BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY FOR THE GLOBAL GENERATION INDUSTRY

Ap

ril 2008 • V

ol. 152 • N

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Vol. 152 • No. 4 • April 2008www.powermag.com

Plants compete for scarce water

When is a turbine technology mature?

Developing the next generation of reactors

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Established 1882 • Vol. 152 • No. 4 April 2008

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COVER STORY: NUCLEAR POWER

28 Super Tuesday, Super Bowl XLII, and the nukesThe consensus from a recent nuclear energy conference was that politics, probably more than engineering, will determine the fate of the alleged nuclear renaissance.

SPECIAL REPORTS

WATER MANAGEMENT

34 New coal plant technologies will demand more waterWorldwide, competition for water resources is forcing power plant developers and owners to minimize water use. We look at some of the technical, regulatory, and politi-cal issues that shape the water-electricity debate.

NUCLEAR POWER

44 Developing the next generation of reactorsThe fourth generation of nuclear reactors promise to deliver everything the emerging Generation III+ models do—plus the ability to support hydrogen production, thermal energy off-taking, advanced actinide management, and perhaps even water desalina-tion. Here’s how the six technology contenders line up.

PLANT DESIGN

54 Turbine technology maturity: A shifting paradigmEven if two gas turbines have the same model number, they’ll operate differently if one has been modified in the factory or in the field and the other has not. Given the plethora of plant-initiated and OEM-implemented tweaks, accurately evaluating the results of turbine field performance when making a purchase recommendation is a challenge.

FEATURES

CYBER SECURITY

66 Time to get serious about securityFERC’s critical infrastructure protection standards force power generators to pro-actively deal with cyber security. And even though FERC’s enforcement authority in this matter is being challenged, plants shouldn’t take a wait-and-see position. Here are several things plants should be doing now—for their own good.

PLANT DESIGN

70 Castejon 2: Ready to reign in SpainFlexibility is the advantage offered by this new combined-cycle plant, built in short order under Alstom’s “Plant Integrator” approach. Fuel flexibility and operational flex-ibility enable its owner, HC Energía, to back up wind generation and to turn a profit under a wide range of market conditions.

WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT

74 The aging workforce: Panic is not a strategyThe real problem that utilities face is a knowledge crisis—a transformation in how knowledge is valued, leveraged, and distributed in the marketplace.

EVENTS

80 ELECTRIC POWER 2008 offers access to the latest products and servicesTake a sneak peak at what awaits you on the exhibit floor this May in Baltimore.

On the coverIllustration by Leslie Claire

DEPARTMENTS

4 SPEAKING OF POWER

6 GLOBAL MONITOR 6 Tenaska proposes first new coal-

fired plant with carbon capture 6 Concerns raised over growth of

China’s CO2 emissions 8 Sandia, Stirling Energy Systems

set new world record 9 Indonesia orders first Wärtsilä

GasCubes 10 First wind turbines on Galapagos

Islands cut oil imports 12 Harnessing waste heat for

electricity 14 POWER digest 17 Correction

18 FOCUS ON O&M 18 Tag-teamed seawater cleanup 20 New cooling towers to improve

river’s health 20 Back to school

26 LEGAL & REGULATORY

100 NEW PRODUCTS

112 COMMENTARY

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Now incorporating and

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SPEAKING OF POWER

Reducing gridlock

North America’s electricity grid has been described as the world’s most complex machine. The grid is unique among utility infrastructure systems for its need to have supply

and demand—generation and load—balanced at all times. There still are no technologies for storing large quantities of electricity akin to liquefied natural gas tanks, voice mail, or e-mail servers. Because power consumption is instantaneous, dispatching gen-erating capacity and switching feeders on and off are the only controls available to grid operators.

The spoils of powerShort power outages are a mere inconvenience for the average American household, which has been spoiled by highly reliable electric service. But reliability is essential for large factories’ profitability. To them, any outage—even one of just a few mil-liseconds—may cause a key manufacturing process to crash and shut down an entire assembly line.

Longer outages take bigger tolls. Here are some examples of the big business impact of a major power failure. Hewlett-Packard recently estimated that a 20-minute outage at one of its wafer fabrication plants would cause the loss of an entire day’s produc-tion, valued at $30 million. In California, a blackout in June 2000 cost Silicon Valley businesses $100 million, according to the Sili-con Valley Manufacturers Group. According to the DOE, the great Northeast blackout of August 2003 cost the U.S. economy about $6 billion, including $4 billion in lost wages and profits. The joint U.S.-Canada task force assembled to determine why the blackout occurred put its cost at between $4 billion and $10 billion.

As the complexity of the grid grows, so do the costs of a grid disturbance and the ease with which one can propagate.

New grid sensitivitiesRecent events confirm that even the best-oiled machine won’t operate at peak efficiency if an operator goofs or if Mother Na-ture decides to remind us who’s really in charge.

The Los Angeles Times’s main headline on February 26 was “Massive power outage in Florida affects millions.” The ensuing story described a mid-day “transmission glitch” at a West Miami substation that knocked out electricity to three million people and tripped two reactors at the Turkey Point nuclear station. Florida Power & Light later explained that an engineer had deac-tivated two levels of relay protection at the West Miami substa-

tion to help diagnose a switch malfunction. While he was making measurements, a short-circuit knocked 3,400 MW off-line.

That same day, Reuters’ lead story was “Loss of wind causes Texas power grid emergency.” ERCOT reported that the normally stable frequency of its grid dropped suddenly when the state’s wind production fell by more than 1,400 MW over 30 minutes. This loss of load forced ERCOT to go to Stage Two of its emergency electric curtailment plan and shave 1,100 MW of demand from in-dustrial customers. The emergency passed in about three hours.

A 2007 study of the ERCOT grid noted that wind energy is “anti-correlated” with load, meaning that wind speeds—and wind power generation—usually drop sharply as the day’s load rises in the morning and then pick up again as day turns to night and demand falls. The study also concluded that putting more wind capacity on-line requires dispatching more conventional capacity to maintain grid voltage and frequency.

The Texas legislature recently learned from ERCOT that the state’s reserve margin will be about 13% this summer but will fall below 12.5% next year. Overall, peak demand is expected to rise more than 25% over the next 20 years. ERCOT’s CEO said at a March KEMA conference that the state must nearly double its generating capacity by 2026 to meet growth in demand and to replace retired plants. In other words, the 5,000 MW of wind projects in the ERCOT queue will do nothing to improve the reli-ability of Texas power.

Smart vs. simpleModernizing America’s existing grid would enhance service reli-ability, increase transmission capacity, and even make U.S. in-dustry more productive. It is estimated that productivity losses caused by transmission constraints and other grid issues cost the U.S. economy over $100 billion a year. However, securing the funding for such a system remains a problem because spoiled retail ratepayers don’t see how it would benefit them.

Xcel Energy’s March announcement of its vision to make Boul-der, Colorado, the nation’s first fully integrated “Smart Grid City” (www.xcelenergy.com/smartgrid) is a tangible start. Infrastruc-ture upgrades expected to cost more than $100 million would include a real-time communications network for local metering of power, an optimizing substation with “smart” technologies, a system for integrating and dispatching distributed generation technologies such as plug-in hybrid vehicles and solar panels, and devices to fully automate in-home energy use and cut its cost by, for example, running appliances during off-peak hours.

I commend Xcel Energy for conceiving of Smart Grid City, which will no doubt become a reality within a few years. But I also wonder about the impact on system reliability—and retail rates—of this additional layer of complexity, which would ex-tend the reach of the grid into homes and require user interac-tion. Never underestimate the power of human error, or Mother Nature’s ability to have the last word on human endeavors. ■

—Dr. Robert Peltier, PEEditor-in-Chief

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GLOBAL MONITORGLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR GLOBAL MONITOR

Tenaska proposes first new coal-fired plant with carbon captureTenaska Inc. is developing a site near Sweetwater, Texas, for a new 765-MW gross, 600-MW net supercritical coal-fired power plant that will capture up to 90% of the CO2 in the stack gas. The captured CO2 will to be used in enhancing oil produc-tion in the Permian Basin. The proposed construction site for the $3 billion Trail-

blazer Energy Center is a 1,919-acre tract east of Sweetwater and north of Interstate 20 in Nolan County. Construction could begin in late 2009 and be completed in 2014 (Figure 1).

If built, the plant will be the first new commercial coal-fueled power plant, other than small research projects, to capture and provide for storage of CO2. The CO2 would be captured and transported via pipeline to oil fields in the Permian Ba-

sin, where it will be used in enhanced oil recovery and be stored in the basin’s geologic formations. CO2 has been used to increase oil production in West Texas for more than 30 years (Figure 2).

The volume of CO2 expected to be sold to oil producers could be used to recover enough oil to add more than $1 billion a year to the Texas economy.

“Nolan County is home to more wind turbines than any other place in the United States,” said Nolan County Judge Tim Fambrough. “The Tenaska Trailblazer Energy Center builds on this area’s reputa-tion as a location for progressive, environ-mentally responsible electric generation. We are delighted to welcome Tenaska to our community.”

An air permit application, the first for-mal step in gaining approval to build the plant, was filed in early March with the Texas Commission on Environmental Qual-ity, according to David Fiorelli, president and CEO of Tenaska’s Business Develop-ment Group.

The final decision to proceed with the project will be made in 2009 based on a number of factors, including the availabil-ity of local, state, and federal incentives; final project cost estimates; and projected market prices for electricity and CO2. Cur-rent estimates of these factors make the project appear to be economically feasible. In the meantime, Tenaska is working with Sweetwater area officials to determine the project’s feasibility and to provide accu-rate and timely information to Sweetwater area residents.

Concerns raised over growth of China’s CO2 emissionsThe growth in China’s CO2 emissions is far outpacing previous estimates, mak-ing the goal of stabilizing atmospheric greenhouse gases even more difficult, ac-cording to a new analysis by economists at the University of California, Berkeley and UC San Diego. The study is scheduled for print publication in the May issue of the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management.

Previous estimates, including those used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, say the region that in-cludes China will see a 2.5% to 5% an-nual increase in CO2 emissions between 2004 and 2010. The new UC analysis pegs China’s annual growth rate at 11%, at a

600 net megawattsof power generated

Increased oilproduction of at least$1 billion a year

Power for600,000

Texas homes

CO2

carbondioxide

Crudeoil

Enhanced oil recovery

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

85–9

0% CO2 captured

Electricity

1. First out of the gate. Tenaska has proposed the first coal-fired supercritical power plant with integrated CO2 capture. Source: Tenaska Inc.

2 Bury it deep. Captured CO2 from the Trailblazer Energy Center will be used for enhanced oil recovery in the Permian Basin. Source: Tenaska Inc.

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minimum, for the same time period. In contrast, the U.S. Energy Information Ad-ministration reports U.S. CO2 emissions decreased 1.3% in 2006 from the previous year. Data for 2007 is not yet available.

The researchers’ most conservative fore-cast predicts that by 2010 there will be an increase of 600 million metric tons of car-bon emissions in China over the country’s levels in 2000. This growth from China alone would dramatically overshadow the 116 million metric tons of carbon emis-sions reductions pledged by all the devel-oped countries in the Kyoto Protocol and surpassed those of the U.S. last year.

Put another way, the projected annual increase in China alone over the next sev-eral years is greater than the current emis-sions produced by either Great Britain or Germany.

The authors pointed out that after 2000, China’s central government began shifting the responsibility for building new power plants to provincial officials, who had less incentive and fewer re-sources to build cleaner, more efficient plants, which save money in the long run but are more expensive to construct. Government officials turned away from energy efficiency as an objective to ex-panding power generation as quickly and cheaply as they could. Wealthier coastal provinces tended to build clean-burning power plants based upon the very best technology available, but many of the poorer interior provinces replicated inef-ficient 1950s Soviet technology.

Sandia, Stirling Energy Systems set new world recordOn a perfect New Mexico winter day—with the sky almost 10% brighter than usual—Sandia National Laboratories and Stirling

Energy Systems (SES) set a new solar-to-grid system conversion efficiency record by achieving a 31.25% net efficiency rate. The old 1984 record of 29.4% was toppled January 31 by SES’s “Serial #3” solar dish Stirling system at Sandia’s National Solar Thermal Test Facility (Figure 3).

The conversion efficiency is calculated by measuring the net energy delivered to the grid and dividing it by the solar energy hitting the dish mirrors. Auxiliary loads, such as water pumps, computers and tracking motors, are accounted for in the net power measurement.

“Gaining two whole points of conver-sion efficiency in this type of system is phenomenal,” said Bruce Osborn, SES president and CEO. “This is a significant advancement that takes our dish engine systems well beyond the capacities of any other solar dish collectors and one step closer to commercializing an affordable system.”

Serial #3 was erected in May 2005 as part of a prototype six-dish model power plant at the Solar Thermal Test Facility that produces up to 150 kW of grid-ready electrical power during the day. Each dish unit consists of 82 mirrors arranged in a dish shape to focus sunlight into an in-tense beam.

The solar dish generates electricity by focusing the sun’s rays onto a receiver, which transmits the heat energy to a Stir-ling engine. The engine is a sealed sys-tem filled with hydrogen. As the gas heats and cools, its pressure rises and falls. The change in pressure drives the pistons in-side the engine, producing mechanical power, which in turn drives a generator and makes electricity.

Lead Sandia project engineer Chuck An-draka says that several technical advance-ments to the systems made jointly by SES and Sandia led to the record-breaking so-lar-to-grid conversion efficiency. SES owns the dishes and all the hardware. Sandia provides technical and analytical support to SES in a relationship that dates back more than 10 years.

Andraka says the first and probably most important advancement was improved optics. The Stirling dishes are made of a low-iron glass with a silver backing that make them highly reflective—focusing as much as 94% of the incident sunlight on the engine package, whereas prior efforts reflected about 91%. The mirror facets, patented by Sandia and Paneltec Corp. of Lafayette, Colo., are highly accurate and have minimal imperfections in shape.

Both improvements allow for the loss-control aperture to be reduced to 7 inches

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3. For the record books. Sandia and Stirling Energy Systems set a new world record for solar-to-grid conversion efficiency of 31.25%, eclipsing the old record of 29.4% that had stood for 24 years. Courtesy: Sandia National Laboratory, Photo by Randy Montoya

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 9

in diameter—meaning that light is highly concentrated as it en-ters the receiver. Other advancements to the solar dish–engine system that helped Sandia and SES beat the energy conversion record were a new, more effective radiator that also costs less to build and a new high-efficiency generator.

The temperature on the record-setting date, which hovered around freezing, allowed the cold portion of the engine to op-erate at about 73F, and the sky’s brightness meant that more energy was produced while most parasitic loads and losses were constant. The test ran for two and a half hours. A 60-minute run-ning average was used to evaluate the power and efficiency data, in order to eliminate transient effects. During the testing phase, the system produced 26.75 kW, net.

SES is working to commercialize the record-performing sys-tem and has signed power purchase agreements with two ma-jor southern California utilities (Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric) for up to 1,750 MW, representing the world’s two largest solar power contracts. Collectively, these con-tracts require up to 70,000 solar dish–engine units.

Indonesia orders first Wärtsilä GasCubesIn December 2007, Wärtsilä got its first order for a Wärtsilä Gas-Cube power plant. PT PLN (Persero) Wilayah Kalimantan Timur, a regional subsidiary of the Indonesian state-owned utility com-pany PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) (Persero), ordered two GasCubes for a single site in Bontang in the province of East Kalimantan.

Both plants incorporate a Wärtsilä 16V34SG gas engine rated at 7 MW (Figure 4). The two GasCubes are due to be handed over in March 2009. They will run on locally available natural gas to gen-erate electricity for the national grid. The GasCubes were selected because of their high generating efficiency and small footprint.

The Wärtsilä GasCube is a standardized power plant that pro-vides industrial customers, utilities, and independent power pro-ducers with economical, reliable, and quickly installed capacity of 7 to 26 MW on a turnkey basis.

Each GasCube is a complete single-engine power plant with all the ancillaries and components needed to form a working power production unit. Each plant is of cubical construction with radiators on the roof and an exhaust gas stack close to the Cube. The GasCube is based on Wärtsilä 34SG engines and can

4. Thinking inside the box. The Wärtsilä GasCube is a com-plete single-engine power plant with all the ancillaries and components needed to form a working power production unit. Courtesy: Wärtsilä

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provide up to 9 MW. All components and structures are above ground.

The exhaust silencer and stack are inte-grated, thereby reducing the plant’s foot-print. The small footprint and minimum interface with the surrounding environ-ment open up new possibilities for plac-ing the GasCubes. A closed-circuit cooling system that reduces water consumption to a minimum makes the plant perfectly suit-able for remote locations or any location where water is scarce.

First wind turbines on Galapagos Islands cut oil importsIn January 2001, the world held its breath when the tanker Jessica, loaded with 150,000 gallons of fuel, struck a reef and began breaking up in the heart of one of the most precious, famous, and fragile ecosystems on Earth—the Galapagos Is-lands. At risk were vast numbers of unique species of flora and fauna written about by Charles Darwin in studies that contrib-uted to his landmark theory of evolution by natural selection.

The sight of thousands of gallons of oil pouring into the ocean off the Galapagos island of San Cristobal triggered a deter-

mined international initiative to mitigate risks of future spills by dramatically reduc-ing the islands’ dependence on diesel fuel to generate electricity.

Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa just launched his country’s program to end the use of fossil fuels on the Galapagos by 2015. That initiative is led by the San Cristobal Wind Project: three giant wind turbines that will halve the island’s diesel fuel imports and pave the way for further renewable energy development elsewhere in the archipelago (Figure 5).

The three wind turbines, totaling 2.4 MW, were installed by the San Cristobal Wind Project, an international partnership among the government of Ecuador, the UN Development Program (UNDP), and nine of the world’s largest electricity companies (known as the e8). They started supply-ing power on the islands last October. The system will meet 60% to 80% of electrical demand during the windy months of Octo-ber, November, and December.

The San Cristobal Wind Project is the first stage of an umbrella program supported by Ecuador and the UNDP that will eventually bring renewable electricity—hybrid wind-diesel with some photovoltaic power—to the 30,000 residents of the Galapagos ar-chipelago’s five inhabited islands.

The lead company in the project’s de-

5. Evolving power supply. Ecuador recently dedicated three wind turbines on the Galapa-gos Islands that will supply approximately half of the residents’ power demands. Courtesy: e8

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velopment, funding, and implementation was American Electric Power (AEP), which provided about half of the $10.8 million needed. Ecuador provided $3.2 million, and $1 million came from the United Nations Foundation, coupled with contributions from the UNDP and other sources. A trust has been established to facilitate the sys-tem’s ongoing training needs, maintenance and operation, and eventual removal.

“From day one, the overriding concern was the need to protect this invaluable place and its incredible biodiversity,” said Michael G. Morris, CEO of AEP. “The e8 team approached this work with a level of cau-tion akin to the curators responsible for da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Michelangelo’s David.”

According to project manager Luis Vin-timilla of EOLICSA, the company estab-lished to operate the project, it is not possible to replace all diesel generation capacity with wind power. “That would be ideal, but there is not enough wind year round,” he said. “In particular, during four months of the year with unfavorable wind conditions, during certain hours on cer-tain days, it will be necessary to continue using diesel generated electricity. Howev-er, it is recommended that future work be done on projects to substitute the diesel currently used with a more environmen-tally friendly fuel.”

Harnessing waste heat for electricityEnergy now lost as heat during the pro-duction of electricity could be harnessed through the use of silicon nanowires synthesized via a technique developed by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the Uni-versity of California (UC) at Berkeley. The far-ranging potential applications of this technology include the DOE’s hydrogen fuel cell–powered “Freedom CAR” and personal power-jackets that could use heat from the human body to recharge cell phones and other electronic devices.

“For example, if it is cold outside and you are wearing a jacket made of mate-rial embedded with thermoelectric mod-ules, you could recharge mobile electronic devices off the heat of your body [Figure 6],” explained Arun Majumdar, a mechani-cal engineer and materials scientist with joint appointments at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley. “In fact, thermoelectric gen-erators have already been used to convert body heat to power wrist watches.”

“We’ve shown that it’s possible to achieve a large enhancement of thermoelectric energy efficiency at room temperature in

rough silicon nanowires that have been processed by wafer-scale electrochemical synthesis,” said chemist Peidong Yang, the other principal investigator behind this re-search, who also holds joint Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley appointments.

The researchers describe a unique “elec-troless etching” method by which arrays of silicon nanowires are synthesized in an aqueous solution on the surfaces of wafers that can measure dozens of square inches in area. The technique involves the gal-vanic displacement of silicon through the reduction of silver ions on a wafer’s surface. Unlike other synthesis techniques, which yield smooth-surfaced nanowires, this

electroless etching method produces arrays of vertically aligned silicon nanowires that feature exceptionally rough surfaces. The roughness is believed to be critical to the surprisingly high thermoelectric efficiency of the silicon nanowires (Figure 7).

“Thermoelectric materials, which have the ability to convert heat into electricity, potentially could be used to capture much of the low-grade waste heat now being lost and convert it into electricity,” said Majumdar. “The same devices can also be used as refrigerators and air conditioners, and because these devices can be minia-turized, it could make heating and cooling much more localized and efficient.”

The ability to dip a wafer into solution and grow on its surface a forest of verti-cally aligned nanowires that are consis-tent in size opens the door to the creation of thermoelectric modules that could be used in a wide variety of situations. For example, such modules could convert the heat from automotive exhaust into supple-mental power for a vehicle, or provide the electricity a conventional vehicle needs to run its radio, air conditioner, and power windows.

When scaled up, thermoelectric mod-ules could eventually be used for cogen-erating power with gas or steam turbines. “You can siphon electrical power from just about any situation in which heat is be-ing given off, heat that is currently being wasted,” said Majumdar.

The Berkeley Lab researchers will be studying the physics behind this phenom-enon to better understand and possibly manipulate it for additional improve-ments. Berkeley Lab’s Technology Transfer Department is now seeking industrial part-ners to further develop and commercialize this technology.

6. Nano generators. Rough silicon nanowires demonstrated high-performance thermoelectric properties even at room tem-perature when connected between two sus-pended heating pads. Here, one pad serves as the heat source (pink) and the other as the sensor. Source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

7. Miracle fibers. A cross-sectional scanning electron microscope image of an array of rough silicon nanowires includes an inset showing a typical wafer chip of these wires (a). The second photograph is a transmission electron microscope image of a segment of one of these wires in which the surface roughness can be clearly seen. The inset shows that the wire is single-crystalline all along its length. Source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

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POWER digestNews items of interest to power industry professionals.

CO2 capture demo. Basin Electric Pow-er Cooperative and Powerspan Corp. an-nounced the selection of Powerspan’s CO2 capture technology for a commercial dem-onstration at Basin Electric’s coal-based electrical generation facility, the Antelope Valley Station located near Beulah, North Dakota. (For more details on the Power-span CO2 removal technology, see POWER October 2007, p. 54.)

Approximately one million tons of CO2 will be captured annually from the 120-MW slipstream project, making this dem-onstration among the largest in the world. The captured CO2 will be fed into an exist-ing CO2 compression and pipeline system owned by Basin Electric’s wholly owned subsidiary, Dakota Gasification Co.

IGCC plant gets regulator nod. Going boldly where some states have feared to tread, the Public Service Commission of West Virginia gave its approval to Ameri-can Electric Power Co.’s plans to build a

629-MW IGCC coal power plant at the site of AEP’s existing Mountaineer plant near New Haven, W.V.

With the approval, AEP becomes the second utility to have been given the go-ahead by state regulators to build a commercial-scale power plant using IGCC technology that remains commercially un-proven for power plant applications.

Duke Energy Corp.’s application to build a 630-MW IGCC plant was approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Com-mission in November. Both Duke and AEP still need to secure air permits before they can begin construction of their respective projects.

Regulators in other states have balked at IGCC plants because of the technical uncertainties and fears about saddling ratepayers with high development costs.

The AEP project’s cost, now estimated to be about $2.23 billion, has nearly doubled since the Columbus, Ohio–based company announced it in 2004. The heavy cost in-creases are due to sharp price increases in steel, cement, and other construction necessities—fueled in part by China’s bur-geoning economy.

DOE refuses to reconsider corridors.The DOE has refused requests by state and local officials, environmentalists, and affected community groups to reexamine the parameters of its two “national inter-est electric transmission corridors,” thus clearing the way for utilities to seek fed-eral override of state and local opposition to new power lines located in those DOE- designated areas in the Southwest and Mid-Atlantic.

While acknowledging state and local concerns about federal intervention in power line siting decisions, the DOE said it was carrying out directives from Con-gress in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which required the department to estab-lish the corridors and granted the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission “backstop” authority to approve power lines in those corridors that are blocked by state and lo-cal officials.

The department also said that in draw-ing the national interest transmission corridors, it relied on clear evidence that there was transmission congestion in the designated areas and that new power lines were needed to meet growing electricity demand in those energy-con-strained regions.

The DOE also rejected a welter of argu-ments from critics who said that it had failed to consult adequately with states in setting the transmission corridors, as required by Congress; that it violated

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federal administrative law by failing to provide enough time for public comment on its proposed corridors; that it violated federal environmental review require-ments; and that it had relied too heav-ily on CRA International, a contractor, in assessing transmission congestion (New York officials contended that CRA studies gave too much weight to electric utility industry views).

In what could be a focus of legal chal-lenges to the DOE, the department assert-ed that it did not have to follow federal administrative procedure because its ac-tion on the corridors was an “informal ad-judication.” Lawsuits to follow.

Florida blackout caused by engineer error. In what it called preliminary find-ings of an ongoing investigation into the blackout, Florida Power & Light Co. (FPL) said an engineer working on a switch malfunction at a west Miami substation turned off “two levels of relay protection,” allowing the fault to ripple through the grid, resulting in the loss of power for 2.5 million Floridians in late February.

The company’s announcement appears to answer a key question asked by fed-eral officials and investigators with the North American Electric Reliability Corp.: Why wasn’t the small short-circuit at the substation quickly isolated by protective devices so it did not spread?

“While still preliminary, the results of the investigation so far indicate that hu-man error was the primary factor immedi-ately responsible for the event,” FPL said in a press release.

“A field engineer was diagnosing a switch that had malfunctioned at FPL’s Flagami substation in West Miami,” the utility said. “Without authorization, the engineer disabled two levels of relay pro-tection. This was done contrary to FPL’s standard procedures and established prac-tices. Standard procedures do not permit the simultaneous removal of both levels of protection.

“During the diagnostic process, a fault occurred and, because both levels of re-lay protection had been removed, caused an outage ultimately affecting 26 trans-mission lines and 38 substations. One of the substations affected serves three of the generation units at Turkey Point, including a natural gas unit as well as both nuclear units, which, as designed, automatically and safely shut down due to an under-voltage condition. Also af-fected were two other generation plants in FPL’s system. Total impact to the sys-tem was a loss of 3,400 MW of generating capacity.”

H-Engine achieves first firing in Ja-pan. GE Energy’s first commercial H System gas turbine has achieved first fir-ing at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Futtsu Thermal Power Station. Tepco Futtsu is the first commercial site for GE’s most advanced gas turbine combined-cycle system.

Futtsu Thermal Power Station will feature three H Systems, each including GE Energy’s 9H gas turbine along with a steam turbine and generator provided by

Toshiba under an agreement with GE. The three combined-cycle blocks will enter commercial operation between 2008 and 2010, with a total output of 1,520 MW.

Futtsu Thermal Power Station is the second location where GE Energy’s H Sys-tem gas turbine will be in operation. The world’s first 50-Hz 9H combined-cycle sys-tem entered service in 2003 at Baglan Bay in South Wales and has surpassed 26,500 operating hours. The first 60-Hz project is the Inland Empire Energy Center in Cali-

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fornia, scheduled to begin service later this year.

CO2 capture partnership formed. Al-stom and The Dow Chemical Co. (Dow) announced a joint development and com-mercialization agreement for advanced amine scrubbing technology for the re-moval of CO2 from low-pressure flue gases particular to fossil fuel–fired power plants and other major industries. The agreement between Alstom and Dow is worldwide and exclusive for the application of this specif-

ic technology (see POWER, February 2008, p. 38 for a description of the process).

Under the agreement, Alstom will commercialize and manage the installa-tion of carbon capture solutions using the developed process. Dow, a global gas treatment technology leader, will support Alstom by leveraging its technical capa-bilities to co-develop an optimized CO2

capture system. Panda Energy to build 500-MW plant.

Panda Energy Inc. has announced that

it intends to build, own, and operate a 500-MW combined-cycle power plant in an industrial-zoned area of the city of Sherman, Texas. The Panda Sherman gen-erating station will be located on a 200-acre site at the Progress Industrial Park. Construction will take approximately 24 months and is dependent upon financing, regulatory approvals, and other condi-tions. Panda Energy previously announced that it has filed for an air permit to build a 1,000-MW combined-cycle power plant in Temple, Texas.

Peru gets two gas turbines. Siemens Power Generation has awarded Worley-Parsons the engineering phase contract for installation of two SGT6-5000F simple-cycle units in Peru. The first unit is the Simba Project for EnerSur, a subsidiary of Suez Energy International. That proj-ect is located in Chilca, 37 miles south of Lima. The second installation is the Kallpa Unit II Project for Kallpa Generacion S.A., where Siemens previously installed a SGT6-5000F unit. The two project sites are less than a mile from each other. Worley-Parsons’ Chattanooga office design team, with support from ARA WorleyParsons in Chile, will complete both projects on an economically structured concurrent basis. The projects are scheduled for completion in July 2008.

Superconducting wire goes live. SuperPower Inc. has reconnected the 350-meter high-temperature supercon-ducting (HTS) cable to the National Grid power system between the Riverside and Menands substations in Albany, N.Y. Using a new 30-meter cable segment fabricated with wire manufactured in Schenectady, SuperPower marked the successful instal-lation and energization of Phase 2 of the HTS Cable Demonstration Project funded by the DOE and the New York State En-ergy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). HTS cables, which carry three to five times more power than the cop-per-based power cables in use today, can provide an important solution to the ever-increasing demand for more and higher-quality power.

The Albany HTS Cable Project, first installed and energized in July 2006, initially consisted of two sections—a 320-meter-long section connected to an-other 30 meters long—both fabricated with the so-called first-generation HTS wire. During Phase 2 of this demonstra-tion project, the 30-meter section was removed and replaced during 2007 with an equal section fabricated from Super-Power’s new second-generation (2G) HTS wire.

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This is the first in-grid demonstration in the world of a device that incorporates 2G HTS wire, which is expected to provide important performance and price benefits compared with copper wire. HTS cables carry more power more efficiently because they occupy less space than comparably rated conventional cables. HTS cables can be retrofitted into existing underground conduits, eliminating the need for ad-ditional trenching, which will be of par-ticular benefit in highly congested urban settings, such as New York City.

The $27 million Albany HTS Cable Proj-ect began in 2001 with a $6 million grant from NYSERDA and $13.5 million provided by the DOE. SuperPower; Sumitomo Elec-tric Industries (Osaka, Japan); Linde, formerly known as BOC (Germany); and National Grid (Westborough, Mass.) have all contributed their technical capabilities to this project. SuperPower has managed the project and manufactured the 2G HTS wire; Sumitomo has manufactured and in-stalled the HTS cable systems; and Linde has provided and monitored the cryogenic refrigeration system that is used to cool the HTS cable to –333F.

APS announces world-class-size solar

plant. Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) has announced plans for one of the world’s largest solar facilities: a 280-MW concen-trating solar power (CSP) plant to be built 70 miles southwest of Phoenix, near Gila Bend, Ariz.

The Solana Generating Station will be built by Abengoa Solar Inc. and is sched-uled to provide renewable energy begin-ning in 2011. It will provide APS with more solar electricity per customer than any utility in the U.S. The facility also would be the largest solar power plant in the world if it were in operation today.

APS noted that it chose Abengoa Solar because of its extensive experience con-structing, owning, and operating solar power plants. Abengoa Solar deploys CSP technologies across the world, including large-scale facilities under construction or development in the U.S., Spain, Algeria, and Morocco.

