BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY FOR THE GLOBAL GENERATION INDUSTRY SINCE 1882

Vol. 161 No. 9 September 2017

2017 Gas Top Plant

Award Winners

POWER -ful Women

ISO-NE Evolves: More Reliable,
Cleaner, and Greener
Power Plant Insulation
Design Tips
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magnetrol.com 800-624-8765 info@magnetrol.com 2017 Magnetrol International, Incorporated

 ON THE COVER
The stacks of the new Paradise Com-
bined Cycle Plant in Drakesboro, Ken-
tucky, are reflected in a pond near the
plant. The Tennessee Valley Authority fa-
cility began commercial operation earlier
Established 1882 Vol. 161 No. 9 September 2017 this year, with its gas-fired generation
partly replacing older coal-fired units at
the site. Courtesy: Kiewit

SPEAKING OF POWER
Power Market Deregulation Transforms Mexico 6
GLOBAL MONITOR
UK Power Group Set to Phase Out Coal 8
Integrated Solar-Hydro Project Takes Float 8
THE BIG PICTURE: Economic and Workforce Contributions 10
Tesla to Install Worlds Largest Lithium-Ion Battery Storage Project 12
TVO Gets Good News in Ongoing Dispute with Areva 13
POWER Digest 14
FOCUS ON O&M
Consider Automated Machine Learning for Wind Turbine
Asset Maintenance 16
LEGAL & REGULATORY
New York Net Metering Is Not Smart Enough for the Grid of the Future 18
By Nicholas A. Giannasca and Carlos E. Gutierrez, Davis Wright Tremaine
8
COVER FOCUS: GAS TOP PLANTS
The Highly Efficient Workhorse of Brunswick County 20
The Brunswick County Power Station in Freeman, Virginia, has been a stalwart
in Dominion Energys natural gas-fired fleet of power plants since coming on-
line in April 2016. It is Dominions largest gas-fired plant, and its construction
was completed ahead of schedule and under budget.

Worlds Most-Efficient Combined Cycle Plant: EDF Bouchain 22

A power plant in France has a noteworthy distinction, and not just because it is
moving the country beyond its reliance on nuclear power. EDF and GE devel-
oped the Bouchain plant, installing the first commercial 9HA gas turbine, and
the plant has delivered a certified world record for combined cycle efficiency.

Grand Resilience: How a State Agency Pioneered

Gas Technology and Bolstered Critical Supply 24
The Grand River Dam Authority faced plenty of challenges while constructing
Unit 3 at the Grand River Energy Center in Oklahoma, but the project team got 12
the job done, successfully integrating the first J-series unit built and installed
in the U.S. with a custom-designed heat recovery steam generator.

Model of Gas-Fired Efficiency Rises in Heart of Coal Country 28

The Tennessee Valley Authoritys power generation portfolio continues to
evolve, and its latest project in partnership with Kiewit results in the most-
efficient gas plant in the utilitys vast fleet, a 1,100-MW facility designed to
partly replace coal-fired production at Kentuckys largest power plant.

Growing Community Seeks Attractive Power Plant 32

The Shakopee Energy Park does not look like a traditional power plant, and it
doesnt sound like one either. The 46-MW natural gas-fueled facility fits nicely
into the landscape of a Minneapolis, Minnesota, suburb, quietly providing
power to the towns residents and other communities.

Two SCE Gas-Battery Hybrid Projects Revolutionize Peaker Performance 34

A groundbreaking gas-battery hybrid technology, combined with upgrades
of emissions control systems and other environmentally significant improve-
mentsall done in a six-month windowmake two peaker plants in Califor-
nia worthy recipients of POWERs Top Plant recognition.
16
|
September 2017 POWER www.powermag.com 1
 SPECIAL REPORT: WORKFORCE
What It Takes to Be a POWER-ful Woman 36
Women are underrepresented in the energy industry, especially when com-
pared to their percentage in the national workforce. Some influential women
in the industry sat down with POWER magazine to talk about how the dispar-
ity can be addressed, and how women can have a greater role when it comes
to energy.

FEATURES:
ENERGY MARKETS
36 Could Success Spoil ISO-NE?
ISO-New England (ISO-NE) celebrates its 20th year, with a track record of
42

performance in the face of many challenges. The future holds more issues
for the regional electric system, as coal plants retire, more natural gas needs
to be delivered, renewable sources of energy are added to the grid, and the
need for decarbonization continues.

OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE

Upgraded Boiler Feedwater Pump Improves
Efficiency and Adds Flexibility 46
Baseload units used to come online and run at full load for days. Today those
units are cycled to accommodate for variable renewable energy. That can be
tough on equipment such as boiler feedwater pumps, but an Xcel Energy
plant in Colorado found an effective way to alleviate the problem.

FUNDAMENTALS
42 Useful Tips for Designing Thermal Insulation Systems
Thermal insulation is almost everywhere in a power plant, but determining
50

the most cost-effective insulation solution can be a challenge. A few calcula-

tions can help ensure safety and improve process optimization.

OCEAN ENERGY
Wave and Tidal Power Technology Near Commercialization Web
For decades, engineers have been trying to turn the immense potential of
ocean energy into electricity. Those efforts may be coming to fruition. The
European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), with test sites spread across Scot-
lands Orkney Islands, is kick-starting a marine renewables industry and
harnessing the power of Europes enviable wave and tidal resources. More
technologies have been tested at EMEC than anywhere else in the world, and
now trials have potentially yielded their first commercial-scale energy instal-
lation. (Visit powermag.com and search Wave and Tidal Power Technology
for this online-only exclusive!)

46
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COMMENTARY
Fuel Cells: Key to Our Electric Energy Future 56
By Harry T. Roman
SUBSCRIBE TO POWERNEWS AT POWERMAG.COM
Operator Reverses Course, Will Keep Running Montana Coal Plant
Judge Rules TVA Must Move Gallatin Coal Ash
Cost to Complete Vogtle AP1000 Nuclear Units Could Balloon to $20B

Follow us on Twitter D.C. Circuit Again Delays Action on Clean Power Plan

@POWERmagazine U.S. Wind Generation Grew By More Than 8,000 MW In 2016

UPDATED: SCANA, Santee Cooper Abandon V.C. Summer AP1000 Nuclear Units,

Join the LinkedIn POWER magazine Citing High Costs

Group and the Women in Power Toshiba Will Pay $2.2 Billion to Exit Summer Nuclear Project

Generation Group DTE Plans New 1,100-MW Gas Plant Near Detroit

2 www.powermag.com |
POWER September 2017
CONSTRUCTION DRIVEN
Backed by more than 130 years of experience, Kiewit is a leader
in the power industry with expertise across gas-ired generation,
power delivery, coal retroit and renewable energy markets.

From concept to commercialization, we offer clients a full suite

of EPC and start-up services. No job is too large or too small
we deliver world-class solutions to projects of every size.

KIEWIT.COM
9401 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa, KS 66219
 EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION Visit POWER on the web: www.powermag.com
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4 www.powermag.com |
POWER September 2017
 SPEAKING OF POWER
Power Market Deregulation
Transforms Mexico
Aaron Larson
exicos energy reform, which be-
M gan in 2013, has opened up key
parts of the countrys electricity
sector to new market participants, foreign
investors, and innovative technology. Pri-
or to the reform, Mexico operated under
a traditional, vertically integrated model,
with the state-owned Comisin Federal de
Electricidad (CFE) responsible for all power
supply functions from generation to distri-
bution. But the new organization utilizes
a model similar to other wholesale elec-
tricity markets used around the world.
The International Energy Agency (IEA)
published a report last year, as part of its
World Energy Outlook series, predicting
that Mexicos energy reform would sub-
stantially boost the nations clean energy
efforts. The report suggests that more
than half of Mexicos new power genera-
tion capacity installed through 2040 will
be renewables-based, tapping into the
countrys large wind and solar resources.
The IEA expects that new investments in
renewables will help Mexico reach its goal
of producing 35% of its electricity from
clean sources by 2024.
This is not a reform, its a revolution
on an unprecedented scale, Dr. Fatih Bi-
rol, executive director of the IEA, said in a
press release launching the report.
Opportunity Abounds
How will Mexicos energy reform affect
U.S. power companies? That remains to
be seen, but it could open a door to new
opportunities.
Any time a national government cedes
control of an industry to the private sec-
tor, it opens up opportunitiesbut at the
same time, considerable uncertainty, Mi-
chael Hinton, chief strategy and customer
officer for the commodity trading and risk
management software company Allegro
Development, told POWER in an exclusive
interview. Moves such as Mexicos decision
to deregulate the power market involve an
extraordinary number of moving parts, and
its almost a certainty that there will be at
least a few bumps in the road.
Hinton pointed to an agreement de-
signed to promote the reliability and
security of the U.S. and Mexican intercon-
6 www.powermag.com
nected power systemssigned on January
7, 2017, by the Obama administrations
Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz and Fed-
eral Energy Regulatory Commission Chair-
man Norman Bay, and Mexicos Secretary
of Energy Pedro Joaquin Coldwell, Energy
Regulatory Commission Chair Guillermo
Ignacio Garca Alcocer, and National Cen-
ter of Energy Control Director General Edu-
ardo Meraz Atecaas one development
that could lead to more cooperation be-
tween the two countries.
Of course, a reader couldnt be faulted
for thinking: Yeah, but that was then,
and this is now. Former Texas Gov. Rick
Perry has replaced Secretary Moniz, and the
Trump administration has made no bones
about its America-First policy. However,
there is still hope for continued coopera-
tion with Mexico on energy matters.
Secretary Perry met with Coldwell in
Mexico City on July 13. Reuters reported
that Perry promised to promote cross-
border electricity trade and investment
during the meeting. Mexicos prosperity
is inextricably intertwined with our pros-
perity, he was quoted as saying during a
news conference.
Economic Beneits Predicted
Energy reform is expected to help Mexico
prosper. In a report titled Tracking the
Progress of Mexicos Power Sector Reform,
which was published last year by the
Woodrow Wilson International Center for
Scholars Mexico Institutea nonpartisan
policy forum chartered by CongressAle-
jandro Chanona Robles, who was named
director general of planning and inter-
national affairs for Mexicos energy regu-
latory commission in January, wrote:
Mexicos Energy Minister has referred to
the power sector reform as the economic
competitiveness reform. Access to reliable
and affordable power can give business-
es a competitive edge over their rivals,
stimulate job creation, and spur economic
growth. The IEA agrees. Its main sce-
nario sees the Mexican economy doubling
in size by 2040.
However, whats happening in Mexico is
still fairly new and is likely to be a years-
long endeavor. Risks are inherent in the
process. Yet, the rewards loom large. The
IEA estimates that in order for energy
reform to be successful, investments of
$240 billion will need to be made in Mex-
icos power sector through 2040. It says
another $130 billion will need to be in-
vested in energy efficiency during that pe-
riod. Companies north of the border could
reap some of the bounty.
The benefits could emerge in a few
forms, for instance, by U.S. companies
lending their infrastructure expertise, in-
vesting in joint ventures, electricity trad-
ing or even offering consulting services
based on their experience with deregula-
tion in the United States, Hinton said.
Pinning Hopes on Natural Gas
Natural gas is expected to play a large role
in the power sector transformation. In-
spired by the United States shale boom
and the resulting decline in natural gas
prices, Mexico is now experiencing its own
dash for gas. Domestic natural gas pro-
duction is set to ramp up; transportation
and storage infrastructure will be expand-
ed aggressively; natural gas-fired power
generation will grow significantly; fuel oil
power stations will be repurposed to run
on natural gas; and fuel oil will be essen-
tially phased out of energy generation,
Robles wrote.
Furthermore, the Mexican government
forecasts that natural gas will fuel 44% of
power generation capacity additions through
2030. When Robles compiled his data, CFE
was constructing or had tenders out for nine
combined cycle power plants with total ca-
pacity of 6.2 GW. It was also converting seven
power plants from oil to gas.
So who stands to benefit most? The
physical power businesses located along
Mexicos border with the U.S. would have
a geographic advantage, at least early on,
but the market could develop in fascinating
ways as the years continue to pass. If you
think about [the North American Electric Re-
liability Corp.s] current coverage of Canada
and the U.S., its not a tremendous reach to
imagine the map including a considerable
part of Mexico, Hinton speculated.
Aaron Larson is POWERs
executive editor.
|
POWER September 2017
UK Power Group Set to
Phase Out Coal
The Drax Group operates the UKs largest
power station, and in a country where
government leaders have said all coal
generation needs to be retired by 2025,
Drax is moving forward with plans to con-
vert its last three coal-fired units at the
3,960-MW power station near Selby in
North Yorkshire to natural gas and bio-
mass. Dorothy Thompson, the companys
chief executive, on July 19 told company
investors We are looking at opportunities
for a coal-free future.
The plant (Figure 1) currently operates
three coal-fired and three biomass units
at the plant, with 68% of its power sup-
plied by burning wood pellets. The Drax
stations generating capacity is the sec-
ond highest in Western Europe, trailing
only the 4,400-MW Neurath Power Station
in Germany.
Draxs plans to phase out coal perhaps
sooner than anticipated have been trig-
gered by regulation and economics. The
company at the investors meeting report-
ed a pre-tax loss of 83 million ($108 mil-
lion) even though its earnings for the first
half of 2017 increased 73% after its pur-
chase of Opus Energys assets in 2016. The
company also late last year acquired four
open-cycle gas turbine (OCGT) projects,
with a total generating capacity of about
1.2 GW, from Watt Power, part of Noble
Group. Investors supported the acquisi-
1. Turning green. The Drax Power Stations first 660-MW unit was commissioned in 1974.
By 1986, it had become the UKs largest power station with a total capacity of nearly 4,000 MW.
Built as a coal-fired facility, about 70% of its generation is now fueled by compressed wood pel-
lets rather than coal. Courtesy: Drax Group
8 www.powermag.com
tions, but the companyas with others
in Britainsaw its bottom line hammered
by volatility in the value of the pound due
to currency hedging after the Brexit vote.
Drax reported that 65 million of its loss
was due to hedging.
In order to recoup some of its loss-
es, Thompson said the company would
lobby the government for financial sup-
port for more conversion to biomass;
previous governments have rejected the
companys requests for aid. Thompson at
the meeting said Drax has been burning
wood pellets on a trial basis in a fourth
unit this year, but the unit would need
expensive modifications to run full time
on biomass, and it will run on coal this
winter as the company considers whether
to invest in the switchover.
The companys investment in natural
gasfired generation includes the four
OCGT projects, scheduled to begin opera-
tion in 2020, and Thompson said Drax also
is looking at the feasibility of switching
one of its last three coal-fired units at
Selby to natural gas, with an eye toward
a switchover in the winter of 20232024.
The company already has submitted a
planning application for the change and
is studying the technical requirements for
making the unit ready for carbon capture.
Though the government has mandated
the moves away from coal, Thompson said
it likely would have occurred regardless. She
said coal generation at Selby was pretty
low during the first half of the year, with
overall power generation flat. We now feel
we have completely adapted to a world
where coal generation is not about hard
running all year, she told investors.
Darrell Proctor is a POWER associate
editor.
Integrated Solar-Hydro
Project Takes Float
The combination of solar power and
water is in use around the world, with
various solar arrays placed on lakes to
provide renewable energy from the sun.
However, a project in Portugal has found
a new way to integrate solar energy and
hydropower. The premise: expand the
generation capacity of hydropower facili-
ties by adding floating solar panels that
are integrated with the existing hydro
plant, eliminating the need for expensive
dam reconstruction.
The Alto Rabago dam in Montalegre
(Figure 2), in northern Portugal near
the border with Spain, is the site of the
worlds first hydro-solar power station, or
hydro-plus-PV project. The water near
the dam is outfitted with 840 floating so-
lar panels, or floating photovoltaic (FPV),
covering about 2,500 square meters. The
project came online late in 2016 but was
not dedicated until July 2017. The system
is a 220-kWp power plant equipped with
a Hydrelio FPV system developed by Ciel
& Terre International, a French company
specializing in floating solar projects. The
dam is managed by Energias de Portugal
(EDP Group), which expects the project to
generate 332 MWh annually.
Paulo Pinto de Almeida, EDPs CEO and
the projects manager, told Portuguese
media that the integrated solar-hydro
project has all the ingredients to suc-
ceed. EDP envisions the system being
used in many locations, including Brazil,
where EDP has operations under EDP in
Brazil, a 51%-owned subsidiary. More than
70% of Brazils power generation comes
from hydropower plants, and the Brazilian
government has forecast power demand
will triple by 2050.
The Portuguese government says about
60% of Portugals power annually comes
from renewable sources, though there
have been short periods of much-greater
renewable output, including in May 2016,
when all of the countrys electricity came
from renewable sources for a four-day pe-
|
POWER September 2017
2. A first of its kind. The Alto Rabago dam in Montalegre, Por-
tugal, near the countrys border with Spain, is the site of the worlds
first floating photovoltaic project in which the solar power is integrated
with generation from a hydropower plant. EDP Group, which operates
the project, says the solar power will add capacity to the 68-MW hydro
plant, which has been operating since 1964. Courtesy: EDP Group

