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Modern HRSG Designs Maximize Combined Cycle Plant Efficiency

February 22, 2021

The post Modern HRSG Designs Maximize Combined Cycle Plant Efficiency appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Iberdrola SA and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) recently commissioned the El Carmen combined cycle plant, located in Nuevo León, northeast Mexico. Wood supplied the two horizontal heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) for the plant. The 875-MW combined cycle plant is based on two 300-MW MHPS M501J combustion turbines and is the first plant built in Mexico to sell power directly to industrial customers through its wholesale power market in over 70 years. CFEnergia, a subsidiary of CFER, delivers natural gas to the plant.

Mexico began deregulating its electricity market in 2013 with wholesale trading commencing in 2016. The reforms opened the electricity market to private investors to increase market competition, and to accelerate the expansion and modernization of Mexico’s power generation infrastructure. Until 2013, all facets of the electricity market, from generation to distribution, were the exclusive domain of the state-owned Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), an integrated monopoly, and private participation was limited to the generation of power not intended for public consumption.…

Great Winter Storm of 2021 Will Live in Grid History

February 20, 2021

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It will be some time before we know every detail that aligned to cause the tremendous number of sustained power outages in Texas, or the spiking power prices across all markets in the central states.

Some things we do know. Some natural gas supply was frozen in. Some wind turbines froze up, and ice damaged some power lines and caused congestion.

COMMENTARY

Even coal and nuclear were not immune to the carnage. Some units cycled down on Feb. 15 and have been slow to recover. During the early hours of the storm’s approach, all 254 counties in Texas, and all 77 counties in Oklahoma, were under winter storm warnings.

With the winter storm bearing down on Texas, record peak demand was forecast for the early morning hours of Feb. 16, exceeding 76 GW. With the generators already shutting down, power output fell to around 45 GW and remained at about that level. During…

Dirty Electricity, but Not the Kind You Think

February 18, 2021

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When most people hear the term “dirty electricity,” they probably think of power generated from sources considered more-polluting, such as coal, natural gas, or other fossil fuels. However, Satic Inc., an electronics manufacturer and professional engineering firm based in Missoula, Montana, says electricity in homes and businesses is filled with “electrical pollution” that is not necessarily associated with dirty fuels. In fact, the company claims solar power is one of the main sources of dirty electricity.

“Dirty electricity specifically comes from three different main culprit places. Number one, it’s delivered to our panel. Number two, we make it with our electronics—our solar inverters, our LED lighting, our DC devices. And, the wiring in our home—maybe half a mile of high-quality copper wiring—acts as a super antenna. So, that’s how we get dirty electricity into our house. What defines it specifically is, it’s electricity that has distortion or interference, low power factor, etcetera, on it,” B.D.…

Is Nuclear Power Poised for a Resurgence?

February 14, 2021

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Since 1990, nuclear power has consistently supplied about 19% to 20% of the electricity used in the U.S. However, very few nuclear plants have been added to the U.S. fleet over that time. Currently, the only new nuclear project in the U.S. is Southern Company’s Plant Vogtle expansion, which is expected to add two new reactors to the grid by the end of next year. Still, there are 50 reactors under construction around the world—12 of them in China—and several countries are considering adding more.

“There has been a fundamental shift in the thinking around the world. As climate change has become front and center as the number one issue globally—environmental issue and societal issue—the recognition that nuclear can and should play a part in helping us overcome the climate change problems has shifted a lot of thinking in governments that I talk to around the world, but also even with people that are environmental-minded—people that have been, in the past, anti-nuclear—and start seeing that nuclear now is and should be part of the solution.…

The POWER Interview: AI, Big Data, and Efficiency

February 8, 2021

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The increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in the power generation sector has a goal of making electricity production both more efficient, and secure. Developing ways to more quickly analyze ever-larger amounts of data is driving innovation among those people responsible for the operation of power plants and generation equipment.

Many companies are involved in the research and development of technologies to support AI and ML. Beyond Limits, a California company launched in 2014, works in several markets, from energy—including the power generation and oil and gas exploration sectors—to manufacturing and industrial, as well as healthcare. The company says, “Our mission is to create automated solutions with human-like powers of reasoning that amplify the talents and capabilities of people. We specialize in complex challenges in extreme environments.”

Stephen Kwan, the company’s director of product management for Power Generation/Grid Management, provided POWER with his insight into AI and ML as it applies to the electricity sector, with a look at what the future holds as the power generation landscape continues to change.…

Retirement Set for Wisconsin’s Second-Largest Coal Plant

February 6, 2021

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The post Retirement Set for Wisconsin’s Second-Largest Coal Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The Columbia Energy Center, a two-unit 1,100-MW coal-fired station located in Columbia County, Wisconsin, south of Portage, will be permanently retired by the end of 2024.

Alliant Energy, which co-owns the facility with Wisconsin Public Service Corp. (a subsidiary of WEC Energy Group) and Madison Gas and Electric Co., made the announcement on Feb. 2. It said Unit 1 would be shuttered by the end of 2023, with Unit 2 closed the following year.

“The closure of Columbia is truly a historic moment as we stop burning coal in our Wisconsin Operations and fully turn our attention to generating cleaner energy using renewable resources, such as solar, battery storage and high efficiency gas,” David de Leon, president of Alliant Energy’s Wisconsin energy company, said in a statement.

Alliant Energy has set goals of cutting CO₂ emissions in half by 2030, and eliminating all coal from its generation fleet by 2040.…