Unlike traditional solar-photovoltaic plants, which use direct sunlight to pro-duce electricity, CSP uses the sun’s heat. Parabolic mirrors track the sun and fo-cus solar energy on a heat transfer fluid. Once heated, the liquid converts water into steam, which turns the plant’s tur-

bines to create electricity. This technol-ogy allows the plant to produce more energy for customers than a photovoltaic solar power plant, which only produces electricity when its panels are exposed to direct sunlight. (For more information on concentrating solar technology, see POWER, December 2007, p. 40.)

APS also recently announced that it has joined a multi-state consortium of south-western utilities that have an interest in contracting for a separate 250-MW solar power plant. Should that project proceed to completion, APS customers will receive a portion of the energy from the joint de-velopment project, as well as all of the energy from the Solana facility. ■

CorrectionIn the February Speaking of Power col-umn, the title for John Hutton’s posi-tion in the British government should have been secretary for business, enter-prise, and regulatory reform.

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FOCUS ON O&MWATER TREATMENT

Tag-teamed seawater cleanupThe scarcity of water resources is caus-ing big problems in China, both directly and indirectly. The lack of potable water directly impairs the health and well-be-ing of millions of people and restricts agricultural and industrial activity. The shortage of water also causes a second-ary problem by constraining the country’s ability to expand electric power produc-tion to meet the needs of its rapidly growing economy.

To produce electricity, power plants require large volumes of high-quality water for boiler makeup and for cooling. However, in most locations, no surplus water is available, and the government will not allow new plants to place addi-tional demands on already scarce water supplies. To gain government approval, a new plant must either use more-avail-able kinds of water—such as seawater

and wastewater—or it must pay very high fees for surface or ground water.

At the new power plant in the Liaon-ing Province coastal city of Zhuanghe, seawater was a natural choice. The plant supports the region’s thriving economy, which is driven in large part by the gov-erning sub-provincial city of Dalian, a prosperous industrial center with the third-largest port in China and the coun-try’s northernmost ice-free seaport.

The construction of the Zhuanghe plant (Figure 1) was undertaken in two phases. The first phase, completed in the fall of 2006, provided 1,200 MW; the second phase completed the 3,200-MW plant at the end of last year. During the first phase, the plant drew surface water from a reservoir located 12 miles away. With completion of the second phase, the plant switched over to seawater for all cooling water and boiler makeup needs.

UF, then RO. “The Zhuanghe plant has been designed as a model facility to showcase the best available technology,”

according to Mr. Zhang, plant manager. “The first large saltwater desalination plant in China was commissioned in 1999, and it has since been well-es-tablished that reverse osmosis is an in-credibly economical process, with lower operating costs and a smaller footprint than thermal distillation.”

The reverse osmosis (RO) system at the Zhuanghe plant also has the advantage of using a two-stage process that can be tai-lored to meet different requirements for particular applications. Only the first stage, seawater RO, is required for the cooling water used by accessory equipment. Boiler makeup requires higher-quality water that must also pass through the second stage, a brackish water RO system.

To optimize the performance of RO sys-tems and protect them from fouling, an effective pretreatment system is required. The Zhuanghe plant chose ultrafiltration (UF) as the pretreatment solution because UF occupies a small footprint and provides higher-quality permeate than convention-

1. Clean sweep. China’s new 3,200-MW Zhuanghe power plant uses seawater for cooling and boiler water makeup. An ultrafiltration system is used for pretreatment because it has a small footprint and provides higher permeate quality to the main (reverse osmosis) plant water treatment system than conventional pretreatment systems. Courtesy: Koch Membrane Systems Inc.

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al pretreatment systems. Fully automatic control and relatively low investment costs were also important factors in the plant’s selection of UF technology. UF pre-treatment for RO systems is an increasing-ly common combination in desalination plants and other large-scale RO systems in China and around the world.

Beijing Lucency Enviro-Tech Co., Ltd., one the largest providers of industrial and municipal water filtration systems in China, was responsible for designing and installing the UF pretreatment system.

The Zhuanghe plant chose Targa-10 UF cartridges from Koch Membrane Sys-tems Inc. (KMS) after plant officials vis-ited two other power plants that employ Targa cartridges for very similar RO pre-treatment applications. These cartridges use a proprietary semi-permeable poly-sulfone hollow-fiber membrane that has been successfully deployed at municipal and industrial water treatment plants in China and elsewhere for more than a decade. In China alone, Targa cartridges treat more than 132 million gallons per day of water from a variety of sources.

The hollow fibers are true ultrafiltra-tion membranes. Their nominal molecu-lar weight cutoff of 100,000 daltons (a dalton is one-twelfth the mass of a Car-bon-12 atom) results in the removal of particulates and larger molecular weight components. The KMS fibers have dem-onstrated the ability to reduce turbidity to less than 0.1 NTU (nephelometric tur-bidity units) and SDI (silt density index) to between 1.0 and 3.0, making them an ideal pretreatment step for spiral RO membranes.

Two trains of UF were commissioned in October 2006, and three additional trains were commissioned at the end of 2007 for the second phase of the plant’s construc-tion. The trains operate in parallel, and each is equipped with 44 cartridges, re-

sulting in a train capacity of 61,000 gal-lons per hour (Figure 2).

Prior to the ultrafiltration, the sea-water is pretreated by coagulation and sedimentation, both performed in the same tank. FeCl3 or Poly FeSO4 is used as coagulant, and if needed, anionic PAM (anionic polyacrylamide) is used as a co-agulant aid. To control biological growth, sodium hypochlorite is added to the feed of the sedimentation tank. The level of controlled free chlorine ahead the UF is

about 0.3 to 1.0 mg/l. A 100-μm screen pre-filter that can be automatically back-washed is installed ahead of the UF to remove larger particles.

Live long and filter. “The most im-portant reason that ultrafiltration was selected for seawater pretreatment is the high quality of the permeate,” said Mr. Zhang. “The high permeate quality results in fewer RO cleaning passes and ensures longer RO element life. But another key reason is that, with our new ultrafiltra-

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2. Seawater makeup. The ultrafiltra-tion system comprises five trains that oper-ate in parallel. Each has 44 cartridges and a capacity of 61,000 gallons per hour. Cour-tesy: Koch Membrane Systems Inc.

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tion system, we are able to cost-effectively tap limitless seawa-ter and avoid draining our scarce surface water resources.”

For more than two millennia, the Dalian region has derived fame and fortune from its strategic coastal location. Now, with UF and RO technology, the sea will support the region’s growth in yet another way, by providing a sustainable supply of water for the new power plant.

—Contributed by Koch Membrane Systems Inc. (www.kochmembrane.com).

New cooling towers to improve river’s healthBig benefits to the Chattahoochee River ecosystem are expect-ed from the start-up of two new cooling towers (Figure 3) at Georgia Power’s Plant McDonough in Smyrna. The first tower began commercial operation this March, and the second was expected to follow suit a month later.

The $96 million cooling towers represent the end product of an agreement between Georgia Power and the state Environ-mental Protection Division in 2000 to lessen the environmental impact of water discharged into the Chattahoochee River. “The towers will help to enrich the river’s habitat by improving the dissolved oxygen levels in the river and by allowing the river to better assimilate treated wastewater that is returned to it from upstream sewage plants,” said Chuck Huling, Georgia Power’s VP of environmental affairs.

Georgia Power has installed state-of-the-art plume abatement technology on the towers to reduce evaporation losses and to minimize fogging and misting in nearby areas during cold, damp weather. Each cooling tower is 550 feet long, 73 feet wide,

and 55 feet high. Each is designed to lower the temperature of 137,000 gallons of water per minute by 20 degrees F.

“Reducing the temperature of the water discharges from the plant will greatly reduce its thermal effect on the river,” said Tony Tramonte, Plant McDonough’s manager. “Installing these cooling towers was the right thing to do for the river and the region.”

Plant McDonough has two coal-fired units with a total gener-ating capacity of 540 MW. They are scheduled to be replaced in 2012 by three natural gas–fired combined-cycle units that will use the new cooling towers. The new gas units will supply 2,520 MW—more than four times the plant’s current capacity.

—Contributed by Georgia Power (www.georgiapower.com)

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Back to schoolOne of the biggest myths about Thomas Edison is that he was not formally educated because he spent very little time attend-ing traditional schools. In reality, his mother had the radical idea that learning could be fun—something she didn’t see in traditional schools—so she personally tutored the fledgling in-ventor using a rigorous program. And when young Edison’s thirst for knowledge outstripped his mom’s ability to deliver it, she brought in other tutors to continue his formal education. By founding his first research laboratory at the age of 23 and sur-rounding himself with a team of bright scholars, Edison demon-strated that he valued education highly and recognized the need for continuing, lifelong learning.

Spurred by competitive pressures, some power producers—Edison’s heirs, in some sense—are now making the same com-mitment: establishing ongoing training programs for employees at all levels of the organization. A rural electric cooperative in the Southeast, for instance, recently established an education program for its workers that begins with the basics, including a review of math and science, and progresses to the most chal-lenging aspects of their disciplines.

The curriculum goes beyond the subject matter traditionally taught for each craft and covers more than just essential subjects. For example, both operators and maintenance mechanics learn to read and understand control logic and electrical schematics—a skill that is typically taught only to instrumentation and control (I&C) technicians. What’s more, maintenance personnel attend

3. Some like it cool. Each of the two new cooling towers at Plant McDonough is designed to lower the temperature of the plant’s effluent by 20F. Courtesy: Georgia Power

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the same courses on plant systems as do operators, who also receive training on predictive and preventive maintenance.

Training for tomorrow. Savvy power producers are concerned with training not just existing employees, but future ones, too. Just as firms in other U.S. industries have already done, power companies are becoming substitute teachers in what many believe is the country’s faltering education system. They are teaming up with schools to provide gifts of equip-ment, paid work-study programs, literacy volunteers, teacher training, and more.

As an example, a 2,600-MW coal-fired plant in the Midwest launched a train-ing program for college engineering stu-dents a few years ago. The participants included 15 students from 12 different universities. The plant’s owner, a util-ity, anticipates the need to put younger engineers into its training pipeline—es-pecially recent graduates with computer modeling and I&C skills.

Managers of the plant reported both short- and long-term benefits of the edu-cation project. The students assisted in performance testing of the newly retrofit-ted plant by comparing efficiencies be-fore and after installation of a new flue gas desulfurization system. In the pro-cess, the 15 high-caliber students gained an appreciation for the power industry in general and—the plant managers hope—for their utility in particular. The program also paid dividends in community rela-tions, an area for which more and more plant managers are taking responsibility.

Results-oriented training. By most accounts, power producers give only lip service to training. They boast in an-nual reports and conference papers of their employee education programs while in reality funding them with miniscule budgets. As one training specialist says: “The relationship between their talk of education and the money they spend on it could be described as inverse-cubed.”

Part of the problem is the inability to calculate returns on investment—what has been called the “snake pit” of train-ing. Measurable results are difficult to quantify, and even when they can be quantified, benefits might not appear for years. Many training packages try to jus-tify their worth with blanket statements, like, “If your operator avoids just one unplanned shutdown, you will have paid for this training course.” However, few money managers take such statements at face value.

According to a recent survey of For-tune 500 mid- and upper-level managers,

trainers themselves may be partially to blame for management’s lack of support for training. Managers who responded to the survey said that training profession-als often exhibit:

■ Insufficient business acumen. Many training practitioners do not under-stand how a utility operates, its sur-vival requirements, or the day-to-day challenges managers face.

■ Insufficient results. Many trainers fail to teach the real-life skills that their students are there to learn. Instead, they lecture on and on in abstract, academic jargon—probably because they’re most comfortable doing so.

■ Insufficient loyalty. Many trainers por-tray management as an adversary. In the warm, cozy classroom, they allow the discussion to turn into “gripe ses-sions.” Many trainers, according to the survey, also use the classroom to push personal agendas or social beliefs, rather than sticking to the specifics listed in the curriculum.

Can I go? Can I go? Here’s another example of the best training intentions

going awry. When an operator work-ing at a large independent plant com-plained that he didn’t know how to use the company’s new office software—a conventional suite of word-processing and spreadsheet applications—the plant manager arranged to have him attend a class at a nearby community college. Soon, other operators began requesting the same class, so the manager had no choice but to enroll them, too. In short order, the plant manager found that he had spent nearly $30,000 of his O&M budget and lost 120 man-days of work on software training for his 60 employees.

The problem here was that the plant manager was training “by the seat of his pants.” He had no training plan or train-ing budget, and was simply responding to a perceived need from a few vocal operators.

To get the most bang for your training buck, start with a “needs assessment” to determine what kind of training the staff truly requires. There are plenty of training companies that will be happy to help you with this step—if you’ve got a massive staff and an equally large budget. But you can also do it in-house,

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www.powermag.com POWER | April 200822

FOCUS ON O&M

with the help of veteran crafts people and supervisors.

Remember: Your veterans can help not only with the training plan but also with both technical and nontechnical train-ing. Consider buying a video camera and a VCR to make in-house training tapes. The rookies will enjoy watching their co-workers on screen, and the veterans will like showing off their knowledge. As the old saw goes, nobody learns more than the teacher.

By far the largest component of train-ing expenses is the productivity lost when workers attend classes. Many say this figure can be three times as high as the fee paid to the training provider. A first step in justifying training costs after the first delivery of instruction is to cred-ibly answer some specific questions:

■ How much faster did personnel get up to speed on the new equipment after training?

■ How much of an incremental efficiency or revenue gain or revenue did the training produce?

■ How many human errors were elimi-nated by using an advanced train-

ing course, as opposed to traditional classroom instruction?

■ At what rate did performance deterio-rate after the training program ended, or between the main course and a re-fresher course?

Other lessons learned by power plant training specialists include the following:

■ It’s difficult to keep O&M people en-gaged in the classroom for long peri-ods of time. They’re used to physical labor, and are quickly bored by the chairs and the chalk.

■ Trainees should only be in the class-room a few days at a time, and then spend at least an equal amount of time back on the job, applying what they’ve learned.

Measuring performance gains. For more insight into training, let’s look at how we measure the results of other as-pects of power plant operation. Industry veterans know that the best bid specifi-cations for plant equipment are written in terms of expected results, with the method of achieving those results left

up to the supplier. This approach un-leashes the bidders’ creativity, increases the competitiveness of the bidding pro-cess, and ultimately provides a standard for measuring supplier performance. So what happens if we apply this same re-sults-oriented approach to the training section of a solicitation?

In bid specifications, training is typi-cally defined in terms of the number of days of instruction to be supplied to a designated number of personnel. This quantity-based definition is analogous to specifying a pump by the pound! Instead, training should be defined by performance objectives. After all, few companies really want training; what they want is the improved employee per-formance it leads to. If improved perfor-mance is what you want, then improved performance is what you should ask for in your bid specifications.

Unfortunately, as with most aspects of management, that’s easier said than done. Defining the performance gains expected of training programs requires using precise language that cannot be easily misinterpreted. In your requests for training proposals, try using action

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www.powermag.com POWER | April 200824

verbs—such as install, repair, or maintain—rather than ab-stract verbs like “know” or “understand.” And try to avoid some of the following pitfalls when writing training specifications:

■ Don’t specify the length of instruction. Some experienced trainers tell horror stories about being asked to teach in one week a skill that requires a college semester. Conversely, oth-ers explain how they have stretched out a one-hour training class to a full week with war stories and song-and-dance routines, just to meet the customer’s bid specification. Al-though effective training takes time, the length of time it takes does not reflect its effectiveness.

■ Don’t specify a laundry list of topics. Often, companies that see the error in specifying the length of instruction switch to preparing extensive lists of topics to be “covered.” Of course, how and to what degree a topic is covered can vary—from a brief mention of it while students are filing into the room to an in-depth, academic discourse, if the instructor happened to have done his doctoral thesis on the subject. Specify-ing topics typically produces training programs that fill the students’ heads with “nice-to-know” facts but produce little improvement in employee performance.

■ Don’t specify media or techniques. Most training experts agree that there is no “best” media or technique, and that a combination of different methods is often the most ef-fective and least costly. Yet many specification writers call for the use of one training media, typically whatever is in vogue. ■

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www.powermag.com POWER | April 200826

LEGAL & REGULATORY

Steven F. Greenwald Jeffrey P. Gray

In early February, Western GeoPower (WGP) announced its ter-mination of a 20-year geothermal power purchase agreement (PPA) with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E). A WGP press

release explains that the company terminated the agreement be-cause a regulatory approval condition had not been obtained within a 180-day time period stipulated in the PPA.

WGP’s CEO, Kenneth MacLeod, acknowledged in California Ener-gy Markets, an energy trade publication, that increased prices for renewable power had made the PPA “less attractive” and that the ability to execute a new PPA at a higher price was in the compa-ny’s best economic interest. In the same article, a spokesperson for the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) character-ized WGP as motivated by “greed.” The CPUC spokesperson was also quoted as saying that, while “legal,” WGP’s conduct was “a clear example of a seller using market power.”

What are the policy implications of this episode? Should it be, as the CPUC intimates, chalked up as an abuse by a “greedy” generator, or does it highlight a “major disconnect” in the pur-suit of renewable power?

Timely action requiredCPUC-mandated terms and conditions in every California renew-able PPA include the right of each party to terminate if “final and nonappealable” regulatory approval is not obtained within 180 days. This condition requires, at a minimum, that the CPUC first issue a final decision approving a PPA and also that the 30-day period for seeking rehearing expire. In WGP’s case, the CPUC issued a decision approving the PPA, but the period for seeking rehearing had not expired within the 180 days. Accordingly, even the CPUC spokesperson recognized that WGP had the absolute legal right to terminate the PPA.

Contrary to the CPUC’s claim, WGP’s termination was not an exercise of “market power.” WGP did not insist upon the final and nonappealable condition in the PPA, looking for an out if prices were to rise. On the contrary, the CPUC itself mandated the final and nonappealable provision. Moreover, by committing to the PPA, WGP ceded all market power; it was obligated to abstain from any market participation for the 180-day period. All “power” during this window resided with PG&E and the CPUC. They could lock in the PPA price for the full 20-year term—yet they failed to do so.

Costs of “regulatory certainty”In our February 2007 column in this magazine, we commented that, though the final and nonappealable condition promises the purchasing utility “regulatory certainty,” it exposes electricity consumers to the risk of losing PPA benefits if there is a regula-tory delay. The lesson to be learned from the WGP case: Regulators and utilities must honor contractual commitments; if they don’t, consumers will enjoy less renewable power and pay higher prices.

Additionally, regulators must develop ways to provide regula-tory certainty to utilities without exposing ratepayers to the risks of regulatory paralysis.

The diversionary blame gameNotwithstanding the CPUC’s attempt to divert attention from itself to the supposedly “greed-motivated” generator, the ques-tion remains: Why couldn’t the CPUC approve the PPA within 150 days (allowing the rehearing period to expire within 180 days)? Its failure is particularly perplexing because California places the highest priority on securing renewable power, and the CPUC has implemented numerous initiatives to “streamline” its approval process, including:

■ Requiring the inclusion of mandatory PPA “standard terms” to reduce staff review of commercial terms to essentially a “checking the box” exercise.

■ Preapproving a market price referent (MPR) through a separate and annual regulatory process; if the PPA price is under the MPR (as was the WGP price), no further price review is necessary.

■ Requiring review of the PPA by the utility’s Procurement Review Group, which comprises representatives from consumer and community groups, whose mission is to ensure the PPA’s overall ratepayer benefits prior to the utility submitting the PPA.

■ Requiring that the utility retain an independent evaluator to assess the completeness and fairness of the bid solicitation and the utility’s selection process.

These innovations should remove the common obstacles to timely regulatory review. So what delayed the CPUC from approv-ing the WGP PPA within the self-imposed 150-day deadline? The article suggests that CPUC staff may have been diverted to re-view other “higher priority” renewable PPAs. If this is true, given the state’s absolute insistence on achieving the most aggressive renewable standards, California must adequately staff the CPUC.

Move beyond the greed rhetoricAchieving the state’s renewable mandate also requires the CPUC to stop playing the “generator greed” card every time there’s a setback. A PPA is a commercial contract, and a party’s exercise of its rights in a contract connotes neither greed nor market power—particularly in this case, where a key PPA term allowing termination was mandated by the CPUC.

Accusing generators of employing Enron tactics is anachronistic political rhetoric, not positive energy policy. The CPUC and other regulatory agencies with responsibility to approve PPAs would better serve consumers by streamlining their approval process.

This quote attributed to the maligned WGP CEO perhaps says it best: “[There is] a major disconnect between the public policy statements of the California government [with respect to pro-moting renewable power] and the ability of the bureaucrats and the agencies to effectively carry out the mandate.” ■

—Steven F. Greenwald (stevegreenwald@dwt.com) leads Davis Wright Tremaine’s Energy Practice Group.

Jeffrey P. Gray (jeffgray@dwt.com) is a partner in the firm’s Energy Practice Group.

Regulators should stop playing the greed cardBy Steven F. Greenwald and Jeffrey P. Gray

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CIRCLE 22 ON READER SERVICE CARD

www.powermag.com POWER | April 200828

NUCLEAR POWER

Super Tuesday, Super Bowl XLII, and the nukesThe nuclear renaissance is likely to slow next year with a new tenant in the

White House and many key regulatory positions in flux. Nuclear industry leaders are especially concerned that rules for construction loan guaran-tees will fall victim to the “wait and see” disease that infects those inside the Beltway every four years. If those rules aren’t in place before this No-vember’s election, the nuclear renaissance may revert to the Dark Ages.

By Kennedy Maize

The convergence was too obvious

to ignore. February 5, 2008, politi-

cal Super Tuesday, saw voters in 24

states make their choices for Republican

and Democratic nominees for president.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona, given up for

politically dead three months earlier, was

triumphant on the Republican side. On the

Democratic side, Sens. Hillary Clinton and

Barack Obama found themselves virtually

tied for the lead and headed for a long slog

to a nomination.

Two days earlier, an astonishing upset

saw the New York Giants, a wild-card play-

off qualifier, beat the overwhelming favorite

New England Patriots in pro football’s Super

Bowl XLII.

Also on Tuesday, Feb. 5, some 500 folks

assembled in a fancy hotel conference room

a scant block from the U.S. Nuclear Regula-

tory Commission (NRC) in Rockville, Md.,

at the 4th annual Platts Nuclear Energy con-

ference to discuss the future of nuclear pow-

er in the U.S. What’s the connection to the

Super Bowl? Was the meeting’s kickoff on

Super Tuesday a reminder that politics, prob-

ably more than engineering, will determine

the fate of the alleged nuclear renaissance?

Gaming the systemThe Giants’ victory was a lesson that nothing

in football, politics, or business—no matter

how clear and obvious it appears—is certain.

Entering the game, the Pats were masters of

the universe, undefeated in 18 consecutive

games, winner of three Super Bowls in the

past seven years. The point spread favored

the New Englanders by a dozen.

The smart money said, “Take the points.”

1. Third time’s a charm. UniStar Nuclear and Constellation have applied for a combined construction and operating license for a proposed Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3. Courtesy: NRC

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 29

NUCLEAR POWER

The speculators said, “Take the Giants.” The

prevailing wisdom said, “Take the Pats.” Vegas

bookies took a $2.6 million bath as the smart

money and the speculators won the day.

The prevailing wisdom in the nuclear in-

dustry is that its revival is already under way,

with concerns about greenhouse gas emis-

sions crippling coal, price volatility clob-

bering natural gas, and inherent problems

(dispatchability) limiting renewables. James

Miller, PPL Corp.’s CEO, described the in-

dustry’s perspective succinctly. Nuclear, he

said, “is the last man standing.”

Several applications for the new, untested

combined construction and operating licenses

(COLs) are now docketed at the NRC, trigger-

ing a 42-month (that’s right, more than three

years) review process. This is what passes

for expedient regulatory action in our federal

government. Bob Borchardt, who runs the

NRC’s office for new reactors, told attend-

ees at the Platts meeting that the agency has

received five COL requests (not all of them

complete), covering eight nuclear units.

Questions of economics, finance, and

political feasibility dominated the confer-

ence. Players in the nuke arena converged

in Maryland to discuss worthy issues such

as how to maximize the opportunities of

the NRC’s COL approach, how to manage

new plant construction at existing operating

plants, how to deal with the cost problems

imposed by a global supply chain for com-

modities and services, and how to find and

successfully exploit a new, inexperienced

workforce.

But the main theme of the meeting was

inevitably political, in this most political of

years. On the minds of many utility resource

planners at the conference: how to get a nu-

clear generation project financed and con-

crete poured, given the ticking policy time

bomb of the November 2008 election and

the installation of a new president of what-

ever political persuasion. Even a president

friendly to nuclear power will have to learn

the issues, appoint new people, and endure

a transition of several months. All of that

will mean delay—and time, it is said, is

money.

The clock is tickingFor the nuclear industry, the key to the time

game is implementing construction loan guar-

antees authorized in the now holy writ of the

Energy Policy Act of 2005. Without the full

faith and credit of the U.S. government behind

the loans, lenders likely will seek usurious

interest rates on the debt. “Loan guarantees,”

said Michael Wallace, a Constellation Energy

executive vice president, “are most critical.”

Baltimore-based Constellation has plans for

a new unit at the existing Calvert Cliffs site in

southern Maryland (Figure 1). Constellation

owns two nuclear units at Calvert Cliffs that

bid power into the PJM competitive whole-

sale market. PPL’s Miller said, “Without loan

guarantees, we are out” of the market for new

nuclear generation. PPL, based in Allentown,

Pa., owns a single merchant nuclear plant that

bids into PJM.

UniStar Nuclear Energy and Constellation

Energy remain committed to the future of nu-

clear power, as evidenced by a February an-

nouncement of their intention to apply for a

COL for an addition to their Nine Mile Point

nuclear plant in upstate New York. UniStar

is also working with PPL and Ameren UE to

develop COL applications for new reactors in

Pennsylvania and Missouri, respectively; it’s

working with newly formed Amarillo Power

to pursue a new reactor in Texas.

Ken Hughey of Entergy Corp., which

is currently trying to spin off its merchant

nuclear operations into a separate, publicly

traded company, noted that his company’s

plans for new nuclear units at the existing

Grand Gulf site in Mississippi (Figure 2) and

at River Bend in Louisiana, are for state-reg-

ulated plants. He said that loan guarantees

are “very useful” for regulated plants but es-

sential for merchant plants, which Entergy

operates in several states.

Last December, Congress authorized

$18.5 billion in loan guarantees for nuclear

power plants and $2 billion for uranium en-

richment projects. According to Constella-

tion’s Wallace, that amount is adequate for

three or four projects to go forward.

The nuclear industry is playing “beat

the clock” with the loan guarantees. If the

guarantees don’t materialize before a new

administration marches into Washington,

several speakers told the Platts conference,

the nuclear renaissance could become the

Dark Ages. The repeated message was that

the Department of Energy must get out a

solicitation for the loan guarantees within

a matter of weeks to be sure that an incom-

ing administration of either party can’t put a

hold on them.

Wallace explained the way the timing

works for his company’s nuclear plans. Once

the DOE puts out the solicitation, it will take

Constellation about three months to produce

the preliminary letter; that means May. He

said it will take another four months to put

the loan guarantee in place, which brings

them very close to election day on November

4. Wallace said he wants to have his board of

directors approve the final decision to move

forward to construction, loan guarantee in

hand, in early November.

The nuclear industry fears that the DOE

won’t get loan guarantees in place before

a new administration comes into power in

early January 2009. But the timing is even

more difficult. The ball game changes en-

tirely immediately after the presidential elec-

tion. In reality, the new administration will

rule Washington the day after the election, as

even holdover administrators won’t take ac-

tion until the new regime moves into office.

The industry’s worst fear is that the Demo-

crats will win the White House and expand

the Democratic majorities in the House and

Senate.

2. Intelligent investment. The NRC awarded Southern Nuclear an early site permit (ESP) for the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station near Port Gibson, Miss., in April 2007. An ESP allows a utility to “bank” a site for up to 20 years for future reactor placement. Courtesy: Southern Nuclear

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CIRCLE 23 ON READER SERVICE CARD

www.powermag.com POWER | April 200832

NUCLEAR POWER

Missed opportunitySo the Platts conference attendees looked for-

ward with great anticipation to the remarks of

Dennis Spurgeon, assistant energy secretary

for nuclear energy in the Bush administration.

Many in the audience believed that Spurgeon

would announce an imminent offering of the

solicitation for loan guarantees.

That didn’t happen. Spurgeon spoke bare-

ly a word on the subject. His anodyne ad-

dress was mostly about the administration’s

Global Nuclear Energy Program (see p. 44)

to close the nuclear fuel cycle by resurrecting

spent fuel reprocessing and fast reactors—a

technology strategy that has repeatedly failed

in the U.S., Japan, and Europe. Many in the

audience yawned. Others rolled their eyes in

disbelief.

Questioned after his remarks, Spurgeon

did a classic bureaucratic duck. He’d like to

issue the solicitation as soon as he could, said

Spurgeon. But he said he isn’t free to do that

on his own. He must consult with the White

House and Congress, and get a sign-off. It’s

a case of “Captain, may I?” he said.

Spiraling plant costsHopes for a nuclear renaissance are based

on the assumption that new nukes make

economic sense. That isn’t clear, even with

federal kick-starts. For example, at the end

of January, MidAmerican Energy Holdings

said it has lost interest in building a new nu-

clear plant in eastern Idaho.

The Omaha-based company, owned by

billionaire investor Warren Buffett, said the

Idaho plant would cost too much. Buffett

would have financed the project, using his

stellar credit rating, but he decided the finan-

cial risk had become unbearable. Accord-

ing to Nucleonics Week, MidAmerican was

looking at a Mitsubishi 1,700-MW advanced

pressurized water reactor for the site but re-

coiled at the hefty capital costs for the plant,

which could exceed $3,000/kW.

The same figure of $3,000/kW of capac-

ity repeatedly came up at the Platts meeting,

with some noting that costs are climbing

rapidly, particularly for steel. Constellation

has said its estimate for the Calvert Cliffs

addition is about $3,000/kW, but it also ac-

knowledged that the figure is two or three

years old.

The announcement by MidAmerican

prompted the anti-nuclear group Nuclear

Information and Resource Service (NIRS)

to comment: “If Warren Buffet cannot fig-

ure out how to make money from a new

nuclear reactor, who can?” NIRS noted,

“Even before any new nuclear construction

has begun in the U.S., cost estimates have

skyrocketed and are now 300-400% higher

than the industry was saying just two or

three years ago.”

Another report from the trenches of the nu-

clear renaissance came in late January from

South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G),

which cited rising costs as the reason for

putting on hold its plans to apply for a COL

for two Westinghouse AP1000 units at its

Summer site (Figure 3). Nucleonics Week

said SCE&G began backing away from its

COL plans last year. A source told the Platts

newsletter that the utility might “still pursue

a COL, which could be ‘banked’ and used in

the future.”

John Reed of Concentric Energy Advi-

sors told an SNL EXNET symposium ear-

ly this year that the realistic cost of a new

2,200-MW nuclear plant would be $5,500 to

$8,000/kW, for a total cost of $12 billion to

$18 billion.

An article at SNL Interactive in early Feb-

ruary commented, “One problem with the

excitement around the nuclear renaissance

in the power industry is that, in reality, the

revival is quite slow.” ■

3. Pay to play. South Carolina Electric and Gas began preparing a combined construction and operating license application for a second unit at its V.C. Summer Nuclear Power Plant in early 2006. But the work was recently put on hold due to rising plant capital cost estimates. Courtesy: South Carolina Electric and Gas

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www.powermag.com POWER | April 200834

WATER MANAGEMENT

Drought conditions across the Southeast

have begun affecting power plant op-

erations. According to the Associated

Press, 24 of America’s 104 nuclear reactors

are in areas now experiencing the most se-

vere levels of drought, and 22 of those plants

draw their cooling water from rivers and

lakes. Recently, the level of several of those

lakes nearly fell to the minimum necessary

to continue reactor operation. Last August,

for example, Tennessee Valley Authority said

that higher inlet water temperatures caused

by lower water levels had forced load curtail-

ments or plant shutdowns at its Browns Ferry,

Gallatin, and Cumberland plants. Reduced

hydro generation has been another conse-

quence of the drought (see “Water’s role in

power generation”).