Experts in Heat Exchange since 1920

YOU GENERATE
ENERGY
WE MAKE SURE
IT HAPPENS
EFFICIENTLY
riod. The largest hydroelectric plant is the 630-MW Alto Lindoso Urbanization, the scarcity of resources, and
dam, and the country has about 100 small hydro projects, with a
generation capacity of 256 MW. By comparison, hydropower ac- climate change present major challenges
counts for 6.5% of U.S. power generation, according to the U.S. when it comes to even greater efficiency in
Energy Information Administration. generating energy. Kelvion is the experienced
Alto Rabago is the first project where floating solar panels
partner at your side for all heat exchange-
work in tandem with the dams hydroelectric rotors. It differs
from other hydro-solar projects, in which power generated from related processes in both conventional and
floating solar panels is not integrated with hydropower. Other alternative energy systems with outstanding
projects in the same vein are being considered: Indias govern- reliability, availability, and an unyielding pur-
ment-run National Hydroelectric Power Corp. (NHPC) is working
on a 600-MW PV project at its 1,960-MW Koyna hydroelectric
suit to cut your life-cycle costs to the core.
plant (four dams) in the Satara district of Maharashtra. That FPV www.kelvion.com
would be combined with pumped hydro storage.
The Alto Rabago dam opened in 1964, and its standalone
generation capacity is 68 MW without the solar panels. The water
near the dam is about 200 feet deep. The project has additional
benefits for the area; the panels partly shield the water, slowing
evaporation and algae growth. The panels also reduce wave ac-
tion in the reservoir, which lessens erosion on the shore.
EDP, which operates the pumped-storage hydroelectric power
plant at the dam, wanted to ensure that the FPV would not in-
terfere with any of the existing operations at the site, where
the power plant sits on top of the 308-feet-tall dam wall. EDP
considered the possibility of an emergency drawdown of the res-
ervoirs water and had the floating solar array moored at a depth
of more than 60 meters, or about 200 feet.
EDP said the solar generation at the dam will help at times of
increased demand for power in the region, such as late afternoon
or early evening when people arrive home from work. Ciel & Terre
Reduced to the basics: Kelvion TOAC
said it developed its Hydrelio system for installation in a variety
Smart for the cost-efficient use in
of bodies of water, from larger reservoirs to lakes, or for use in standard industrial applications. The
irrigation canals or remediation or tailing ponds. new basic model in our transformer oil
The company first tested its system at a pilot project in France air cooler range allows the cost-effective
in 2011, and today it says it has more than 75 FPV systems in entry into the Kelvion TOAC class
without losing the proven benefits
place in 16 countries. The company also has started construc- of Kelvion and thats just one of the
tion on what will be the worlds largest floating solar plant, a product solutions Kelvion offers
70-MW installation in Chinas Anhui province for China Energy the power market!
Conservation and Environmental Protection Group, a renewable
energy project developer in China. The installation is scheduled

|
September 2017 POWER www.powermag.com 9
 THE BIG PICTURE: Economic and
Workforce Contributions
The Edison Electric Institute, an industry trade group that represents all U.S. investor-owned power companies, the
American Public Power Association, an association for public power entities, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association, which represents the bulk of U.S. not-for-profit consumer-owned electric cooperatives, this August released a
report highlighting the economic and workforce contributions of the U.S. power industry. Here are its most significant
findings. Data used to conduct modeling came from U.S. government sources and the Center for Energy Workforce Develop-
ment. Source: Powering America: The Economic and Workforce Contributions of the U.S. Electric Power Industry (August 2017)
Copy and artwork by Sonal Patel, a POWER associate editor
AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE
* The power sector is the most capital-intensive industry in the U.S. In 2016, the industrys capital investments exceed-
ed $135 billiontwice what it was a decade ago.
* The industry invests more than $100 billion annually in the U.S. economy. In 2014, the power sector contributed
$274 billion to U.S. gross domestic product (GDP)1.6% of the nations total economic output. In total, the industrys
economic impact is $880 billion annually, which is about 5% of the nations total GDP.
* Meanwhile, the electric power industry has more than $1 trillion in physical assets and equipment across the country,
including power plants, substations, towers, transmission and distribution lines, smart meters, and more.

THE U.S. POWER SECTOR SUPPORTS MORE THAN EMPLOYMENT BY OWNERSHIP Electric cooperatives
7 MILLION U.S. JOBS
About 491,000 workers are
2,662,000 4,418,000 14%
employed by investor-owned
DIRECTLY PROVIDED INDUCED*
electric companies, public
power utilities, electric Public power 19%
utilities
cooperatives, and indepen-
491,000 756,000 1,410,000 678,000 959,000 445,000 2,336,000
ELECTRIC CONTRACTORS & INVESTMENT INDUCED BY INDUCED BY INDUCED ECONOMY-WIDE
dent power producers. The
POWER SUPPLY CHAIN POWER CONTRACTORS & PUBLIC SECTOR RIPPLE EFFECT
power industrys contractors 67%
INDUSTRY INDUSTRY SUPPLY CHAIN
EMPLOYEES EMPLOYEES
*Induced jobs are spread throughout the economy and include many positions that are the result of
and supply chain provide Investor-owned power
paycheck spending by workers and government spending to support the communities around those 756,000 jobs. companies
workers.

JOBS AND PAY

Engineers, lineworkers, plant and field operators, and technicians make up 44% of total energy industry employees.
Engineers and technicians have the highest percentage of workers over 53 years of age, and these job categories have the
potential for significant retirements in coming years. On average, employees work in the industry for more than 15 years.
Engineering Jobs and Median Hourly Wages Power Plant and Field Operator Jobs and Median Hourly Wages
More than 35,000 engineers work for electric and natural gas distribution About 45,000 power plant and field operators run the nations
companies. Engineering jobs are projected to grow by 3.6% between 2014 power plants and compressor stations.
and 2024.
19K 7K 4.5K
Electrical Engineers Nuclear Engineers Architectural and
31K 8K 6K
Engineering Managers
$44 $50
$63 Power Plant Operators Natural Gas Plant Nuclear Reactor
Operators Operators
1.8K 1.5K 1.7K $35
$33 $43
Civil Engineers Mechanical Engineers Other Engineers
$44 $43 $43

AN AGING WORKFORCE
The power sector workforce is aging. Employees older than 30%
45 represent 58% of the power workforce compared to 45% 25%
nationally. However, data from 2015 showed retirement 20%
forecasts are trending downward as younger workers enter 15%
the workforce and training campaigns pay off. The Troops to 10%
Energy Jobs program, for example, has ramped up military 5%
veteran hiring, which accounted for more than 10% of new 0
hires in the power sector at the end of 2014. <24 2534 3544 4554 5564 >65
Age group
National workforce Electric power industry

