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EPA Sends Replacement for Clean Power Plan to Trump

July 11, 2018

The Trump administration is moving forward with its effort to replace the Clean Power Plan, with the president set to review a document sent to the White House on July 9.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on July 10 said a new rule, which insiders said would be more favorable to the coal industry, was sent to the president on Monday. The document itself has not been released. The EPA in a statement Tuesday said would seek public comment on the new measure only after a White House review is completed. EPA spokeswoman Molly Block in a statement said the agency would move quickly on the replacement rule but did not provide a timeline.

Trump has repeatedly said the Clean Power Plan (CPP), pushed by the Obama administration, was part of the previous president’s “war on coal.” The CPP was part of that administration’s push for tougher environmental regulations and pollution standards for power generation and other industries. Trump has moved to support both coal and nuclear power, asking for government intervention in power markets to help both coal and nuclear power plants.…

First Commercial AP1000, EPR Reactors Connected to Grid

July 9, 2018

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Two nuclear energy milestones were reached in the past week, as the world’s first commercial AP1000 and EPR reactors were connected to China’s power grid.

Westinghouse announced Sanmen 1, the first AP1000 unit, was connected to the grid June 30, one day after Électricité de France (EDF) connected the first EPR reactor—Taishan 1—to the system. The EPR is a third-generation pressurized water reactor, with technology by EDF and France’s Framatome. Taishan 1 is the first of two, 1.7-GW reactors at the site, which is owned by TNPJVC, a joint venture of China General Nuclear (CGN), which owns 51%; EDF, which owns 30%; and Yuedian, a Chinese electric company that owns 19%.

The 1.1-GW Sanmen 1 reactor is the first of four new AP1000 plants under construction in eastern China. The AP1000, also a pressurized water reactor, is the technology being used for two new reactors at the Vogtle nuclear plant in Georgia. Unit 3 at Vogtle is scheduled to come online in November 2021, with Unit 4 following a year later.…

EPA Chief Pruitt Resigns; Former Coal Lobbyist Takes Helm

July 7, 2018

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Scott Pruitt, chosen by President Donald Trump to lead the Environmental Protection Agency despite repeated lawsuits against the agency when he served as Oklahoma’s attorney general, resigned as EPA director July 5. Pruitt had been under scrutiny throughout his EPA tenure for questionable ethical decisions involving his office.

Pruitt, who repeatedly said he had done nothing wrong during his time as director, in his resignation letter Thursday wrote: “It is extremely difficult for me to cease serving you in this role first because I count it a blessing to be serving you in any capacity, but also, because of the transformative work that is occurring. However, the unrelenting attacks on me personally, my family, are unprecedented and have taken a sizable toll on all of us.”

He continued: “My desire in service to you has always been to bless you as you make important decisions for the American people. I believe you are serving as President today because of God’s providence.…

GE CEO: Company ‘Finished’ with Restructuring

June 27, 2018

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General Electric (GE) saw its stock price surge more than 7% on June 26 after the company said it would dissolve its stake in oil services company Baker Hughes and spin off its healthcare unit over the next few years.

The announcement comes one day after GE said it would sell its Distributed Power business, which includes the company’s Jenbacher and Waukesha engines, to global private investment firm Advent International in a $ 3.25 billion deal.

CEO John Flannery on Tuesday, in an interview with the CNBC program “Squawk on the Street,” said, “I’m a believer” in his company’s turnaround prospects. “I’m very comfortable when we have seen issues along the way, we’ve serviced them, we’ve dealt with them and I think today is another example of that,” he said.

Flannery, who has divested several of the company’s assets since taking over from long-time CEO Jeffrey Immelt last summer, including the company’s electrification unit, said, “We are finished” when asked if more moves were in the offing.…

Restructuring on Horizon for Siemens and GE

June 25, 2018

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Siemens and General Electric, two rivals battling financial problems due to fewer orders for their flagship energy products and services, could each announce major restructuring moves in the coming weeks, according to media reports.

Reuters on June 21, citing a person familiar with the matter, said Siemens plans to merge or trim some of its industrial units, which could include its power operations. Reuters said it was told the Munich, Germany-based company would reduce its core industrial divisions from five to three, effective October 1—the start of the company’s next fiscal year. It reported that sources said details of the company’s “Vision 2020+” plan would be known in August.

Bloomberg earlier this month said the company was considering the sale of its gas turbines manufacturing unit.

Germany’s Manager Magazin also reported the changes on Thursday. The magazine said the new divisions would have higher margin targets. It reported that part of the plan is to merge the company’s “so-called Digital Factory unit with operations designed to automate process industries, and to combine overland high-voltage networks with the power plant business.”…

First AP1000 Nuclear Units Reach Key Milestones

June 23, 2018

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Two Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear power plants being constructed in China have successfully completed significant project milestones.

Sanmen Unit 1—the world’s first AP1000 reactor—achieved initial criticality on June 21. Initial criticality is a nuclear industry term meaning the reactor’s neutron population has remained steady from one generation to the next and the nuclear fission chain reaction is self-sustaining for the first time.

“Today we completed the final major milestone before commercial operation for Westinghouse’s AP1000 nuclear power plant technology,” Westinghouse President and CEO José Emeterio Gutiérrez said in a press release announcing the accomplishment. “We are one step closer to delivering the world’s first AP1000 plant to our customer and the world—with our customers, we will provide our customers in China with safe, reliable and clean energy from Sanmen 1.”

The next significant step is connecting the unit to the electric grid. Assuming work continues on schedule, Sanmen Unit 1 will be the first AP1000 nuclear power plant to commence operation.

Meanwhile, at the Haiyang facility, fuel loading began on Unit 1—another AP1000 reactor.…