In past years, the major obstacle to new

plant development was either access to trans-

mission lines or the price and/or availability

of a particular fuel. Recently, water availabil-

ity became an additional hurdle, and one that

looks to grow higher.

At the nexus of water and power gen-

eration are a wide variety of societal issues,

policy and regulatory debate, environmen-

Water’s role in power generationA thermoelectric power plant requires lots of water, whether it uses a once-through or an evaporative cooling system. Once-through systems withdraw cold water from a local body of water (a lake, river, or ocean) and then return almost all of it to the source, slightly warmer, after passing it through a surface con-denser. Once-through systems withdraw more water than evapora-tive systems but consume less of it.

The two primary evaporative technologies are categorized as wet and dry; hybrid systems are also in use. Wet systems dissipate heat to the atmosphere either by recirculating water through a cooling tower (Figure 1) or by constantly replenishing an evapora-tive cooling pond.

Dry cooling systems use an air-cooled condenser, rather than

a cooling tower or pond, to evaporate the heat produced by con-densing steam. They use no water but are more expensive than once-through or wet evaporative systems.

As Table 1 shows, in the U.S. roughly 43% of thermoelectric generating capacity uses once-through cooling, while 56% evapo-rates heat via wet recirculating cooling towers or cooling ponds; only 1% makes use of dry cooling. It should be noted that the data for combined-cycle plants represent only about 7% of the to-tal capacity currently in operation. Not all plants provided cooling data, so the table had to be created by extrapolating information available at the time.

Historically, the choice of cooling technology for a particular plant depended on the quantity and quality of local water sources as well as cost and performance comparisons of different systems. The use of closed-loop systems, however, is likely to become much more prevalent in the future due to Clean Water Act Section 316(b) provisions and public pressure.

Generation type

Coal

Fossil, non-coal

Combined cycle

Nuclear

Wet recirculating cooling tower (%)

48.0

23.8

30.8

43.6

Once-through (%)

39.1

59.2

8.6

38.1

Cooling pond (%)

12.7

17.1

1.7

18.3

Dry (%)

0.2

0.0

59.0

0.0

Table 1. Cooling technologies by generation type. Totals are weighted averages of the column, based on capacity. Source: NETL

Turbine

Evaporationand drift

3,891 gpm

Coolingtower

Boiler

Makeup water5,188 gpm

Blowdown water1,297 gpm

Cool water

Warm water187,600 gpm

generator

25 degrees F rise

Steamcondenser

Condensate

Boilerfeedwater

7,645 gpm

3,804,950 lb/hrSteam

520-MW

1. Ins and outs. A wet recirculating cooling water system for a 520-MW coal-fired power plant. The flows shown are typical, so the plant uses about 12 million gallons of water per hour. Source: NETL

New coal plant technologies will demand more waterPopulation shifts, growing electricity demand, and greater competition for

water resources have heightened interest in the link between energy and water. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects a 22% increase in U.S. installed generating capacity by 2030. Of the 259 GW of new capacity expected to have come on-line by then, more than 192 GW will be thermoelectric and thus require some water for cooling. Our chal-lenge will become balancing people’s needs for power and for water.

By Dr. Robert Peltier, PE

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www.powermag.com POWER | April 200836

WATER MANAGEMENT

tal questions, technological challenges, and

economic concerns. Water is emerging as a

significant factor in economic development

activities. Planning efforts must consider the

availability and quality of water resources in

a given locality or region to ensure that sup-

plies are available to accommodate existing

and future water consumers over the long

term. Failure to do so can result in stunted

growth, economic flight, inequitable devel-

opment, and even open conflict.

Today, many plants are finding that a sus-

tainable source of water has become a top

priority. Energy-water issues have become in-

creasingly visible in recent years. As impor-

tant examples, consider passage of the Energy

Policy Act of 2005; repeated introduction of

the Energy-Water Efficiency and Supply

Technology bill; increasingly severe regional

drought conditions across the U.S.; additional

difficulty siting new plants in arid regions;

and further media attention to and public con-

cern over water availability and supply.

This article discusses some of the tech-

nical, regulatory, and political issues that

frame the water-electricity debate. Given

the increasing perceived value of water, the

generation industry’s understanding of and

response to these issues will be critical to

America’s future.

Demographics and tradeoffsDrought conditions are not limited to the

Southeast. A Government Accountability

Office (GAO) report prepared in 2003 ad-

dressed the issue of freshwater supply at the

state level. It indicated that, assuming normal

rainfall conditions, the water managers of

36 states anticipated shortages in localities,

regions, or even statewide over the next 10

years (2003 to 2013). The report went on to

say that “drought conditions will exacerbate

shortage impacts.”

Projected change in county population(percent), 1970 to 2030

>+250% (highest +3,877%)

+50% to +250%

+5% to +50%

–5% to +5%

–20% to –5%

–40% to –20%

<–40% (lowest –60%)

National Energy Technology Laboratory solicits water management technologies applicationsNETL released new funding opportunities on March 5, 2008, titled “Research and Development of Advanced Technologies and Concepts for Minimization of Fresh-water Withdrawal and Consumption in Coal-Based Thermoelectric Power Plants.” Applications are solicited under the fol-lowing three areas of interest:

■ Advanced Cooling Technology for Re-search and Development of Advanced Technologies and Concepts for Mini-

mization of Freshwater Withdrawal and

Consumption in Coal-Based Thermo-

electric Power Plants

■ Innovative Water Reuse and Recovery

■ Non-Traditional Sources of Process and

Cooling Water

Applications are due April 21, 2008.

For more information, go to www.netl

.doe.gov/business/solicitations/index

.html#00233.

2. U.S. population growth trends, 1970–2030. Each block on the map represents one county. The height of each block is propor-tional to that county’s population density in the year 2000, so the volume of the block is proportional to the county’s total population. The color of each block shows the county’s projected change in population between 1970 and 2030, with shades of orange denoting increases and blue denoting decreases. The patterns of recent population change—growth concentrated along the coasts, in cities, and in the South and West—are expected to continue. Source: U.S. Global Change Research Program

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 37

WATER MANAGEMENT

The Energy Information Administration’s

(EIA’s) latest forecast—its Annual Energy

Outlook 2007 (AEO 2007)—estimates that

U.S. thermoelectric (thermal, for short) gen-

erating capacity will grow from approxi-

mately 709 GW (net, taking into account

plant retirements) in 2005 to 862 GW in

2030. Accordingly, thermal power plants will

increasingly compete for freshwater with

residential, commercial, agricultural, and in-

dustrial users—particularly in regions with

limited freshwater supplies. In addition, cur-

rent and future water-related environmental

regulations will also challenge the operation

of existing power plants and the permitting

of new ones.

The growth in power demand will not

be geographically uniform, so capacity ex-

pansion will differ by region. Regions with

strong population growth (such as the South-

east and Southwest) show high growth in wa-

ter consumption, while regions with minimal

to modest population growth (Midwest and

Mid-Atlantic states, for example) exhibit

modest growth in consumption.

For example, although the EIA projects a

22% jump in installed thermal capacity on a

nationwide basis by 2030, it expects a 58%

increase in the West and a 30% increase in

the Southeast. Significantly, both regions

have among the fastest rates of population

growth (Figure 2) and are already struggling

to find enough supplies of freshwater to meet

demand.

Because supplies of freshwater are limited,

its withdrawal and consumption will have to

be allocated carefully by governments. These

decisions have long been extremely impor-

tant in many foreign countries, and they are

likely to become top priorities at various

levels of government in the U.S. in the near

future. Like all decisions involving a limited

resource, tradeoffs will be inevitable. At the

end of the day, someone will have to deter-

mine which is more important: making water

available for drinking and personal use, for

growing food, or for producing electricity.

More precious than powerIn the future, developers will find it more

difficult to permit new plants due to water

concerns. At the same time, existing plants

will experience increasing pressure to reduce

their water withdrawal and consumption.

In 2006, Research and Development Solu-

tions LLC contacted state government water

monitoring agencies to ask if they limit fresh-

water withdrawal and/or consumption by

thermal plants in their state. Of the 33 states

that responded, 24% indicated that plants

must either have a senior water right or pur-

chase such a right from an entity willing to

sell it. Another 18% indicated that limitations

are imposed when water levels fall below a

certain flow level or during water shortages.

An additional 18% of states responded that

water withdrawal and consumption rules

vary regionally within the state; some areas

have no limit, but areas that are water-sparse

or over-allocated require water rights or

special permits. The number of states with

over-allocated water resources is expected to

increase over time.

Concerns about water supply expressed

by state regulators, local decision-makers,

and the general public are already affecting

power projects across the U.S. For example:

■ In March 2006, an Idaho House committee

unanimously approved a two-year morato-

rium on construction of coal-fired power

plants in the state based on environmental

and water supply concerns.

■ Arizona rejected the permit application

for a proposed power plant because of

concerns about how much water the plant

would withdraw from a local aquifer.

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WATER MANAGEMENT

■ A coal-fired power plant under construction in Wisconsin on Lake

Michigan has been under attack from environmental groups for

the potential negative impacts of the facility’s cooling water–intake

structures on aquatic life.

■ In February 2006, Diné Power Authority agreed to pay the Navajo

Nation $1,000 per acre-foot of water needed for the proposed Des-

ert Rock Energy Project.

■ In an article discussing a proposed 1,200-MW plant in Nevada,

opponents of the plant stated, “There’s no way Washoe County has

the luxury anymore to have a fossil-fuel plant site in the county

with the water issues we now have. It’s too important for the coun-

ty’s economic health to allow water to be blown up in the air in a

cooling tower.”

Cooling and consumption scenarios and driversThe Department of Energy/National Energy Technology Laboratory’s

(NETL’s) September 2007 update of its 2006 report, “Estimating Fresh-

water Needs to Meet Future Thermoelectric Generation Requirements,”

found that the 192.6 GW of new thermal generating capacity expected

to be built nationwide by 2030 could increase thermal plants’ freshwa-

ter consumption, especially in the more arid regions of the U.S.

The update notes that the thermal power generation sector will

remain a large water consumer for the foreseeable future, though

its consumption will remain small compared with the “irrigation/

agriculture” sector, which consumes 81% of total freshwater with-

drawn. Withdrawals for both the irrigation/agriculture and thermal

generation sectors will remain about 118 to 158 billion gallons per

day (bgd). Although thermal plants consume far less water than they

withdraw, the trend is steadily upward. Water consumption by all U.S.

thermal plants is expected to grow steadily each year; however, the

magnitude of growth is highly dependent on the power generation

technology selected. In the face of growing competition for water

How NETL projects future water useAs part of its Annual Energy Outlook (AEO), the DOE’s Energy Information Administra-tion (EIA) projects future levels of thermo-electric capacity. The AEO projections are based on the EIA’s National Energy Modeling System, which is revised yearly to reflect technology advances, supply and demand adjustments, and other market forces.

This analysis uses AEO 2007 projections of changes in generation capacity between 2005 and 2030 (Table 2) to calculate fu-ture thermal plants’ water withdrawal and consumption needs.

After individual growth numbers for gen-eration technologies are estimated, NETL’s Coal Power Plant database is used to deter-mine the average water withdrawal and con-sumption estimates by plant capacity. Other DOE/NETL studies were used to estimate the performance and water consumption of the newer generation technologies, such as integrated gasification combined cycle and retrofit carbon capture. The analysis was performed for 13 separate North American Electric Reliability Corp. sub-regions.

2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

Coal steam 310.7 320.9 323.1 347.2 393.7 450.0

Other fossil steam 121.3 119.5 89.9 89.3 88.9 87.5

Combined cycle 176.7 193.3 195.6 203.8 210.8 211.6

Nuclear 100.0 100.5 102.5 111.7 111.7 112.6

Total thermoelectric 708.7 734.2 711.0 752.0 805.1 861.7

Coal steam 0.0 11.5 18.0 42.3 88.7 145.0

Other fossil steam 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Combined cycle 0.0 16.7 19.0 27.3 34.2 35.1

Nuclear 0.0 0.0 0.5 9.0 9.0 12.5

Total thermoelectric 0.0 28.2 37.5 78.6 131.9 192.6

Coal steam 0.0 1.2 5.6 5.7 6.7 5.7

Other fossil steam 0.0 1.8 31.5 32.0 32.4 33.8

Combined cycle 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1

Nuclear 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.6

Total thermoelectric 0.0 3.1 37.2 37.8 38.2 42.2

Net generating capacity (GW)

Cumulative additions, planned and unplanned (2005 baseline)

Cumulative retirements (2005 baseline)

Table 2. Annual Energy Outlook 2007 thermoelectric capacity projections, 2005 to 2030. Values shown are in gigawatts. Source: EIA

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WATER MANAGEMENT

resources—particularly in the arid West and Southwest, and in the

expanding Southeast—regional and national efforts to reduce water

withdrawal and consumption by thermoelectric power plants are only

going to increase.

Let’s briefly examine the main scenarios presented in the NETL

report. The descriptions for both cases refer to noncarbon-capture

new thermal power generation system water use change by the year

2030. Each analysis (see “How NETL projects future water use,” p.

38) assumes the demand and capacity growth projections mentioned

earlier and detailed in Table 2 (p. 38), which also breaks down pro-

jected capacity changes by technology type.

For consistency, the case numbers from the report are used in the

figures. Case 2 is the regulatory-driven case for changes in incremen-

tal water withdrawal by 2030. This analysis assumes that the Clean

Water Act 316(b) and future regulations dictate the need for recircu-

lating cooling systems with freshwater makeup for all new capacity

additions. Plant retirements remain based on age and operating costs.

Case 4 is the dry cooling case for changes in incremental water with-

drawals by 2030. In this case, regulatory and public pressure increase

the market share of dry cooling for new capacity additions to 25%.

The remainder will use recirculating cooling systems with freshwater

makeup. Plant retirements are proportional to current water source

and cooling technology used. For both cases, 2005 is the base year.

As Figures 3 through 6 illustrate, the range of increased water con-

sumption varies considerably from region to region. Some show little

increase in usage; others (more arid regions) are in line for consider-

able increases in freshwater demand.

The main technical and regulatory drivers that impact freshwater

usage and demand include those that follow.

Cooling water regulations. The largest impact on plant design

of Clean Water Act Section 316(b) is that most new plants will have to

use closed-loop, recirculating cooling systems or dry (air-cooled) sys-

tems. Open-loop systems are strongly discouraged, unless the permit

applicant can either demonstrate that alternative measures can pro-

–3.5

–3.0

–2.5

–2.0

–1.5

–1.0

–0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

ECA

R

ERC

OT

MA

AC

MA

IN

MA

PP

NPC

C/N

Y

NPC

C/N

E

FRC

C

SER

C

SPP

WEC

C/N

WPP

WEC

C/R

M

WEC

C/C

A

Wat

er w

ithd

raw

al (b

gd)

Case 2 Case 4

North American Electric Reliability Corp. region

3. Incremental change in power plant water with-drawal by 2030. Source: NETL

5. Percentage change in power plant water with-drawal by 2030. Source: NETL

–40

–30

–20

–10

10

0

20

30

40

50

ECA

R

ERC

OT

MA

AC

MA

IN

MA

PP

NPC

C/N

Y

NPC

C/N

E

FRC

C

SER

C

SPP

WEC

C/N

WPP

WEC

C/R

M

WEC

C/C

A

Perc

ent

chan

ge

Case 2 Case 4

North American Electric Reliability Corp. region

4. Incremental change in power plant water con-sumption by 2030. Source: NETL

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

ECA

R

ERC

OT

MA

AC

MA

IN

MA

PP

NPC

C/N

Y

NPC

C/N

E

FRC

C

SER

C

SPP

WEC

C/N

WPP

WEC

C/R

M

WEC

C/C

A

Wat

er c

onsu

mpt

ion

(bgd

)

Case 2 Case 4

North American Electric Reliability Corp. region

6. Percentage change in power plant water consump-tion by 2030. Source: NETL

0

50

100

150

250

200

300

350

400

450

ECA

R

ERC

OT

MA

AC

MA

IN

MA

PP

NPC

C/N

Y

NPC

C/N

E

FRC

C

SER

C

SPP

WEC

C/N

WPP

WEC

C/R

M

WEC

C/C

A

Perc

ent

chan

ge

Case 2 Case 4

North American Electric Reliability Corp. region

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 41

WATER MANAGEMENT

vide a water use reduction level comparable

to that achieved through closed-loop cooling

or make the case that compliance costs, air

quality impacts, and/or energy generation

impacts would outweigh the cost benefits

and therefore justify an open-loop system.

Because Section 316(b) portends a greater

reliance on closed-loop cooling systems, wa-

ter withdrawal and consumption patterns for

the thermal generation sector are destined to

change over time. Even accounting for signif-

icant thermal capacity additions, NETL proj-

ects that water withdrawal levels will likely

decrease in four of the five cases it exam-

ined due to retirement of older once-through

cooling plants and the deployment of new,

closed-loop systems. Water consumption,

on the other hand, is expected to increase in

all five cases examined because evaporative

closed-loop cooling systems consume more

water than open-loop systems.

Air quality rules. Existing and future

air quality regulations will also affect water

withdrawal and consumption patterns, al-

though to a lesser extent than cooling water

regulations. Tighter emission levels for SO2,

for example, have sparked a mini-boom in

the flue gas desulfurization (FGD) market.

The size of the U.S. FGD market is expected

to increase by more than 100,000 MW over

the next 10 years. Although FGD water re-

quirements are a fraction of those required

for cooling purposes, FGD units require a

significant amount of water to produce and

handle the various process streams (includ-

ing limestone slurry and scrubber sludge).

Makeup water requirements for the FGD is-

land at a nominal 550-MW subcritical coal-

fired power plant are about 570 gpm, vs.

about 9,500 gpm for cooling water makeup.

Nonetheless, the additional FGD systems

coming on-line within the next decade will

place a greater strain on water supplies.

Recently, semi-dry FGD systems that

substantially reduce water requirements for

SO2 control have begun to enter commercial

service at numerous plants, many in arid en-

vironments. (See POWER, March 2008, p.

60, for an analysis of zero-liquid-discharge

[ZLD] options for scrubbers, and POWER, May 2006, p. 26, for an in-depth description

of a ZLD system at a large combined-cycle

plant in the U.S. Southwest).

Impacts of carbon capture. In light of

increasing calls to limit climate change and

CO2 releases, it is of interest to try to quantify

the effect that CO2 mitigation would have on

future demand for freshwater. The EIA fore-

casts a 45% increase in coal-fired generation

by the year 2030, including both pulverized-

coal (PC) and integrated gasification com-

bined cycle (IGCC) plants. The deployment

of carbon capture technologies under devel-

opment on these coal plants would likely in-

crease power plant water requirements.

NETL evaluated three different scenarios

associated with carbon capture and water.

Let’s look at the third scenario, which repre-

sents the greatest potential impact on water.

Following the EIA’s 2007 forecast that in the

year 2030, 62 GW of power will be generated

by PC plants that do not use scrubbers for SO2

control, scenario three does not include those

plants for CO2 capture. It is assumed that the

PC plants without scrubbers are the oldest

plants and that it is not feasible to retrofit them

with CO2 capture technologies. Such plants

would have to comply with carbon caps by

buying carbon credits. Scenario three goes on

to assume that the 242 GW of scrubbed ca-

pacity and all new PC plants will be retrofit-

ted with monoethanolamine (MEA) to absorb

CO2 from their flue gas, while the IGCC com-

ponent of new coal capacity would employ the

Selexol process. Both processes are assumed

to capture 90% of the CO2.

Both MEA and Selexol require water.

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WATER MANAGEMENT

MEA is designed to recover high-purity CO2

from low-pressure streams containing oxy-

gen. The process uses a stripping tower to

recover CO2 from the solvent. Cooling water

is indirectly used to lower the temperature of

the flue gas to about 100F. The compression

and dehydration of the CO2 are the other pro-

cesses that increase water use. Compressing

the CO2 generates heat, so intercoolers are

used between compression stages to cool the

CO2 fluid. The CO2 capture system also re-

quires water for washing, absorber intercool-

ing, reflux condensing, reclaimer cooling,

and lean solvent cooling. For IGCC, water

(steam) is used in the water-gas shift reaction

to increase the concentration of CO2. Water is

also used to cool the syngas before it enters

the two-stage Selexol process. It would also

be needed for compressing the CO2 for sub-

sequent transportation and storage.

In addition to direct water use, MEA ret-

rofitted to existing PC plants will indirectly

increase overall coal plant water use in order

to compensate for the makeup of the parasitic

power needed to operate the capture system.

NETL assumed that MEA-based CO2 capture

technology would derate the plant by 30%,

resulting in the need to build new thermo-

electric generating capacity to replace 73

GW of lost power.

For scenario three, NETL estimated that

freshwater withdrawal and consumption

would increase by 6 bgd and 4.3 bgd by

2030, respectively, compared with water use

by coal plants in a noncarbon-constrained fu-

ture (Figure 7). As seen in the past with other

emission control technologies, R&D efforts

are expected to promote improved efficien-

cies for current technologies and result in

new technologies, therefore lowering water

demands. (See POWER, January 2008, p. 46,

for a set of suggestions for reducing power

plant water demand.)

Other operating constraints. Several

other regulatory actions warrant attention for

their potential impact on water withdrawal

and consumption. Section 303(d) of the 1972

Clean Water Act requires states, territories,

and authorized tribes to develop a list of im-

paired waters not meeting water quality stan-

dards and then establish total maximum daily

loads (TMDLs) for these waters. A TMDL

specifies the maximum amount of a pollutant

that a waterbody can receive and still meet

water quality standards; it also allocates pol-

lutant loadings among point and nonpoint

pollutant sources.

TMDL requirements could constrain a

power plant’s ability to discharge cooling

water (as well as trace metals and other pol-

lutants from flue-gas cleanup by-products)

into a waterbody if it is impaired. Such a

plant would then have to seek an alternate

water source or install additional water treat-

ment equipment. ■

This article is based on “Estimating Freshwater Needs to Meet Future Thermo-electric Generation Requirements,” 2007 Update (DOE/NETL-400/2007/1304, Sep-tember 24, 2007). The report—available at www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/coalpower/ewr/pubs/2007WaterNeedsAnalysis-UP-DATE-Final_10-10-07b.pdf—was prepared by Erik Shuster and Andrea McNemar of the National Energy Technology Laboratory and Gary J. Stiegel, Jr. and James Murphy of Re-search and Development Solutions LLC.

Wat

er (g

al/M

Wh)

1,600

1,400

1,200

1,000

800

600

400

200

0

Withdrawal Consumption

SubcriticalPC

SupercriticalPC

Subcritical PCw/ CO2 capture

Supercritical PC w/

CO2 capture

IGCC IGCC w/ C02 capture

7. Relative water usage for new pulverized coal and IGCC plants. The integrated gasification combined-cycle data are averages of three different gasification tech-nologies. Source: NETL

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www.powermag.com POWER | April 200844

NUCLEAR POWER

Developing the next generation of reactorsDozens of intrinsically safe Generation III+ reactors are expected to be deployed

in the U.S. in the coming years. Today, scientists already are looking over the horizon to Generation IV reactors that will be capable of producing hydrogen and process heat as well as electricity while generating much less radioactive waste.

By James M. Hylko

In any technology-based business, after its

scientists unlock nature’s secrets, its en-

gineers use that knowledge to design new

products that we eventually can’t live with-

out. Without scientists, there are no techni-

cal advances. Without engineers, there are no

products. One of the greatest challenges for

a technology-based company is to focus its

R&D investments in areas with the greatest

potential payoff. Such is the case for the U.S.

nuclear power industry.

This article summarizes the relative merits

of several nuclear power systems that are un-

der development and competing for attention

and investment. To get a sense of how stiff the

competition is, consider this comparison: Last

year, Microsoft spent over $7 billion in R&D

to stay competitive in the burgeoning market

for online services, with the expectation of

earning many times that sum in the future; the

DOE’s total budget for “science & technol-

ogy” for this fiscal year is $3.9 billion.

Generation nextThree generations of nuclear power systems,

derived from designs originally developed

for naval use beginning in the late 1940s,

are operating worldwide today (Figure 1).

The first generation consisted of early proto-

type reactors from the 1950s and ’60s, such

as Shippingport (1957–1982), Dresden-1

(1960–1978), and Calder Hall-1 (1956–2003)

in the UK. There are only two commercial

Generation I (Gen I) plants still operating:

Oldbury nuclear power station, owned by the

British Nuclear Group and scheduled for clo-

sure this year, and Wylfa nuclear power sta-

tion in Wales, scheduled for closure in 2010.

The Gen II systems began operation in the

1970s and comprise the bulk of the world’s

400+ commercial pressurized water reactors

(PWRs) and boiling water reactors (BWRs).

These reactors, typically referred to as light-

water reactors (LWRs), use traditional “ac-

tive” safety features involving electrical or

mechanical operations available on com-

mand. Some engineered systems still operate

passively (for example, using pressure relief

valves) and function without operator control

or loss of auxiliary power.

Time is moneyA few Gen III plants have already been built.

The most visible is an advanced BWR that

entered service in Japan in 1996. None are in

service today in the U.S., although the Nucle-

ar Regulatory Commission (NRC) lists more

than two dozen in its certification queue. All

of the proposed reactor designs being scruti-

nized by the NRC are considered Generation

III+ designs: Areva’s evolutionary pressur-

ized water reactor or EPR, GE’s enhanced

simplified BWR or ESBWR, Westinghouse’s

APR1000 as amended, and Mitsubishi Heavy

Industries’ advanced PWR or ABWR.

The only examples of a Gen III reactor

design in operation are six ABWRs, includ-

ing four in Japan. Hitachi carefully honed its

construction processes during the building of

the Japanese units. For example, Kashiwazaki

Kariwa Unit 7 broke ground on July 1, 1993,

went critical on November 1, 1996, and began

commercial operation on July 2, 1997—four

years and a day after the first shovel of dirt

was turned. If the U.S. nuclear power indus-

try were to adopt Hitachi’s construction tech-

niques (for details, see POWER, May 2007, p.

43) in coming years, many billions of dollars

and years of time could be saved.

There’s no denying that the first three

generations of nuclear reactors have been

economically successful, after enduring the

usual reliability growing pains early in their

lives. According to the Nuclear Energy In-

Generation I

Early prototypereactors

Generation II

Commercial powerreactors

Generation III

Generation III

Advanced LWRsGeneration III+

Generation IV

Generation III+ Generation IV

Evolutionarydesigns offeringimprovedeconomics fornear-termdeployment

• Highly economical• Enhanced safety• Minimal waste• Proliferation- resistant

• Shipping port• Dresden, Fermi I• Magnox • LWR-PWR, BWR

• CANDU• AGR

• ABWR• System 80+

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030

1. The evolution of nuclear power reactors. More than two dozen Generation III+ reactors based on five different technologies are planned for the U.S. Generation IV reactors are expected to be available around 2030. Source: DOE

Gen IV reactors have all of the features of Gen III+ units plus the ability to support hydrogen production, thermal energy off-taking, and perhaps even water desalination.

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 45

NUCLEAR POWER

stitute, U.S. nuclear power plants in 2006

supplied the second-highest amount of elec-

tricity in the industry’s history while achiev-

ing a record-low average production cost of

1.66 cents/kWh. In fact, average production

costs have been below 2 cents/kWh for the

past eight years while capacity factors have

remained higher than 90%. What’s more, ef-

ficiency improvements to operations over the

past decade have yielded the equivalent of

some 20 new nuclear plants.

The Gen III and Gen III+ systems began

development in the 1990s by building on the

operating experience of the American, Japa-

nese, and Western European LWR fleets. Per-

haps their most significant improvement over

second-generation designs is the incorpora-

tion of “passive” safety features that do not

require active controls or operator interven-

tion; instead, they rely on gravity or natural

convection to mitigate the impact of abnor-

mal events. This feature, among others, will

help expedite the reactor certification review

process and thus shorten construction sched-

ules. Once plants using the Gen III and Gen

III+ reactors come on-line, they are expected

to achieve higher fuel burn-up (reducing fuel

consumption and waste production (see side-

bar) and operate for up to 60 years.

Generation after next: The optionsNuclear scientists have left implementation

of the Gen III+ designs in steel and concrete

to the engineers and moved on to developing

the “generation after next” nuclear alterna-

tives—commonly called Gen IV.

Conceptually, Gen IV reactors have all of

the features of Gen III+ units plus the ability

to support hydrogen production, thermal en-

ergy off-taking, and perhaps even water de-

salination. In addition, these designs include

advanced actinide management. An actinide

is an element with an atomic number between

89 (actinium) and 103 (lawrencium); the term

is usually applied to elements heavier than

uranium, which are also called transuranics.

Actinides are radioactive, typically have long

half-lives, and constitute a significant portion

of the spent fuel wastes from LWRs.

The DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy

(DOE-NE) has taken responsibility for devel-

oping the science required for five different

Gen IV technologies. The table summarizes

the characteristics and operating parameters

of six Gen IV reactor system alternatives,

including the molten salt reactor, which is

included for the sake of comprehensiveness

even though the U.S. is not currently re-

searching it. Each of the technology concepts

has been prioritized to reflect its technology

development status and its potential to meet

the program’s and national goals.

In general, Gen IV systems include full

actinide recycling and on-site fuel cycle fa-

cilities based on either advanced aqueous,

pyrometallurgical, or other dry processing

options. On-site reprocessing minimizes the

transportation of nuclear materials, which in-

creases the chance of their proliferation. The

DOE has expanded its coordinating activities

Now you’re cooking with thoriumUranium isn’t the only nuclear fuel. Tho-rium can also be used to generate power. Since the birth of nuclear power, there has been interest in using thorium for this purpose because it is three times more abundant in Earth’s crust than uranium. What’s more, all of the mined thorium is potentially usable in a reactor, compared with only 0.7% of natural uranium.

Although Th-232 is not fissile, it will absorb slow neutrons to produce fissile U-233 when placed in a reactor. “Fissile” is the term applied to an isotope capable of capturing a slow (thermal) neutron and undergoing nuclear fission. Examples are U-235, U-233, and Pu-239. In one significant aspect, U-233 is better than U-235 and Pu-239 because of its higher neutron yield per neutron absorbed. Fis-sioning thorium-based fuels produces far less waste plutonium than conventional fuels, and whatever plutonium is created is of a type that is unsuitable for making bombs.

Russia has had a program to develop a thorium-uranium fuel since the early 1990s. Based at Moscow’s Kurchatov Institute, it relies on an American company—Thorium Power (www.thoriumpower.com)—to de-sign fuel for Russian VVR-1000 reactors. In 2007, Thorium Power formed an alliance with the Red Star nuclear design bureau in Russia to test fuel assemblies in full-sized reactors.

Thorium-based fuel cycles have been studied for about 30 years, but on a much smaller scale than uranium or ura-nium/plutonium cycles. Basic research and development has been conducted in Germany, India, Japan, Russia, the UK, and the U.S. Noteworthy experiments in-volving thorium include using it to fuel prototype and commercial high-tempera-ture gas-cooled reactors, and the results are contributing to the development of gas-cooled fast reactors under the Gen IV reactor program being run by the DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy.

Neutron spectrum Coolant Temperature, C Pressurea Fuel Fuel cycle Sizes (MW) Production

Gas-cooled

fast reactorFast Helium 850 High U-238b Closed, on-site 288 Electricity,

hydrogen

Lead-cooled

fast reactorFast Pb-Bi 550–800 Low U-238b Closed, regional 50-150,

300-400, 1,200

Electricity,

hydrogen

Molten

salt reactorEpithermal Fluoride

salts

700–800 Low UF in salt Closed 1,000 Electricity,

hydrogen

Sodium-cooled

fast reactorFast Sodium 550 Low U-238 plus

mixed-oxide fuelClosed 150–500,

500–1,500 Electricity

Supercritical

water-cooled reactor Thermal or fast Water 510–550 Very high UO2 Open (thermal),

closed (fast)1,500 Electricity

Very high

temperature reactorThermal Helium 1,000 High UO2 (prism

or pebbles)Open 250 Electricity,

hydrogen

Notes: a. High = 7 to 15 Mpa. b. With some U-235 or Pu-239.

Characteristics and operating parameters of the six Generation IV reactor systems under development. Source: DOE

www.powermag.com POWER | April 200846

NUCLEAR POWER

to include a number of national and interna-

tional entities (see sidebar) and formed the

Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP),

which emphasizes fast reactors and fuel re-

processing.