10 www.powermag.com |
POWER September 2017
to be finished in 2017, using 194,000 PV
modules divided among 13 floating arrays.
Japan was the first country to bring
FPV online in 2013, but the renewable en-
ergy option has since been implemented
in several countries. The worlds largest
FPV farm came online in June of this year
in China, a 40-MW system on a lake near
Huainan. The worlds now-second-largest
project came online in 2016; the 6.3-MW
Thames Water solar farm sits on the Queen
Elizabeth II reservoir outside London,
near Heathrow Airport.
FPV systems are cabled the same way as
ground-mounted PV systems, except that
the junction boxes on the floating arrays
are connected to onshore inverters via a
flexible marine direct current (DC) cable
or normal DC cable, which is protected
in a waterproof, sealed, floating conduit.
The main electrical equipment is located
onshore. Floating PV panels usually oper-
ate more efficiently, and can produce more
power, than ground-mounted solar arrays
due to the natural cooling effect of the
surrounding water.
Darrell Proctor is a POWER associate
editor.
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12
Tesla to Install Worlds
Largest Lithium-Ion
Battery Storage Project
A lithium-ion battery under development
by Tesla in South Australia (SA) will be the
worlds largest of its type when completed
by the end of the year. Through a competi-
tive bidding process, Tesla was selected in
July 2017 to provide the 100-MW/129-
MWh Powerpack system.
The battery storage project (Figure 3)
will store energy from the Hornsdale Wind
Farm operated by renewable energy pro-
vider Neoen near Jamestown, SA. Work-
ing in close collaboration with the South
Australian Government and Neoen, this
grid scale energy storage project is not
only sustainable, but will help solve pow-
er shortages, reduce intermittencies, and
manage summertime peak load to improve
the reliability of South Australias electri-
cal infrastructure, according to a Tesla
press release.
The Hornsdale Wind Farm consists of
roughly 100 wind turbines generating ap-
proximately 1,050 GWh of renewable elec-
tricity into the national power grid each
year. According to the project website, the
wind farm is roughly 80% complete.
www.powermag.com
It is hoped that the project will help
address SAs problem with blackouts. Fa-
mously, in September 2016, a massive
storm knocked out electricity to 1.7 mil-
lion residents. Already in 2017, addition-
although less wide reachingpower
outages have left tens-of-thousands of
residents without electricity during hot
summer days.
The September 2016 blackout was de-
termined to be due in part to the states
large percentage of renewable energy gen-
eration. The generation mix now includes
increased amounts of non-synchronous
and inverter-connected plant. This gen-
eration has different characteristics to
conventional plant, and uses active con-
trol systems, or complex software, to ride
through disturbances. With less synchro-
nous generation online, the system is ex-
periencing more periods with low inertia
and low available fault levels, so AEMO
is working with industry on ways to use
the capability of these new types of power
generation to build resilience to extreme
events, according to a March 2017 Aus-
tralia Energy Market Operator (AEMO) re-
port concerning the event.
Wind generation in the state is sig-
|
POWER September 2017
3. Powerpack. Tesla has been selected to provide a battery stor-
age system that, when completed, will be the largest of its type in the
world. The Tesla Powerpack system will store energy from the Horns-
dale Wind Farm near Jamestown, South Australia. Courtesy: Tesla
nificant, accounting for one-third of the total power mix in
20142015, according to the National Department of Industry,
Innovation, and Science.
The AEMO report says three transmission lines were damaged
during a September 28, 2016, storm. The storm produced torna-
does with wind speeds up to 260 kilometers (km) per hour. Two
of the tornadoes almost simultaneously damaged a single circuit
275-kV transmission line and a double circuit 275-kV transmis-
sion line, roughly 170 km apart. The damage to those transmis-
sions lines caused them to trip, which set off a serious of faults
that resulted in six voltage dips on the grid in just two minutes.
As the number of faults on the transmission network grew,
nine wind farms in the mid-north of SA exhibited a sustained
reduction in power as a protection feature activated, the AEMO
report explains. For eight of these wind farms, the protection
settings of their wind turbines allowed them to withstand a pre-
set number of voltage dips within a two-minute period. Activa-
tion of this protection feature resulted in a significant sustained
power reduction for these wind farms. A sustained generation
reduction of 456 megawatts (MW) occurred over a period of less
than seven seconds.
As the wind farms failed, demand was increased for imported
power flowing through the Heywood Interconnector, which al-
lows for power flows between SA and Victoria. Approximately
700 milliseconds (ms) after the reduction of output from the
last of the wind farms, the flow on the VictoriaSA Heywood
Interconnector reached such a level that it activated a special
protection scheme that tripped the interconnector offline, the
report says.
The Tesla Powerpack project will be able to provide enough
power for more than 30,000 homes. In addition, Teslas Power-
wall is now being installed for residential customers across Aus-
tralia and ramping up quickly. The same technology that can help
stabilize the South Australian grid can also be used by homeown-
ers to collect energy during the day so it is stored and made
available day and night, providing uninterrupted power even if
the grid goes down, the press release says.
Abby L. Harvey is a POWER reporter.
|
September 2017 POWER www.powermag.com
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TVO Gets Good News in Ongoing Dispute
with Areva
Finnish power company Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) in July cel-
ebrated another win in ongoing legal proceedings with French
nuclear company Areva. The two companies have been at odds for
years concerning cost overruns and delays at the yet-to-be-com-
pleted Olkiluoto 3 (OL3) nuclear reactor in southwest Finland.
Julys partial award is the second to be decided in TVOs favor
by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Stockholm.
At issue is who should be responsible for the massive cost over-
runs. So far, it looks like Areva is going to be footing the bill.
The Areva-Siemens consortium is claiming 3.52 billion
against TVO in relation to the delay and cost overruns of the
project. The claim includes payments delayed by TVO under the
construction contract, and penalty interest totaling about 1.45
billion and 135 million in alleged loss of profit. TVO has coun-
terclaimed costs and losses of 2.6 billion to the end of 2018,
having revised its loss figure from 1.8 billion to the end of
2014, the World Nuclear Association explained on its website.
OL3 (Figure 4) has been in the works since 2000 when TVO
filed an application for the plant. In 2002 the plant was approved
by Parliament. At that point, it was assumed the plant would
be in service by around 2009, making it the first new nuclear
reactor built in Western Europe in more than a decade. By 2003,
the Olkiluoto site was secured, and Areva NP and Siemens were
contracted to build the 1,600-MW European Pressurized Water
Reactor (EPR).
TVO, Areva NP, and Siemens in December 2003 finalized a turn-
key contract for 3.2 billion for the plant, which was scheduled
to come online in mid-2009. Construction began in 2005, but
13

4. Stuck in the middle. The Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor under development in southwest
Finland is at the center of a years-long legal dispute between Finnish power company Teol-
lisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) and a consortium of Areva and Siemens. The plant is delayed nearly
a decade and has suffered massive cost overruns. The International Chamber of Commerce in
July granted a partial award in the dispute in favor of TVO. Courtesy: TVO
unfortunately for all involved, things did
go as planned. The plant is now scheduled
for completion in December 2018, and the
price tag has reached roughly 8.5 billion.
TVO and the Areva-Siemens consortium
have been in disagreement about who
should be paying for the overruns. From
the past two partial awards ordered by the
ICC, it would appear that TVO has the up-
per hand. The OL3 EPR was procured as a
fixed-price turnkey project from a consor-
tium (supplier) formed by AREVA GmbH,
AREVA NP SAS, and Siemens AG. The sup-
plier consortium companies are jointly
and severally liable for the plant contract
obligations, a TVO press release says.
The July 2017 award addressed the
preparation, review, submittal, and ap-
proval of design and licensing documents
on the OL3 project. This comprises the
key facts and matters that the supplier
relies upon in its main claim against TVO,
as well as certain matters that TVO relies
upon in its claims against the supplier,
the release says. However, the award
does not take a position on the claimed
monetary amounts.
The ICC issued another partial award in
November 2016, which addressed the early
period of the project including time sched-
ule, licensing and listenability, and system
design. That award was also granted in fa-
vor of TVO. TVO considers its claims to
be well-founded and has considered and
found the claims of the supplier to be
without merit. The partial award provides
material confirmation for this position, a
November 2016 press release says.
This isnt the end of the fight, how-
14
ever, as TVO notes: The arbitration pro-
ceeding is still going on with at least one
further partial award to come, before the
final award where the Tribunal will de-
clare the liabilities of the parties to pay
compensation.
While liability is being decided, work
continues at the plant, which completed
cold functional tests on July 1, 2017.
This is an important step in plant com-
missioning. The hot functional tests
scheduled for autumn are the next major
milestone. Once this stage has been suc-
cessfully completed, OL3 will [fulfill] the
preconditions for the granting of the op-
erating [license] in early 2018. There are
still several important milestones to be
met before the start of the regular elec-
tricity production at the end of 2018,
Jouni Silvennoinen, OL3 project director,
said in a release.
The cold-run testing stage spanned
roughly four weeks, with dozens of tests
being conducted at different pressure
levels. During the testing, main coolant
pumps were started for the first time, and
the pressure in the reactor coolant system
was increased gradually to the maximum
design value, significantly exceeding nor-
mal operating pressure.
Abby L. Harvey is a POWER reporter.
POWER Digest
Canadian Solar Expands Solar Power
in Japan. Canadian Solar in July start-
ed commercial operation of its latest
group of photovoltaic solar power plants
in Japan as it continues to build its solar
www.powermag.com
presence in that country. The plants in-
clude the 47.7-MW Mashiki, the 2.4-MW
Yamagata Asahimachi, the 1.3-MW Shi-
zuoka Tashiro, and the 1.1-MW Saitama
Shiroishi facilities. Construction of the
plants was completed earlier this year.
Solar power from the plants is purchased
under a 20-year feed-in-tariff contract at
rates from 27/kWh to 36/kWh (24/
kWh to 32/kWh). Dr. Shawn Qu, chair-
man and CEO of Canadian Solar, said in
a statement: We are pleased to have
energized the 52.5 megawatts of solar
power plants in Japan. The 47.7-MW
Mashiki plant is the largest solar power
plant that we have built there, which
brings our total portfolio of projects in
operation in Japan to 112.7 MW. Cana-
dian Solar has said its long-term plan is
to operate more than 600 MW of solar
power across Japan.
India Identifies Another 5.5 GW of
Coal Power for Retirement. The Cen-
tral Electrical Authority (CEA) in India in
late July said it would phase out more
coal-fired power plants as part of its
commitment to retire coal plants more
than 25 years old. The CEA, which has re-
tired about 4 GW of coal power over the
past two years, said it has found another
5.5 GW that it will mark for retirement,
although the group did not provide a
timeframe. About 78% of Indias power
comes from coal-fired plants, which ac-
count for nearly 60% of the countrys in-
stalled power capacity (195 GW of 330
GW total), according to the CEA. The
country also is retrofitting some coal
plants with emissions-reduction technol-
ogy. Even as India retires older plants,
state-run utility NTPC in July said it
plans to invest $10 billion in new coal-
fired projects over the next five years.
Japan-Bangladesh JV Developing
LNG-Based Plant. The government of
Bangladesh is importing more liquefied
natural gas (LNG) and looking to estab-
lish more import terminals as a Japan-
Bangladesh joint venture (JV) develops
a 500- to 600-MW regasified LNG-based
combined cycle power plant in Matarbari.
The plant would be the countrys second
JV plant using imported regasified LNG.
The JV includes Japans Mitsui and Co.,
Ltd., and the Coal Power Generation
Co. Bangladesh Ltd. (CPGCBL). Md Abul
Quasem, managing director of CPGCBL,
told the Dhaka Tribune that Petrobangla,
the government-backed energy develop-
ment group, has deals and memoranda of
understanding for six LNG import termi-
nals, and interest has been expressed in
more terminals. Mitsui and CPGCBL will
|
POWER September 2017
build and finance the plant on an equal
equity basis. CPGCBL also is building
two other plants in Matarbari: a 700-MW
coal-fired ultrasupercritical power plant
in a JV with Singapores Sembcorp, and
a 1,200-MW coal-fired ultrasupercritical
plant financed by the Japan Interna-
tional Cooperation Agency.
Japanese Companies Cancel Plan
for Gas-Fired Units. Changes in the
economics of Japans power market
prompted Tokyo Gas and JXTG Nippon
Oil & Energy in mid-July to cancel a
plan to build two additional gas-fired
units at their jointly operated Kawasaki
power plant. The companies in 2015 had
announced a plan for the units, each
with a capacity of 550 MW, that would
begin operation in 2021. The Kawasaki
plant currently has two gas-fired units
of 840 MW in total. The companies cited
increased competition in the countrys
power sector after Japan deregulated
its generation and retail electricity mar-
ket in 2016. Japan sought to change its
market structure in the wake of the Fu-
kushima nuclear disaster in 2011, which
moved the country from a reliance on
nuclear power to greater use of fossil
fuelsmostly oil and liquefied natural
gasthat had to be imported, result-
ing in higher costs for electricity. JXTG
has a 51% stake in the Kawasaki plant;
Tokyo Gas has a 49% share.
Work on Interconnector Linking
Norwegian Hydro, and German Wind
and Solar Begins. Installation of Nor-
dLink, a 623-kilometer (km)-long high-
voltage direct current interconnector
between Norway and Germany with the
capacity to transport 1,400 MW, began
on August 1. When completed as an-
ticipated by 2020, the line will allow
Germany to import hydropower gener-
ated by Norwegian hydropower plants
when wind turbine and solar activity
is limited. The projects equal owners
include Norwegian transmission system
operator Statnett and DC Nordseekabel
GmbH & Co., which is a joint venture
between European grid operator TenneT
and development bank KfW. DC Nord-
seekabel is responsible for the construc-
tion and approvals on the German part
of the project. The link will include a
516-km-long subsea cable portion. Ten-
neT said it is already installing under-
ground ducts for the cable.
Garona, Spains Oldest Reactor,
to Close Permanently. Spains Santa
Maria de Garona nuclear power station,
a 40-year-old reactor owned by Endesa
and Iberdrola, will close permanently
after the countrys energy ministry re-
jected a request to extend its operat-
ing license through 2031. Closure of
the 466-MW reactor wont affect Spains
power system, Energy Minister Alvaro
Nadal said on August 1. Spains Nuclear
Safety Council had given the boiling wa-
ter reactorSpains smallest and oldest
nuclear unitthe green light to operate
until 2019 pending certain safety up-
grades that aligned to new requirements
introduced in Fukushimas aftermath, but
its owner Nuclenor shuttered the reac-
tor in December 2012 to avoid retroac-
tive tax charges. Nuclenor submitted a
license renewal for Garona to the Min-
istry of Energy, Tourism, and the Digi-
tal Agenda in May 2014. Minister Nadal
announced that the government decided
not to approve the renewal for the reac-
tor after surveying several opinions from
stakeholders involved in the process.
Darrell Proctor and Sonal Patel,
POWER associate editors.

