as a means to overcome energy crises and bower shortfalls brought about by drought and over dependence on imports. Chris webb reports.(LATIN AMERICA)
September 1, 2008... After a faltering start in the 1990s, co-operation is emerging as a key driver in the power markets of Latin America. Or at least that is the message that political leaders want to spread in their efforts to reverse two decades of shambolic...

Power project management gets real.(Project Management IT)
September 1, 2008... As part of an ambitious capital investment programme, New Zealand power company Meridian Energy aims to add 400 GWh of new renewable generation a year. With a growing project portfolio, however, the company was faced with requiring a more...

Wireless M2M technologies:the smart move for smart metering.(Wireless Meter Management)
September 1, 2008... Using wireless connectivity allows smart metering companies to implement meters easily and efficiently. This ensures that timely and accurate information is being delivered to both customers and suppliers, keeping both parties happy in the...

Pow! Patnow goes supercritical.(Coal Fired Power Generation)
September 1, 2008... Following successful commissioning, Poland's Patnow II power station has been handed over for commercial operation. With a nominal power output of 464 MW, the plant is now described as the largest, most efficient and cleanest brown coal fired...

The superconducting cable dream finally comes true.(Superconductor Power Transmission)
September 1, 2008... After many years of promise and disappointment, high temperature superconductor (HTS) power transmission has arrived. PEi was on Long Island in the northeatern United States for the commissoning of the longest HTS link in the world. The...

Carbon capture: from backroom boffins to a household name.(Q&A)(Interview)
September 1, 2008... Dr John Topper, managing director of the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Clean Coal Centre, is one of the world's leading experts on the subject of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) mitigation from cool fired power plants and a keen proponent...

Integrated power solution for aluminium giant in Oman.(Rectifier Transformer Technology)(ABB supplied process rectifiers for Sohar Aluminium Company)( )
September 1, 2008... ABB has supplied a complete integrated power solution, including the critical process rectifiers for Sohar aluminium, the world's longest smelter potline. Max Wiestner, industry manager of ABB's aluminium business, outlines the technical detail...

Get your feed water purification right and the rest will follow.(Feed Water Treatment)
September 1, 2008... The quality and variability of raw water sources can have a significant impact on the efficiency, reliability, performance and hence cost of power generation. Richard Kitson and Vinod Ramachandran explain how effective water purification can...

How does your turbine blade health measure up?(Turbine Condition Monitoring)
September 1, 2008... Donald Lyon, managing director of Monitran Technology, describes how a sensor and measuring system originally developed for aerospace applications could greatly aid the maintenance of power stations' gas and steam turbines. Within the...

Diary dates.(Calendar)
September 1, 2008... September 4th Annual Nuclear Fuel Strategies 15th--16th September Arlington, VA, USA www.platts.com REFF-London 2008, 10th Renewable Energy Finance Forum 15th--16th September London, UK www.euromoneyenergy.com...

German genset firm enjoys biogas boom in Croatia.(Genset Roundup)
September 1, 2008... The biogas boom in Germany and Central Europe has started spreading to Eastern European countries like Croatia. Vechta, Germany-based Weltec Biopower, one of the world's leading plant manufacturers, is benefiting from this trend. Due...