Following are synopses of the develop-

ment status of the six Gen IV reactor system

alternatives.

The gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR). The

GFR (Figure 2) is primarily designed for

electricity production and actinide manage-

ment, but it may be able to support hydrogen

production as well. The reference GFR sys-

tem features a fast neutron spectrum, a Bray-

ton-cycle helium-cooled reactor, a closed

fuel cycle for actinide reprocessing, and a

plant efficiency of 48%. In November 2006,

the GFR System Arrangement was signed by

the European Atomic Energy Community

(Euratom), France, Japan, and Switzerland.

The several forms of fuel (ceramics, fuel

particles, and ceramic-clad elements) be-

ing considered for the GFR have one thing

in common: They will allow the reactor to

operate at very high temperatures yet ensure

excellent containment of fission products.

Core configurations will be either pin- or

plate-based fuel assemblies or prismatic

blocks. Performance enhancement possi-

bilities still being researched include the use

of materials with superior resistance to fast

neutron fluence (flux integrated over time)

at very high temperatures, and the develop-

ment of a helium-cooled turbine capable of

super-efficient electricity production. Target

values of some key parameters, such as pow-

er density and fuel burn-up, are sufficient for

reasonable performance of a first-generation

technology.

Two GFR projects have been constructed

in the U.S. The first—Peach Bottom 1, in

York County, Pa.—was a 40-MW experi-

mental helium-cooled, graphite-moderated

reactor that operated from 1967 to 1974.

The other was the Fort Saint Vrain Gener-

ating Station in Colorado; it operated from

1979 to 1989, burned uranium-thorium fuel

at a high temperature, and was capable of

producing 330 MW. Fort Saint Vrain’s fuel

elements had a hexagonal cross section, and

their energy density was low enough that los-

ing the primary coolant did not result in an

immediate overheating of the reactor core.

Operators had several hours to shut down the

reactor before incurring damage to the core.

The Fort Saint Vrain site was converted to a

natural gas combined-cycle plant in 1996.

Other ongoing demonstrations of GFR

technology include Japan’s graphite-moder-

ated high-temperature test reactor (HTTR),

which reached its full power of 30 MWth in

1999. It uses long hexagonal fuel assemblies,

unlike competing particle-bed reactor (PBR)

Organizations supporting the development of Generation IV reactorsThe Generation IV International Forum (GIF) was chartered in July 2001 to lead collaborative efforts of the world’s leading nuclear technology nations and to develop next-generation nuclear plants capable of meeting the world’s future energy needs. Member countries and organizations are the U.S., Argentina, Brazil, Canada, the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of South Africa, Switzerland, the UK, the People’s Repub-lic of China, and the Russian Federation. All have agreed on a framework for inter-national cooperation to develop systems that can be licensed, constructed, and operated to provide competitively priced and reliable energy. For more information, visit www.gen-4.org.

The Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative (www.ne.doe.gov/NHI/neNHI.html) focuses on the demonstration of economic commer-

cial-scale production of hydrogen using nuclear energy.

The Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative was formed to develop fuel systems for Gen IV reactors. For more information, visit afci.sandia.gov or nuclear.energy.gov/AFCI/neAFCI.html.

The Global Nuclear Energy Partner-ship (GNEP, www.gnep.energy.gov), an-nounced by Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman on February 6, 2006, is a com-prehensive strategy to increase U.S. and global energy security, encourage global development of clean nuclear power, re-duce the risk of nuclear proliferation, and improve the environment. Because GNEP is based on the principle that energy and security go hand-in-hand, the focus of the partnership is to develop and demon-strate new proliferation-resistant tech-nologies for recycling nuclear fuel and reducing radioactive waste.

Helium

Control rods

Generator Electrical power

Reactor

Turbine

Heat sink Heat sink

Compressor

Compressor

Intercooler

Recuperator

Pre-cooler

Reactorcore

2. The gas-cooled fast reactor. Source: DOE

With a closed loop cooling system, no need for process water, no

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www.powermag.com POWER | April 200848

NUCLEAR POWER

designs. Testing has shown that the core can

reach temperatures sufficient for hydrogen

production.

Separately, a 300-MWth pebble-bed modu-

lar reactor (PBMR) using a closed-cycle gas

turbine power conversion system is being de-

signed for deployment by the South African

utility Eskom.

Finally, a consortium of Russian insti-

tutes is designing a 300-30 MWth gas tur-

bine-modular helium reactor (GT-MHR) in

cooperation with General Atomics. The en-

tire GT-MHR plant (Figure 3) is essentially

contained in two interconnected pressure

vessels enclosed by a below-ground concrete

containment structure. The GT-MHR core is

being designed to use any of a wide variety

of fuels (including thorium/high-enriched

uranium and Th/U-233); it may even be able

to convert weapons-grade or reactor-grade

plutonium fuel to electrical energy.

The lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR). The

LFR (Figure 4) is a fast neutron spectrum re-

actor designed for electricity and hydrogen

production as well as actinide management.

Three key technical aspects of the LFR are its

use of lead for cooling, a long cartridge-core

life (15 to 20 years), and its modularity and

small size (potentially suiting it for deploy-

ment on small grids or at remote locations).

The LFR envisioned by DOE-NE’s Gen-

eration IV program would be based on the

small secure transportable autonomous reac-

tor (SSTAR) concept. The main mission of

SSTAR development is to provide incremen-

tal energy generation to match the needs of

developing nations and remote communities

lacking a grid connection. LFR technologies

have already been successfully demonstrated

internationally. A prime example is Russia’s

BREST fast “breeder” reactor, which both

consumes reactor-grade plutonium as fuel

and produces it as raw material. BREST

technology builds on Russia’s 40 years of

experience with lead-bismuth cooling of the

reactors powering its Alfa-class submarines.

The molten salt reactor (MSR). The

MSR (Figure 5) is a liquid-fueled reactor

that can be used for actinide burning and

production of electricity, hydrogen, and

fissile fuels. In this system, the molten salt

fuel flows through graphite core channels.

The heat generated in the molten salt is

transferred to a secondary coolant system

through an intermediate heat exchanger,

and then through another heat exchanger

to the power conversion system. Actinides

and most fission products form fluorides in

the liquid coolant. The homogenous liquid

fuel allows for the addition of actinide feeds

without requiring fuel fabrication.

During the 1960s, the U.S. developed a

molten salt breeder reactor as the prima-

Reactor and powerproduction vessellocated below groundTurbine converts

612F of temperaturedifferential and633 psi at pressuredifferential torotating energy

Common driveshafttransmits turbinerotation to generatorand compressor

Turbine outlet950F384 psi

Electricity

Turbine inlet1562F1017 psi

Recuperatortransfers mostof remainingheat back tothe reactor

Pre-cooler

Intercooler

Power production vessel

Reactor vessel

Helium enterscore at 815F

Helium exitscore at 1582F

+–

Generator

Compressor

3. The gas turbine-modular helium reactor. Source: General Atomics

Control rods

Header

U-tube heatexchanger

modules (4)

Reactor module/

fuel cartridge(removable)

Coolantmodule

Coolant

Inlet distributorReactor

Reactorcore

Generator Electricalpower

Turbine

Recuperator

Heatsink

Heatsink

Compressor

Compressor

Pre-cooler

Intercooler

4. The lead-cooled fast reactor. Source: DOE

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 49

ry back-up option for a conventional fast

breeder reactor. Recent work has focused on

lithium and beryllium fluoride coolants with

dissolved thorium and U-233 fuel. The DOE

plans to continue its cooperative work with

Euratom MSR programs in the future.

The sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR). The primary development goals of the SFR

(Figure 6) program are actinide management,

reduction of waste products, and more-effi-

cient uranium consumption. Future, lower-

cost designs are expected to not only produce

electricity but also supply thermal energy,

produce hydrogen, and possibly enable de-

salination as well. The SFR’s fast neutron

spectrum could make the use of available fis-

sile and fertile materials, including depleted

uranium, much more efficient than it is in

today’s LWRs. In addition, the SFR system

may not require as much design research as

other Generation IV systems.

A Gen IV technical readiness and oper-

ating experience comparison of the GFR,

LFR, and SFR systems led to the selection

of the SFR as the primary fast-reactor Gen

IV candidate for near-term deployment. The

decision was based on more than 300 reactor-

years’ experience with fast neutron reactors

in eight countries.

Important safety features of the SFR sys-

tem include a long thermal response time

(the reactor heats up slowly), a large margin

Controlrods

ReactorCoolant salt

Generator Electricalpower

Purifiedsalt

Chemicalprocessingplant

Fuelsalt Pump

Pump

Heatexchanger Heat

exchanger

Freezeplug

Emergency dump tanks

Turbine

Recuperator

Compressor

Heatsink

Heatsink

Intercooler

Compressor

Pre-cooler

5. The molten salt reactor. Source: DOE

Cold plenum

Hot plenum

Control rodsHeat

exchanger

Steamgenerator

Turbine Generator

Condenser

Heat sink

Pump

Secondarysodium

Pump

Primarysodium(cold)

6. The sodium-cooled fast reactor. Source: DOE

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NUCLEAR POWER

between operating temperatures and the boil-

ing temperatures of coolants (less chance of

accidental boiling), a primary system that

operates near atmospheric pressure, and an

intermediate sodium system between the ra-

dioactive sodium in the primary system and

the water and steam in the power plant.

The supercritical water-cooled reac-tor (SCWR). The SCWR (Figure 7) prom-

ises significant economic advantages for two

reasons: the plant simplification that it makes

possible and its increased thermal efficiency.

The main mission of the SCWR is to gen-

erate electricity at low cost by combining

two proven technologies: conventional LWR

technology and supercritical fossil fuel–fired

boiler technology. Design studies predict

plant thermal efficiencies about one-third

higher than those of today’s LWRs.

As the figure shows, an SCWR’s balance-

of-plant systems and passive safety features,

similar to those of a BWR, are much simpler

because the coolant does not change phase in

the reactor. The supercritical water drives the

turbine directly without any secondary steam

system. An international effort, with Japan in

the lead, aims to resolve the most pressing

materials and system design uncertainties

needed to demonstrate the technical viability

of the SCWR.

The very high temperature reactor (VHTR)/next-generation nuclear plant (NGNP). The main mission of the VHTR/

NGNP (Figure 8) is to produce both elec-

tricity and hydrogen. The reference system

consists of a helium-cooled, graphite-mod-

erated, thermal neutron reactor. Electricity

and hydrogen are produced using an indirect

cycle in which intermediate heat exchangers

supply a hydrogen production demonstration

facility and a gas turbine generator. Process

heat also could be provided for applications

such as coal gasification and cogeneration.

The VHTR gets high economic marks for

its high hydrogen production efficiency and

high safety and reliability grades due to the

inherent safety features of the fuel and reac-

tor. It also gets good ratings for prolifera-

tion resistance and physical protection, and

a neutral rating for sustainability because of

Control rods

Supercriticalwater

Reactor

Turbine Generator

Condenser

Heat sink

Pump

Electricalpower

7. The supercritical water-cooled reactor. Source: DOE

Powerconversion unit

Generator

Blower

Blower

Low-pressurecompressor

Primary heatrejection

High-pressurecompressor

Recuperator

Heatexchanger Heat

exchangerHeatexchangerPebble-bed or

prismatic reactor

Pump

Power forelectrolysis

Commercialpower

Hydrogen

Hydrogen

8. The very high temperature reactor. Source: DOE

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NUCLEAR POWER

its open or once-through fuel cycle. Although

the VHTR/NGNP requires R&D advances in

fuel performance and high-temperature ma-

terials, it should benefit from earlier GFR,

GT-MHR, and PBMR advancements.

The VHTR/NGNP is expected to be avail-

able for near-term deployment as early as

2015. The DOE-NE program’s objective is to

have the other Gen IV systems available for

deployment by about 2030, when many of

the world’s nuclear plants’ operating licenses

will be at or near their expiration dates. Like

the Gen III+ program, the Gen IV program

coordinates with the DOE’s Nuclear Power

2010 Program—to ensure that the results

of all efforts complement the agency’s new

risk-based and technology-neutral licensing

approach.

The VHRR/NGNP is also special for an-

other reason. Although the DOE is subsidiz-

ing research into several reactor concepts,

the VHTR/NGNP has top priority because

it was singled out in Sections 641 through

645 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. There,

$1.25 billion was earmarked for the design

and construction of a prototype NGNP proj-

ect at the Idaho National Laboratory by no

later than 2021. This prototype is expected

to have a thermal efficiency of 48%, produce

hydrogen as well as power, and make process

heat with a zero carbon footprint available to

a broad range of applications such as syngas

production and the conversion of coal to liq-

uid fuels.

The pluses of particle managementActinide management, common to all the

Gen IV alternatives, would reduce the vol-

ume of nuclear waste in the mid-term and

provide assurance of nuclear fuel availability

in the long term. This mission overlaps a na-

tional responsibility addressed in the Nuclear

Waste Policy Act, namely, the disposition of

spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste. The

mid-term (30 to 50 years) actinide manage-

ment mission consists primarily of limiting

or reversing the buildup of the inventory of

spent nuclear fuel from current and near-term

nuclear plants.

Actinides may be a waste product for an

LWR, but they are fissionable in a fast re-

actor. As mentioned earlier, a transuranic is

a very heavy element with a higher atomic

number than uranium (92); it is formed ar-

tificially by neutron capture and possibly

by subsequent beta decays. Extracting these

long-lived radionuclides from spent fuel

and irradiating them in a closed fuel cycle

using fast reactors does more than generate

electricity. It also transmutes the long-lived

radionuclides that would otherwise require

isolation in a geologic repository such as

Yucca Mountain into shorter-lived radionu-

clides. Transmutation changes atoms of one

element into those of another by neutron

bombardment that causes neutron capture

and/or fission. In the longer term, the ac-

tinide management mission can beneficially

produce excess fissionable material, current-

ly supplied through mining and the enrich-

ment of natural uranium, for use in systems

optimized for other energy missions.

Making the most of uraniumFast reactors play a unique role in the actinide

management mission because they operate

with higher-energy neutrons than LWRs and

thus are more effective in fissioning the ac-

tinides and transuranics recovered from an

LWR’s spent fuel.

Theoretically, a fast reactor can recycle all

of the uranium and transuranic radionuclides.

In contrast, thermal reactors, such as LWRs,

use lower-energy neutrons and extract ener-

gy primarily from fissile isotopes. The only

naturally occurring fissile isotope is U-235,

which has only 0.7% natural uranium; en-

richment increases this natural concentra-

tion of U-235 to about 3% to 5%, which is

enough to enable operation of an LWR. But

because LWRs cannot be used for complete

recycling, over 99% of the uranium initially

mined ends up in their spent fuel and in the

residue from the enrichment process. Fast re-

actors maximize the use of uranium because

they support multiple fuel recycles that make

all of the fuel’s heat content usable.

Kick-starting the hydrogen economyAnother feature of many of Gen IV reactors

is their ability to produce hydrogen as a by-

product. Realizing this potential could make

the use of fuel cells for transportation and

power generation more economic and envi-

ronmentally benign while reducing Ameri-

ca’s dependence on imported oil.

Sufficient quantities of hydrogen for

commercial use would be produced dur-

ing off-peak periods, improving the operat-

ing economics of nuclear baseload plants.

A long-term objective would require dedi-

cated Gen IV nuclear plants, operating at

higher temperatures, to produce hydrogen at

a steady rate for storage and subsequent use

by large (>1,000-MW) banks of fuel cells to

address daily peak demand. ■

—James M. Hylko (james.hylko@prs-llc.net) is an integrated

safety management specialist for Paducah Remediation Services LLC

and a POWER contributing editor.

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www.powermag.com POWER | April 200854

PLANT DESIGN

Turbine technology maturity: A shifting paradigmSelecting the right turbine(s) for a specific power project is a complex process

that poses two challenges. One is understanding which field experience cited by suppliers represents proven technology; the other is evaluating whether a turbine upgrade represents an evolutionary change or a revo-lutionary transformation that warrants further study before deploying it in the field. Here‘s how a leading EPC contractor makes technology-neutral equipment selection decisions on behalf of its customers.

By Dr. Justin Zachary, Bechtel Power Corp.

Determining the relevance of power

generation equipment’s field experi-

ence requires special expertise and

dedicated research. The continuing evolution

of technology, manufacturing processes, and

quality control techniques demands updating

the old approach to validating “proven tech-

nology.” Because equipment manufacturers’

product development never stops, it is diffi-

cult to determine what represents “pertinent”

operational experience.

For example, although two gas turbines

may have the same model number, they op-

erate differently if one has been modified in

the factory or in the field and the other has

not. How to accurately evaluate the results

of this experience when making a purchase

recommendation is the challenge faced by all

engineering/procurement/construction (EPC)

contractors.

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)

have significantly improved the ratings of

prime movers, steam generators, and envi-

ronmental control systems over the past few

years. Thanks to technological breakthroughs,

combined-cycle power plants are now pushing

the 60% net efficiency (lower heating value)

barrier. Similarly, coal-fired plants powered

by boilers operating at supercritical and ultra-

supercritical steam conditions have increased

their thermal performance while decreasing

their output of pollutants.

These technology improvements are a

boon to power plant planners but represent

a dilemma for EPC contractors, who must

determine how to properly evaluate new and

upgraded hardware. On the one hand, using

the newest and most efficient turbine makes

it easier to cope with rising fuel costs and

growing pressures to reduce CO2 emissions.

On the other, early adoption of advanced tur-

bine technology could put the reliability and

availability of a plant at risk—and expose

the EPC contractor to penalties if the turbine

doesn’t perform as advertised.

Power plant owners have always tried to

avoid ordering “serial number one” of any

device; for newer equipment, they have typ-

ically insisted on a track record of 8,000 to

16,000 operating hours before considering

it “proven” technology. But, as all power

engineers know, every plant is unique. In

many cases, equipment modifications and

supplier-recommended O&M practices con-

tinue to be implemented even after a plant

has been commissioned. How can a contrac-

tor make a reasonable evaluation of equip-

ment whose performance is a moving target

and that may have been customized to meet

site-specific needs?

Compared to what?Technologies mature through incremental

changes, yet technology breakthroughs occur

only through revolutionary advances. For ex-

ample, when a gas turbine supplier introduc-

es a new model, it falls to the owner and EPC

contractor of a proposed plant to determine

whether the improvements incorporated in

the new unit are significant enough to war-

rant a fresh assessment of the risks and re-

wards of using that particular turbine line.

These decisions must be informed by very

specialized expertise. Ideally, they should

also be based on a comparison of the operat-

ing experience of the new model to that of

its predecessors. However, such comparisons

cannot be made if the new model or a similar

unit has yet to enter commercial service. To

further complicate matters, the cumulative

operating hours of a particular turbine model

as a measure of its technology’s maturity

may be irrelevant to evaluating the latest gas

turbine uprate, because suppliers introduce

hardware modifications on a continual basis.

The situation is even more complicated in

the case of steam turbines. With the excep-

tion of the last three blades in its low-pres-

sure section, the hardware of a modern large

steam turbine is specifically designed to the

flow and pressure conditions of a given appli-

cation. Those steam conditions, in turn, are a

function of fuel and site conditions, such as

ambient temperature and humidity, and the

kind of condenser used.

Bechtel Power Corp. has developed a pro-

cess for evaluating gas turbines (GTs) and

steam turbines (STs) that fairly identifies

the risks and rewards of adopting new tur-

bine technologies. This article presents sev-

eral examples of such evaluations—and their

bases and established best practices—made

in the course of developing and/or execut-

ing more than 30 advanced combined-cycle

power projects and five subcritical and four

supercritical steam plant projects over the

past seven years. The following discussions

should be helpful to OEMs trying to under-

stand how EPCs choose turbines and to plant

developers seeking guidance on making sim-

ilar decisions.

Technologies mature through incremental changes, yet technology breakthroughs occur only through revolutionary advances.

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 55

PLANT DESIGN

Evaluating new gas turbinesThe gas turbine has been a mainstay of U.S.

power generation for more than two decades

now. The fact that several makers of GTs

continue to introduce new and/or uprated

units suggests that demand for gas-fired

generators will continue. For large GTs, the

industry uses a letter designation to identify

the machine’s technology class—an overall

measure of its air volumetric flow, its com-

pressor pressure ratio, and, most importantly,

its firing temperature. During the 1980s, E-

class gas turbines ruled the market. F-class

GTs became available in the early 1990s and

represent the majority of units operating in

the U.S. today.

The newest turbine classes, labeled G

and H, change the game of how the main

combined-cycle components interact. The

G and H technologies create an inseparable

thermodynamic and physical link between

a combined-cycle plant’s primary (GT) and

secondary (ST) power generation systems by

using steam (in lieu of air) in a closed loop

for turbine cooling. (See POWER, June 2007,

p. 42 for a tour of Siemens Power Genera-

tion’s G-class machine, and POWER, Sep-

tember 2007, p. 44 for coverage of the first

U.S. deployment of Mitsubishi Heavy Indus-

tries’ G1 unit.)

Significant uprates in power output and

thermal efficiency from one technology class

to the next are the result of major design and

manufacturing improvements. Figures 1 and

2 compare the improvements in power out-

put and heat rate, respectively, within and

between technology classes achieved by two

different OEMs. Both suppliers attributed the

uprates to the use of an evolutionary design

process with a “proven, existing design base,”

as well as to their accumulated experience.

That may be so, but such a broad explana-

tion does nothing to help prospective buyers

quantitatively evaluate turbine upgrades ei-

ther as they are announced or afterward.

Rating upratesGas turbine OEMs routinely release evo-

lutionary upgrades to improve the thermal

and/or mechanical performance of their ex-

isting fleet. Some upgrades are optional and

available at a price. Others are handled as

warranty items. In either case, the question

for a power project developer or contractor

attempting to evaluate an upgrade is whether

to consider it a mere “tweak” or significant

enough to constitute a brand-new model of

gas turbine.

Good examples of this quandary are the

GE 7FB and Siemens-Westinghouse 501 FD

turbines, each of which offers thermal per-

formance superior to that of the original F-

class machines. As Figures 1 and 2 indicate,

although the power output and heat rate im-

provements within the F class over a period

of 15 years amounted to less than 10%, they

were not insignificant. The major changes to

F-class machines included increases in airflow

and compressor pressure ratio, and higher fir-

ing temperatures made possible by the devel-

opment of advanced materials and their use in

turbine blades and nozzles. How should these

more revolutionary uprates be handled when

evaluating turbine alternatives?

Pieces of a wholeWhether an uprate is evolutionary or revo-

lutionary, the process for evaluating it must

remain the same—the separate vetting of

each turbine component affected, followed

by an analysis of the interactions between

them. Following are some examples that

illustrate the challenges facing anyone at-

tempting to do an appraisal of a complete

turbine system.

Compressors. One of the most common

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

100

35

Cap

acit

y im

prov

emen

t (%

)

Gas turbine class

OEM 1 OEM 2

F FX H F FX G

0.0

4.84

22.00

0.00

9.66

34.69

1. Up the ante. These bars show the class-to-class gains in the power output of gas tur-bines from two different manufacturers. The data are for turbine operation at ISO conditions. Source: Bechtel Power Corp.

2. Pushing efficiency. This chart compares the class-to-class heat rate improvements of gas turbines from two different OEMs. The data assume turbine operation at ISO conditions. Source: Bechtel Power Corp.

0

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Hea

t ra

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)

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OEM 1 OEM 2

Gas turbine class

0

1.61

4.85

0

4.37

6.95

www.powermag.com POWER | April 200856

PLANT DESIGN

ways to increase the airflow through a GT

compressor is to open the unit’s inlet guide

vane (IGV) angle slightly. Using detailed

data on compressor surge margins from op-

erating experience at various ambient tem-

peratures, many manufacturers have tweaked

IGV angles beyond their initial setting. Addi-

tional gains in compressor performance can

be achieved by modifying the aerodynamics

of the two stages following the IGVs. Though

this practice can increase a GT’s power out-

put, it also may reduce the compressor’s surge

margin and negatively affect its performance

at high ambient temperatures.

The performance benefits of increasing

mass flow at 104F will not be as great as

those at ISO conditions (59F). In this case,

the gas turbine evaluator should consider per-

tinent only the experience of those turbines in

the fleet on which the compressor modifica-

tions have been implemented. Often, suppli-

ers’ published operating hours represent the

cumulative experience of all turbines with

same model number. They therefore do not

account for differences between the units, in

terms of either airflow or the status of recom-

mended hardware design modifications.

Another way to improve the efficiency

of a GT is to increase its compressor’s pres-

sure ratio. With the advent of sophisticated

computational fluid dynamics techniques, it

has become possible to raise pressure ratio

without increasing the number of compres-

sor stages. This option maintains the engine

length and bearing locations but requires the

use of better materials for the compressor’s

last-stage blades, which are exposed to

higher temperatures. However, a higher com-

pressor discharge temperature also requires

a detailed reevaluation of both combustion

system dynamics and the air-cooling circuits

of all turbine sections.

Combustion system. The dry low-NOx

(DLN) combustor is another GT component

that suppliers are constantly seeking to im-

prove. Ever-lower air pollution limits have

pushed turbine OEMs to develop combus-

tion technologies that can now limit the NOx

emissions of a turbine firing at 2,400F to

single-digit ppm levels.

Despite extensive validation programs,

this evolutionary process has been accom-

panied by many setbacks and field problems

(for example, combustion oscillations). Due

to the nature of lean premix combustion,

DLN burner systems are sensitive to even

minor changes in their geometry or cooling

air patterns. Implementation of any evolu-

tionary modification of this sort should be

accompanied by thorough rig testing and

field validation. Technology demonstra-

tions should address only the cumulative

experience of units with identical combus-

tion system geometry and the same control

software.

Firing temperature. The most common

way to increase the power output and efficien-

cy of a GT is to raise its firing temperature. For

many years, this was a gradual process marked

by step improvements of 20 to 30 degrees F.

Recently, however, even greater increases in

firing temperature have been made possible

through the use of sophisticated nickel-based

superalloys (single-crystal nozzles and blades)

and elaborate air-cooling schemes.

But determining whether a particular gas

turbine should be considered proven tech-

nology still requires obtaining performance

and availability data from units operating at

the same, or nearly the same, firing tempera-

ture. The problem here is that turbine firing

temperature (TFT) must be calculated (as

opposed to measured), and different turbine

suppliers define the turbine inlet temperature

(TIT) needed for the calculation differently.

For example, the European GT suppliers—

Alstom and Siemens Power Generation—use CIRCLE 36 ON READER SERVICE CARD

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 57

PLANT DESIGN

the theoretical ISO 2314 definition of hypo-

thetical TIT, which assumes that the entire

compressor inlet flow enters the combustor,

making the calculation possible. Other manu-

facturers define the TIT as the gas temperature

at the inlet of the first turbine rotor. The cal-

culation of this TIT is more difficult, because

it is necessary to know several air-cooling

flows, which are considered to be manufac-

turers’ proprietary information. Because the

final TFT or the true TIT value is determined

during the final stages of GT commissioning

(both vary from engine to engine), a practi-

cal comparison approach should consider gas

turbines with a TIT range of ±10F.

Dimensional scaling. Turbomachinery

manufacturers commonly use this time-sav-

ing technique to create different-size (usually

larger) components with the same positive at-

tributes as a previous part. If the basic rules of

scaling are followed (for example, using a lin-

ear factor of speed ratio for dimensions and a

square factor of speed ratio for flow), the new

component’s basic mechanical safety margin

and aerodynamic design remain unchanged.

Unfortunately, combustion dynamics and

heat transfer characteristics cannot be scaled.

As a result, critical areas of turbine subsys-

tem development (such as cooling schemes)

must be analyzed and validated in every

scaling case—just as mechanical tolerances,

surface finishes, and tip clearances must be.

An important criterion for evaluating a scaled

turbomachinery component is determining

how the implemented changes affect the in-

tegrity of the original design.

Validation methodology. The process

of developing a new GT requires individual

testing of all of its major components. De-

spite developers’ extensive multi-phase vali-

dation and integration programs, all new GTs

have presented many first-of-a-kind techni-

cal challenges upon their debut. OEMs, EPC

contractors, and insurance carriers have paid

a hefty price to correct turbine problems un-

der actual field operating conditions.

In response, several leading GT manufac-

turers—Alstom, Siemens Power Generation,

and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)—

have built in-house testing facilities to evalu-

ate the performance of their new units at load

in a completely controlled environment, to

identify potential problems in a unit before

it reaches market prematurely, and to reduce

development time and cost. (See POWER, October 2007, p. 32 for a full description of

MHI’s full-scale test facility for integrated

gasification combined-cycle systems.)

Siemens and General Electric have also

pursued an alternative approach to gas tur-

bine testing: using a power plant as a vali-

dation site. In Siemens’ case, E.ON—the

owner of Irsching Station in Germany—

Major OEM testing facilities for advanced gas turbines. Source: Bechtel Power Corp.

Manufacturer Location Remarks

Alstom Birr, Switzerland In-house test facility with generator

Berlin, Germany In-house test facility with water brake

Cottam, UK Demonstration site

Unit 4 of E.ON’s Irsching Station, Germany

H-class demonstration site

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Takasago, Japan In-house verification plant with generator

General Electric Baglan Bay Power Station, UK H system validation site

Siemens Power Generation

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PLANT DESIGN

gives the company open access to Unit 4, a

530-MW combined-cycle facility to be pow-

ered by Siemens’ SGT5-8000H gas turbine

(Figure 3) when it comes on-line in 2011. In

exchange for the opportunity to “road-test”

and implement changes to the new GT be-

fore it is introduced, Siemens will possibly

offer commercial benefits to the host, E.ON.

The table (p. 57) locates the testing facilities

of the major GT manufacturers.

GT evaluators should be aware that many

of the improvements being incorporated into

H-class designs are already flowing back to F

and G class units. The most recent examples

are the GE 9FB’s implementation of many GE

H system features (Figure 4), and the MHI

M701G2’s incorporation of M501H techno-

logical enhancements, giving it performance

superior to that of the original M701G.

Even if small modifications made to a GT’s

design are thought to have limited impact on

its performance or behavior, there is always

the chance of an unforeseen cumulative nega-

tive effect on both due to the mechanical and

3. We’re number one. Siemens Power Generation is calling its new SGT5-8000H the world’s largest (340 MW) and most efficient gas turbine. As part of a 1 x 1 combined-cycle configuration, it is expected to produce 530 MW at a thermal efficiency of more than 60%. The photo shows an SGT5-8000H leaving Siemens’ factory in Berlin. Courtesy: Siemens Power Generation

4. Industry leader. A GE 50-Hz Frame 9FB awaits shipment to a project site in Spain. The 9FB sports thermal efficiency approaching 58% in combined-cycle mode. Courtesy: GE Energy

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PLANT DESIGN

thermodynamic interaction between individ-

ual components. Any evaluation process must

consider this possibility.

Field data is essentialA key goal of any GT evaluation must be a

thorough understanding of both the financial

objectives of the proposed project and its

desired performance levels (net power, heat

rate, emissions, reliability, availability, and

the like). Regardless of whether a new or up-

graded GT is being considered, the selection

process must include a technology review of

the offering to evaluate the nature and signifi-

cance of changes from previous models with

a good operating track record.

The analysis must include details of the

supplier’s model validation process as well as

available data on the model’s performance. In

many cases, the review also covers various as-

pects of quality control in the engineering and

manufacturing processes. The performance

data offered by prospective suppliers of a

specific project must be normalized and cor-

related with the performance of the same type

of GT documented on previous projects.

Bechtel bases its GT evaluation on a per-

formance data bank that was created over

time and is constantly updated with infor-

mation from field tests (Figure 5). The es-

tablishment of a machine’s credentials must

be based not only on its model nameplate

but also on a complete list of implemented

modifications.

To understand why this is important, take

a close look at Figure 6, which shows the

thermal performance of 37 GTs from four

OEMs installed on various recent projects.

Note that eight units did not deliver the guar-

anteed power output, and that 11 did not

meet heat rate guarantees. These real-world

experiences must play a role in any purchase

decision.