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September 2017 POWER www.powermag.com 15
Consider Automated
Machine Learning for 1. Asset reliability vs. operational year. As shown here, as assets grow older,
maintenance costs show a corresponding, significant increase. Source: Stenberg, A.; Holttinen,
Wind Turbine Asset
H. (2010), Analysing Failure Statistics of Wind Turbines in Finland
Maintenance
The potential financial benefits from In-
dustry 4.0 are apparent to plant owners
in almost all sectors. The wind power in-
dustry is no exception, and existing ven-
dors such as GE (Predix/Digital Windfarm),
Siemens, and SAP are investing heavily in
research and development (R&D) in this
area. Given the number of sites and the
remote locations of wind farms, there is
compelling economic benefit from using
machine learning to predict asset failure.
Operations and maintenance (O&M) ac-
count for up to 30% of the levelized cost
per kWh produced over the lifetime of a
turbine. Although estimates vary, aver-
age forced or unscheduled wind turbine
shutdown is between seven and nine days 2. Wind turbine asset failure rate and downtime. There are several systems
a year. For example, unplanned turbine that must be monitored in wind turbines, with failure and downtime rates driven by rotor/blades,
shutdown caused by a faulty gearboxcan electric generators, balance of plant, and controls. But other, unknown factors can be the big-
result in four to eight weeks of turbine gest problem, and traditional predictive maintenance methods do not recognize patterns of
downtime, and could cost $130,000 to sensor or correlative behavior. Source: Peters, V.; Ogilvie, A.; Bond, C. (2012), CREW Database:
replace. More than 70% of wind turbine Wind Plant Reliability Benchmark, SAND2012-7328
downtime is for major repairs, with the re-
maining 30% split between minor repairs
(17%) and manual restart (11%).
The O&M costs on new turbines are rela-
tively low and typically covered by service
agreements. As shown in Figure 1, as as-
sets age, there is a significant increase in
maintenance expenditures.
Because of the remote locations of
most wind turbines, crane rental expenses
are a major component of asset and parts
replacement costs.In fact, it takes far less
time to repair a generator than it does to
transport it. Asset failure results in tur-
bine downtime during the waiting periods,
especially when weather conditions and
site conditions such as icing can impact
time-to-repair. based on SCADA data. First, PdM using the other category.
SCADA data is based on manually set In other words, there is no actual vis-
Traditional Predictive Mainte- control limits. The system will recognize ibility into the largest cause of downtime.
nance Limitations a change in machine vibration or tem- Only high priority and mission critical as-
The default asset maintenance solution perature only if it breaches the predefined set sensor data is monitored. Furthermore,
for wind turbines is the traditional pre- limits. However, abnormal sensor behavior there is no systematic way to identify the
dictive maintenance (PdM), or condition within the control limits is not identified. root cause of a failure.By monitoring each
monitoring (CM), based on supervisory Second, only the most critical asset asset independently, the traditional PdM
control and data acquisition (SCADA) sensor data is monitored due to band- method fails to recognize patterns of sen-
data. Sensor data from turbines is moni- width constraints. Figure 2 shows that sor behavior or correlative behavior.
tored, and if control thresholds are the four top identifiable drivers of fail-
breached, alerts are generated to opera- ure and downtime are rotor/blades, Unsupervised Machine Learning for
tional maintenance staff. electric generators, balance of plant, Asset Maintenance
There are two major challenges that and controls. However, the most signifi- Until recently, machine learning was in
wind farms experience when using CM cant contributing factor is unknown the domain of academia. However, the

16 www.powermag.com |
POWER September 2017
application of artificial intelligence (AI)
and algorithms is now fueling advanc-
es in the Industrial Internet of Things
(IIoT). The term unsupervised indicates
that the algorithms do not need to be
trained on the underlying asset that is
monitored.There is no need to use a sim-
ulated clone of the physical asset, such
as a Digital Twin.
To apply machine learning to asset
maintenance, turbine asset sensor data
is continuously streamed to the cloud
where AI algorithms analyze it in real
time. Of course, this assumes real-time
communications links, which will need to
be considered for remote locations.
The algorithms are trained to detect
anomalies in all the assets signals. Cor-
relations and pattern detections among
signals are performed. Instead of look-
ing for breaches of manually set control
limits, the algorithms detect abnormal
behavior that is indicative of asset deg-
radation and failure.
Automated Model Selection
One of the challenges with machine learn-
ing is the selection of the algorithm used
to detect the abnormal sensor behavior
that is indicative of machine degrada-
tion or failure. In the past, there was
reliance on data scientists to select the
most relevant model from a library of algo-
rithms.However, with the massive amount
that must be analyzed in real time, the
ability to automatically select an algo-
rithm is critical.
In the case of Presenso, our automated
machine and deep learning(MDL) engine
(Figure 3) selects the optimal algorithms
and hyperparameters in a data-driven
way without any human intervention.The
auto-MDL includes dozens of machine
learning algorithms, tens of preprocessing
methods, and all their respective hyperpa-
rameters, yielding a total of hundreds of
hyperparameters. This process is enabled
by computational power of the cloud.
Machine and Sensor Agnostic
One of the overlooked advantages of un-
supervised machine learning is that it is
machine or sensor agnostic.This means a
wind turbine can have more than 8,000
unique components, ranging from hydrau-
lic systems and power converters to fall
protection. As long as sensor data is gen-
erated, the machine learning algorithm
analyzes all the signal data and detects
abnormal patterns without consideration
of the following:
Asset age. The algorithm does not dif-
|
September 2017 POWER
3. Automated machine and deep learning engine. Presensos automated ma-
chine and deep learning engine selects optimal algorithms and hyperparameters without human
intervention, yielding hundreds of hyperparameters as it uses the computational power of the
cloud. Courtesy: Presenso
ferentiate whether the turbine is two
years old or 15 years old.
Vendor. Vendor information is not
relevant to the performance of the al-
gorithm. Therefore, sensor data from
the following manufacturers can be
analyzed: Acciona, Alstom, Dongfang,
Enercon, Gamesa, GE Energy, Goldwind,
Nordex, Repower, Siemens, Sinovel,
Suzlon, and Vestas. Note that both
GE (Predix) and Siemens (MindSphere)
are also major players in the so-called
Digital Twin market.The impact is that
a single solution can be applied to all
turbine types without the need for mul-
tiple vendor-specific systems.
Part or asset type. All sensor data
from all the following assets can be ana-
lyzed, including blades, gearbox, genera-
tor, and coupling and bolt tightness.
Onshore versus offshore. The algo-
rithm does not differentiate between
offshore and onshore facility location.
The Impact of Machine Learning on
Asset Maintenance Costs
As asset reliability increases, there is
less money spent on reactive mainte-
nance.Conversely, an underinvestment in
predictive and preventive maintenance in-
creases the need for reactive maintenance
caused by unplanned machine breakdown.
When machine learning algorithms
detect asset degradation and breakdown
ahead of time, resources can be shifted
away from over-reliability investments
such as unnecessary maintenance. As as-
set reliability investments are rational-
ized and the detection of degradation is
improved, the frequency of unscheduled
downtime is reduced. This lowers total
www.powermag.com
maintenance cost as a percentage of re-
placement asset value.
The unsupervised machine learning
solution for asset maintenance applies
the latest advances in AI to detect ab-
normal data patterns throughout an en-
tire facility, thereby lowering the cost of
reliability maintenance. A cloud-based
solution does not require new hardware
or sensors and can be deployed remote-
ly, without the need for human input
from facility staff.
Based on estimates from Germany, the
UK, and Denmark, O&M costs are estimat-
ed to be between 1.2 c and 1.5 c per
kWh of wind power produced, over the to-
tal lifetime of a turbine. In the U.S., O&M
costs are less expensive (best practice is
$0.01 per kWh). Between 43% and 54% of
this is allocated to overhead, administra-
tive costs, insurance, and rental income.
Applying machine learning to the asset
maintenance mix to reduce replacement
part and labor costs has the potential to
significantly impact the financial perfor-
mance of a wind farm.
The cost savings for maintenance and
labor can be extensive. Using both U.S.
and European data, a 20% reduction in
the repair and maintenance portion of
O&M (assumed to be between 46% and
57% of overall O&M costs) would yield an-
nual cost savings of $11,383 for a 2.5-MW
turbine and $34,148 for a 7.5-MW turbine.
Limiting O&M expenses is a high pri-
ority for the wind power sector. If ex-
ecuted effectively, wind farm operators
can now use automated machine learn-
ing to turn under-utilized sensor data
into a way to lower overall turbine asset
maintenance costs.
Eitan Vesely is CEO of Presenso.
17
 New York Net
Metering Is Not
Nicholas A. Giannasca Carlos E. Gutierrez Smart Enough for
the Grid of the Future
n March 9, 2017, the New York Public Service Commission
O (NYPSC) issued an order announcing a transition from a
traditional net energy metering (NEM) compensation
mechanism for certain energy resources to a new compensation
scheme referred to as Value of Distributed Energy Resources
(VDER). The VDER order is an integral piece of the NYPSCs grid
and market modernization initiative called Reforming the Energy
Vision (REV).
REV represents New Yorks efforts to reinvent the states energy
regulatory structure in order to modernize the grid and introduce
a new energy economy with more distributed energy resources
and customer choice. New York is not the first state to pivot from
NEM. Since 2013, Hawaii, Nevada, Arizona, Maine, and Indiana
have moved away from net metering. As other states grapple with
upgrading aging grid infrastructure, the continuation of NEM will
surely be a topic of heated debate.
Net Metering
Traditional NEM compensation awards an end-use customer with
a credit for each kilowatt-hour that the customers generating
unit injected into the grid. This one-to-one offset of kilowatt-
hours, that is, volumetric crediting, proved to be a simple and
attractive incentive for users to add generation to their premises.
If the generation source was of a certain type, customers could
also avail themselves of other incentive programs such as renew-
able energy credits, tax credits and, rebates.
NEMs critics argue the offset of kilowatt-hours means that the
customer is not responsible for the delivery of the power being
offset and, thus, the customer is not paying distribution charges.
Because the grid nonetheless needs to be maintained for all cus-
tomers, critics argue those who do not enjoy NEM benefits ef-
fectively pay a higher share of distribution system maintenance.
In the order, the NYPSC acknowledged that NEM played an im-
portant role in growing the distributed generation market in the
state. According to the order, the state must move to a smarter,
more information-based compensation mechanism in order to
foster the continued growth of DERs. The NYPSC stated that NEM
does not provide sufficient information to serve as a basis of effi-
cient investment decisions or to identify and compensate for the
values that can be provided to the system or costs imposed on
the system. In an effort to mitigate the potential market disrup-
tion of the shift to VDER, the order grandfathers certain projects
utilizing NEM under existing tariffs.
VDER Methodology
The VDER order establishes the Phase One foundational policies
of the VDER methodology to be utilized in the VDER Phase One
Tariff. The complex VDER compensation methodology will rely on
the calculation of certain values applied to hourly net injections
18 www.powermag.com
at the utility meter. Such values make up the Value Stack that
includes the following: energy value, installed capacity value,
environmental value, demand reduction value, and locational sys-
tem relief value.
Phase One Value Stack compensation will be available to all
projects and technologies that are presently eligible for NEM as
well as energy storage when paired with an eligible VDER re-
source. Thus, on-site generation that is exported to the grid on
a net-hourly basis will receive compensation in accordance with
the Value Stack methodology. Behind-the-meter generation that
is instantaneously consumed on-site (that is, not exported to
the grid) will be treated as load reduction and will offset the
customers consumption and volumetric charges associated with
that consumption. Importantly, if a customer seeks to avail itself
of the Phase One Value Stack compensation, that customer must
have a meter capable of recording net-hourly injections to the
grid. If a customer has an insufficient meter, it will need to work
with the interconnecting utility to obtain one.
The order also grandfathers in the eligibility of existing proj-
ects enrolled in NEM to retain the ability to bid into the Re-
newable Energy Standard Tier 1 solicitations issued by the New
York State Energy Research and Development Authority. However,
projects that earn compensation from the Value Stack will not be
so eligible.
The reason is that the environmental value of the generation
is already a component of the Value Stack and VDER compensa-
tion. As such, the interconnected load-serving entities who com-
pensate customers for such environmental value will receive the
environmental credits.
Implications
There are important, but opposing, implications related to the
order. First, New Yorks efforts will certainly resonate with other
states that are also grappling with the continuation of NEM, and
some may adopt a VDER approach as a compromise to outright
abandonment of NEM. Thus, this could facilitate the continued
development of DERs in such states.
On the other hand, a move away from NEM to a more eco-
nomically justifiable model such as VDER could discourage de-
velopment in renewable power as customers, developers, and
financiers become disenchanted with the complexity and vari-
ability of the Value Stack and resulting VDER values.
How these two opposing influences ultimately impact renew-
able energy development remains to be seen. In the interim, states
will continue to consider NEM when debating how to integrate
renewable energy resources into an aging electric grid.
Nicholas A. Giannasca is a partner and Carlos E. Gutierrez
serves as counsel at Davis Wright Tremaine in the practices
New York office.
|
POWER September 2017
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info@yf.com www.yf.com
 TOP PLANTS
The Highly Efficient Workhorse
of Brunswick County
Dominion Energys massive new natural gas-fired combined cycle power plant in
Freeman, Virginia, has been servicing customers since April 2016. In its first year on-
line, the plant carried roughly 10% of Dominions total load, making it a workhorse
in the companys growing natural gas fleet.
Abby L. Harvey
D
ominion Energy is sitting in a tricky
spot. Electricity demand is growing at
an aggressive rate, stressing an aging
fleet of coal-fired power plants. To address
this challenge, Dominion has started to build
a fleet of massive, highly efficient natural gas
plants; the largest currently in operation
the Brunswick County Power Stationis a
source of ongoing pride for the power com-
pany.
There were coal plants being retired both
within our system and across PJM in general.
Virginias pretty fortunate in that we do have
the regional growth, which continues, and we
do have the need for power, Mark Mitchell,
Dominions vice president of generation con-
struction, told POWER. Based on that, this
plant [is] a fairly large facility. Its one of the
largest and, we think, most efficient com-
bined cycles in the world.
Dominion projects load growth exceeding
5,300 MW in its service territory over the
next 15 years, with an annual growth rate of
1.7%. Dominion has or plans to retire more
than 900 MW of coal in its fleet, just a frac-
tion of the 19,000 MW of coal-fired capacity
in PJM that was retired from 2011 to 2015.
20
Plant Specs
The Brunswick County Power Station is
a 1,358-MW natural gas-fired 3 x 1 com-
bined cycle plant. It utilizes three Mitsubi-
shi M501GAC gas turbines and Mitsubishi
steam turbine.
We ran a competitive process, telling
people what our goals [were], one of them
being efficiency, one of them being the
amount of output, and of course the cost. So
we ran a competitive [request for propos-
als] to pick Mitsubishi actually at Warren
County, Mitchell said, referencing a slightly
smaller natural gas plant in Fort Royal, Vir-
ginia, that has been in service since Decem-
ber 2014. [Then we] decided to use them at
Brunswick County. It was through a com-
petitive process, but they were good partners,
and they have very good equipment.
Steam is produced by three GE/Alstom
heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs),
each with 500 MMBtu of duct burning ca-
pacity. Each HRSG is equipped with selec-
tive catalytic reduction (SCR) technology, as
well as CO catalysts, ensuring strict environ-
mental compliance.
The plant also has an enormous 72-cell
air-cooled condenser (ACC), which is cur-
www.powermag.com
Courtesy: Dominion Energy
rently the largest single ACC in the nation.
Luckily, the size of the ACC was not a ma-
jor impediment to the project, as it is just
slightly larger than others that Dominion has
installed recently.
Theyre very large structures. Theyre
fairly labor intensive to install. So its just
how do you plan for that? How do you plan
the startup? Even though its the largest, we
at Dominion have installed a few others,
Mitchell said. We installed another one
at our Warren County site that was slightly
smaller than Brunswick, and now, of course,
weve installed Brunswick. Were actually
building another combined cycle right now
thats a bit larger than Brunswick and it will
have a slightly larger air-cooled condenser.
Communication Is Key to Success
Construction on the plant began in August
2013. Fluor completed the engineering, pro-
curement, construction, and commissioning
for the plant. All told, the plant was com-
pleted ahead of schedule and under budget,
a feat that was achieved due to transparency
throughout the development process, Mitch-
ell said.
When youre starting off a project, before
|
POWER September 2017