Evaluating new steam turbines The development of advanced steam turbines

is being driven by demand for combined-cycle

plants and for a new generation of solid fuel–

fired plants. For combined-cycle applications,

STs have followed the same evolutionary path

as heavy-duty GTs. Today, the interdepen-

dency between gas and steam turbines has be-

come even more pronounced with the advent

of G and H class GTs (Figure 7).

Worldwide, most steam turbines destined

for power coal-fired plants are being designed

to operate at supercritical (SC) or ultrasuper-

critical (USC) temperatures and pressures. In

the U.S., all proposed coal plants have main

steam pressure and temperature values well

above supercritical conditions for the sake of

improved efficiency and to reduce the plant’s

carbon footprint. Most coal plant developers

5. Walking upright. The evolutionary scale of F-Class gas turbine technology. Source: Bechtel Power Corp.

100

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

Perc

enta

ge f

rom

bas

e

Del

ta fi

ring

cla

ss (d

eg. F

)

1991 1993 1997 1999 2001 2005Year

Power Heat rate Compressor flow Firing class

7. Low-end power. This low-pressure steam turbine from Siemens was installed at a 1,000-MW lignite-fired plant in Niederaussem, Germany. Courtesy: Siemens Power Generation

Perc

ent

from

gua

rant

ees

4

3

2

1

0

–1

–2

–3Number of gas turbines

Better heat rate

Better power output

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37

Power output Heat rate

6. Difference of opinion. This chart compares combustion turbine guarantees from various manufacturers’ actual test results for power output and heat rate. Source: Bechtel Power Corp.

CIRCLE 39 ON READER SERVICE CARD

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PLANT DESIGN

now seek net plant efficiency (high heating

value) in excess of 42%.

Early efforts to raise the overall efficien-

cy of a steam turbine focused on improving

its high-pressure (HP) and intermediate-

pressure (IP) sections. But increasingly,

manufacturers also aggressively sought to

upgrade the low-pressure (LP) turbine,

which in many cases accounts for 50% of

the ST’s power output. Today, a key de-

velopment objective is to increase the size

of the turbine’s last-stage blades (LSBs),

thereby reducing the number of LP modules

required and boosting power output at lower

condenser pressures.

On the one hand, the trend in advanced

ST design is toward greater standardization

of the number of modules and their sizes

as a way to reduce costs and accelerate de-

velopment schedules. But on the other, the

only way to improve thermal efficiency is

to custom design the blading of each turbine

section, with the exception of the last three

stages of the LP section. This can be accom-

plished only by using highly computerized

design and manufacturing methods.

Understanding what “proven technology”

means in the context of advanced steam tur-

bine design requires the supplier and cus-

tomer to discuss development trends and to

compare target ST specs to those of operat-

ing units. Legal and commercial agreements

between the parties must overcome the barri-

ers of proprietary information disclosure by

having a structure that protects turbine manu-

facturers but allows the release of sufficient

technical information to allow turbine buyers

to conduct a meaningful technical evaluation.

Several examples follow.

HP-IP blade design. The blades of an

ST are the components that receive the most

attention in any technical evaluation. Sig-

nificant effort is expended to optimize blade

design, which has a direct and powerful ef-

fect on the efficiency of a turbine’s HP and

IP sections.

It is now customary to use a full 3-D design

to account for all blade profile and leakage

losses and other secondary effects. Because

HP and IP blades are relatively short, large

end-wall losses occur at the hub and the

shroud. A stage efficiency improvement of 2

percentage points can be obtained by modi-

fying the conventional cylindrical blade de-

sign using 3-D design techniques to bend

and twist blades at their hub and tip. Another

way to improve HP-IP blading is to use vari-

able reaction for each stage in the blade path

length instead of constant reaction. Improve-

ments of 1 percentage point and higher in the

module efficiency have been reported.

HP-IP configuration. A key decision

centers on whether separate or integral HP-

IP modules should be used because the mod-

ule count has a big effect on overall ST cost.

Several manufacturers suggest that the use

of a single, opposite-flow combined HP-IP

module has cost and project schedule ad-

vantages. This type of arrangement has been

used successfully for STs rated at up to 600

MW (gross). If the rotor can be shipped pre-

assembled into an inner and outer casing, as

one design indicates, shorter erection and

commissioning times are possible. The ad-

vantages offered by integral HP-IP modules

give manufacturers an incentive to propose

this arrangement for STs with even higher

ratings, around 800 MW.

An important criterion for evaluating the

technology requires review of IP exhaust

losses at different operating and pressure-

setting conditions. In this configuration,

there is a single flow of steam in the IP sec-

tion, so the velocity of the exiting steam

rises—as do losses. In some installations a

conventional double-flow IP flow will al-

low a more equitable flow distribution when

each IP flow will be connected to one dou-

ble-flow LP module.

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PLANT DESIGN

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Seals. In addition to using conventional,

noncontact labyrinth seals, ST manufactur-

ers have introduced new sealing technologies

in an effort to further reduce leakage losses.

Several sealing methodologies used in GTs,

such as abradable seals and brush seals, have

found their way into ST applications. Such

designs could reduce leakage flow by 20%,

compared to the use of uncoated seals.

In addition, brush seals are becoming stan-

dard features in advanced STs—particularly

in the HP and IP modules of SC and USC tur-

bines. In this type of application, the leakage

flow is reduced by 50%, compared with that

of a conventional seal. The absence of any

clearance between the brush and the surface

of the part reduces leakage by 70%, poten-

tially improving overall turbine efficiency by

one-half percentage point. End users are ad-

vised to evaluate the OEM’s specific experi-

ence with brush seals in each turbine section.

LP turbine LSBs. The LP turbine’s last-

stage blades are a key element in ST design

because they determine the turbine’s perfor-

mance, dimensions, and number of casings.

Increasing the length of the LSBs would re-

duce the number of LP modules required.

To overcome the shortcomings of con-

ventional, subsonic LSB design, ST manu-

facturers have devoted considerable effort

to understanding and improving the design

of stationary and rotating blades. Changing

existing traditional design boundaries—such

as supersonic relative inflow at the tip of the

rotating blade—has been evaluated by exten-

sive analytical and experimental trials with an

eye to improving user acceptance. Mechani-

cal constraints also play an important role

in the development of the new generation of

longer LSBs. Market pressure to lengthen

LSBs has led developers to use titanium al-

loys instead of steel.

In many cases, to reduce cost and devel-

opment time, dimensional scaling was used

to convert the design from one rotational

speed to another. However, dimensional

scaling, as discussed above in the context of

gas turbines, cannot eliminate the need for

hardware validation in rig tests or for run-

ning actual field applications for a substan-

tial amount of time.

Two examples of behavior that affects

the integrity and performance of LSBs over

time are stress corrosion cracking (which is

induced by the combination of tensile stress

and the corrosive environment) and exces-

sive localized moisture content (the result

of coarse-grained water lagging the impact

of steam on the blade at high tip speed). For

these reasons, experience accumulated at one

rotational speed, either 50 or 60 Hz, may not

be considered relevant proof of technology

performance.

Reconciling performance figuresThe continuous evolution of STs presents

many challenges for EPC contractors respon-

sible for selecting and functionally integrat-

ing them with other power plant systems and

components.

The EPC contractor must rely on the

experience and expertise it has gained on

equipment from many manufacturers in

many project settings. Similar to GT selec-

tion, the ST selection process includes an

independent technology assessment of the

equipment’s operating history, engineering,

and manufacturing processes. The ST per-

formance figures offered by OEMs bidding

for a specific project must be normalized and

reconciled with the past performance of vari-

ous types of equipment in a similar configu-

ration on other projects.

The two most difficult tasks for an EPC

contractor are to identify how proposed

hardware differs from that of similar units

in operation and to determine whether the

validation process for implemented modifi-

cations was appropriate. In many cases, this

process is hindered by the need to obtain

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PLANT DESIGN

very detailed information proprietary to the

OEM.

Figure 8 exemplifies the challenges of eval-

uating performance criteria. The bars show

the internal thermal efficiencies of the HP,

IP, and LP sections of three STs configured

differently by three OEMs. This is a typical,

supercritical 800-MW application with main

steam conditions of 3,800 psia and 1,075F.

As the figure indicates, all of the module

efficiencies are fairly high. However, the dif-

ferent values reflect the suppliers’ use of dif-

ferent technologies and their different design

emphasis on a particular module. For exam-

ple, Supplier A designed the IP module for

the highest efficiency (96%), whereas Sup-

plier C designed for a more equal distribu-

tion of efficiency values among the modules,

producing a narrow spread between 91.5%

and 92.8%.

It is the responsibility of the engineers

comparing these offerings to determine if the

stated module performance levels are indeed

achievable. As part of this evaluation, they

must take into account the field experience

of the individual modules in that supplier’s

ST, as well as the extent to which technology

has been “pushed” to achieve these levels of

performance. ■

Many thanks to David Ugolini of Bechtel Power Corp. for his valuable contributions to this article.

—Dr. Justin Zachary(jzachary@bechtel.com) is senior principal

engineer for Bechtel Power Corp. and an ASME fellow.

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92

91

90

89

88

87

0

Inte

rnal

tur

bine

sec

tion

the

rmal

effi

cien

cy (%

)

Supplier A Supplier B Supplier C

Manufacturer and modules configuration

1 integral HP-IP module,4 LP modules

1 HP, 2 IP,4 LP modules

1 HP, 2 IP,4 LP modules

HP IP LP

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www.powermag.com POWER | April 200866

CYBER SECURITY

Time to get serious about securityManaging ongoing threats to power plants’ digital, telecommunications, moni-

toring, control, and automation systems is no longer just a good idea. It’s an essential element of superior plant operations and now a regulatory requirement as well, thanks to new critical infrastructure protection stan-dards recently approved by FERC.

By Timothy E. Hurst, PE, Hurst Technologies

For power plants, the unintended con-

sequence of “going digital” is dealing

with cyber security. Almost everything

that makes today’s distributed control sys-

tems (DCSs) and software so powerful, con-

venient, and cost-effective also makes them

vulnerable to cyber attacks.

For years, the plants themselves were less

vulnerable to such attacks than corporate in-

stitutions or the public at large because DCSs

relied on proprietary protocols. But those

systems were pried open to make them more

interoperable, remotely accessible, and less

costly. Now they use open software standards

and protocols.

The opening up of plant systems has

blurred the distinction between them and cor-

porate information systems. Watching a plant

engineer use a cell phone or PDA to call up a

plant’s performance data and real-time oper-

ating parameters drives home the point. The

“lines of communication” are now many and

varied (see figure) and therefore vulnerable

to intruders.

Crazy cyber quiltMost plants manage cyber security by mak-

ing a seemingly endless series of patches and

security updates to their control and informa-

tion systems. However, few plants have the re-

sources to track the rise of viruses, worms, and

other threats targeting them. Some plants rely

on automated services provided by their DCS

or software vendor. That’s convenient, but it

also creates additional lines of vulnerability.

Another level of complexity is introduced by

the many DCS operating requirements that do

not support the type of security models used

by the rest of the IT industry.

The future, unfortunately, is even more

complicated. New cyber security standards

for critical infrastructure protection (CIP)

that were approved in January by the Fed-

eral Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

have changed the landscape. In short, the new

standards (and other business drivers) will

force plants to be proactive, rather than reac-

tive, in their approaches to cyber security.

Asset managers seeking to counter the

cyber security threat face a multifaceted

challenge:

In the zone. Cyber security experts recommend dividing up the “meta organization” into zones requiring different protection schemes. Source: Trent Nelson, “Cyber Security—Who Needs It?” Idaho National Laboratory, Department of Homeland Security (April 18, 2007)

Wirelessaccess points

Controller/RTU/PLC/IED

Field Comm Buss

Field locations

CSmodem

pool

Control systemField device

CommunicationsInterface

Infrastructure

Dataacquisition

serverApplications

server HistorianDatabase

serverConfiguration

serverHMI

computersEngineeringworkstation

Zone 1

Zone 3

Zone 4

Zone 2

Backupcontrolcenter

Remotebusiness

peers

Dedicatedcomm path

InternetExternal

communicationsinfrastructures

ExternalVPN access

CSfirewall

Externalbusiness comm.

server

WWWserver DB/historian

Securityserver

Authenticationserver

Corp FDX

Corpmodem

pool

Corporatefirewall

Control system LAN

Compartmentalized CS DMSs

Corporate LAN

Compartmentalized corporate DMZs

Businessservers

Businessworkstations

Web applicationsservers

E-mailserver

FTPserver

DNSserver

Webserver

Authenticationserver

Wirelessaccesspoints

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www.powermag.com POWER | April 200868

CYBER SECURITY

■ The realm of plant automation and control

is clashing head-on with that of corporate

IT (see table). Digital systems may ad-

vance rapidly, but they become obsolete

just as quickly. Each new technology para-

digm, such as the “smart grid,” potentially

adds another level of vulnerability.

■ Many plant staffs have already been pared

to the bone. Site expertise in cyber issues

is rare to nonexistent.

■ The new CIP standards (see sidebar)—

which were developed by the North Amer-

ican Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC),

FERC’s designated national electrical

reliability organization—are ambiguous

at best and arguably not even standards at

worst. FERC’s authority to implement and

enforce mandatory reliability standards is

being challenged by many lawsuits. (For

a listing and summaries of the cases, go

to www.ferc.gov/legal/court-cases/pend-

case.asp.) The suits don’t lessen the need

for CIP projects, even if those suits take

years to settle.

■ Corporate owners have to meet other ob-

ligations, such as “public disclosure in

the event of revenue flow disruption as

a result of a cyber incident.” That’s the

word from “Effective Practices for Secur-

ing Distributed Control Systems in Power

Generation Facilities,” a white paper pub-

lished by Symantec Enterprise Solutions

and downloadable from https://www4

.symantec.com/Vrt/offer?a_id=20174.

■ Many plants today are linked, through

wired or wireless connections, to central-

ized performance-monitoring facilities,

employees responsible for multiple sites,

mobile plant employees, corporate staff,

vendors providing outsourced services,

and even government agencies that moni-

tor stack emissions. This so-called “meta

organization” offers multiple points of

vulnerability exploitable by miscreants.

■ Plant assets include DCS or control sys-

tems of varying vintages, versions, and

variations, depending on past modifica-

tions at the plant level.

Beyond CIP complianceAlthough space constraints preclude a deep

discussion of the details, the new CIP stan-

dards cover the following areas: critical cy-

ber-security asset identification, security

management controls, personnel and train-

ing, electronic security perimeters, physi-

cal security of critical cyber assets, systems

security management, incident reporting

and response planning, and recovery plans

for critical cyber assets. The full texts of the

standards are available at www.nerc.com.

Most governmental and quasi-governmen-

tal standards become the equivalent of the

minimum daily requirement for nutrition. That

is, they set the floor, not the ceiling, for com-

pliance. However, for the purposes of actually

protecting your revenue-producing assets, you

need to think beyond these standards. Secu-

rity experts note that many of the vulnerability

scenarios are not well-understood.

For example, suppose someone secretly in-

stalled viruses or worms on DCS systems at

multiple plants and synchronized their activa-

tion so controls or equipment would be dis-

abled at a specific time in the future. Think of

these lines of code as errant Y2K-like tickers

lurking in multiple systems. Suddenly, an as-

set that wouldn’t be considered “critical” be-

comes critical because it is linked with other

assets that would be crippled at the same time.

This is the kind of scenario that keeps cyber

security experts up at night. Last fall, a video

marked “Official Use Only” was obtained by

the Associated Press. Thought to have been

produced by The Department of Homeland

Security and Idaho National Laboratory, it

shows an industrial turbine spinning out of

control and being destroyed after having been

commandeered by hackers in a mock attack.

Aspect IT systems DCS

Anti-virus/mobile code Common/widely used Uncommon/impossible to deploy

Support technology lifetime 3–5 years Up to 20 years

Outsourcing Common/widely used Rarely used

Application of patches Regular/scheduled Slow (vendor-specific)

Change management Regular/scheduled Rate?

Time-critical content Delays generally accepted Critical due to safety

Availability Delays generally accepted 24 x 7 x 365, forever

Security awareness Good in both private and public sector Poor except for physical

Security testing/audit Scheduled and mandated Occasional testing for outages

Physical security Secure Remote and unmanned

IT systems and plant distributed control systems (DCS) treat aspects of cyber security very differently. Source: Trent Nelson, “Cyber Security—Who Needs It?” Idaho National Laboratory, Department of Homeland Security (April 18, 2007)

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April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 69

CYBER SECURITY

Another way for plants to approach the

new cyber security regime is to “think like

a nuke.” Conceptually, managing threats and

vulnerabilities, whether physical or cyber,

involves the same methodologies. Nuclear

plants have decades of experience in this area

that could be tapped to improve the security

of the U.S. fossil-fueled fleet.

Eventually, the NERC standards may get

everyone on the same page. In the meantime,

plants need to find some middle path between

conducting business as usual and trying to

meet the letter of a treaty that hasn’t yet been

ratified. Some suggested actions for plant

managers to take while the industry waits for

more specific instructions from regulatory

agencies—or the courts—follow.

Appoint someone to manage or be responsible for cyber security. CIP is no

longer something that can be outsourced,

treated as a DCS vendor service, or tossed

over to corporate. The “responsible entity”

(FERC’s jargon) must be given the resources

and the budget to get the job done.

Think of cyber security as another function. Treat it as you would environmental

health and safety (EHS). Almost every plant

has an EHS department or an EHS coordina-

tor. The same should be true for cyber security.

At the very least, someone needs to follow

what happens to the NERC standards as they

wind their way through the legal challenges.

Conduct a security assessment of all of your digital systems and equipment. Also make sure you have the latest cyber se-

curity expertise on your team. That could be

accomplished in conjunction with a configu-

ration management (CM) program to identify

and bridge gaps between the DCS or plant

computer and the myriad software and per-

formance applications and communications

gateways.

The problem is, many DCS systems ei-

ther lack a CM tool, or what they provide is

incompatible with other constraints facing

the plant. CM is the control system equiva-

lent of having updated engineering drawings

of physical equipment, as opposed to “as-

built” drawings of the original plant design.

For most plants, cyber security represents a

new functional requirement that wasn’t there

when the plant was designed. Note that CM is

absolutely essential at nuclear plants, which

have used it for years.

Begin to develop a set of written (or documented) policies and procedures to address cyber security issues. It is no lon-

ger enough to do things ad hoc or to rely on

word of mouth. ■

—Timothy E. Hurst, PE (timh@hursttech.com) is president of Hurst Technologies

(www.hcinc.com), a consulting engineer-ing firm specializing in instrumentation

and control systems for nuclear and fossil-fueled power stations. He also is a

POWER contributing editor.

New CIP standards leave much discretion to plant owner/operatorsCritical infrastructure protection (CIP) standards developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) evolved from be-ing very specific in their initial drafts to being somewhat ambigu-ous in their final, approved versions. For example, they require risk-based assessments of asset vulnerability (POWER, March 2008, p. 18) and are procedural, rather than prescriptive.

In fact, it is up to plant owner/operators to determine which of their assets are subject to the CIP standards. NERC offers little guidance here; it defines critical assets in the broadest terms as “generation resources that support the reliable operation of the bulk electric system.”

Here’s where the taxonomy of CIP, as applied to power plants, becomes complex and hard to navigate. Nuclear plants are exempt from the standards because their security aspects are regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. And the standards only ap-ply to systems using Internet protocol communications, and only to NERC-registered entities. Confusing things even further, some large owner/operators, such as the federal power authorities, deal with cyber security using other regulatory frameworks, including those promulgated by the National Institute for Standards and Technology.

The CIP standards, on the one hand, purport to give plant own-er/operators flexibility in meeting the standards and in assessing vulnerabilities on a regional basis. At the same, they allow every owner/operator to apply its own methodologies and definitions. This is reminiscent of the “flexible” mark-to-market accounting and other standards that merchant energy companies applied lib-erally and that destroyed Enron and its employees’ nest eggs. One has to ask, are the new CIP rules even “standards” in the conven-tional sense of the word?

The definition of a critical asset becomes even more ambiguous when you consider the fundamental design of the nation’s bulk power system. For example, every NERC reliability region main-

tains a reserve margin of generating capability above the highest expected peak daily demand. Given that, what generating resource could be considered absolutely critical for bulk supply? Some utili-ties argue that, because they already design their facilities to meet the so-called N-1 contingency (the loss of any one element), there are no critical assets from a cyber security perspective.

The other important aspect of the standards is that owner/op-erators are expected to be in compliance and “auditable” by 2009, less than a year from now.

For the most part, the CIP standards will require additional pro-cesses, procedures, and documentation at power stations, at least until some of the ambiguity is removed by challenges and law-suits. So at this point, CIP compliance (for personnel training, for example) would appear to include the following requirements:

■ A “critical asset” plant must maintain a list of personnel with “authorized cyber or authorized unescorted physical access to critical cyber security assets” and update that list quarterly to add new contractors and service personnel and delete old ones.

■ The plant’s responsible entity (RE) must establish, maintain, and document a security awareness program.

■ The RE must establish, maintain, and document an annual cyber security training program.

■ The RE shall put a documented personnel risk assessment pro-gram in place.

From the plant’s perspective, the only conclusions that can be drawn are: (1) paperwork requirements will increase, (2) the lawyers have plenty more to argue about, and (3) the FERC-approved NERC CIP standards, however ambiguous, at least will force everyone to make cyber security improvement yet another continuous perfor-mance improvement objective on which plants will be evaluated.

www.powermag.com POWER | April 200870

PLANT DESIGN

Castejon 2: Ready to reign in SpainThe new, 424-MW Castejon 2 combined-cycle plant designed and built by Alstom

was recently given its provisional acceptance certificate. Alstom used its “Plant Integrator” approach to fast-track delivery of a plant just like Castejon 1, which averaged 98% availability during its first three years of operation. That kind of performance is crucial to generators operating in the Spanish merchant power market—or any market.

By Peter Ladwein, Alstom Power

Spain, the fifth-largest electricity mar-

ket in the European Union, expects

annual demand growth of about 3.5%

over the next five years. At the same time,

the country is committed to a 20% reduction

in its CO2 emissions by 2012. Meanwhile,

Spain’s 100% merchant power market means

that producers need maximum flexibility

from their plants.

In 2005, HC Energía—a combination

natural gas and electric utility that became

part of Portugal’s EDP Group the prior

year—awarded Alstom a contract to build a

400-MW combined-cycle plant adjacent to

the utility’s existing Castejon 1 unit.

An important requirement for HC Energía

was operational flexibility—the ability to

operate in baseload or part-load mode or in-

termittently, with fast start-up and shutdown

times. Such flexibility is especially important

in the region of Navarra, where Castejon is

located. Navarra now has several wind farms

whose intermittent output must be backed up

by fossil-fueled capacity—but not by pure

baseload plants, as is the case in the U.S.

Spain uses combined-cycle plants in the re-

gion to take up the slack. Accordingly, they

must be able to operate at partial load when a

lot of wind power is being produced but also

be capable of ramping up to full load quickly

when wind speeds fall.

Leveraging the GT designCastejon 2 (Figure 1) is powered by a single

combined-cycle system that Alstom calls the

KA26-1 because one of its two prime movers

is the company’s GT26 gas turbine (GT). The

other is an Alstom STF15c steam turbine—a

floor-mounted, two-casing, reheat unit that

shares a shaft with the gas turbine.

The third major subsystem of the KA26-1

is a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG)

that links the two turbines in a conventional

way. Hot exhaust gases leaving the gas tur-

bine at over 1,100F fire the HRSG, a triple-

pressure, natural circulation unit with a

horizontal internal arrangement.

1. Overachiever. High availability and reliability, as well as predictable O&M costs, were key design requirements for Castejon 2. Courtesy: Alstom Power

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CIRCLE 46 ON READER SERVICE CARD

www.powermag.com POWER | April 200872

PLANT DESIGN

However, it is the design of the GT-26

that makes the KA26-1 more fuel-efficient

when it operates at less than full load. Each

of the turbine’s two individually controlled

combustor chambers has three variable guide

vanes that can be manipulated to optimize

the air flow through them for maximum ef-

ficiency and minimum emissions. Moving

the vanes during low-load operation makes

it possible to reduce air mass flow to 60%

of the full-load level while maintaining the

turbine’s exhaust temperature at the nomi-

nal level. Doing so ensures that the thermo-

dynamic quality of overall combined-cycle

combustion remains nearly constant. As a re-

sult, the system efficiency of the KA26-1 at

50% load, for example, is about 12% higher

than that of a conventional combined-cycle

power plant.

Castejon 2 uses the latest version of the

GT26, which sports a higher power output

and an improved operational range in part-

load service. The KA26-1 has a net capac-

ity of 424 MW and a net plant efficiency of

58.5% at ISO conditions.

The GT26 gives HC Energía fuel flexibil-

ity as well as operational flexibility. Normal-

ly, Castejon 2 runs on natural gas, but it can

also automatically switch to oil—the backup

fuel—if gas supplies are curtailed. The tur-

bine can burn gas of various qualities, within

certain parameters.

The shaft shared by the gas and steam tur-

bines also drives Alstom’s hydrogen-cooled

TOPGAS generator. During start-ups, the

steam turbine is disconnected from the gen-

erator by activating a self-synchronizing

clutch.

The final notable feature of Castejon 2’s

design is an inlet fogging system that in-

creases the GT26’s output by as much as 10

MW when ambient temperature is high and

the plant requires additional cooling (Figure

2).

Ready for anythingFor operational flexibility, the KA26-1 com-

bined-cycle system can be run at loads that

are less than 40% of its maximum rating.

This ability is important not just for back-

ing up wind farms; given the system’s fuel

efficiency, it also enables HC Energía to turn

a profit from Castejon when market condi-

tions reduce the need for regional generation

(Figure 3).

The KA26-1’s excellent part-load efficien-

cy and operational flexibility also allow the

utility to earn extra revenue by maximizing

the time that Castejon spends feeding its full

load into the local grid. For example, after an

eight-hour shutdown, full-load operation can

be resumed in less than one hour. From the

low load point, full load can be reached in a

matter of minutes.

Just as importantly, thanks to the GT26’s

two combustion chambers, Castejon 2 meets

or exceeds regional air emission standards,

even at partial load. Commissioning tests

produced values that are well below the re-

quired levels at 100% load for NOx (50 mg/

m3), volatile organic compounds (2 ppmv),

and CO (10 ppmv). At 70% load, CO emis-

sions were 40 ppmv.

Construction challengesAlstom’s ability to design and build all of

Castejon 2’s main systems in-house offered a

number of advantages. The main one was the

possibility of integrating the gas and steam

turbines, the HRSG, and other key equipment

in a way that maximizes the plant’s opera-

tional and fuel flexibility while minimizing

its emissions.

Because it was Castejon 2’s engineering/

procurement/construction (EPC) firm as well

as its systems supplier, Alstom was also able

to overcome other project challenges, such

as reducing equipment lead time. This is the

main benefit of the company’s “Plant Inte-

grator” approach.

The main challenge for Castejon 2 was

timely project completion, and it met that

challenge in just 24.5 months. The sched-

ule allowed for only week between signing

of the EPC contract and awarding of the

2. Versatile cooling system. Castejon 2’s cooling tower can operate either in wet mode or in hybrid (wet/dry) mode to eliminate troublesome plumes. Courtesy: Alstom Power

3. Works well with others. A key project requirement was excellent part-load perfor-mance, to facilitate the plant’s dispatching on a grid that seeks to maximize wind power produc-tion. Courtesy: Alstom Power

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 73

project’s notice to proceed. It also made no provision for a pre-en-

gineering phase. Meeting the fast-track deadlines required Alstom

engineers to think long and hard about constructability during the

design phase. During that phase, several system designs were opti-

mized with an eye to implementing and commissioning them easily

and quickly.

For example, the HRSG chosen has a 10-module heat exchanger

that usually requires a lot of piping work to be done on-site. To save

time, Alstom prefabricated the 10 modules prior to delivering them

to Castejon. Similarly, most control and electrical systems also were

supplied as prefabricated modules that had only to be interconnected

on-site. All gas turbine and steam turbine internal piping also was

prefabricated to the maximum possible extent.

Another tenet of Alstom’s Plant Integrator approach is to tackle

civil works—especially underground infrastructure—early. Doing so

minimizes interference with construction and erection activities per-

formed later in the project.

To save additional time and money, Alstom made several interfaces

to the existing Castejon 1 plant. Those interfaces enabled the use of

common systems (such as the balance-of-plant gas system and the

raw water and wastewater systems) and made it possible to use me-

dium-voltage boards for both plants (enabling separate panels to be

used for each). In designing the interfaces, a key goal was to minimize

the time that Castejon 1 had to be shut down while those interfaces

were installed. In fact, all of the interfaces were implemented during

a planned outage of the older plant, so there was no impact on its

commercial operation.

Another important enabler of fast-track execution was a system-

oriented approach to work that allowed the erection and commission-

ing of different systems at the same time. Safety was another focus of

construction activities. The Castejon 2 project was completed while

meeting all the demanding health and safety requirements of both HC

Energía and Alstom, without any serious accidents during more than

1 million man-hours of work.

The new plant’s noise was yet another consideration. Alstom mini-

mized it during the design phase by increasing the surface area of the

Castejon 2’s air intake system and optimizing its air duct design.

Fast-track milestones metAlstom signed the contract to build Castejon 2 on December 21, 2005,

and the project’s notice to proceed was effective one week later. All

main foundation work was completed 10 months following project

kick-off, and all main structural steel was erected a month later.

Erection of the main equipment began 12 months after the notice

to proceed. The first big piece of equipment to arrive on-site was the

TOPGAS generator. It was followed by the GT26 gas turbine and

then, one month later, the STF15c steam turbine.

Cold commissioning began just 15 months after project kick-off.

Hot commissioning commenced just 20 months after contract signing.

Hoping for a repeatDuring its first three years of commercial operation, Castejon 1

achieved 98% availability, on average. HC Energía has been quite

satisfied with that figure—and with the plant’s great operational flex-

ibility and start-up reliability.

HC Energía expects that Castejon 2 will perform just as well. Al-

stom believes that that is indeed possible, and not just because it has

optimized the design and integration of the KA26-1 and its major sub-

systems. Indeed, the company will help determine whether Castejon

2 is successful by fulfilling its obligation under a separate contract to

provide long-term O&M support to the plant. ■

—Peter Ladwein is the Castejon 2 project director for Alstom Power.

PLANT DESIGN

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www.powermag.com POWER | April 200874

WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT

The aging workforce: Panic is not a strategyLeaders in the utilities sector talk a lot these days about talent. On one hand,

they express concern about facing a shortage of knowledgeable staff as 76 million baby boomers exit the workforce. On the other, they worry about where they’ll find enough qualified people to remain competitive in light of the fierce battle for engineering talent that globalization has created. The antidote to these worries lies in reconfiguring HR practices.

By Jeff Akin, Booz Allen Hamilton

Most top utility managers treat their

aging workforce problem (Figure

1) as either a retention or a recruit-

ment crisis. If they focus on retention, they

may respond to the demographic challenge

with panic, offering unsustainable incen-

tives in the hopes of retaining older work-

ers. But incentive packages rarely take into

account the way career paths have changed,

the number of skilled retirees willing to do

contract work, or the decoupling of service

from location made possible by flexible grids

and a global talent pool. Failing to recognize

these choices, organizations run the risk of

saddling their companies with a labor force

incapable of adjusting to new paradigms of

utility service.

Leaders focused on recruitment often try

to deal with the aging workforce challenge

by hiring people to replace those who have

left, or by rehiring retirees (Figure 2). But

this recruit-to-replace approach simply puts

new bodies into the existing pipeline without

considering how automation and process in-

novation have already changed the nature of

utility work. Attempting to replace traditional

talent pools––whether craft workers or tiered

managers––also perpetuates inefficiencies

in the industry. Unfortunately, recruit-to-re-

place tactics are proving useful only as a way

for executives to lay low while waiting for

the climate to improve.

But neither panic nor laying low is ef-

fective in this environment, because both

responses are based on false assumptions.

Panic presumes that the current workforce

challenge is a singular event caused by a de-

mographic aberration, while waiting it out

presumes that the underlying cause is simply

a fluctuation in the business cycle.

In fact, the talent crunch is a tectonic shift

in the nature of the economy and in the ar-

chitecture of how work gets done. The real

problem that utilities face is a knowledge

crisis—a transformation in how knowledge

is valued, leveraged, and distributed in the

marketplace.

This shift is fundamental and permanent.

It means that organizations seeking to build

forward-looking infrastructures must assess

2. Survey says. An AARP survey of 400 businesses in New York State conducted in late 2006 sheds light on the tactics companies are using to prepare for a workforce shortage caused by the wholesale retirement of baby boomers. Most survey respondents said their firms have tried at least one tactic tested in the survey—most often, improving technology. Very few are currently offering incentives to delay retirement, but many are hiring older workers. About seven in 10 are assessing their current workforce, increasing training opportunities, and hiring younger workers. Source: “Preparing for an Aging Workforce: A Focus on New York Businesses,” AARP, May 2007

0 20 40 60 80 100

Institute succession planning

Re-hire retired workers

Change recruitment efforts

Conduct workforce planning

Offer alternative work arrangements

Hire younger workers

Increase training opportunities

Assess current workforce

Hire older workers

Improve technology

Percentage of responding companies

1. Brain drain. A large percentage of utility workers are expected to retire in the next few years. Even more are eligible for retirement. Source: U.S. Department of Labor

Electrical technicians

Maintenance technicians

Pipefitters & plumbers

Mechanical technicians

First-line supervisors

Power plant operators

Nuclear technicians

Reactor operators

Nuclear engineers

Electrical power linemen

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 100 Percentages of key utility workers, by specialty, expected to retire by 2012.

Accurate. Reliable. Real-time analysis. Why trust anyone else?

©20

08Th

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.

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CIRCLE 48 ON READER SERVICE CARD

www.powermag.com POWER | April 200876

WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT

how the roles that people play in the enter-

prise are changing. Doing so is particularly

important for utilities because the nature of

the physical infrastructure that supports the

industry is changing. As smart technologies

facilitate the creation of highly efficient, de-

centralized, and flexible grids, the way that

people are organized to deliver services must

also be reconfigured. As the market reshapes

demand, talent in the utilities sector must be

aligned to reflect the operation of the post-

industrial grid.

Five steps forwardMaking this realignment in a technological-

ly and process-savvy way requires leaders

to develop bold and comprehensive talent

plans based on the recognition that human

capital is the primary value in the post-in-

dustrial marketplace. These plans must sus-

tain structures that are fluid enough to permit

the smooth transmission of ideas and inno-

vations. At the same time, they must also

support the development and emergence of

leaders with the skills to match talent with

opportunity and to encourage entrepreneur-

ship at every level.

Such a shift would represent a radical de-

parture for utilities, which have traditionally

lagged in human capital innovation. Given

the scope of the challenge, the road ahead

might seem rocky. But Booz Allen Hamil-

ton’s experience working with industry lead-

ers suggests that the following five practices

can help utilities create a platform that ad-

dresses emerging talent demands.

Redefine knowledge management. Knowledge management has traditionally

been considered an IT function, a way to ar-

chive competencies that can be plugged into

the larger structure. But knowledge embed-

ded in IT often can’t adapt or grow to meet

changing needs. True knowledge manage-

ment does not reside in technology but in

what people know and do and how they share

their knowledge with others. Only a compre-

hensive mapping of individual capabilities

within the organization can accurately reveal

where knowledge resides and needs to be

adapted or retained.

Organizations talk about people being

assets, but the real asset is the knowledge

that people apply. To develop and retain this

knowledge, it must be woven into the insti-

tutional fabric of the organization. This can

only be done if an organization provides to

its business units a suite of practices that cap-

ture and develop the strengths of individuals.

These practices, whether craft-based appren-

ticeships or formal mentorships for managers,

must be flexible enough to serve the needs

of individual units yet consistent enough to

support the organization’s culture. For that to

be the case, knowledge management must be

jointly owned by Human Resources and the

business units.

Foster flexibility. Smart grids allocate

power according to real-time demand, de-

livering service in response to constantly

Visit us at Electric PowerBooth # 1554

Senate taskforce advises removing age barriers This February, chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), and ranking member Gordon H. Smith (R-Ore.) released findings of the Taskforce on the Aging of the American Workforce. The taskforce was created at the request of Senators Kohl and Smith in an effort to expand opportunities for older Americans who choose to remain in the workforce and to develop proposals to address the challenges and opportunities of an aging workforce.

“By 2025, labor force growth is ex-pected to be less than a fifth of what it is today,” said Sen. Smith. “The goal of the taskforce is to prevent this dramatic decline through strategies that encourage extended work life and remove barriers that hinder seniors from working longer. This report is a good first step in what

must be an ongoing effort to ensure that the door stays open for our seniors who wish to remain an active part of the U.S. workforce.”

Launched in May 2006, the Taskforce on the Aging of the American Workforce was charged with identifying two different kinds of strategies. The first is to enhance the ability of older Americans to remain in or re-enter the labor market by pursuing self-employment opportunities. The sec-ond is to encourage businesses to take full advantage of this skilled labor pool. Sen-ate hearings on removing institutional ob-stacles that discourage older workers from remaining in the workforce are scheduled this summer.

The taskforce’s report is available at www.doleta.gov/reports/FINAL_Taskforce_Report_2-11-08.pdf.

CIRCLE 49 ON READER SERVICE CARD

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 77

WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT

changing needs. Because demand for the

product delivered—electricity—is flexible,

the organizational and talent infrastructures

that support it must be flexible as well.

Cross-training and matrixing help pro-

mote collaboration because both practices

together constitute a flexible system for al-

locating workforce talent. Other helpful

practices include promoting career mobility

within the organization, job sharing, and pro-

viding semi-retired workers with a customer

for their skills: their former employer (see

sidebar).

By contrast, tenure-based systems that

promote talent based on seniority or quota-

based diversity equations inhibit an organiza-

tion’s ability to attract and retain talent. The

more receptive an organization is to a variety

of work arrangements, the more its structure

and operations will mirror those of the effi-

cient smart grid on the horizon.

Support transparency. The deregulation

of retail electricity markets has created de-

mand for more transparent utility businesses.

Just as buyers of products and services want

to know their options so they can make in-

formed choices, talented people want their

organizations to share information that could

affect their careers. Individuals who under-

stand the value of their knowledge want to

control their professional destinies. They

won’t accept being told, “I know better” by

a boss.

As a result, companies with progressive

talent policies have begun posting job open-

ings across divisions in open forums. In these

organizations, people don’t need to get per-

mission before responding to an opening in

another division; their own initiative or in-

terest is sufficient. Leaders in these organi-

zations recognize that scarce talent must be

optimized across business units, levels, and

functions, and that transparency is essential

to achieving that goal.

Such practices, however, are still uncom-

mon in the utilities sector. For example, one

large power provider recently lost a group

of highly skilled people in a unit that was

consolidating, even though equivalent posi-

tions were available in another unit across the

street. This company missed the chance to re-

tain a significant and highly trained pool of

talent because individual units did not share

their needs across the organization.

Decouple resources from location. Al-

though globalization makes markets less sta-

ble, it can actually make the supply of talent

more stable. Increasingly, mobile labor pools

are able and willing to migrate to wherever

their skills are in demand. The evolution of

smart and flexible information delivery sys-

tems also gives talented people access to the

tools that enable them to work in far-flung

locations.

To exploit these possibilities, organiza-

tions that rely on specialized talent must

adopt a global approach. Such an approach

responds to a shrinkage of local talent by

first evaluating how work actually gets done

and how people, processes, and technolo-

gies might become more efficient. After that,

the organization must consider the strategic

role that outsourcing could play in building

a flexible talent portfolio. Focusing too much

on building capacity or on buying talent in

specific localities can cause organizations to

miss the opportunities that the globalized la-

bor pool offers.

Although outsourcing has often been

considered a dirty word in the community-

based world of regional utilities, it can be

essential to providing the infrastructure

needed to establish robust talent alternatives.

This is especially true for firms seeking to

address scarcity in functions such as IT,

HR, procurement, and legal support. Many

have also noted that as the global economy

CIRCLE 50 ON READER SERVICE CARD

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WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT

has expanded, outsourcing has shifted from

being a way to lower the cost of labor to a

strategy for tapping into global centers of

excellence.

Create strategic partnerships. Utilities

have traditionally been structured as a series

of silos that rationalize the flow of informa-

tion up and down the chain of command but

permit little communication across func-

tions and levels. Transparency undermines

the power of silos by making it difficult for

them to hoard information and by encourag-

ing partnerships between and among previ-

ously isolated business units. In addition, the

collaborative architectures on which today’s

technology and delivery systems are based

have begun to erode silos in even the most

hidebound organizations.

Collaborating with HR The biggest obstacle to the development of a

true knowledge organization is the silo that

divides strategy from Human Resources. In

the new world of electric utilities, strategic

capacity and dexterity depend on the devel-

opment of flexible talent infrastructures.

Knowledge can become embedded in the

processes, practices, and fabric of the or-

ganization only if it is fully integrated into

business units. For this to occur in a coor-

dinated way, HR must become a partner in

developing the organization’s strategy.

This requires a new mindset among

business unit leaders who have become ac-

customed to thinking of HR executives as

“staff,” expert only in their specific disci-

pline or domain. It also requires a mental

shift among HR managers who have be-

come comfortable being categorized in this

limited way. HR leaders seeking to break

down silos and gain credibility as strategic

partners must sharpen their business skills

and focus their efforts on actively promot-

ing the growth of the business. At the same

time, management of the transactional and

customer service aspects of the HR function

must continue, often with greater demands

than before.

HR is most effective when it models a

collaborative approach with business units

while emphasizing its commitment to peo-

ple. There are many tactical ways to achieve

this, including developing programs that sup-

port career mobility and deploying systems

for housing internal résumés that support

cross-referencing. On the strategic level, HR

should take the lead in identifying business

opportunities that result from the skillful le-

veraging of human capital and in positioning

itself as the standard-bearer for transforma-

tive change. HR should also work to do a bet-

ter job of selling this vision throughout the

organization.

A forward-looking strategic partnership

starts with a proactive evaluation of the criti-

cal workforce capabilities needed over the

next decade and the creation of maps that

identify talent gaps before they arise. These

maps can provide a basis for detailed plans

that identify which capabilities can be devel-

oped, added to the existing pipeline, or off-

shored.

No time to loseAs is often the case, the aging workforce

crisis is actually an opportunity—for util-

ity leaders to transform their approach to

the recruitment, management, and develop-

ment of human talent. Cultural change will

inevitably spark resistance that leaders must

counter by addressing leadership and suc-

cession issues to ensure that those in leader-

ship positions understand the scope of the

present transformation.

It’s also critical that top managers under-

stand how quickly the transformation must

occur. Although the aging of the utility work-

force has long been on the industry’s radar

screen, the need to address it is becoming

acute (see table). Nothing less than a fresh

understanding of how talent is leveraged will

ensure utilities’ sustainable competitiveness

in the years ahead. ■

—Jeff Akin (akin_jeffrey@bah.com) is a principal with Booz Allen Hamilton,

where he leads the firm’s Human Capital Management business

for private-sector clients.

IT’S ALL COVERED.

May 6 – 8, 2008 Baltimore Convention Centerwww.electricpowerexpo.com

COAL. GAS. NUCLEAR. RENEWABLES.

EPad_4.5625x4.875.indd 1 3/20/08 2:44:51 PM

Percentage distribution of employment,

by age group, 2006

Age group Utilities All industries

Total

16 to 19

20 to 24

25 to 34

35 to 44

45 to 54

55 to 64

65 and older

100.0

0.4

3.3

15.5

26.1

38.2

15.3

1.2

100.0

4.3

9.6

21.5

23.9

23.6

13.4

3.7

That big boom you’re hearing. Utili-ties have higher-than-average percentages of older workers and smaller-than-average per-centages of younger workers, which leaves them more vulnerable to the effects of baby boomer retirements. Data are for electric power generation, natural gas distribution, and water and sewage utilities combined. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. De-partment of Labor, Career Guide to Industries, 2008–09 Edition

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27,700Personnel

34Countries

105Offices

CIRCLE 51 ON READER SERVICE CARD

www.powermag.com POWER | April 200880

EVENTS

ELECTRIC POWER 2008 offers access to the latest products and services If you enjoy POWER magazine’s New Products department, you’re going to

love the ELECTRIC POWER 2008 Exhibition. You’ll be able to see and feel the latest tools of the trade and talk to the folks who provide them to the generation industry. Here’s a sneak peak at what awaits you on the exhibit floor May 6 to 8 at the Baltimore Convention Center.

By Carey Buchholtz, TradeFair Group

PVC idler rollsInnoveyor™ Inc. offers titanium-enriched

polyvinylchloride (PVC) idler rolls, which

are heavy-duty, lightweight rolls, branded

YeloRoll® due to their color. The t-PVC-

based YeloRoll exceeds CEMA D standards.

In snow and ice, YeloRoll prevents buildup

that will damage the belt, slow productivity,

and eventually bring production to a halt. Its

smooth, nonporous surface rejects the grain-

ing and abrasion of steel can rolls. YeloRoll

also won’t rust or corrode. It maintains a

smooth, nonstick surface that prevents belt

misalignment in any weather and offers a

250% longer shell life.

The heart of the working end of all Yelo-

Roll rolls is a high-quality, double-sealed,

self-lubricating ball bearing system. Unlike

the taper bearings used in conventional steel

can rolls, YeloRoll runs smoother, cooler, and

55% quieter. Its carbon-fiber Combi-Cap™

aids in reducing noise as well as the shock

and vibration encountered in steel can sys-

tems. YeloRolls weigh 60% less than same-

sized steel can competitors.

Durable slingLift-It® Manufacturing Co., Inc. has re-

leased three new products. The patented,

monofilament round sling cover of its in-

spectable round slings is transparent and pro-

vides for full inspection of the load-carrying

fibers, leaving nothing to the imagination.

It’s available in 2,650- to 31,000-pound ver-

tical workload limits.

Dyneema® is a super strong, ultralight,

polyethylene fiber that is very cut- and abra-

sion-resistant. The same yarn properties that

provide cut resistance in gloves were used

in the design of the CoverMax™ Sleeve, a

Slingmax® solution providing the ultimate

in synthetic sling protection.

Have you ever dropped a conventional,

construction storage box? Call the manufac-

turer and you’ll soon discover that the box

was never designed or intended to be used to

transport materials by being lifted. Lift-It®

engineered rigging boxes are specifically

manufactured for the transportation of goods

and materials as they are rigged and lifted to

the desired location.

Absorb spilled hydrocarbonsPeat Sorb® is an environmentally and

user-friendly hydrocarbon absorbent that

is starting to be used by industry the world

over. Peat Sorb® is a lightweight, nonbio-

degradable natural product that absorbs and

encapsulates hydrocarbons on contact, thus

rendering the hydrocarbon nonhazardous,

because it will not be released back into the

environment. This feature allows for its safe

disposal as ordinary garbage.

Peat Sorb will not pick up water but will

separate the hydrocarbon from the water. It

works on all types of hydrocarbons, such as

light and heavy oils, gasoline, diesel fuel,

polyester resins, and paints. Peat Sorb is a

fume suppressant and is nonabrasive, which

makes the workplace much safer. Clients are

reporting substantial cost savings by using

this product. Peat Sorb is available in loose

form, socks, pillows, and barrel tops.

Online corrosion coatings life-cycle cost calculatorThe American Galvanizers Association has

launched a new web-based software program

that automatically calculates the life-cycle

cost of common coating systems in compari-

son to the cost of hot-dip galvanizing. The cal-

culator, hosted at www.galvanizingcost.com,

debuted in May 2007.

For several decades, the galvanizing in-

dustry has been educating architects, engi-

neers, and specifiers about the considerable

lifetime maintenance costs of a project. Un-

til now, calculation of those costs has been

cumbersome and often completely avoided.

The new Life-Cycle Cost Calculator, based

on standard financial equations of net future

value (NFV) and net present value (NPV),

delivers a quick and detailed comparison of

initial cost, total project cost, and average

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 81

EVENTS

equivalent annual cost (AEAC), all provided

in a one-page printout.

The Life-Cycle Calculator allows the

user to input variables such as environment

where a project may be located, coating sys-

tem type, shop or field application, cleaning

grade, size of project, and estimated interest

and inflation rates. This information can be

used to estimate the life-cycle cost of galva-

nizing your next electric/utility product.

Nondestructive on-line condition assessment of T&D cable systemsCableWISE™ is a unique, nondestructive

on-line electrical system condition assess-

ment process that enables electric utilities

and a wide range of commercial/industrial

facilities to evaluate the condition of cable

systems, transformers, and switchgear with-

out removing them from service.

Knowing a cable system’s weaknesses en-

ables owners, asset managers, and reliability

engineers to be proactive in finding and fix-

ing problems before they cause outages. Ca-

bleWISE technology can successfully detect

deterioration in cables, splices, and termina-

tions on both new and aged cable systems

while they remain energized. To date, over 50

million feet of cable system (predominantly

distribution- and transmission-class) has had

its condition assessed in the field. The tech-

nology is applicable to all cable types.

In January 2007, CableWISE was ac-

quired by UtilX Corp. to complement its

CableCURE® technology and services.

Design/build servicesHohl Industrial Services Inc. will demon-

strate its comprehensive design/build ser-

vices for the power generation industry and

highlight recent work on the innovative Ni-

agara Generation LLC biofuels conversion

project. Hohl Industrial’s work will enable

the Niagara Generation coal-fired plant in

Niagara Falls, N.Y., to be powered by bio-

mass and tire-derived fuel.

Hohl Industrial takes complete respon-

sibility for the design, procurement, and

construction of design/build projects. Its

streamlined approach helps simplify the pro-

cess and results in dramatic benefits. These

include working with a single contract and a

single point for all communications to ensure

accuracy, simplicity, and speed. Minimal

staff are required on the customer’s part, and

the construction schedule is greatly improved

because design and construction activities

coincide for efficiency. No time is wasted

waiting for a complete design package, bid-

ding, walk-throughs, and bid reviews.

Hohl is an industrial contractor providing

field construction and shop fabrication ser-

vices across the Great Lakes and Northeast.

Projects are carried out at fossil fuel, nuclear,

hydro, biofuel, and wind generation sites.

Dual in-situ NOx/O2 monitorHORIBA Instruments’ INM-700 in-situ

monitor simultaneously captures NOx and O2

concentrations at high temperatures using a

unique zirconium oxide sensor and nonex-

tractive point measurement. The analyzer’s

rugged, compact design allows for placement

indoors or out. The probe may be mounted

directly in the stack or close to combustion

sources through a single port.

The INM-700 enables easy installation and

operation for accurate measurement of NOx/

O2 for real-time monitoring and control. It is

ideal for use in coal-fired boiler applications

such as point combustion emissions readings,

or for selective catalytic reduction systems

control, and is an inexpensive alternative to

complex shelters. Combustion modification

techniques such as low-NOx burners, over-

fire air injection, gas re-burn systems, boiler

tuning, or combustion optimization programs

used in emissions compliance strategies are

only a few applications suited to this ana-

lyzer. The INM-700 is the right choice for

a broad spectrum of applications spanning

cogeneration facilities, industrial processing,

and large, centralized utilities.

New PRB stacker reclaimerSalt River Project of Phoenix, Ariz., has

awarded BRUKS® Rockwood the contract

to supply two circular overpile stacker/re-

claimers (COSR) handling Powder River

Basin coal at its Springerville Generating

Station.

Rockwood’s COSR is specially equipped

to handle the challenges often presented by

PRB coal. Critical performance/cost benefits

of the COSR include:

■ A heavy-duty design that can withstand

harsh operating conditions.

■ 100% live storage and a fully automated

system.

■ Reduced operating and maintenance

costs.

■ Improved dusting control as compared

with other methods.

■ Complete U.S. supply and manufacture

for its U.S. customers.

The Rockwood COSR system has proven

its performance around the world handling

a wide range of bulk materials in extremely

harsh environments. This machine will be an

instrumental component in the Springerville

process when it begins commercial operation

in December 2009.

Generator gas manifold system E/One’s new Generator Gas Manifold

(GGM) system is one of a range of stan-

dard or custom-designed products. From the

point where hydrogen gas is received from

the plant’s bulk supply or bottle manifold,

E/One’s compact GGM monitors critical H2

www.powermag.com POWER | April 200882

and CO2 supply pressures and regulates the

hydrogen supply to the appropriate machine

gas pressure.

Manual isolation valves, arranged for easy

end-user access, allow operators to control

all facets of the purge process from a single

location. A safety spool is an integral fea-

ture of the GGM and ensures that danger-

ous mixtures of H2 and air are avoided. The

GGM system is typically incorporated into

an E/One Gas Station (also available as a

stand-alone system) and is combined with a

standard Generator Auxiliary System (GAS)

display or a customized configuration that

can include a range of annunciator points

relating to both the gas and seal oil system.

Local display of critical values in the hazard

area, and interface with the turbine/generator

control system, are both standard features in

any of E/One’s GAS displays.

Ladder alleviates suspension trauma FrenchCreek Production Inc., a custom

manufacturer of quality fall protection and

rescue/recovery systems, has introduced the

U-RES-Q, which is designed to not only al-

leviate suspension trauma in the event of a

fall but also to allow a capable worker the

option of climbing back to the working plat-

form. The U-RES-Q is available as an op-

tion to many FrenchCreek shock-absorbing

lanyards, but it is also available as an add-on

option for any standard shock-absorbing lan-

yard and anchor.

It is common knowledge in the fall protec-

tion industry that every minute in suspension,

after a fall, is crucial. At the slightest of falls,

the lightweight U-RES-Q pouch releases

into rescue mode by automatically ejecting

a high-strength, 16-foot synthetic rescue

ladder. At that point a worker can attempt to

climb back to the working platform or sim-

ply stand on the ladder to relieve 100% of the

harness pressure, increase blood flow, and

ensure enough time for emergency response.

The U-RES-Q is to be used in conjunction

with a full-body harness and a complete fall

prevention/rescue program.

Maximize clinker grinder service life and availabilityHelmick Corp. announces multiple options

for establishing enhanced clinker grinder

availability and dependable service life. One

retrofit available is the HelMAX™ outboard-

mounted mechanical seal.

Helmick offers a proven mechanical seal

conversion for clinker grinders that should

exceed the lifespan of the original packing

configuration. HelMAX seals offer proven

savings, demonstrated by a 20-year history

of successful performance. Extend the life of

your clinker grinder installation by convert-

ing to HelMAX seals and eliminate the pack-

ing problems that use up your manpower and

maintenance budget.

Shaft deflection is no longer an opera-

tional concern, as the HelMAX seal attach-

es to and moves with the shaft. HelMAX

seals are installed with an 18-month service

guarantee.

Real-time baghouse dataMidwesco® Filter Resources Inc. has a

new Black Box product that is an integral

part of streamlining the dust collection pro-

cess. Midwesco’s Black Box is designed to

be a portable and/or permanent diagnostic

system that spans the entire baghouse or dust

collector application scenario, from monitor-

ing airflow to troubleshooting and broken

Rotalign® ULTRA

OPTALIGN® smart

ALIGNEO®

The right toolfor every user,job and budget

305-591-8935 • www.ludeca.com

WatchVIDEOOnline

ShaftAlignment

See us at Electric Power 2008 BOOTH #605

EVENTS

CIRCLE 52 ON READER SERVICE CARD

To meet our customers steam and power needs, Indeck provides a multi product line of boilers ranging from firetube to utility grade fielderected boiler systems. Indeck can also provideauxiliary equipment, erection and turnkey support to complete the race to meet your steam and power needs.

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The Power to Deliver the Solution

More Than a Rental Company.

Coal & Wood Fired BoilersHRSGsPackage BoilersWater Treatment SystemsControl Systems

Coal & Wood Fired BoilersHRSGsPackage BoilersWater Treatment SystemsControl Systems booth 1145

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CIRCLE 53 ON READER SERVICE CARD

www.powermag.com POWER | April 200884

EVENTS

bag detection that integrates with real-time

data. This is a vital asset for those who are

still working to achieve MACT compliance.

“Strategic decisions regarding your bag-

house or dust collector require real-time data

analysis,” said John Brown, hardware and ac-

cessory product manager. “In our on-going ef-

fort to provide our customers with innovative

solutions to increase their plant productivity

and meet the latest market demands and short-

en their time to market, we wanted to release

the Black Box immediately. The Black Box

will enable hundreds of thousands of plant and

maintenance managers in organizations large

and small to deliver accurate real-time bag-

house/collector data in order to make strategic

decisions for continued plant operations.”

Submersible drainage pumpsGrindex, the world’s third-largest supplier

of submersible drainage pumps, has imple-

mented a comprehensive restructuring as part

of its company growth strategy. The “new”

Grindex will soon launch an entirely new

product series of extremely hard-wearing

and service-friendly pumps. “The new Grin-

dex will be a marketing and sales company

making better use of the cooperative oppor-

tunities available within the ITT group,” said

Grindex Managing Director Peter Schmid.

“Examples of this include research and de-

velopment and aspects of production. Our

customers will benefit from a stronger part-

ner providing high availability in terms of

products, support and service.”

“With our own sales company and a well-

developed global network of distributors we

shall widen our usefulness as a dewatering

partner, now being able to provide packages

that include service and technical support.

The new generation of pumps will be an im-

portant step in our new efforts in this direc-

tion,” Schmid said.

Grindex’s marketing of its submersible

electric pumps is focused primarily on drain-

age, sludge, and slurry pumping. Company

products are used wherever excessive water

needs to be transported. The most important

customers are construction and rental com-

panies, mines, and larger retailers.

Thermodynamic modeling toolsGeneral Physics Corp. has released a new

version of its VirtualPlant™ Software for

solving power plant performance problems.

VirtualPlant 2 provides power plant profes-

sionals with new thermodynamic modeling

tools that are tightly integrated with GP’s

EtaPRO™ System.

VirtualPlant is a first-principle-based

software simulation solution enabling us-

ers to accurately model the performance of

their fossil, combined-cycle, and nuclear

power plants in both real-time and off-line

environments. VirtualPlant users can easily

compare actual plant performance with de-

tailed model predictions to quickly identify

performance gaps.

“VirtualPlant has established itself as an

easy-to-use, operations-oriented tool for

quickly assessing plant performance prob-

lems, evaluating boiler and turbine upgrades,

and forecasting plant capacity,” said Richard

DesJardins, director of performance engi-

neering services. “Our customers are finding

more and more uses for this powerful tech-

nology, which continues to provide addition-

al value for their EtaPRO Systems.”

Membrane separation technology for water purificationItasca Systems Inc. will highlight water pu-

rification technology using membrane sepa-

ration. Itasca will emphasize its hollow fiber

ultrafiltration (HFUF) membrane systems,

reverse osmosis (RO) single- and double-

pass systems, and electrodeionization (EDI)

module systems.

HFUF membrane technology enables the

use of surface water supplies as power plant

feed streams. It is capable of filtering par-

ticulates down to 0.03 micron. The process

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Start up and Commissioning

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EVENTS

is very efficient and has high recovery rates.

The rugged PVDF membrane is resistant to

acid cleaning, caustic cleaning, and disinfec-

tion with chlorine dosing.

An RO system’s cleaning ability, with a

minimum of operator time and maximum

flexibility, is an important part of design for a

power plant. Itasca’s custom design approach

allows for the plant engineer’s input on this

and all aspects of the design.

An EDI system can minimize (or elimi-

nate) the amount of acid and caustic used

for water purification in a power plant. The

EDI system will also require less space than a

conventional automatic deionizer, which will

save capital building cost.

Ion exchange resin cleaning processRecirculation Technologies Inc. initiated

the patent application process for its novel

cleaning chemical and process, ReStore+,

for removing organic foulants from anion ion

exchange resins. In full-scale cleaning pro-

grams at pulp and paper mills and chemical

plants, organically fouled anion resins had

substantially better capacity and salt split-

ting capacity as compared to a conventional

brine and caustic treatment called a “brine

squeeze.” The throughput of the anion res-

ins doubled, thereby decreasing regenerant

chemical usage by 50%.

“With a product like synthetic ion ex-

change resin, which has been produced for

over 50 years, innovations are tough to come

by,” said Robert Finley, president of Recir-

culation Technologies. “I am proud that Bill

Bornak, a co-founder of our company, has

been able to develop a new ion exchange

resin cleaning chemical and process so novel

that we have applied for a patent. Used in

conjunction with our years of expertise in

cleaning resins, our excellent group of tech-

nical field specialists can bring a water treat-

ment system back to efficient operation.”

Low-flow pumpsGas Equipment Co. Inc., in conjunction

with Corken (a Division of Idex Corp.) will

display the newest addition to its small-flow

aqueous ammonia forwarding pumps. The

new additions are the low-flow (below 0.25

gpm and up to 3 gpm) magdrive gear pumps

operating at motor speeds. Construction ma-

terials can be either poly or stainless steel.

These gear pumps enable extremely sim-

ple and cost-effective maintenance when

required. Gas Equipment and Corken have a

long relationship of providing solutions for

ammonia-handling equipment for anhydrous

ammonia or aqueous ammonia to NOx-re-

duction programs.

Motor and generator serviceOnce known as primarily a northern New Jer-

sey company, Longo, the largest electrical-

mechanical sales and service company in the

tri-state area, is heading south. Long known

for its expertise in a broad range of products,

from motors and pumps to switchgear and

drives, Longo has established a Philadelphia

area Servicenter to provide its resources to

companies along the Philadelphia-Baltimore

corridor.

Longo’s scope of operation begins with

on-site testing, diagnosis, and repair. Where

necessary, field service teams are fully trained

and experienced in the removal and reinstal-

lation of even the largest and most complex

motor and pump assemblies. In-shop repairs

continue Longo’s tradition of quality repair

and remanufacturing.

While Longo routinely handles motors in

the thousands of horsepower and pumps with

capacities of 100,000 gpm, it also offers more

sophisticated engineering capability. Its tech-

nicians are factory-trained in the complex

service and repair of high-speed, oil-free air

compressors.

Longo is also looking ahead and moving

upward—300 feet to be exact. Applying 60

years of motor/generator experience to wind

generator service is just another natural ex-

tension of Longo’s capabilities.

Internal joint sealMiller Pipeline Corp. offers WEKO-

SEAL®, the internal joint seal—a trench-

less system for internally and economically

resolving joint leakage or infiltration. Seals

are available for any pipe sized 16 inches

in diameter and larger with penetration dis-

tances in excess of 1,000 feet. The WEKO-

SEAL comes in a variety of widths but can

also be used for continuous coverage of any

distance through the company's Sleeve/Seal

capabilities. These seals are flexible rubber

leak clamps that ensure a noncorrodible, bot-

tle-tight seal around the full inside circum-

ference of the pipe-joint area. Their unique

design incorporates a series of proprietary

and patented lip seals that create a leakproof

fit on either side of the joint.

WEKO-SEAL installations are handled

by the company’s confined-space-trained

experienced technicians who have handled

more than 260,000 failure-free installations

in locations throughout the U.S., Canada,

and Mexico. Hundreds of gas utilities, mu-

nicipalities, and industrial plants have made

them a vital part of their water, wastewater,

and gas pipeline maintenance and rehabilita-

tion efforts.

Advanced silicon carbide delivers high wear resistance Blasch Precision Ceramics InVinCer silicon

carbide parts offer excellent wear; chemical,

oxidation, and thermal shock resistance; high

thermal conductivity; and high-temperature

operation.

Blasch’s new reaction bonded silicon car-

bide (SiSiC) offers the highest thermal con-

ductivity to its maximum use temperature of

1,380C. Available products include burner

nozzles, pump components, mechanical seals,

micronizers, and cyclones. Custom shapes

are also available upon request. Highly abra-

sive wear and corrosion applications include

flue gas desulfurization nozzles, burner liner

blocks, pipe bend liners, and other power

generation applications.

Blasch’s recrystallized (RSiC) silicon car-

bide’s maximum use temperature is 1,610C.

Available products include burner nozzles

and specialized structural members, as well

as custom-shaped parts.

Innovative seal for low-maintenance boiler seal replacementExpansion Joint System’s seal that allows

for minimal gas losses without high installa-

tion costs is now available. The Penetration

Slider Seal (PS Seal™) may not only reduce

gas leaks on your boiler but also reduce

maintenance costs.