1. Trains and automobiles. The location of the Brunswick County Power Station re-
sulted in some difficulty when the plant was under construction. Components and equipment
could be taken by train to within 12 miles of the plant, but to make it that last little way, roads
had to be closed. To reduce any inconvenience to the public, moving large components had to
occur at night on roads and bridges that had to be temporarily reinforced to handle the heavy
loads. Courtesy: Dominion Energy
you even get in the deal, you need to under-
stand what the drivers of that project are and
communicate that, Mitchell said. So, when
were out looking at building a project, were
interviewing the type of companies that can
do this before we ever issue the bid, and
were making sure that they understand what
we are needing out of a projectwhat the
scope of that project is going to beso that
were aligned on what the goals are.
While cost is always a factor in selecting
contractors, for the Brunswick project, effi-
ciency was also a key factor that bids were
judged on. We wanted one of the most ef-
ficient projects in the world. We wanted it
at low cost for our ratepayers to install. So
were giving the idea that cost is important,
thats one thing that were going to evalu-
ate you on, but efficiency is important too,
Mitchell said.
To clearly communicate Dominions ef-
ficiency requirements, potential contrac-
tors were given criteria for efficiency and
informed on how that would factor into the
overall bid process. Right up front, youre
just aligning yourself on what the goals are,
making sure you understand what the scope
is youre asking for, and what theyre sup-
posed to deliver.
It seems that this transparency paid off.
Mitchell cites the cost savings on the project
as the most impressive aspect of the plant.
Because of the high efficiency of the plant,
fuel savings thus far total about $100 million.
Dominion projects an additional $1 billion in
customer savings over the life of the station,
compared to the cost of purchasing power
from the market.
Obviously its a very good facility for our
|
September 2017 POWER
customers in that its very environmentally
friendly, [with] some of the lowest emissions,
but when you talk about $1 billion in saving
over the life of that plant, thats a substantial
amount of savings, Mitchell said.
Problems and Solutions
There are a million things that can go wrong
while constructing a power plant. In building
Brunswick, Dominion dodged most of those
bullets, but it did run into some problems se-
curing skilled labor and transporting compo-
nents.
Particularly, Dominion and Fluor encoun-
tered a lack of welders. How do you attract
that talent? How do you keep them on site
in the numbers that you need? Its something
we watch very closely, and we did kind of
work our way through that. Sometimes you
have to look at different options, to adjust
the schedule or adjust different pieces of the
schedule, but that was definitely one of the
bigger pieces on this job is how we worked
through that.
Dominion and Fluor took a multifaceted
approach to fixing their staffing problem,
both dealing with the issue immediately at
hand, and trying to alleviate the issue for fu-
ture projects. Youve got your Plan A, which
is, Okay, lets get more labor in there, but
youre always looking at what is Plan B, what
is Plan C, if you dont get more in there? Can
you go to two shifts, or can you use some-
thing different? Can you do something dif-
ferently?
Between trying to set up shifts to make
the best use of the limited number of weld-
ers they had and modularizing a significant
portion of the facilitys pipe racks, the com-
www.powermag.com
TOP PLANTS
POWER POINTS
Winning Attributes
The largest natural gas-fired
combined cycle power plant in
the Dominion fleet.
The highly efficient plant was
completed ahead of schedule and
under budget.
The facility utilizes a 72-cell air-
cooled condenser, the largest in
the nation.
panies were able to keep construction mov-
ing at an acceptable pace. In this case, it was
decided to modularize the pipe racks. When
you do that, that allows you to do some ma-
jor construction outside of the power block
where all the congestion is. It allows you to
do that in parallel, you can do that off-site,
get that pipe rack kind of done and to the site.
... So you eliminate a lot of the work in the
congested area.
In an effort to proactively address the
shortage of welders, Fluor and Dominion
partnered with a local community college to
put together a welding school. People can
make a good living off welding. Theyve
been able to train people that might not have
recognized that as a skill they could use for
their lifetime, Mitchell said. Weve been
able to take people out of those welding pro-
grams and use them in our system. Were ac-
tually using some on a plant were building
right now, and beyond that, theyve got a skill
where they can go kind of anywhere in the
country and make a living.
Dominion is currently working on another
natural gas plant, just a few miles from Bruns-
wick. The Greensville County Power Station
will surpass Brunswick in size, weighing in
at 1,588 MW.
Another unique issue Dominion faced at
the Brunswick plant was the transportation
of large equipment and materials (Figure 1).
Components could be transported by rail to
within 12 miles of the site, but from there
transport had to make use of public roads.
Because of the size of many of these compo-
nents, bridges and roads had to be temporar-
ily reinforced, and much of the transportation
had to take place at night to avoid closing
roads to public use.
As Dominion continues to build its natural
gas fleet, its safe to assume that Brunswick
will remain a source of pride, even when the
larger Greensville plant opens just down the
road.
Abby L. Harvey is a POWER reporter.
21
 TOP PLANTS

Worlds Most-Efficient Combined

Cycle Plant: EDF Bouchain

Courtesy: GE

When you bring two power giants together to develop a new breed of combined
cycle gas turbine plant, you expect the results to be pretty good. When EDF and GE
installed the first commercial 9HA gas turbine in the Bouchain plant, the outcome
was great: A new world record for combined cycle efficiency62.22%.
Aaron Larson

I
f you know anything about Frances elec-
tricity grid, you probably know it relies
heavily on nuclear power. In fact, since
the late 1980s, uranium atoms have been
used to generate more than 75% of the na-
tions electricitythe highest nuclear power
percentage of any country in the world. But
times may be changing.
Nicolas Hulot, the French energy minister
under recently elected President Emmanuel
Macron, in a radio interview on July 10,
said as many as 17 of Frances 58 reactors
could be closed by 2025. The move is aimed
at reducing the countrys reliance on nuclear
power to 50%.
So, where is Frances power going to come
from? The Macron administration pledged to
close the countrys five coal-fired power plants
by 2022, so it wont be from that resource.
The long-term goal is to double renewables to
32% by 2030, but variable wind and solar gen-
eration requires a reliable backup. Therefore,
highly efficient natural gas-fueled plants could
offer one dependable solution.
First 9HA Gas Turbine Installed
And when it comes to efficient natural gas-
fired plants, there are none better than EDF
Bouchain. The 605-MW unit has been rec-
ognized by Guinness World Records as the
most-efficient combined cycle power plant in
the world, with a third-party verified net ef-
ficiency of 62.22%.
The plant was developed under a unique
industrial partnership between EDF and GE.
The unit was constructed with the first com-
mercial GE 9HA gas turbine, a machine that
has some remarkable capabilities beyond just
high efficiency. The plant can go from startup
to combined cycle operation in less than 25
minutes. It can also be turned down to as low
as 30% of its top generating capability while
still meeting emission requirements. The
flexibility is important for the industrys on-
going efforts to increase the use of renewable
energy and protect the environment.
The Bouchain location had been host to
two 250-MW coal-fired units, which were
retired in 2015. The new combined cycle unit
has reduced site CO2 emissions by 50%, re-
duced SOx emissions by 95%, and cut par-
ticulate emissions to zero. The new unit has
a footprint one-quarter the size of the coal
facility while generating more power.
For those areas in the world where footprint
is an issue, this thing is significant in terms of
power density, said then-GE Power President
and CEO Steve Bolze during a media event on
June 17, 2016. It replaces a coal plant. It is on
25% of the footprint of the old plant. It gener-
ates more power with 50% less carbon emis-
sions. This is a big deal, Bolze added.
The Bouchain site allowed the old plants
aero-cooling tower to be reused, which limits
the amount of water pumped into the nearby
Scheldt River. Another big benefit was the
ability to transmit the new units generation
via the existing 400-kV underground line.
Delivering a Giant
Construction began on the combined cycle
plant with excavation work and soil prepara-
tion in 2012. Civil engineering work began in
2013. That year, deep foundations were con-
structed for the gas turbine, steam turbine,
and generator. It took three months to install
all of the rebar and pour the 2,500 cubic me-
ters (m3) of concrete needed for the power
train pedestal foundation.
The following year, the first heavy-lift
components began arriving on-site. They in-