The PS Seal uses a floating ring design

with patented stainless steel flow. The seals

are compressed on assembly to provide mini-

mal gas leakage during operation. As particu-

lates build up in the seal and further restrict

passage of gas, the gas leakage in the seal

reduces over time. The stainless steel wire

mesh seal can be replaced easily during shut-

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EVENTS

downs, eliminating the need to replace the

entire unit.

Because these seals may be disassembled

and repaired without cutting metal piping or

welds, there is no need for specially trained

on-site service technicians to perform the

replacements. Standard sizes, 4 to 18 inches

nominal diameter, are currently available.

Axial movement is unlimited and standard

seals are designed for ¼-inch and 1-inch

lateral movements. These units will also ac-

commodate the angular movement frequently

present from pipe distortion.

Coal car topper system stops PRB dust emissionsSometime this year, BNSF is expected to an-

nounce guidelines requiring the IDV.2 (In-

tegrated Dust Value Version 2) levels to be

no greater than 300 for all trains leaving the

Powder River Basin region. Spraying coal in

conjunction with better profiles is now the

railroad industry’s answer to coal dust prob-

lems. Topper agents will reduce dust at lev-

els approaching 100%. These guidelines are

meant to reduce the IDV.2 levels down to 300

(which means 85% to 95% reduction in dust

levels) on all coal loads.

Midwest Industrial Supply manufac-

tures a customized Coal Car Topper System

that extends over railcars to apply Soil-

Sement® on coal and other materials to keep

them from blowing into the air. The Coal Car

Topper System can have electronic detectors

on the arm that can be automated to raise and

lower as a train approaches and leaves and

efficiently apply dust suppressant to the coal.

Midwest’s Coal Car Topper Systems have

been successfully utilized for several years to

treat railcars at coal mines in extreme Cana-

dian temperatures.

Soil-Sement is an environmentally safe

chemical-dust-suppressant topper agent. In

order to be included in the BNSF Coal Car

Topper Study, it was subjected to and passed

the following tests: Simpson Weather Asso-

ciates Laboratory Testing, BNSF Corrosion

and Safety Testing, BNSF Performance Stan-

dards Testing, and Southern Company Burn-

ability Testing.

Hydrodynamic sealSulzer Pumps will be displaying its Balanced

Stator™ seal, an ultra-high-performance car-

tridge unit that provides lifespan and leakage

control unmatched by conventional seals.

Employing patented flexible stator geometry,

the Balanced Stator seal automatically com-

pensates for pump shaft deflections. Leakage

is predictably controlled to less than 0.03

gpm (0.11 liter/min). Maintenance-free peri-

ods extend from four to eight years.

The hydrodynamic seal design has three-

stage seal redundancy that hydrostatic seals

simply cannot match. The Balanced Stator

seal is available for any reactor coolant or

recirculation pump. Sulzer provides replace-

ment mechanical seals for other manufactur-

ers’ reactor coolant pumps (RCP) and installs

the Sulzer Balanced Stator seal in RCPs from

all the major original equipment manufactur-

ers. Sulzer’s updated Balanced Stator seal is

a proven product, ready to solve seal reliabil-

ity, maintenance, and cost problems. Sulzer’s

seal development and testing experience dates

from 1961, and the seal’s field-proven perfor-

mance through all types of transients is a mat-

ter of record. The company's on-site services

and product development capabilities make it

proficient at providing retrofit solutions.

Fast degassingThe Lectrodryer Fast Degas CO2 Evapo-

rator system allows for quick degassing of

the generator while preventing lines from

clogging due to ice formation as a result of

CO2 expansion. The Fast Degas CO2 Evapo-

rator system helps reduce the time and cost

involved during outages by allowing the

generator to be degassed and brought back

on-line much more rapidly. This system also

provides an important safety benefit by rap-

idly blanketing the generator with inert gas

in times of upset conditions or emergency

situations.

The Lectrodryer Fast Degas CO2 Evapo-

rator system allows the generator to be fully

degassed in less than 20 minutes. The CO2

Evaporator controls the CO2 pressure and

heats it. This system is designed to maintain

a minimum temperature where the CO2 is

completely evaporated and at a state where

further depressurization will not form solid

particles or extremely low temperatures.

Thermal spray systems defend against erosion and corrosionAdvancements in material manufacturing

technology have lead to the development of

PENNGUARD® Block Lining System

Phone: 412 928 4693sales@hadek.com www.hadek.com

PROTECTING POWERPLANT CHIMNEYS

An FGD plant fire could destroy your chimney.Pennguard® linings protect chimneys from fire. So why take unnecessary risks?

The Pennguard® Block Lining System is an innovativechimney lining with proven performance. Made of acid-resistant borosilicate glass, this lightweight and highlyinsulating lining is applied directly to flue interiors.

And it makes FGD chimneys safer.

Fire tests by Hadek show that Pennguard® linings protect chimneys in case of fire. At temperatures of over 500°C (932°F), alloy-clad flues are at risk of collapse, and FRP flues are likely to catch fire, even with fire retardants.

In 1996, an FGD fire at one US power station caused1,000°C (1,832°F) temperatures inside a steel chimney. The Pennguard® lining successfully protected the chimney from collapse.

Pennguard® linings could save your chimney from fire. Contact Hadek for your copy of the Test Report: 412 928 4693, sales@hadek.com.

Pennguard® is a registered trademark of Henkel KGaA and is used with their permission. This advertisement is not to be considered a warranty concerning product performance.

Pennguard® linings protectchimneys against fire. Whytake unnecessary risks?

Hadek is the expert on power plant chimney and ductwork protection, and a global distributor of thePennguard® Block Lining System.

We deliver:

• Research and feasibility studies

• Detail engineering

• Installation supervision

• Lifetime Performance Monitoring System

• 10 year limited warranty

CIRCLE 57 ON READER SERVICE CARD

www.powermag.com POWER | April 200890

the next generation of twin-wire electric arc

spray wires for the thermal spray coating in-

dustry to assist clients with run length reli-

ability of equipment.

Nooter Construction Co. (NCC) has

more than 110 years industrial experience. Its

affiliate companies are St. Louis Metallizing,

with 50-plus years in the shop-applied coat-

ing industry, and ArcMelt, manufacturers of

proprietary spray wires and powders. Togeth-

er, they are now capable of field-applying

high-quality thermal coatings on equipment

and components. With NCC’s ability to apply

thermal coatings using the twin-wire electric

arc process, they can offer clients a highly ef-

ficient and cost-effective field-applied alter-

native to weld overlay for the protection of

equipment.

A significant advantage of using a ther-

mal coating instead of weld overlay is that

there is no heat-affected zone or metallurgi-

cal impact to the base material or substrate.

And, because there is no degradation of the

substrate, coatings maybe applied numerous

times without affecting the integrity of the

substrate material.

Collapsible workbasketSince 1988, Lisbon Hoist Inc. has been

manufacturing equipment in the U.S. This

past year the company announced two new

products.

The 143-200/143-210 Series collapsible

workbasket (patent pending) is easy to tear

down into 11 parts. The workbasket will fit

through openings that are 18 inches round,

14.5 by 14.5 inches square, or 18 by 12 inch-

es rectangular. Assembled weight is 100 to

105 pounds, depending on whether you pur-

chase a low-headroom or standard model. Its

capacity is 500 pounds, and it’s available in

powder-coated yellow and blue.

The 144-010 bosun chair/bucket holders

are designed around the company’s Spirit

hoist. Construction is welded aluminum, and

it is powder coated with pneumatic wheels

(or optional foam fill wheels). Bucket hold-

ers and wheels are adjustable in 1-inch incre-

ments. Bucket holders come with a padded

high-back seat for comfort, weigh 52 pounds

with bucket holders and 37 pounds without,

and have a capacity of 500 pounds.

Work chairsUnited Group’s new IRONHORSE Seat-

ing™ 4000LT sets the new standard in execu-

tive class, ergonomic seating. The company’s

target was to design and engineer the finest

ergonomic chair on the market today, using

only the finest materials. The heavy-gauge,

tubular steel frame is robotically welded for

consistent quality. The easy-to-adjust, heavy-

duty automotive recliner locks the backrest

into place.

The laser-cut, 14-gauge steel seat pan pro-

vides total support for the anatomically con-

toured foam cushion. The premium grade,

high-density foam cushions are injection

molded for total tolerance control. The finest

Italian leather hides are cut on a Gerber CNC

cutter and then precisely tailored. Multi-den-

sity foam is sewn into the covers for a soft yet

POWER magazine has served the generation industry for more than 125 years. Now POWER is making it easier than ever for industry professionals to find career opportunities and for hiring authorities to find the best candidates for open positions. The Careers-in-POWER job board on powermag.com allows visitors to post resumes anonymously, view the latest job positions, post job listings, and set up personal job alerts.

JOB SEEKERS:Access the most recentpositions available to engineers, operations and maintenance managers, and corporate and general managers at coal, nuclear, combined-cycle, and renewable power plants.

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Visit Careers-in-POWER on powermag.com to become part of the fastest growing site dedicated to connecting power generation employers and employees.

Where Does the Industry Find Its

Best People?

EVENTS

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EVENTS

supportive feel. You will not sink into these

chairs but they will feel soft when you first sit

and remain supportive for the entire day.

The 4000LT features a full 45 degrees of

total recline. The fully articulating headrests

have received accolades as the chair’s best

feature. These chairs will accommodate indi-

viduals of 6 feet, 6 inches and 350 pounds.

Environmentally safe spill response and retrieval systems C.I.Agent Solutions’ complete C.I.Agent

Rapid Response Systems are easy-to-use and

easy-to-store packages containing a variety

of spill-response materials and equipment

designed to meet hazmat needs on land and

water.

Unlike the traditional commodity spill kit,

which requires additional dollars for proper

disposal, C.I.Agent is nontoxic, noncarcino-

genic, and nonhazardous. It solidifies liquid

hydrocarbons such as gasoline, oils, diesel,

and sheen upon contact into an inert solid

rubber-like mass that floats. C.I.Agent Rapid

Response kits come in standard and custom-

ized sizes.

C.I.Agent is listed on the EPA, NCP Prod-

uct Schedule and has been pre-authorized for

use on oil spills, in free form, by the RRTs

in EPA Regions IV, III, and the Caribbean

(other regions pending). This listing does

not mean that the EPA approves, recom-

mends, licenses, certifies, or authorizes the

use of C.I.Agent on oil discharge. This list-

ing means only that data have been submitted

to the EPA as required by subpart J of the

National Contingency Plan, 300.915.

Wind energy compositesWith more than 40 years of experience,

Fibergrate Composite Structures Inc. is

the leading manufacturer of fiberglass rein-

forced plastic (FRP) products for industrial

and commercial use globally. The company

is now involved in the manufacture and sup-

ply of composite wind turbine blades and

nacelles. It is also involved in providing

composite solutions for coal-fired power

plant scrubber systems, including various

internal components for both cross-flow and

Chiyoda jet bubbling reactor flue gas desul-

furization scrubbers.

Fibergrate has supplied the electric power

industry over the past 40 years with tradi-

tional FRP products such as grating, hand-

rail, ladder, and structure used for filters,

screens, catwalks, walkways, decking, and

water treatment.

Joining the StonCor Group, an operating

company management unit in the industrial

division of RPM International Inc., in 1997

added a key element to a group of companies

dedicated to combating caustic and corrosive

environments. RPM is the world leader in

specialty coatings serving both industrial and

consumer markets.

Inspections, education, and metallurgical analysisLong-time industry leader in boiler inspec-

tion services and educational training, United Dynamics Corp. is coupled with the wide-

ranging metallurgical processing services of

David N. French Metallurgists. Their com-

bined services provide organizations within

the power industry complete all-inclusive

services resulting in reduced EFOR rates.

Clients experience effective results with

the availability of dual services provided

by the experience and expertise of the two

companies, which are industry leaders in

boiler inspection, education, and metallur-

gical analysis. One current client said, “We

are enjoying a great year from a boiler reli-

ability standpoint and realize you contributed

to this in a major way. We appreciate what

you do and look forward to working with you

again.” Another commented, “We have seen

the proven track record in EFOR. Our rate

has improved from 2.43 average in our plant

in 2002 to .97 at current. We value this work-

ing relationship.”

Reduce flyash loss on ignition SAS Global Corp.’s Total Solution Approach

(TSA) is a custom-tailored solution based

upon the customer’s specific goals. SAS works

closely with customers to identify potential

opportunities in combustion improvements

that can directly lead to reduced flyash LOI

(50% or more), reduced NOx emissions (20%

or more), reduced slagging, reduced fuel costs

and opacity, increased boiler efficiency and

generation, and increased flame stability using

the company’s patented in-line diffusers.

One case history’s specific improvements

for a Babcock & Wilcox 650-MW cell burner

with 48 DZB-4R burners fed by six MPS-89

mills firing an eastern fuel were as follows:

pre-TSA: O2 (%, dry) = 4.5, NOx (lb/MBtu) =

0.463, flyash LOI (%) = 10.2; post-TSA: O2

(%, dry) = 3.8 (16% improvement), NOx (lb/

MBtu) = 0.399 (14% improvement), flyash

LOI (%) = 3.1 (70% improvement)

The primary goal was flyash LOI reduc-

tion so that the ash could be sold. The pre-

TSA NOx was measured with SNCR and

OFA; the post-TSA NOx was measured with-

out OFA and SNCR. These results have been

maintained for over six months.

Stator windingsNational Electric Coil’s high-voltage gen-

erator stator windings are available for any

configuration or brand of machine. NEC sup-

plies replacement stator windings for current

machine designs, and it specializes in the sup-

ply of windings for outdated or legacy brands

that are no longer supported by the OEM’s

factories. NEC also supplies replacement

coils of the most complicated technologies,

such as a 900-degree Röebel transposition in

an inner gas-cooled winding for a 600-MW

generator, an inner water-cooled winding

for a 900-MW base-loaded generator, or an

unusual concentrically wound winding with

external transpositions for a legacy machine.

NEC’s new turbogenerator rotor wind-

ings are made with edge-bent or fabricated

corners. Slot sections may be made with ra-

dial, axial, and/or diagonal cooling passages.

In some cases, old copper can be refurbished

and reinsulated.

NEC’s proven design and manufacturing

process is ISO 9001-certified.

Water treatmentSAMCO Technologies Inc. has entered into

a licensing agreement with Rohm and Haas

Chemicals LLC (NYSE:ROH), a world

leader in the manufacture, application, and

use of ion exchange resins. The licensing

agreement grants SAMCO certain exclu-

sive marketing and manufacturing rights to

Rohm and Haas’ revolutionary and innova-

tive Advanced Amberpack™ technology for

deionization, dealkalization, and softening

of water for industrial applications. This

process utilizes a patented fractal distribu-

tion system in a packed bed countercurrent

ion exchange system that results in a near-

perfect plug flow regime and exceptional

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ONE HITACHI...ONE HITACHI...

BOILERS NUCLEAR SCR TURBINES

AQCS

www.hitachi.us/hpsa power.info@hal.hitachi.comHitachi Power Systems America, Ltd. 645 Martinsville Road Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 Tel: 908.605.2800

... vertically integrated to meet yourtotal power and environmental generation needs.

www.powermag.com POWER | April 200894

EVENTS

separation of waste fractions during the re-

generation cycle.

SAMCO Technologies is a single-source

provider of solutions for water, wastewater,

and process purification and separation. It

supplies equipment, systems, and turnkey

facilities including a complete line of mem-

brane, ion exchange, thermal, and physical/

chemical separation capabilities. SAMCO

provides innovative, cost-effective solutions

to industrial customers by combining engi-

neering, technology, integration, manufac-

turing, and project management talent with a

unique business system design.

Aqueous ammonia forwarding pumpsGas Equipment Company Inc., in conjunc-

tion with Corken (a Division of Idex Corp.),

will display the newest addition to its small-

flow aqueous ammonia forwarding pumps.

The new additions are the low-flow (below

0.25 gpm and up to 3 gpm) magdrive gear

pumps operating at motor speeds. Construc-

tion can be of either poly or stainless steel.

These gear pumps offer extremely simple

and cost-effective maintenance when re-

quired. Gas Equipment and Corken have a

long relationship of providing solutions for

ammonia handling equipment for anhydrous

ammonia or aqueous ammonia to NOx-reduc-

tion programs.

Hazardous application LED lightsUnimar has released new LED area lights:

LEDBright (standard) and SafeSite Series

(hazardous locations fixture). Their rugged

solid-state design creates a new era in which

failed lamps and expensive relamping costs

become a thing of the past. These fixtures

will replace traditional high-pressure sodium

(HPS), metal halide (HID), and fluorescent

lighting fixtures to achieve a better, whiter

grade of lighting with an instant “On” feature

so they can be used as needed, thus provid-

ing higher quality lighting while eliminating

wasted energy.

The first of its kind, SafeSite is designed

to replace 75-W to 250-W HID light sourc-

es in hazardous location applications. The

fixture provides better quality light, higher

fixture efficiency, and 30% greater energy

efficiency than traditional HID light source

technology. The SafeSite and LEdBright

fixtures are perfect for applications where

shock and vibration are present, which

shortens the life of traditional lights. They

provide extremely long life (estimated 15

years) before service is required. With the

great reduction in power needed to operate

these new fixtures, they will also assist in

efforts to reduce energy use and greenhouse

gas emissions.

Return idler guardThe ASGCO SAFE-GUARD line that works

on CEMA B, C, and D series idlers up to

7 inches in diameter has been expanded to

include CEMA E & F return rollers. The

transverse support of the new heavy-duty

SAFE-GUARD is angled to provide a more

robust design that prevents bending and is

See videos of FLIR’s thermal security cameras at www.fl ir.com

Heat Can’t Hide

See tonight – and every night – with FLIR

Copper theft from remote, and often unattended, power stations has reached epidemic proportions. But the cost of a metals theft goes beyond the loss in materials – companies lose operating revenue, must repair damaged infrastructure, and deal with stations being off-line while they repair the damage.

But with FLIR thermal security cameras, even an unattended station isn’t unprotected. FLIR’s thermal cameras provide a 24/7, single-camera security solution. They help power facility personnel see clearly at night, keeping facilities secure and guarding against theft by seeing an intruder’s body heat.

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CIRCLE 60 ON READER SERVICE CARD

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So we decided to get some new engineeredchutes. We looked at them all...

Martin Engineering was the only supplierto give us the written guarantee we wanted.

M A RT I N ® I N E RT I A L F L O W ™ Tr a n s f e rChutes are custom-engineered to matchour coal, our conveyors, and our operatingrequirements. These computer-modeledhood-and-spoon chutes minimize impact,control air flow, and reduce dust.

And Mar t in Engineering guaranteed thenew chutes would cut our dust levels by98%. We couldn’t believe they would putthat in writing.

Now, flow rate is up, t ime needed to fil lthe bunkers is down.

And the before-and-after testing shows thedust has been reduced by more than 98%. Just like they said. They did what they saidthey would do. That’s the real story.

Mike SchimmelpfennigGeneral Executive - Coal Operations

Ameren Energy Fuels & ServicesSt. Louis, Missouri

CIRCLE 61 ON READER SERVICE CARD

www.powermag.com POWER | April 200896

EVENTS

sized to fit over CEMA E & F return roller

brackets. Both the mounting brackets as well

as the end plates are made from powder-coat-

ed A-36 steel.

ASGCO has long recognized the impor-

tance of ensuring safety in the workplace.

The lightweight, ASGCO SAFE-GUARD

return idler guard was designed to prevent

injuries from pinch points and to catch the

return idler if it should fall. Installation of

SAFE-GUARD on a conveyor belt return

idler helps to protect workers from the hazard

of contacting the exposed idler.

The durable UHMW slotted cage is de-

signed to prevent material build-up and

enable easy clean-up. Removing just two

stainless steel pins to drop open the side of

the cage gives full access to the roller and

allows for ease of replacement and mainte-

nance. All ASGCO SAFE-GUARDs are fully

adjustable for a wide range of idler sizes and

belt widths up to 96".

Investment Banking Services announces new directorInvestment Banking Services (IVS), a sis-

ter company of BIC Alliance, is proud to an-

nounce Tom Hudgins’ recent addition to the

company as a managing partner. Hudgins,

a veteran investment banker, in his new po-

sition will collaborate with IVS President

Thomas Brinsko and Managing Director

John Zapalac based out of the company’s

new, expanded Houston office. Hudgins will

interface with existing clients and will focus

on deal structuring with Zapalac.

IVS offers investment banking services

to the heavy process and power industries.

In the past two years, IVS principals have

closed four deals with an aggregate value of

$70 million and have three deals under letter

of intent that have an aggregate value of $75

million. IVS is in the business of connecting

business and industry for the betterment of

all by offering complete investment banking

services to help buy, sell, or grow companies

in the industrial marketplace.

Magnets for contaminant separationEriez, the pioneer of permanent magnets, has

a new line of Suspended Permanent Mag-

nets with operating advantages never before

available. Suspended Magnetic Separators

are designed for applications where ferrous

contaminants are to be removed from bulk

products, either on a moving conveyor belt

or chute.

The CP 20/80 utilizes a permanent magnet

circuit to provide a continuous and uniform

magnetic field across the feed belt to opti-

mize separation efficiency of damaging tramp

iron. The self-cleaning feature supplied with

the unit provides for automatic removal of

accumulated tramp metal. Features include

low operating cost, no electrical maintenance

on the magnet, no costly shutdowns, uninter-

rupted magnetic protection, simple installa-

tion, powerful magnetic field, and no power

requirement.

Eriez is recognized as a world author-

ity in advanced technology for magnetic,

vibratory, and inspection applications. The

company’s magnetic lift and separation,

metal detection, x-ray, materials feeding,

screening, conveying and controlling equip-

ment have application in the process, met-

alworking, packaging, recycling, mining,

aggregate, and textile industries.

Real-time software for plant optimizationNeuCo Inc., a leading provider of optimiza-

tion software solutions to the electric power

industry, has successfully completed a four-

year optimization software development and

demonstration project at Dynegy’s Baldwin

Energy Complex in Baldwin, Illinois. The

$19 million Clean Coal Power Initiative

project was a cost-shared effort between

NeuCo Inc. and the DOE. Dynegy’s Baldwin

plant now hosts the nation’s most significant

integration of real-time asset optimizers for

coal-fired power generation.

The project’s objective was to improve

coal-based generation’s emission profile, ef-

ficiency, maintenance requirements, and plant

asset life. Separate but integrated real-time

software products were developed for com-

bustion, sootblowing, SCR operation, unit

processbarronFind out how we can streamline your plant:

Upgrading to the “right sized” fan or a more

effi cient, modern design can increase your plant’s

operating effi ciency.

FAN EFFICIENCY!smart economic integration TODAY for your plant’s TOMORROW

CIRCLE 62 ON READER SERVICE CARD

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 97

EVENTS

thermal performance, and plantwide avail-

ability optimization. While the individual

solutions provide stand-alone functions and

benefits, they are essentially configurations

of a common, distributed platform—enabling

synergies between the optimizers.

Results at Baldwin include reduced NOx

emissions; improved fuel efficiency; commen-

surate reductions in greenhouse gases, mer-

cury, and particulates; reduced SCR ammonia

consumption; more reliable cyclone boiler op-

erations; and faster discovery, prioritization,

and diagnosis of plant equipment issues.

New weld-purge systemsCOB Industries Inc. has introduced, for the

first time in the U.S., the latest technology

and design advancements for the fastest pos-

sible weld-purge systems on the market. The

Argweld® brand has been known for many

years to offer some of the best weld purging

systems and purge monitors in the industry,

and the Quick-Purge Systems that were intro-

duced a couple of years ago immediately be-

came high-demand items at liquefied natural

gas sites, power plants, and other applications

involving the welding of larger-diameter stain-

less steel pipe across the U.S. and Europe.

Using valuable input from users in the

field, a new generation of Quick-Purge Sys-

tems has been developed. The latest ver-

sions of the Quick-Purge Systems offer new

features and technology, including multiple

exhaust ports for faster purging, additional

relief valves to prevent overinflation, and

multiple fill lines for use with varying flow

rates. This all adds up to the fastest, most ef-

fective, and user-friendly system available.

This translates into huge cost savings in time,

manpower, and gas.

New boring mill capacity Penn Iron Works Inc.’s Nuclear Quality

Fabrication/Machining facility has been up-

graded with the addition of two new CNC

horizontal boring mills. The first is a floor-

type 6-inch machine with vertical capacity of

138 inches and horizontal capability of over

34 feet. The second machine is a table-type

5-inch mill with an operating envelope of 98

inches by 98 inches.

These new additions will enhance our ob-

jective of providing quality machined fabrica-

tions meeting 10CFR50, Appendix B; ASME

Section III “NPT” and “NS”; ASME Section

I “S”; ASME Section VIII pressure vessel

“U”; NBIC “R”; government, military Mil-I-

45208 and Mil-Q-9858; DOE (10CFR830);

and commercial requirements for pressure

vessel and structural components.

The company’s extensive materials ex-

perience includes carbon steels; martensitic

steel; stainless, duplex, and super duplex

stainless; 6% moly; aluminum bronze and

nickel aluminum bronze; hastelloy; inconel

and incoloy; nickel; monel; and copper-

nickel alloys.

End use of the company’s fabrications

includes a wide variety of processing lines,

pump and compressor applications, munici-

pal utility systems, government sites, U.S.

Navy ships, and numerous nuclear and fossil-

fuel electric power plants around the world.

Energy-absorbing dynamic restraintLISEGA’s new E-BAR technology provides

unique energy absorption for seismic and

whip restraint applications. Utilizing new

patented technology, LISEGA has developed

and installed the E-BAR, a new-generation

dynamic restraint that’s ideal for both nuclear

and fossil generating plants.

The E-BAR is fully integrated into the

LISEGA line of dynamic restraints and ac-

cessories. Using the E-BAR as a gapped

restraint significantly reduces the number

of snubbers required for seismic protection.

Unlike snubbers, the E-BAR does not require

operational readiness testing per ASME-

ISTD, which saves time and money. E-BAR

meets ALARA requirements during outage I-

S-I activities. NRC safety evaluation of the E-

BAR Topical Report has found it acceptable

for referencing in licensing applications.

The E-BAR can be custom designed to go

plastic at a predetermined load through de-

formation of the outer metal housing. Acting

as a “fuse,” it controls pipe displacement and

stresses to acceptable values while limiting

structural loads to as little as one-eighth of

that seen using conventional restraints.

Two E-BARs installed at 90° provide the

ultimate pipe whip restraint, absorbing ener-

gy in all directions perpendicular to the pipe

axis, unlike conventional “U-bolt” designs,

which limit pipe displacements in only one

direction.

Bearing repairKingsbury Repair & Services Division recently opened the doors for a new repair

facility for the western states. It is a full-

service facility capable of handling repair

sizes over 110 inches. The company is also

offering bearing repairs for replacement up-

grades. Older bearings have had design im-

provements made over the years and should

be looked at to see if a better fix is available.

Kingsbury can offer these services because it

has been involved daily in new product de-

sign and research for almost 100 years.

Kingsbury also offers a turbine-generator

bearing failure analysis program that enables

customers to track repairs; see machined

tolerance; view individual drawings and as-

www.powermag.com POWER | April 200898

EVENTS

sembly drawings; and see inspection reports,

shipping reports, and pictures. These are all

available on the company’s web site with the

customer’s password.

Upstream approach to SO3 controlBy employing Fuel Tech’s upstream ap-

proach using the Targeted In-Furnace

Injection™ (TIFI™) process, multiple sig-

nificant performance benefits in addition to

blue plume control can be achieved. Recent

data indicates that this innovative approach

to SO3 control reduced fuel and operating

costs, resulting in greater than 4 to 1 return

on investment.

Utilizing the TIFI program for SO3 control

leads to better slag and fouling control. As

a result, a cleaner furnace not only produces

less SO3, it also improves heat transfer, boiler

efficiency, and clinker grinder performance.

Reduced slag and fouling also reduces out-

age cleaning times, helps decrease the need

for load shedding, reduces clinker growth,

and improves ash handling characteristics

while reducing the total toxic release.

Absorbent beadsAward-winning Drain Protection Sys-

tems (DPS) from Imbibitive Technologies America are designed to allow rainwater to

drain but automatically seal the leak path in

the event of an oil release. Imbiber Beads®,

used by the DPS, selectively remove or-

ganic liquids, including PCBs, from water.

Imbiber Beads are discussed in the Design Guide for Oil Spill Prevention and Control at Substations, USDA-REA (RUS) Bulletin 1724E-302, the USEPA final rules for SPCC

compliance, 40 CFR Part 112 (2002) as well

as in the IEEE Guide for Containment and Control (IEEE Std. 980).

Imbiber Beads are the only true absor-bent (ASTM F716) “engineered” for organic

chemicals. They are not an adsorbent, and

they are not a thickener/solidifier. Imbiber

Beads will not dissolve in excess liquid. Wa-

ter can not be absorbed by Imbiber Beads, as

they are hydrophobic.

Imbiber Beads Imbicator® spill mainte-

nance products (booms, blankets, pillows,

and packets) are also available for capturing

and containing compatible organic chemical

(fuels, solvents, mineral oil) releases.

Portable emissions analyzersAdvanced engineering, superior innovation,

and over 40 years of measurement know-

how have produced the finest portable emis-

sions analyzers for the power industry. The

Testo 335 combustion analyzer delivers the

power of large suite-case analyzers in a rug-

ged, convenient, handheld. The flexibility

to test virtually any combustion application

coupled with state-of-the-art software make

it an essential tool for combustion tuning and

troubleshooting. Quick set-up, user-defined

soft keys, and intuitive easy-to-understand

pull-down menus make it a breeze to use.

Precalibrated, true plug-and-play sensors

are the keystone features of Testo analyzers.

Special features like the special gas paths

provide the convenience of “in-the-stack”

start-up (and zeroing), thereby eliminating

the hassle of repeated probe removal. The

wide array of probes and hoses are designed

for any test scenario.

Coal-blending softwareSABIA Inc., a leader in bulk material el-

emental analysis, has teamed up with Ready

Technologies Inc. to provide power plants

with a seamless interface between their ex-

isting control systems and their fuel man-

agement systems to automatically achieve

targeted coal qualities to improve operational

efficiency and profitability by delivering the

right fuel blend at the right time.

Ready, a global leader in automated blend-

ing systems and integration services, has in-

stalled its CoalFusion™ blending software

at NRG’s Limestone Power Plant in Jewett,

Texas, where SABIA’s Model XC-5000 ana-

lyzer is also in operation.

SABIA is a privately held, venture-backed

firm established in 2000 by the scientists and

engineers who originally commercialized

prompt gamma neutron activation analy-

sis (PGNAA) technology in the late 1980s.

Customers use SABIA analyzers for run-

of-mine, sorting and blending applications

and for quality control. SABIA introduced

its flagship line of on-belt analyzers in 2003

in response to the demand for affordable,

real-time information of the quality of bulk

materials in the cement, coal, and coal-fired

power industries.

Engine-starting battery chargerLa Marche has released a new ESCR en-

gine-starting battery charger product line.

This product line incorporates micropro-

cessor-controlled SCR technology and is

suitable for various types of batteries, such

as flooded lead-acid, VRLA, and NiCad.

Along with its easy-to-use control panel and

informative LCD display, the charger meets

NFPA110 requirements.

The two-line LCD displays volts, amps, and

alarms. Automatic input sensing for 120/240

60 Hz (optional 50 Hz) does not require any

tap changes, and multi-output (12V/24V)

makes this product line flexible and conve-

nient for multiple jobs. The ±0.5% regulation,

temperature compensation, battery check,

equalize timer, and adjustable output voltage

and current limiting ensure longevity and per-

formance for your batteries. This economical

solution equipped with rich features also in-

corporates La Marche quality and reliability.

Clean renewable energy technology for gas turbinesLPP Combustion LLC recently demonstrated

natural gas–level emissions using bio-derived

ethanol (ASTM D-4806), palm oil–based

biodiesel, and soy oil–based biodiesel during

gas turbine combustor testing. Emissions of

nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur di-

oxide, and particulate matter (soot) were the

same as natural gas–level emissions achieved

using current dry low-emission gas turbine

combustion technology. In addition, the com-

bustion of these liquids produced virtually no

net carbon dioxide emissions.