22 www.powermag.com |
POWER September 2017

cluded the 300-ton main transformer, steam
condenser, heat recovery steam generator
(HRSG) parts, and steam turbine. The 320-
ton generator arrived in January 2015, and the
combustion turbine (CT) reached site in July.
The process of moving the CT was no
small job. The journey would span about 330
miles from Belfort, near Frances eastern bor-
der with Switzerland, to the Bouchain site. A
steel centipede (Figure 1), that when load-
ed measured 109-m long, 6.65-m wide, and
5.7-m high, and weighed about 800 tons, was
used for the first leg of the tripBelfort to
Strasbourg. The roughly 150-km drive ended
up taking more than a week, with speeds
rarely breaking 15 km/hr.
Once in Strasbourg, the CT was lifted and
placed on a barge. The barge transported the
heavy load on the second leg of the journey,
beginning on the Rhine River and ending
seven days later within about a mile of the
construction site by way of the Scheldt River.
A smaller transport platform carried the CT
through the final on-land stretch. It arrived at
its new home on July 15, 2015.
Meeting Milestones
The fact that the gas turbine was not shipped
until after completion of full-speed, full-load
testing meant that it arrived on-site a bit later
than would have been optimal. The delivery
timetable forced the project team to follow a
rather unusual installation and commission-
ing schedule, but that didnt prevent them
from meeting milestones on time.
One enhancement that made a big differ-
ence was the use of modularized auxiliaries
from the factory. This new process first im-
plemented during the Bouchain project saved
on-site construction time. In the end, the gas
turbine went from factory to first fire in only
five months.
The unit was first synchronized to the
power grid on January 21, 2016. Little
more than a month later on March 1, 2016,
the plant operated for the time in combined
cycle mode. Trials were completed on July
26, 2016, and the unit entered commercial
operation.
The Bouchain plant is an important dem-
onstration of GEs latest digital power plant
capabilities. Real-time data from more than
10,000 sensor inputs is monitored and ana-
lyzed to help personnel optimize plant op-
eration. In addition to delivering stable and
efficient control, the technology also pro-
vides predictive insights, which helps avoid
unplanned downtime and leads to significant
maintenance improvements.
Utilizing the new 9HA turbine technology
did create some HRSG design challenges. A
new generation boiler was developed to ac-
commodate the significantly higher tempera-
|
September 2017 POWER
1. Crawling along. The GE 9HA com-
bustion turbine, affectionately nicknamed
HArriet, was loaded on a center stretcher
supported by two tow platforms each with
14 rows of triple-tire axles. The 800-ton load
required four truckstwo pulling and two
pushingto move it. This image was taken as
the centipede left Belfort, France, on June
29, 2015, headed for the EDF Bouchain plant.
Courtesy: GE
tures, pressures, and outputs that result during
operation. The new boiler design increased
flexibility and ensured quicker startup than
had been achievable previously. In addition
to material improvements, a welding exper-
tise center was created to ensure all work was
able to meet strict quality standards.
High Safety and Environmental
Standards
Completing work safely was a top priority
for the construction team and continues to be
a focus for the power station. The Bouchain
facility has implemented a zero-accident
policy, which is consistent with other EDF
sites. Some actions taken to raise safety
awareness include:
All newcomers to the site are required to
complete a welcome security session with
the sites environmental, health, and safety
training staff.
Regular safety inspections are conduct-
ed throughout the facility with a goal of
verifying compliance with requirements
as well as implementation of prevention
measures.
Emergency exercises including the in-
volvement of external assistance, such as
firefighters and rescue personnel, are or-
ganized on-site to test crisis procedures.
An ecological compensation zone has
been created on-site to reduce the plants
www.powermag.com
TOP PLANTS
POWER POINTS
Winning Attributes
World-record-setting combined
cycle efficiency62.22%.
First-of-a-kind installation that
overcame logistics challenges
to deliver one of the largest gas
turbines ever built, going from
factory to first fire in five months.
Ability to go from startup to
combined cycle operation in less
than 25 minutes and turndown
to as low as 30% of maximum
generating capacity.
impact on protected species. The objective
of the measure is to maintain suitable habitat
for protected species, and ensure a tranquil
and prosperous environment.
Market Evolution
The construction project peaked in 2015 with
up to 600 people working on-site at the time.
The 400 million investment had a positive
effect on the Bouchain region. As an opera-
tional facility, the plant now employs about
40 full-time EDF personnel and another 20
contractors performing various functions.
The 9HA gas turbine isnt a one-hit-won-
der either. Today there are more than 10 HA
units connected to the grid, with plants now
in France, Russia, Pakistan, and the U.S.
More than 60 HA gas turbines are on order
around the world, with new units planned in
Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, China, France,
Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Mexico,
Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand, and the U.S. Be-
cause all the HA gas turbines use the same
technology, GE fully expects all units to meet
similarly high efficiency levels to those prov-
en at Bouchain.
But the company isnt resting on its lau-
rels. During the June 2016 media event, Joe
Mastrangelo, president and CEO of Gas
Power Systems, said the Bouchain plants
62.22% efficiency mark is just a starting
point for what the company hopes to attain in
the future. He suggested that GEs technol-
ogy programs could propel efficiency toward
65% by the early 2020s.
Mastrangelos team pointed out that the
company has invested more than $1 billion
developing the HA gas turbine. Based on the
success of EDF Bouchain, it appears to have
been money well spent.
Aaron Larson is POWERs
executive editor.
23
 TOP PLANTS
Grand Resilience: How a State
Agency Pioneered Gas Technology
and Bolstered Critical Supply
Unit 3 at the Grand River Energy Center in Chouteau, Oklahoma, was the Grand Riv-
er Dam Authoritys first construction project in 30 years. Yet, the team put this dis-
tinct projectone of the largest and most efficient in the U.S.online as planned,
despite natural and technical challenges. For that and other reasons, it is a worthy
2017 Top Plant award winner.
Sonal Patel
T
he Grand River Dam Authority
(GRDA), a non-appropriated agency
founded by the Oklahoma Legislature
in 1935, has sought in recent years to diver-
sify its power generating portfolio to ensure
it can continue to reliably supply power to
some portion of 75 of the states 77 coun-
tiesincluding its direct customers, which
include municipalities, a host of electric
cooperatives, and 80 industrial and commer-
cial customers that are primarily clustered in
northeast Oklahoma.
Earlier this decade, as a bevy of coal gen-
erators reassessed the economic viability of
their assets in the face of new, stricter fed-
eral environmental rules governing coal
plant emissions, GRDA opted to discontinue
use of coal at Unit 1 at its Grand River En-
ergy Center (GREC)a 1,010-MW dual-
unit coal-fired facility located in Chouteau,
Oklahomarather than install substantial
upgrades needed to meet the Environmental
Protection Agencys (EPAs) Mercury and
Air Toxics Standards (MATS). In part to sup-
port that decision, GRDAs board of directors
in 2013 approved a strategic plan to achieve
a more balanced portfolio. A key objective
24
was to rely less on coal, and to maximize use
of abundant wind and hydro generation, the
agency told POWER in August. However,
wind and hydro are intermittent and main-
taining reliability 24/7 is challenging.
After considering its options, GRDA deter-
mined that adding a new advanced-class com-
bined cycle unit would offer customers the best
long-term value when integrated into its exist-
ing portfolio. However, the project came with a
challenging condition: Because the MATS rule
required the 1978-built 490-MW GREC Unit 1
to discontinue coal use by April 2017, the new
gas-fired Unit 3 would need to come online
before the 2017 summer peak period to avoid
crippling power shortages.
A High-Efficiency Determination
Swiftly kicking off the process, GRDA imme-
diately contracted Black & Veatch to provide
its technical expertise as owners engineer.
After evaluating competitive proposals from
an assortment of highly qualified bidders,
the agency in January 2014 chose to equip
the plant with a state-of-the-art 495-MW
Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS)
M501J gas turbine (Figure 1)a technology
www.powermag.com
Courtesy: Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA)
never before installed in North America, but
which is renowned for its high-firing tem-
peratures (inlet temperatures hover at about
1,600C or 2,912F) and its large capacity.
At the time, MHPS had installed nine
M501J 60-Hz turbines around the world,
accumulating more than 28,000 hours of
operation. MHPSs key selling point was
the machines efficiency. At baseload, the
M501J will provide over 61% combined
cycle efficiency. In addition, at 50% output,
youre still above 55% combined cycle effi-
ciency, an executive from Mitsubishi Hita-
chi Power Systems Americas said in a press
release describing the contract signing with
GRDA on March 21, 2014.
For GRDA, the decision was rooted in the
technologys superior efficiency, but also
proven reliability, initial cost, and overall
long term value to GRDA customers. Fi-
nancial viability was a key consideration, it
said. The new combined cycle unit would
need to have lowest operating cost for a
combined cycle unit in the Southwest Power
Pool. Therefore, a very strong design effort
was made to maximize sustained efficiency
and capability. This included the use of [an]
|
POWER September 2017
 REVOLUTIONARY
ENERGY

FIRST TO 99.5% RELIABILITY WINS.

GAME OVER.
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changeinpower.com
 TOP PLANTS
1. First of its kind. The M501J gas tur-
bine installed at the Grand River Energy Center
is the first J-Series to be built at the Savannah
Machinery Works in Savannah, Ga. It is paired
in combined cycle with a steam turbine, also
supplied by Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems
(MHPS). As part of the project, Grand River
Dam Authority signed a long-term service
agreement with MHPS. Courtesy: GRDA
inlet air chilling system and built-in redun-
dancy appropriate for a long-term utility
grade unit.
To maximize efficiency and reliability,
GRDA chose to couple the J-series gas tur-
bine with a heat recovery steam generator
(HRSG) that was custom-designed by Noot-
er/Eriksen. The triple-pressure, reheat-de-
signed HRSG includes duct-firing along with
advanced emission control technology. The
St. Louisheadquartered company worked
very closely with design engineers to in-
tegrate the HRSG into the overall design,
GRDA said.
By December 2014, GRDA had finalized
the key engineering, procurement, and con-
struction (EPC) contract with Kiewit sub-
sidiary The Industrial Company (TIC). The
agency broke ground on the project on Janu-
ary 23, 2015, marking the first time in more
than three decades that GRDA had begun
construction on a new power project.
Overcoming Multiple, Serious
Hurdles
Project developers had anticipated some
technical challenges associated with integra-
tion of the first-of-its-kind combustion tur-
bine and the HRSG. These challenges were
overcome by assignment and commitment of
the best A team experts from each project
partner, GRDA explained. The challenges
it couldnt anticipate, however, involved a
double whammy by Mother Earth.
When crews began building Unit 3 and
an associated substation, GRDA was simul-
taneously executing a project to upgrade
air quality control systems at the 1986-built
coal-fired Unit 2, which involved replacing
the existing electrostatic precipitator with
a fabric filter and adding an activated car-
bon injection system. This challenge was
resolved by first developing a general site
26
construction plan identifying milestone con-
struction events, blackout areas, delivery and
storage areas, parking, site security, and other
key features necessary for coordinating these
three projects, the agency said.
All proceeded as planned until July 2016,
when Unit 2 suffered a severe lightning strike
that caused catastrophic fire damage to its
turbine generator. The event forced GRDA to
take the critical 520-MW unit offline, height-
ening the agencys worries about how to pro-
vide regional reliability when Unit 1 would
be unavailable due to the MATS in April
2017. Restoration required 13 months of he-
roic efforts by GRDA, Siemens, and General
Electric, GRDA said.
Around the same timeand adding to its
tense situationprolonged rainfall in south-
ern Louisiana resulted in unprecedented
flooding, a declared state of emergency that
delayed delivery of major components to
the Unit 3 project and threatened to derail
it. GRDA, which only six months earlier
had faced a similar deluge of rainfall that
had pushed lake levels at Grand Lake and
Lake Hudson to historic levels and forced
it to manage some of the largest floodwater
releases since construction of its Pensacola
Dam in 1940, watched the situation with
some dismay.
When the components finally arrived
months later, teams regrouped and formed
a detailed critical path plans to compen-
sate for the delays. That planning paid off,
and though night work was done when re-
quired, the plant was synchronized to the
grid by March 2017.
An Emergency Order
Still, fearing more unseen debacles, and citing
a possible imminent shortage of generation
resources in its service area, GRDA urged the
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to issue
an emergency order allowing it to combust
coal at Unit 1 as required by the Southwest
Power Pool between April 16, 2017, and July
15, 2017, when Unit 3 was expected to be
operational. The DOE granted the request
under the Federal Power Actonly the sev-
enth time it has done soto secure power
reliability, triggering the so-called reliabil-
ity valve that had been widely discussed
since the EPAs MATS rule was still in the
draft stage. Although kept available, Unit 1
was utilized very little during this period,
GRDA said.
Meanwhile, under pressure to stay on
schedule, crews at GREC kept working to
finish the project. Sellable power status was
achieved just two months later on April 27,
2017, less than 45 days after first fire. That
milestone was followed by extensive perfor-
mance testing, and the new unit is now being
www.powermag.com
POWER POINTS
Winning Attributes
Project team overcame weather-
related difficulties, and the
logistics challenges presented
by a concurrent retrofit to a co-
located units air quality control
system.
Highly efficient combined cycle
plant replaced an aging coal-fired
unit that would have needed
pollution control upgrades.
Successful integration of the first
J-series unit built and installed in
the U.S. with a custom-designed
heat recovery steam generator.
dispatched into the Southwest Power Pool.
According to GRDA, efficiency goals are
being met. Thermal efficiency exceeding
60% has been demonstrated during sum-
mertime generation, it said. Charles Barney,
an engineer who serves as GRDAs assistant
general manager for fuel and generation
projects, added: Were excited that Unit
3 responds quickly to load changes while
maintaining high efficiency.
Safety and Cooperation Is Para-
mount
When asked about the projects most-win-
ning aspect, GRDA pointed to its stellar
project team. At the onset of the project, a
team mission statement was developed that
included objectives to achieve a new standard
for efficiencyand that no one would get
hurt, the agency said. TIC/Kiewit led regu-
lar project teambuilding sessions to keep the
project on track. More significantly, it noted:
Construction team members achieved an
incredible safety record of over 1.2 million
man-hours worked without a serious injury.
GRDA also credited MHPS for first
class support during construction and com-
missioning, and Nooter/Eriksen for its close
collaboration. Hitachi HVB, it added, provid-
ed the transformers that have performed flaw-
lessly and were delivered ahead of schedule,
and Enable Midstream Partners provided a
new gas pipeline to fuel the new unit, ahead
of schedule and under budget. For Jam-
mie Burrow, chief engineer at GREC, the
achievement cannot be underscored enough:
We had a schedule to meet that some said
couldnt be done, but we needed to have this
unit running for summer of 2017. Weve
achieved that!
Sonal Patel is a POWER
associate editor.
|
POWER September 2017
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 TOP PLANTS
Model of Gas-Fired Efficiency
Rises in Heart of Coal Country
A partnership between one of the nations largest utilities and one of the worlds
largest construction contractors resulted in the 1,100-MW Paradise Combined Cycle
Plant in Drakesboro, Kentucky, next door to what has long been the states largest
power plant.
Darrell Proctor
T
he project began as an idea spurred
by government regulation: replace
two units of an aging coal-fired power
plant on a winding Kentucky river with a
state-of-the-art combined cycle facility. The
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) had done
it previously, in neighboring Tennessee, and
was looking for similar success the second
time around.
There would be challenges. Government
regulations had been updated; the deadline
to meet some emissions targets, the impetus
behind the project, meant even the generation
set-up would be reconsidered. Construction
would have a tight timeline to meet those
government mandates. Teamwork would be
essential; delays would put the entire project
at risk. And this is Kentucky, where more
than 80% of the states electricity comes
from coal.
TVA went to work, partnering with Kiewit
Power, to build the $1 billion Paradise Com-
bined Cycle Plant, near Drakesboro and the for-
mer mining town of Paradise along the Green
River. In a state better known for bluegrass,
bourbon, and thoroughbreds, the two have
completed what now is considered the most-
efficient gas plant in TVAs vast fleet, one being
honored as a POWER Top Plant for 2017.
28
The project was a huge success, Roger
Waldrep, TVAs general manager for ma-
jor projects, told POWER. It demonstrates
what can be accomplished by partnerships,
teamwork, and the relentless pursuit of risk
management and mitigation. The project
was much more than a 3 x 1 combined cycle
plant. This was a gas plant that would be built
in the heart of coal country and would be re-
sponsible for carrying the legacy of TVA for-
ward in the region.
Expanding Fuel Diversity
The 1,100-MW Paradise plant, completed
in April 2017, is part of TVAs commit-
ment to expand the utilitys fuel diversity.
It is designed to partly replace the coal-fired
Paradise Fossil Plant, which came online in
1963 and has been the states largest power
generation facility, distinctive with its three
large, natural-draft cooling towers, a feature
many people associate with nuclear power
plants. Units 1 and 2 of the Fossil Plant,
each with a generation capacity of 704 MW,
were retired earlier this year. The 1,150-
MW Unit 3, which began operating in 1970,
will remain online.
The contract for the new plant was
awarded in May 2014, the air permit was
www.powermag.com
Courtesy: Kiewit
received in February 2015, and construc-
tion began March 2, 2015. Combustion
gas turbine (CTG) delivery occurred in
June 2015; heat recovery steam generator
(HRSG) delivery followed in August 2015;
and the generator step-up unit arrived
in March 2016 (Figure 1). The turbines
were first fired in October 2016, about six
months before the plant began commercial
operation on April 7 of this year.
Kiewit and TVA had worked together pre-
viously on the John Sevier Combined Cycle
Plant in Rogersville, Tenn., which has been
operating since late April 2012. That plant
replaced the coal-fired John Sevier Fossil
Plant. Kiewit completed the construction
scope of work on that project, but for Para-
dise, Kiewit was a partner from the start.
This project was the first partnership
for TVA and Kiewit Power with Kiewit
Power in a full EPC [engineering, pro-
curement, and construction] role, said
Waldrep. A lot of time was spent at the
beginning with TVA learning how Kiewit
performed their work, and Kiewit learn-
ing the expectations and requirements of
TVA. This proved invaluable as the proj-
ect progressed and risks and rework were
avoided, key reasons, said Waldrep, why
|
POWER September 2017

1. GSU arrives onsite. The generator step-up unit arrived at the Paradise construction
site in March 2016. The plant would be put into commercial operation 13 months later, in April
2017. Courtesy: Tennessee Valley Authority
the project was completed 12 weeks ahead
of schedule and about 20% under budget.
There was about 18 months of upfront en-
gineering and procurement work for the proj-
ect in Lenexa, Kan., home base for Kiewits
power group. The success of the Paradise
project is entirely attributable to our project
team, said Kiewits Mike Wilkie, the project
manager. Kiewit and its partners developed
a fully integrated, cohesive Paradise One-
Team defined by a spirit of collaboration in
which all team members worked together to-
ward a common goal.
Construction Challenges
The goal was not reached without challenges.
TVA began wrestling with a solution for the
Paradise Fossil Plant in 2012, said Waldrep,
with the utility mulling options for its coal-
fired units due to emissions regulations. [We
were] considering additional environmental
controls for Units 1 and 2 at the coal plant,
or replacing the generation with a gas-fired
facility of either a four-unit simple cycle
configuration or a 3 x 1 combined cycle con-
figuration. TVA initially selected additional
environmental controls as the solution in
2012, but then reconsidered in 2013 as the
certainty of compliance became less and the
cost of ownership [of the coal plant] contin-
ued to rise.
The plant was completed ahead of sched-
ule, but the original end date was placed in
jeopardy at the beginning because of a six-
week delay in issuance of the construction
air permit. The delay caused TVA and Kiewit
to compress the construction schedule in or-
der to meet deadlines set by the Mercury Air
Toxics Standards (MATS) rule, which said
the two coal units at Paradise could not legal-
ly operate after mid-April 2017. Because the
new plant was replacing some of the genera-
tion of the coal-fired plant, delays could im-
|
September 2017 POWER
pact TVAs ability to operate the transmission
system if there was a period without genera-
tion in the region.
This MATS date set an unofficial target for
the project, said Waldrep. Not only did the
project improve on the contractual completion
dates, it was able to meet the MATS date for
the coal units, helping TVA maintain the reli-
ability of the transmission system in the area.
The Paradise plant is called the most-ef-
ficient gas plant in TVAs fleet, and not just
for its electricity generation. Paradise Plant
Manager Drew Reid said, The most-effi-
cient claim is based on the lowest heat rate
[net 6,187 BTU/kWh] in the TVA gas fleet,
as well as the innovative work management
efforts we have put in place. Those include
sitewide Wi-Fi, a communication system for
the plant through iPads, and electric vehicles
to move around the complex, with charging
stations throughout. TVA also is using all
LED lighting to save energy and improve
visibility and safety.
Technical Specifications
The Paradise plant features three GE 7FA.05
combustion turbines, a dual flow-down ex-
haust Toshiba steam turbine with 48-inch
last stage blades, three triple-pressure Vogt
HRSGs with reheat and supplemental firing,
a TEI double-pass deaerating steam surface
condenser, and a 16-cell induced-draft me-
chanical cooling tower. The 16-cell tower
is a back-to-back design, with essentially
the same performance as a single-width 14-
cell tower, according to Dan Langstraat, the
Kiewit Engineering Project Manager.
The components are installed in a typical
wet-cooled, 3 x 1 combined cycle configura-
tion, said Langstraat. The Paradise pipe rack
uses tube steel columns in a moment-frame
design. Because of the tube shape, the loading
capacity of the steel is the same in both direc-
www.powermag.com
TOP PLANTS
POWER POINTS
By the Numbers
2,472,019 Number of man-hours
worked to complete construction.
6,187 The net heat rate (BTU/
kWh) of the plant, making it the
most-efficient in TVAs fleet.
175 Height in feet of the plants
cooling towers, equivalent to an
18-story building.
11 Minutes (or fewer) it takes
for the 7FA.05 gas turbines to
startup.
tions. This unique feature allowed the pipe
rack to be designed with zero cross braces, a
first for both Kiewit and TVA. To maximize
plant efficiency, the boiler feedwater pumps
furnished by KSB include variable-speed hy-
draulic couplings designed and manufactured
by Voith. The couplings allow the pump to
slip, minimizing the brake horsepower con-
sumed by the pump at off-design cases.
The water intake system also required
innovation. Langstraat said TVA wanted
to avoid a lengthy permitting process and
some of the challenges involved with work-
ing around the river, so it opposed a tradi-
tional onshore intake structure. The partners
worked out a technical solution, locating
a water intake structure inside the plants
boundary fence. The system includes an
underground intake pipe routed to the river,
with a suction screen on the pipe beneath the
surface of the water.
The intake structure was constructed of
a concrete caisson approximately 20 feet in
diameter that was sunk to a depth of nearly
70 feet, said Langstraat. The team then
used a micro-tunnel boring machine to drill
the intake pipe into the river where the suc-
tion screen was placed. Locating the raw
water pumps and related equipment within
the plant boundary yielded two distinct ad-
vantages: easy access for plant operators and
minimal river work during construction.
Wilkie said Paradise, now the states sec-
ond combined cycle plant in addition to the
Cane Run Generating Station in Louisville (a
2016 POWER Top Plant), could be a model
for TVA projects moving forward. In the
end, the project was completed on time and
within budget in a way that formed the basis
of a lasting partnership between Kiewit and
TVA, he said.
Darrell Proctor is a POWER
associate editor.
29
 THE DAWN
OF PARADISE

ITS A NEW DAY FOR THE TVA PARADISE COMBINED CYCLE PLANT.
Vogt Power International congratulates Kiewit and TVA on receiving POWER Magazines
2017 Top Plant (Gas-Fired) Award for their Paradise Project! As the proud HRSG supplier,
we are thrilled to see our eforts to enhance equipment constructability and maximize
teamwork contribute to a successful project.

vogtpower.com
VOGT POWER
INTERNATIONAL
Excellence-in-Heat-Recovery
POWER YOU CAN RELY ON.
Vogt Power International Inc., a Babcock Power Inc. company,
is a global industry leader, specializing in the low-cost deliv-
ery of exceptionally high quality Heat Recovery Steam
Generators (HRSGs), Selective Catalytic Reduction Systems
(as part of HRSG), Simple Cycle Exhaust Systems, and after-
market services for use in power generation, co-generation,
enhanced oil recovery, and combined cycle power projects.
Vogt Power brings technology to domestic and international utility
and industrial companies wanting to simplify and streamline the
processes for on-site erection and commissioning. Our custom-
ers only need one company for product, installation, aftermarket,
and service. Vogt Power maintains a staff of highly trained engi-
neers and CAD personnel. Whether it be new HRSG purchases
or Aftermarket studies, our experts are available to exceed
customers expecta-
tions. From North and
South America, and
across Europe, Asia,
and the Middle East,
Vogt units are installed
around the world. We
continue to outperform
others in the industry
because of our solid reputation for adhering to the small-
est of details in design, quality, vendor qualiication, and
vendor surveillance, through to aftermarket-related services.
An HRSG Unit for Every Application
Vogt Power provides the most constructible HRSG unit for every
customers site-speciic application. Our modular designs
reduce overall erection costs, and installations are scheduled so
that they can help save customers time and money. The level of
pre-fabrication can be varied depending on the size of the HRSG,
transport alternatives to the job site, labor cost and availability.
Four Designs to Meet Our Customers Needs
1. MSG Module Steam Generators
Designed speciically for HRSGs behind gas turbines
between 20 and 70MW that allow for a single gas path width.
2. Enhances Constructability SMART (ECS)
For HRSGs where transport and weight limitations allow
for highest level of pre-fabrication. The main steel sup-
port structure is integrated and pre-fabricated with the
boxes in a design that is the ultimate in constructability.
3. The SMART-Box
Semi-Modular Accelerated delivery Reduced cost Top sup-
ported (SMART) is used when shipping constraints prevent
the use of the ECS design. Our SMART-Box design is highly
pre-assembled: modules, casing, interconnecting piping, and
some of the structural steel are all contained in each module box.
4. Bundle Design
Comes largely pre-assembled allowing the erector to start set-
ting the structure and casing prior to the arrival of pressure parts.
Aftermarket Solutions
Beyond innovation, engineering excellence, and expertise,
Vogt Power offers dedicated aftermarket products and ser-
vices that are dependable and fast for all OEM HRSGs.
Our aftermarket group provides the
most eficient and cost-effective turn-
key service achieved through our
expertise in consulting, inspections,
engineering, and project management.
We continue to outperform others in
the industry because of our solid rep-
utation for adhering to the smallest
of details in design, quality, vendor
qualiication, and vendor surveillance,
including aftermarket-related services.
vogtpower.com
 TOP PLANTS
Growing Community Seeks
Attractive Power Plant
Courtesy: Avant Energy
Nestled near the center of Shakopee, Minnesota, is the Minnesota Municipal Power
Agencys (MMPAs) Shakopee Energy Park. The plant, a 46-MW natural gas-fueled
reciprocating engine facility, powers the city of 40,000 and contributes to the overall
power supply of 11 other MMPA member communities.
Abby L. Harvey
T
o address growing power needs in a
Minneapolis suburb, Minnesota Mu-
nicipal Power Agency (MMPA) had to
get creative. The utility not only wanted to
add clean, efficient generation to its portfo-
lio, but also, due to the plants intended loca-
tion embedded in the community, the utility
had to make several other considerations. The
plant needed to be attractive and run quietly.
Shakopee Energy Park [SEP] is part of
MMPAs commitment to clean, efficient
power generation, said Derick Dahlen,
president and CEO of MMPAs management
partner Avant Energy. We wanted to make
sure SEP fit aesthetically into the community
and wouldnt cause noise issues for people
who live nearby. We spent a considerable
amount of time designing the building to en-
sure neighbors wouldnt hear the gensets, and
weve been very pleased with the results.
MMPA did such a good job designing the
plant to operate in the center of the commu-
nity that [w]hen speaking with residents,
Ive been told that they did not even know
32
that we were up and running because they
didnt hear a thing, John Crooks, Shako-
pee Public Utilities manager, said. The facil-
ity uses silencers on each engine and it was
constructed using sound absorbing building
supplies to prevent noise from reaching the
surrounding community.
This is just one of the reasons the Sha-
kopee Energy Park is one of POWERs top
natural gas plants for 2017.
At a Glance
The Shakopee Energy Park uses five 9.3-MW
Wrtsil fast-start, fuel-efficient reciprocat-
ing engines to produce energy for the MMPA
member communities. Using this fast-start
technology, the plant can start up in just a
few minutes, making the plant an important
complement to intermittent renewables.
MMPAs energy portfolio currently con-
sists of 17% renewable energy generation,
with an intention to increase to 25% renew-
ables by 2025. The groups portfolio cur-
rently includes two wind farms, a biomass
www.powermag.com
facility, and three natural gas facilities, in-
cluding the Shakopee plant. A solar installa-
tion is currently under development as well.
The development of the plant is the re-
sult of a successful team effort. The plant is
owned by MMPA. The agency is composed
of 12 Minnesota member municipal utili-
ties including the cities of Anoka, Arling-
ton, Brownton, Buffalo, Chaska, East Grand
Forks, Elk River, Le Sueur, North St. Paul,
Olivia, Shakopee, and Winthrop. SEP sup-
ports the overall power supply of the agency.
MMPA is managed by Avant Energy, a Min-
neapolis-based energy management com-
pany with years of experience in the electric
power industry.
Shakopee Public Utilities (SPU) designed
and constructed the infrastructure for the
plants interconnection to SPUs substation and
also provided support during commissioning.
Wrtsil provided the engines, liquefied
natural gas (LNG) tank, and aided in com-
missioning activities. Greystone Construc-
tion provided building construction services,
|
POWER September 2017