The successful demonstration using these

renewable fuels shows the LPP System is

an enabling technology that allows for the

cleanest possible use of biofuels in combus-

tion devices without the use of post-com-

bustion pollution control equipment. The

LPP System is a viable alternative for power

producers to create renewable energy for gas

turbines and to help meet renewable power

supply mandates. ■

UBC Super Ad Indtrl (com version1 1 6/15/06 9:40:52 AM

The Carpenter’s International Training CenterLook! Up at the site! It’s a graduate of the Carpenter’s International Training Fund’s Superintendent Career Training Program. He can leap between tall tasks in a single bound!

CITF’s 18-month, university-level Superintendent Career Training Program is available only to our signatory partners.

Now, you can empower your best team members to become the superintendents you need to perform heroic feats on the job. Just enroll them in CITF’s four-part, customized Superintendent Career Training Program, which focuses on:

• Roles, responsibilities and attributes of professional superintendents

• Time and cost management, project planning and documentation, and computer applications

• Leadership, communication, motivation and negotiation

• On-the-job experience and professional mentoring

Visit www.ubcsuperintendents.com today for more information about the planet’s strongest training program, and learn how to get a “Super” T-shirt!

Where Superintendents Get Their Powers

UBC Super Ad Indtrl (com version1 1 6/15/06 9:40:52 AM

CIRCLE 63 ON READER SERVICE CARD

www.powermag.com POWER | April 2008100

NEW PRODUCTS TO POWER YOUR BUSINESS

Hybrid safety harnessThe ExoFit XP Rescue Harness from DBI-SALA combines fall-arrest harness components with features that make it suitable

for rope-access positioning and suspension. Its X-shaped construction from a single piece of material, concept-based to ensure no tangles, is

reinforced with a sub-pelvic strap to absorb forces in the event of a fall. The ExoFit XP also features connection points on the waist and chest to provide attachments for high- and low-angle

rope rescue, and a handy 5-inch hip-pad with tool rings for carrying equipment.

To provide maximum comfort while suspended, the harness has leg and shoulder straps with removable padding and flexible vertical straps. The vest-style harness with breathable mesh lining and removable padding prevents uncomfortable chafing and rubbing. The

spring-loaded “stand-up” dorsal D-ring and quick-connect buckles allow for easy wear, adjustment, and removal. The harness meets all applicable industry standards, including OSHA and ANSIZ359. (www.capitalsafety.com)

Heavy-duty push camera The VeriSight push camera is Envirosight’s latest video inspection system for pipelines. The 1.8-inch thick self-leveling camera is designed to capture upright color footage from challenging lines such as S-traps, P-traps, and tees. The VeriSight is equipped with a SONDE transmitter that operates at selectable frequencies of 512 Hz, 640 Hz, or 33 kHz for locating distances up to 12 feet and is fitted with a dimmable LED that is 20% brighter than in similar systems.

The VeriSight digital controller features an 8-inch LCD display and can store up to 45 hours of MPEG inspection video in its 60-GB internal hard drive. It also features a USB 2.0 port to facilitate footage upload, a text-writer with a sealed QWERTY keyboard, and a 16-page memory to display inspection notes and camera distances onscreen.

Sustained by a welded stainless-steel reel, the camera’s pushrod, 12 millimeters in diameter, is available at lengths of 100 feet or 200 feet and is reinforced with Kevlar and epoxy to ensure a 4,000-pound breaking strength. Envirosight also offers a VeriSight mini-system with a compact stainless-steel coiler, a 1.3-inch self-leveling camera, and a 10-millimeter pushrod measuring 100 feet or 200 feet long. (www.envirosight.com)

Digital voltmeter HD Electric Co. recently added the DVM-25T to its DigiVolt series of digital voltmeters and phasing sets designed to take voltage measurements and perform phasing applications on system voltages up to 80 kV. The DVM-25T is a high-accuracy single-stick voltmeter with a capacitive test-point mode and a ground lead. Capable of measuring voltages up to 25 kV, it can be used in both overhead and underground applications and includes an overhead hook probe and carrying case. (www.hdelectriccompany.com)

Movers and Shakers Since 1903

Roberts & Schaefer leads the world in creating innovative

bulk material, coal preparation, and fuel handling/blending

systems. We provide total solutions for a wide range of fuels,

including PRB, bituminous, lignite and anthracite coal;

woodchips and petroleum coke; as well as limestone and

gypsum handling, and limestone grinding and transport

systems. For complete system development, upgrades or

modifications, call the original movers and shakers.

Roberts & Schaefer Company

222 South Riverside PlazaChicago, Illinois 60606 312/236-7292

www.r-s.com

Offices also in Australia,Indonesia,Poland and Salt Lake City.

CIRCLE 64 ON READER SERVICE CARD

www.powermag.com POWER | April 2008102

NEW PRODUCTS

Inclusion in New Products does not imply endorsement by POWER magazine.

Solid welding technology ESAB Welding & Cutting Products has acquired the exclusive worldwide license to manufacture and distribute friction-stir welding machines using MegaStir’s technology for ferrous alloys, nonferrous alloys, metal matrix composites, and super alloys.

Friction stir welding is a solid-state joining process that lowers total heat input and eliminates solidification defects associated with arc welding. Because joining occurs below the material’s melting point, the wrought-equiaxed grain structure produced creates a high-quality weld requiring little or no post-process cleanup. The process eliminates the need for filler metals or shield gases, making it an environmentally viable option for manufacturers.

Whereas friction stir welding was previously limited to low-melting-temperature materials such as aluminum, brass, and copper, MegaStir’s technology now enables melting of ferritic steels, stainless and duplex stainless steels, and nickel-base alloys by using tools made from polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, polycrystalline diamond, and abrasive materials such as metal matrix composites. (www.esabna.com)

Saddle up your conveyor belt The belt conveyor, while a revolutionary invention that has alleviated labor-intensive tasks and reduced handling costs, has from its inception been prone to various forms of damage. The belt may be perforated or abraded by jagged materials, or ripped by debris jammed in the conveyor structure. The impact of loaded material may also damage idlers and even the conveyor support structure itself. Solutions engineered to lessen these damages are not always successful in the long run. Impact idlers installed in load zones, for example, do not protect the full width of the belt, and conventional idler designs lead to stretching and flexing of the belt in the gaps between idler rolls.

To address such shortcomings, Richwood has developed the Combi-Pact Impact Saddle, a bolt-in replacement for conventional idlers, distinguished by a curved surface that supports the whole area of the belt in contact. Built

with a unitized steel frame for strength and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene impact segments that match the conveyor’s trough exactly, the Combi-Pact Impact Saddle is easily installed in arrays and can replace impact beds or cradles of many feet in length. Segment density is instrumental in preventing particles from becoming embedded in the belt carcass, and the Saddle directly controls the compression and elongation of the belt to prevent ripping or failure. (www.richwood.com)

Diaphragm pumps cast in iron and steelEnergy-efficiency solutions provider Ingersoll Rand Industrial Technologies has expanded its ARO Pro Series portfolio of diaphragm pumps—previously offered exclusively in aluminum—to include 2- and 3-inch ported pumps constructed of cast iron and stainless steel.

The new models, like their aluminum counterparts, employ patented air-valve technology that eliminates pump stalling via an “unbalanced” design. Under an optimal pressure differential, even under low air-inlet pressures, air valves do not center. Unbalanced valves reduce production loss and downtime by providing better shift signals and delivering faster trip-over with more flow (172 gpm and 237 gpm for 2- and 3-inch models, respectively).

Sturdily constructed with a variety of material options, the pumps are leak-tight. This integrity is further ensured by the utility of O-rings and U-cups, which prevent air leaks by providing a positive seal as the air valve shifts. (www.fluids.ingersollrand.com)

CIRCLE 65 ON READER SERVICE CARD

Plant of the Year: Iowa

Marmaduke Award: New Hampshire

Top Plant, Gas: Canada

Top Plant, Coal: Japan

Top Plant, Nuclear: Michigan

Top Plant Renewables: Nevada

IS YOUR PLANT A WINNER?You won’t know unless you nominate it for POWER magazine’s annual awards. Plants anywhere in the world have three chances to win!

The Power Plant of the Year award will be

presented to a plant that leads our industry in the

successful deployment of advanced technology—

maximizing effi ciency while minimizing environmental

impact. In short, the Power Plant of the Year, featured

in the August issue of POWER, is the best of class over

the past year.

The Marmaduke Award, named after the legendary

plant troubleshooter whose exploits have been

chronicled in POWER since 1948, recognizes

operations and maintenance excellence at existing

power plants. The Marmaduke Award winner will also

be profi led in the August issue.

Top Plants Awards recognize the best in class over

the past year in each of four generation categories:

combined-cycle (September), coal-fi red (October),

nuclear (November), and renewable (December).

Award fi nalists and winners will be selected by the

editors of POWER based on nominations submitted by

you and your industry peers—suppliers, designers,

constructors, and operators of power plants.

Download entry forms from www.powermag.com/awards

Nominations are due May 23, 2008.

X_ award08 ad.indd 1 2/25/08 7:51:38 AM

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 105

Management • Technical • ContractNuclear • Fossil • Renewable • T&D

SanfordRoseAssociates265MainSt.AkronOH.44308

888-333-3828 • Fax 330-762-6161resume@SROCPower.com

Best Recruiters in Power!

Opportunities in Operations and Maintenance,

Project Engineering and Project Management,Business and Project Development,

First-line Supervision to Executive Level Positions.Employer pays fee. Send resumes to:

POWER PROFESSIONALS

P.O. Box 87875Vancouver, WA 98687-7875

email: dwood@powerindustrycareers.com

(360) 260-0979 l (360) 253-5292www.powerindustrycareers.com

Ray Dauria AssociatesSpecializing in recruiting forpower sector positions with a focus on Electric Generation and Transmission

rdauria@rdpowerjobs.comwww.rdpowerjobs.com

POWER PLANT POSITIONS

Progress Energy Florida has expanded its generation and is currently seeking high-ly qualified Combined Cycle Combustion Turbine Technicians to operate and maintain state of the art Combined Cycle units at Hines Energy Complex located near Bartow, Florida. For more information or to apply visit our website at:http://www.progress-energy.com/aboutus/

employment/postings/jobs.cfm keyword Bartow

PLANT MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST

REQ# 618 • BREMOND, TXEnergyCo is looking for a Plan Maintenance Specialist to join their Twin Oaks Plant Maintenance team.

The ideal candidate will under general supervision, leads plant maintenance and related engineering activities and provides assistance related to plant equipment, systems, and devices in a safe manner to assure maximum efficiency and availability.

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or electrical engineering or related discipline, with at least three years of related experience in plant mainte-nance, plant engineering, operations, equipment troubleshooting, and management philosophies, or equivalent combination of education and/or experience related to the discipline.

TO APPLY: If you have a proven track record as a Plant Maintenance Specialist, we invite you to review a full description of the job requirements and apply online at:

h t t p s : / / j o b s . e n e r g y c o l l c . c o m / p s p /p j v j obs /EMPLOYEE /HRMS/c /HRS_HRAM.H R S _ C E . G B L ? P a g e = H R S _ C E _ H M _PRE&Action=A&SiteId=20

Resumes must be received no later than April 30, 2008.

EnergyCo and its affiliates are Equal Employment Opportunity employers. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

PLANT MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST

POWER PLANT BuyERS’ MART

READER SERVICE NUMBER 201

Combustion, Energy and

Steam Specialists Ltd.

Surplus Power Plant

Specialists in the Valuation, Marketing, Sourcing, and

Relocation of Surplus Power Plant & Auxiliary Equipment

Tel: +44 (0)1856 851177 Fax: +44 (0)1856 851199 E.mail: enquiries@cess.co.uk Web: www.cess.co.uk

READER SERVICE NUMBER 202

READER SERVICE NUMBER 203

NEEd CabLE? From StoCkCopper Power to 69kv; Bare ACSR & AAC Conductor; 

Underground UD-P & URD, PILC-AEIC; Interlock Armor to 35kv; Copper Instrumentation & Control; Thermocouple

BaSic Wire & caBleFax (773) 539-3500 Ph. (800) 227-4292

E-Mail: basicwire@basicwire.comWEB SITE: www.basicwire.com

Peaking or IntermediatePower Supply Resources

Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. (AECI) is soliciting for a long term unit specific capacity and energy supply agreement for up to 600 MW. Proposals must be able to offer capacity and energy no later than 2011. In addition to unit specific capacity and energy supply agreements, AECI will consider the purchase of existing generation facilities or new facilities constructed for sale to AECI. Responses to the RFP must be received by AECI by no later thanMay 15, 2008. For a complete version of the RFP, please visit http://www.aeci.org/rfp orcontact Tyson Bourbina at tbourbina@aeci.orgor (417) 885-9353.

AECI Request for Proposal

READER SERVICE NUMBER 200

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 105

Request foR PRoPosals

0408 Power Classified.indd 105 3/24/08 2:07:06 PM

www.powermag.com POWER | April 2008106

READER SERVICE NUMBER 209

Power Plant Buyers’ Mart

Boiler Cleaning ProfessionalsExplosive Deslagging Services • Camera Assisted On-line Blasting • Detonating Cord and Overhead Hazard Blasting • Introducing On-line Video Inspection/Recording of Bundle, Pendant and Wall DepositsGrit-Blasting • Electrostatic Precipitator Field Cleaning • UT and Boiler/Vessel Overlay Preparation• On-line Radiant Recovery  with “Shatter Blast” Bead Impact Deslagging“Big Water” High Pressure Washing • Air Pre-heater Baskets, Furnace + Boiler Washing• Heat Exchanger/Condenser Hydro-Laze, Pipeline CleaningVacuum Services, Wet + Dry • Fly Ash,  Sludges, Silo + Vessel EvacuationNumber One In Safety and Compliance. Privately Owned and Operated 24/7 Emergency Response From Many US Locations

800-866-6247 • www.naisinc.come-mail: naisinc@naisinc.com

READER SERVICE NUMBER 207

READER SERVICE NUMBER 205

POWEREQUIPMENT CO.

444 Carpenter Avenue, Wheeling, IL 60090

wabash

24 / 7 EMERGENCY SERVICEBOILERS

20,000 - 400,000 #/Hr.

DIESEL & TURBINE GENERATORS50 - 25,000 KW

GEARS & TURBINES25 - 4000 HP

WE STOCK LARGE INVENTORIES OF:Air Pre-Heaters • Economizers • Deaerators

Pumps • Motors • Fuel Oil Heating & Pump SetsValves • Tubes • Controls • CompressorsPulverizers • Rental Boilers & Generators

847-541-5600 FAX: 847-541-1279WEB SITE: www.wabashpower.com

FOR SALE/RENT

READER SERVICE NUMBER 204

READER SERVICE NUMBER 208

Providing 30+ years of wide-range metallurgical processing for those seeking the most effective and efficient results

possible. We wrote the book... ”Metallurgical Failures in Fossil Fired Boilers.”

Full Service Metallurgical Lab

David N. French Metallurgists We specialize in boiler tube failures.

2681 Coral Ridge Road Brooks, KY 40109 502.955.9847 www.davidnfrench.com

Life Assessment • Condition Assessment • Failure Analysis

Metallurgical service solutions with unsurpassed results!

READER SERVICE NUMBER 206

George H. BodmanPres. / Technical Advisor

Office 1-800-286-6069 Office (281) 359-4006PO Box 5758 E-mail: blrclgdr@aol.comKingwood, TX 77325-5758 Fax (281) 359-4225

GEORGE H. BODMAN, INC. Chemical cleaning advisory services for boilers and balance of plant systems

BoilerCleaningDoctor.com

Myla DixonPhone: 832-242-1969 Ext. 311

Fax: 832-251-8963mylad@powermag.com

POWERClassifieds

Get More Attention When You Add Color!

To inquire about Classified Advertising, please contact:

0408 Power Classified.indd 106 3/24/08 2:07:22 PM

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 107

READER SERVICE NUMBER 210

2 ea. 100 MW and 2 ea. 200 MWSteam Turbine-Generators,

Gas Fired Boilers,and All Plant Auxiliaries

Any or All Components Available

For More Information,please go to this website

www.ci.austin.tx.us/vss/Advantageand follow these steps:Click on Public Access

Click on Business OpportunitiesClick on Search for Solicitations

Look for IFB-MLG0049 and click on itClick on Attachments and download

all of the sections(be sure to click next to get them all)

POWER PLANT FOR SALE

Established in 1979 UDC stands as an industry leader in outage management, professional boiler inspection services, and educational training. Driven by the demand for experience and expertise of quality continuing education we developed our inplant training seminars. UDC offers excellence in educational training for organizations in the power industry aspiring to achieve proven and effective results. Each individual seminar focuses on issues experienced at your plant. All seminar sessions are conducted on-site at your location.

Seminar topics include Inspection Techniques and Practical Solutions for Prevention of Tube Failure.

“We are enjoying a great year from a reliability standpoint and realize United Dynamics Corpora-tion contributed to this in a major way. We appre-ciate what you do and look forward to working with you again.” Current UDC Client

Elevate your inspection team to its greatest potential.Schedule your In House Seminar today!

United Dynamics Corporation2681 Coral Ridge Road

Brooks, KY 40109502.957.7525www.udc.net

READER SERVICE NUMBER 211

BODYGARD, LLC SHINNSTON, WV 26431

800-525-1980 Fax: (304) 592-1985

NON BREAKABLE SAFETY WINDOWS FOR SURGE

PILE EQUIPMENT

We Save Lives!!

READER SERVICE NUMBER 217

Norm Harty - The First and Last Word in Professional Dynamiting, serving you since 1964. We have pioneered, perfected and proven the methods of explosive cleaning the worst of s\lag or ash out in a  matter  of  hours—in  all  boiler  areas.  We  specialize  in  Electric Utility  work  and  have  over  4000  jobs  to  our  credit.  Call  the   NUMBER ONE COMPANY for  the  quickest  response  and  most   efficient job for your emergency needs and scheduled outages.

N.B. Harty General Contractors, Inc.Phone: 573-624-4645 or 573-624-4588 l Fax: 573-624-4589E-mail: norm@nbharty.com l www.nbharty.com

READER SERVICE NUMBER 216

READER SERVICE NUMBER 212

Power Plant Buyers’ Mart

visit PLCANYWHERE.COM ® since 1984

from INTERNET anywhere (hotel,airport) w/ no spec software / wireless options REPORTS / maint FLEET notebooksWinCC® ,Wonderware ®, RsView ®, FIX ®201 - 400 – 6771 add live VIDEO

READER SERVICE NUMBER 213

CONDENSER OR GENERATOR AIR COOLER TUBE PLUGSTHE CONKLIN SHERMAN COMPANY, INC.

Easy to install, saves time and money.ADJUSTABLE PLUGS-all rubber with brass insert. Expand it,

install it, reverse action for tight fit. PUSH PULL PLUGS-are all rubber, simply push it in.

Sizes 0.530 O.D. to 2.035 O.D.Tel: (203) 881-0190 • Fax:(203)881-0178

E-mail: Conklin59@aol.com • www.conklin-sherman.com

OVER ONE MILLION PLUGS SOLDREADER SERVICE NUMBER 214

JOHN R. ROBINSON INC.Condenser & Heat Exchanger Tools

Tube Cleaners, Plugs & Leak DetectorsCELEBRATES 100th ANNIVERSARY

www.johnrrobinsoninc.come-mail jrrinc@earthlink.net

Tel. (718) 786-6088 – Fax (718) 786-6090READER SERVICE NUMBER 215

0408 Power Classified.indd 107 3/24/08 2:07:46 PM

www.powermag.com POWER | April 2008108

Need a Thorough Mix? Ash, coal, sludges, what do You need to mix?

Get a thorough mix with:Pugmill Systems, Inc.

P.O. Box 60 Columbia, TN 38402 USA

ph: 931/388-0626 fax: 931/380-0319www.pugmillsystems.com

READER SERVICE NUMBER 220

GEGU's - 750 KW Guascor - natural gas fired - 3/60/480 volts (Qty 2)

GTGU’s - 20 MW Brown Boveri oil fired “cheap”

BOILERS - 200,000#/HR Combustion Engineering package - 600# steam pressure - gas fired

- 25,000#/HR ABCO - 150# steam pressure - natural gas and propane fired (Qty 4)

We buy and sell transformers, boilers, steam tur-bine generator units, gas turbine generator units,

diesel engine generator units, etc.

INTERNATIONAL POWER MACHINERY CO.50 Public Square - Terminal Tower, Suite 834

Cleveland, OH 44113 U.S.A.PH 216-621-9514/FAX 216-621-9515

Email: kernx06@sbcglobal.net Web: www.intlpwr.comREADER SERVICE NUMBER 219

READER SERVICE NUMBER 221READER SERVICE NUMBER 218

READER SERVICE NUMBER 222

0408 Power Classified.indd 108 3/24/08 2:08:24 PM

April 2008 | POWER www.powermag.com 109

Mention Ad #300 to receive 10% off your next order

• Externally mounted• Explosion proof• High accuracy• 2 wire loop powered• No maintenance

• Safe, most economicalway to measurelevel requirements

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design creates strongergauss field

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Magnetic Level Gage

13960 South Wayside Houston, Texas 77048Toll Free Tel:866.240.9906

Tel: 281.240.0440 Fax: 281.240.2440www.questtecsolutions.com

Magne-Trac

MTLT-5000Magnetostrictive Liquid

Level Transmitter

READER SERVICE NUMBER 223

PRODUCT Showcase

Visit www.powermag.com toexplore a great way to search for numerous companies, products, and services online.

● Information on hundreds of companies● Easy to navigate and use● Printed in the December issue of POWER magazine● Best of all, it’s FREE

LOOKING FOR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES?

Look to the by visiting www.powermag.com and clicking on the Buyers’ Guide link.

READER SERVICE NUMBER 225

High Performance Valve/Fan/Damper

Actuators• PrecisionActuatorSystems

• EngineeredtoOrder

• ExceptionallyHighThrusts

• LightningFastAction

• ShortandLongStrokes

• ComplexFailureModes

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www.stistrumentazione.com

STI–NORTHAMERICACall or Write for a Quote Today

READER SERVICE NUMBER 224

SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION SYSTEM FOR PACKAGE BOILERS

Nationwide  Boiler  offers  a  new  six-page  bro-chure  describing  the  design  configurations, principle  of  operation  and  performance  of  their  selective  catalytic  reduction  system, CataStak™.  Suitable  for  use  with  package  boilers  to  250K  lb/hr.,  CataStak  reduces  NOx emissions  to 6ppm and  lower. Brochure includes  comments  from  users  from  different  industries  regarding  their  experience with CataStak. info@nationwideboiler.com

0408 Power Classified.indd 109 3/24/08 2:09:02 PM

Airfloat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 . . . . . . . . . 8 www.airfloat.com

Amarillo Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 . . . . . . . . 36 www.amarillogear.com

Ansul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 . . . . . . . . 39 www.ansulinfo.com/p4

Applied Bolting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 . . . . . . . . 42 www.appliedbolting.com

AREVA NP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 . . . . . . . . 24 www.us.areva.com

ATCO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 . . . . . . . . 37 www.atconoise.com, www.higg-kane-atco.com

Babcock and Wilcox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 4 . . . . . . . . . 3 www.babcock.com

Babcock Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 . . . . . . . . 22 www.babcockpower.com

Bechtel Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 www.bechtel.com

Benetech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 . . . . . . . . 43 www.plant-professionals.com

C-B Energy Recovery/Cleaver-Brooks, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . .103 . . . . . . . . 65 www.hrsg.com

Caldwell Energy Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 . . . . . . . . . 7 www.caldwellenergy.com

CD-adapco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 . . . . . . . . 25 www.cd-adapco.com

CH2MHILL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 . . . . . . . . 44 www.ch2mhill.jobs

Chicago Tube & Iron Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 . . . . . . . . 28 www.chicagotube.com

Conoco Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 2 . . . . . . . . . 1 www.lubes.conoco.com

Day & Zimmermann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 . . . . . . . . . 6 www.dayzim.com

Diamond Power International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 . . . . . . . . 30 www.diamondpower.com

Fisher/Emerson Process Mgmt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 . . . . . . . . 56 www.fishersevereservice.com/p

Flir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 . . . . . . . . 60 www.flir.com

FMC Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 . . . . . . . . 19 www.fmcenterra.com

GE Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . . . . . 5 www.ge-energy.com/oc

GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 . . . . . . . . 15 www.ge.com/phasorxs

Graycor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 . . . . . . . . 58 www.graycor.com

Hach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 . . . . . . . . . 4 www.hach.com/power

Hadek Protective Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 . . . . . . . . 57 www.hadek.com

Haldor Topsoe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 . . . . . . . . 33 www.topsoe.com

Hitachi Power Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 . . . . . . . . 59 www.hitachi.com

Horiba Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 . . . . . . . . 26 www.environ.hii.com

Hurst Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 . . . . . . . . 32 www.hursttech.com

Hypercat Advanced Catalyst Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 . . . . . . . . 14 www.hypercat-acp.com

Indeck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 . . . . . . . . 53 www.indeck.com

Kiewit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 . . . . . . . . . 9 www.kiewit.com

Kingsbury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 . . . . . . . . 40 www.kingsbury.com

Layne Christensen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 . . . . . . . . 21 www.laynepower.com

Lincoln Electric. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 . . . . . . . . 41 www.lincolnelectric.com

Ludeca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 . . . . . . . . 52 www.ludeca.com

Martin Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 . . . . . . . . 61 www.martin-eng.com

Matrix Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 . . . . . . . . 10 www.matrixservice.com

Mobil Industrial Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 3 . . . . . . . . . 2 www.mobilindustrial.com

Otek Corp.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 . . . . . . . . 12 www.otekcorp.com

Paharpur Cooling Towers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 . . . . . . . . 47 www.paharpur.com

Parkline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 . . . . . . . . 45 www.parkline.com

Power Systems Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 . . . . . . . . 35 www.powermfg.com

Process Barron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 . . . . . . . . 62 www.processbarron.com/power

Proton Energy Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 . . . . . . . . 50 www.protonenergy.com

Roberts & Schaefer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 . . . . . . . . 64 www.r-s.com

Rockwood Materials Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 . . . . . . . . 38 www.rockwood.net

Scientific Process Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 . . . . . . . . 17 www.sps2test.com

Siemens Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-31 . . . . . . . . 23 www.siemens.com/us-sppa

SOR Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 . . . . . . . . 20 www.sorinc.com

Stanley Consultants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 . . . . . . . . 54 www.stanleyconsultants.com

Karl Storz Industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 . . . . . . . . 49 www.karlstorzindustrial.com

Sturtevant, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 . . . . . . . . 34 www.sturtevantinc.com

Superbolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 . . . . . . . . 29 www.superbolt.com

TDC Filter Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 . . . . . . . . 11 www.gtairfilters.com

Teledyne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 . . . . . . . . 13 www.teledyne.com

Thermo Scientific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 . . . . . . . . 48 www.thermo.com/coal

Turbine Energy Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 . . . . . . . . 55 sales@turbineenergysolutions.com

Turbocare Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 . . . . . . . . 46 www.turbocare.com

United Brotherhood of Carpenters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 . . . . . . . . 63 www.carpenters.org

Utility Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 . . . . . . . . 18 www.ue-corp.com

Wärtsilä . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 . . . . . . . . 31 www.wartsila.com/power

Worley Parsons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 . . . . . . . . 51 www.worleyparsons.com

Yuba Heat Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 . . . . . . . . 27 www.yuba.com

Zolo Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 . . . . . . . . 16 www.zolotech.com

ADVERTISERS’ INDEXEnter reader service numbers on the FREE Product Information Source card in this issue.

Page

ReaderServiceNumber Page

ReaderServiceNumber

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISINGPages 105–109, To place a classified ad, contact: Myla Dixon, POWER magazine, 832-242-1969,

mylad@tradefairgroup.com

www.powermag.com POWER | April 2008110

2119 POWID Full page ad.eps 3/19/2008 3:43:21 PM

Gain information on the latest innovations in instrumentation, automation, security and business systems technologies in the power industry

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www.powermag.com POWER | April 2008112

COMMENTARY

The advent of the Smart Grid will bring a new driver for value creation to the electric power industry: economies of connection. In the future, the Smart Grid may offer our

industry improved returns more typical of Internet-based busi-nesses like eBay, Amazon, and Google to replace the diminishing returns typical of traditional “steel in the ground” projects that relied on economies of scale.

The Internet fundamentally changed the way people did business, and so will the Smart Grid. To understand the com-ing changes, it is important to understand the significance of economies of connection.

Economies of connection are related to Metcalfe’s Law, which states that the value of a network grows proportionally to the square of the number of active nodes on the network. Kevin Kelly, author of New Rules for the New Economy, explains, “As the number of connections between people and things adds up, the consequences of those connections multiply out even faster, so that initial successes aren’t self-limiting but self-feeding.”

The changes that have transformed the telecom industry are an example. Just as the rise of the Internet created new opportu-nities for innovative switch companies (Cisco) and entirely new businesses (AOL, Google, and eBay), we might expect analogous innovation when every generator, transmission line, substation, consumer, and wholesale market is connected through the Smart Grid. The consequences for the power industry are profound. Google, founded 10 years ago, has a larger market capitalization than the five biggest U.S. utilities combined.

The U.S. electric grid—tens of millions of wired miles con-necting thousands of generators—is a marvel of engineering, but it is a marvel of the last century. When it was constructed, economies of scale ruled and the grid was a spectacular success. Today, economies of scale in the power industry have largely run their course due to physical, environmental, and societal constraints. Economies of scale result in arithmetic increases in value in good times but, ultimately, they obey the law of di-minishing returns. Paradoxically, recent efforts to increase the scale of the grid by increasing the interconnections between our balkanized transmission networks has increased the likelihood of domino-effect blackouts, as we saw in 2003.

North America urgently needs a Smart Grid capable of process-ing and transmitting information among physical assets on the grid and energy consumers. A new market will emerge. To realize the promise of the new economies of connection, it will be im-perative that utilities, regulators, and suppliers allow informa-tion from the grid to empower consumers and producers.

Self-balancing Smart Grid The real-time flow of information from the Smart Grid will trans-form our electrical system into a self-balancing network, because the Smart Grid will put information in the hands of consumers. If we engage consumers, we can count on them to actively help manage the grid. We know they will react to price signals and modify their behavior if they are given access to real-time in-formation.

A Smart Grid will help in other ways as well. Real-time condi-tion monitoring of transmission and distribution assets such as transformers can extend the life of aging infrastructure by allow-ing dynamic rating and de-bottlenecking during periods of con-gestion. And we can’t count all the new opportunities we haven’t even thought of yet. No one imagined eBay before the Internet.

The fed as a catalyst for changeThe Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 will acceler-ate the Smart Grid, just as the Department of Defense incubated the Internet by creating Arpanet. The act appropriates $100 mil-lion per year from 2008 through 2012 to support development of the Smart Grid. Under this act, the government pays up to 50% of any utility’s demonstration project for the Smart Grid and pro-vides federal matching funds of 20% for any Smart Grid imple-mentation. The act also mandates that Smart Grid investment by utilities be included in their rate base. Perhaps most importantly, the legislation created the Smart Grid Advisory Committee to report on a regular basis to the secretary of energy on progress and challenges.

Our industry can benefit from this federal support for the Smart Grid. It is also imperative that Smart Grid appliance and software suppliers collaborate to create standards to accelerate the adoption of new technologies.

The time is now to embrace the Smart Grid and unleash the economies of connection. Not tapping grid information is tanta-mount to using rotary-dial, party-line telephones when the In-ternet and cell phones are available. Samuel Insull, the original architect of the grid, drew graphs of demand with pencil and pa-per. If he could see the tools we now have to process and exploit masses of data, he might remind us that the information hiding within the grid is the means to our own salvation. ■

—John A. Moore is the CEO of Acorn Energy, a publicly traded holding company for emerging energy ventures. Acorn

created Comverge through the acquisition of Lucent and Scientific Atlanta’s energy intelligence assets.

Economies of connectionBy John A. Moore

North America urgently needs a Smart Grid capable of processing and transmitting information among physical assets on the grid and energy consumers.

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© 2007 The Babcock & Wilcox Company. All rights reserved.

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