1. Open to the public. Through the construction and operation of the Shakopee Energy
Park, the Minnesota Municipal Power Agency has tried to maintain a mutually beneficial rela-
tionship with the community. Courtesy: Avant Energy
and Azco Inc. and Parsons Electric served
as mechanical and electrical contractors for
power island equipment and the balance of
plant equipment.
The plant broke ground in April 2016 and
was placed into commercial operation on
February 14, 2017, just 10 months later. This
extremely tight construction schedule re-
quired careful coordination, especially when
delivering major equipment.
We worked very closely with the city and
local authorities to carefully coordinate ma-
jor equipment deliveries. Our deliveries of
major equipment occurred during the middle
of the night, so there would be minimal im-
pact to the surrounding community, said
Dave Urke, construction site supervisor at
Avant Energy.
Urke noted, in particular, the delivery of
the LNG tank. The tank had to be transported
22 miles from the factory. Transportation and
setting of the tank took 10 hours. Crews
commenced work at midnight and tank set-
ting was completed by 10 a.m. the next
morning. Equally impressive, the hoisting on
site by a 550-ton crane and a 450-ton crane
to its final installed location took 14 minutes
from trailer to concrete piers, he said.
The facility is a great addition to our
growing community. Shakopee Energy Park
provides our residents and businesses with
[a] long-term, efficient, competitive, and
reliable electrical supply ... our communi-
tys future economic development and sus-
tainability goals are supported.
|
September 2017 POWER
Beyond its unique design requirements,
the plant is also unique in that it uses LNG
as its backup fuel. The project team decided
to incorporate LNG in lieu of a firm gas con-
tract. In short, the plants primary supply of
natural gas may be curtailed during times of
high regional demand, such as very cold win-
ter days, which are all too common in Minne-
sota. If this occurs, the facility can operate on
LNG by vaporizing the LNG to its gaseous
state. Through this process, the engine per-
formance is the same as when operated on
the primary fuel supply.
The LNG is stored in a 99,000-gallon tank.
The LNG housed in the tank provides enough
fuel for the plant to operate for around 22
hours at full capacity. This unique fuel ap-
proach allows the Agency more flexibility in
its operations strategy, according to MMPA.
The plant also utilizes efficient heat re-
covery technology. Waste heat captured from
the facilitys generators supports vaporizing
the LNG, heating incoming natural gas, and
heating basic building systems. Recovered
heat can also be supplied to local businesses.
An Upstanding Citizen
MMPA and Avant are particularly proud of the
Shakopee Mayor Bill Mars
www.powermag.com
TOP PLANTS
POWER POINTS
Winning Attributes
Fast-start reciprocating engine
technology and liquefied natural
gas backup system offers
flexibility and complements
variable renewable resources.
Located near a residential center,
resulting in additional, unique,
design requirements.
Completed on time and under
budget in just 10 months.
plants contribution to the local community.
Shakopee has been attracting large com-
panies, such as Amazon and Shutterfly, in re-
cent years, increasing the demand for reliable
electricity access. The city is also home to an
amusement park and a horseracing track,
which is located directly to the north of the
plant. By connecting the energy park direc-
tory to the local distribution system, MMPA
was able to increase electric reliability for
these businesses.
This facility is a great support to our lo-
cal distribution system and helps ensure re-
liability on our system, which is especially
important to many of the businesses in our
community, Crooks said.
The plant is also a part of MMPAs En-
ergy Education Program, which has provided
learning opportunities for nearly 13,000 el-
ementary school students through in-school
assemblies and tours since 2010. An effort
was made to use local contractors and busi-
nesses, such as Greystone Construction, in
the construction of the plant, helping create
local jobs.
The plant was opened to the public for a
grand opening on August 1, 2017 (Figure 1).
During the dedication ceremony, Dahlen said,
Shakopee Energy Park is good for every
MMPA community because it provides power
supply flexibility and protects our members
against price volatility in the marketplace.
The facility is a great addition to our
growing community, Shakopee Mayor Bill
Mars said. Shakopee Energy Park pro-
vides our residents and businesses with [a]
long-term, efficient, competitive, and reli-
able electrical supply, which is delivered by
Shakopee Public Utilities. In turn, our com-
munitys future economic development and
sustainability goals are supported.
Abby L. Harvey is a POWER reporter.
33
 TOP PLANTS
Two SCE Gas-Battery Hybrid
Projects Revolutionize
Peaker Performance

Courtesy: Southern California Edison (SCE)/General Electric (GE)

For deploying a novel, groundbreaking gas-battery hybrid technology along with

environmentally significant upgrades within a tight installment window, and de-
spite logistical hurdles, Southern California Edisons Center Peaker and Grapeland
Peaker plants are especially deserving of POWERs Top Plant recognition.
Sonal Patel

I
n October 2015, a major injection well
rupture at the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas
Storage Facility north of Los Angeles,
California, led to almost 100,000 metric tons
of uncontrolled natural gas being released
from the underground reservoir before it was
sealed more than 15 weeks later. That event,
which forced thousands of evacuations and is
thought of as one of the worst environmental
disasters in U.S. history, left regional gas-
fired generators in a lurch.
In California, which had embarked on a
drive to boost gas-fired generation capac-
ity to back up its surge of renewable gen-
eration, the dilemma was especially dire.
But rather than pushing to reestablish gas
supplies alone, and in an attempt to thwart
the increasing risk to the electric system
from disruptions in gas supply, the Califor-
nia Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
in May 2016 expedited the approval of
utility-owned and third-party battery stor-
age in Southern California Edison (SCE)
and San Diego Gas and Electric territories
(see Battery Storage Goes Mainstream in
POWERs May 2017 issue).
When the CPUC issued its emergency res-
olution, SCE, the largest subsidiary of Edi-
son International and a prime power supplier
to most of Southern California, was already
working to improve the operational flexibil-
ity of its peaker fleet, including the 50-MW
Center Peaker in Norwalk (see opening im-
age) and the 50-MW Grapeland Peaker in
Rancho Cucamonga.
The Aliso Canyon emergency pushed us
to think that combining our flexibility up-
grades with energy storage could provide a
unique opportunity to expand economic and
environmental benefits, Vibhu Kaushik,
SCEs principal manager for asset manage-
ment and generation strategy at the com-
panys generation division, told POWER in
August. Thats why SCE evaluated a propos-
al, submitted by technology conglomerate
General Electric (GE) and Wellhead Power
Solutionsa subsidiary of Sacramento-
based independent power producer Wellhead
Electric Co.that combined a lithium-ion
battery with an existing gas turbine, and
which sought to operate it using an integrated
control system.
with stand-alone storage, it explained.
An Innovative, Groundbreaking
Technology
That technology, called a Hybrid Enhanced
Gas Turbine (Hybrid EGT), fully integrates
a 10-MW/4.3-MWh battery energy storage
system (BESS) developed by GE energy
startup Current with a 50-MW GE LM6000
aero-derivative gas turbine (Figure 1). Under
normal conditions, GE noted, some gas tur-
bines must run at minimum loads to provide
spinning reserves to the grid, forcing them to
burn gas even when the energy is not really
needed. The EGT provides spinning reserves
using the battery while also responding
quickly to any changes in power demand, al-
lowing the gas turbine to operate in coordina-
tion with the battery.
According to Wellhead Power, at a high
level, the EGT promised to add 10 MW
of high-speed capability into the existing
LM6000 operating range, not on top of the
existing operating range. This allows the
EGT to provide high speed energy, ancillary
and grid support services, at a lower cost and
smaller [greenhouse gas (GHG)] footprint
than traditional thermal resources and with-
out the energy neutrality issues associated
The Birth of Twin Projects
For SCE, the benefits were clear. The pres-

34 www.powermag.com |
POWER September 2017

1. Plant of the future. The LM6000
Hybrid Electric Gas Turbine systems installed
at the two Southern California Edison peaker
plants in California integrate a 10-MW/4.3-
MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage sys-
tem developed by GE and Wellhead Power
Solutions. Courtesy: SCE
ence of the BESS unlocks tremendous value
in the two peaker plants by making the Hy-
brid EGT instantaneously available around
the clock, providing spinning reserves even
while the gas turbine is offline. This reduc-
es greenhouse gases and other emissions
by up to 60% even if never called upon to
close a short-term gas supply gap, Kaushik
explained. The resultant broader operating
range has allowed the units to be much more
operationally flexible.
The company worked with Wellhead and
GE to integrate equipment upgrades to the
proposed solution to address its multiple
goals of achieving water savings, GHG emis-
sions reductions, and particulate reductions
at the two peaker plants.
While the peaker units were originally
designed to achieve air pollutant emissions
standards while at close to full load, the
companys upgrades included changes to the
turbines water injection algorithm, adding
an enhanced new selective catalytic reduc-
tion system with optimized ammonia injec-
tion, and a new carbon monoxide oxidation
catalyst. A crucially significant achievement
of these upgradesparticularly because the
plants are sited in drought-stricken South-
ern Californiais that a lower water rate for
nitrogen oxide emissions control is poised,
based on operating forecasts, to reduce water
consumption at each peaker by about 45%,
saving up to two million gallons of water an-
nually per site.
Also notable is that at the core of each proj-
ect, the team built an advanced hybrid control
system (HCS), which ensures that the plant
delivers the expected power output by optimiz-
ing battery and turbine outputs. According to
Kaushik, the HCS can also manage external
requirements (such as not-to-exceed limits) to
further determine optimal blends for specific
operations, including the turbines water in-
jection system, sync-idle control, and power
|
September 2017 POWER
output system. The HCS is groundbreaking,
he added,because it is the first time an HCS
integrates a gas peaker and battery together to
bring the benefits of each into one seamless
and interoperable system.
Speedy Installments
Yet another winning aspect of these projects
is their rapid completion. The CPUC emer-
gency resolution required each BESS to be in
service by December 31, 2016, which meant
that SCE had little time to sign contracts after
evaluating proposals. Development of each
projects storage component spanned rough-
ly five months, and following deployment of
the storage components, the turbine upgrades
and their controls integration with the battery
were completed in about three months.
This was achieved despite many logistical
hurdles. To begin with, we were building two
critically important projects simultaneously,
in separate local permitting jurisdictions
dozens of miles apart, in a notoriously-bad
Los Angeles area traffic corridorand using
essentially the same team on both projects,
SCE said. Obtaining permits and regulatory
approval from cities, counties, special dis-
tricts, and multiple state agencies for both
facilities would have typically taken a year,
or even several years, but SCE had a very
tight window of less than a month, Kaushik
said. To address comments from the agen-
cies, we had to modify plans, including some
construction details, within this short plan-
ning and construction window.
SCE also shaved internal and external ap-
proval requirements that would have been
triggered if the projects expanded beyond
SCEs property lines by insisting that each
BESS fit within a relatively small footprint
and that other improvements be contained
within both physical and regulatory boundar-
ies. For example, the improved replacement
catalyst needed to fit into the same enclosure
as the original, said Kaushik.
A Model for Future Installments
Today, operators monitor and control all
functions at the Center Peaker and Grapeland
Peaker plants from a secure remote SCE fa-
cility. GE is under contract to maintain the
BESSs and assure the units perform to con-
tractually guaranteed performance standards.
As each BESS is always online and synchro-
nized with the grid to provide immediate
response, the system is already paying off
for SCE. The company expects a 50% re-
duction in the number of turbine starts and a
60% drop in turbine operating hours. Over-
all, this leads to roughly a 60% reduction in
GHG emissions and particulate emissions,
Kaushik said.
Meanwhile, the gas turbine modifica-
www.powermag.com
TOP PLANTS
POWER POINTS
Winning Attributes
Deploying a first-of-its-kind gas-
battery hybrid technology at two
peaker plants
Upgrading the plants emissions
control systems, resulting in big
water savings
Completing the storage
projects within a tight six-month
timeframe
Vastly boosting plant efficiency
and flexibility while slashing
greenhouse gas and particulate
emissions
tions have improved startup time from about
10 minutes to less than five minutes in the
hybrid configuration. Once online and syn-
chronized, the turbine only needs two to
three minutes to ramp up to full load. With
instantaneous response capability, each
plant can now participate in [the California
Independent System Operators (CAISOs)]
spinning reserves markets 24-7, with no fuel
consumption or emissions while the turbine
is offline, said Kaushik.
Each projects battery-and-turbine pair
has also been invaluable in supportinggreen
energy variability by filling in the gaps with
their immediate response capability. The cas-
cading benefits to California residents span
environmental benefits as well as cost sav-
ings owing to a generally more efficient re-
source dispatch stack, which could work to
tamp down wholesale prices for customers.
Finally, while the control algorithms devel-
oped for the various use cases were designed
specifically for these projects, the underly-
ing concept, which can be modified to work
with other generation assets large and small,
is certain to have countless applications
throughout the electric utility industry. GE
is actively pursuing further applications of
the technology with power generators world-
wide. SCE, too, is exploring similar hybrid
deployment within its own fleet.
It is no longer enough to build capacity,
CAISO Vice President Tom Doughty said at
the Center Peaker ribbon cutting in March,
perhaps best surmising the Hybrid EGTs
future appeal. The new coin of the realm
is flexibility. That is exactly what this plant
provides us.
Sonal Patel is a POWER
associate editor.
35
 WORKFORCE
What It Takes to Be a
POWER-ful Woman
Its no secret that women are underrepresented in the energy industry. Accord-
ing to the Department of Energy, less than a quarter of U.S. workers in the
electric power generation field are women, compared to an average of
46.8% in the national workforce. Some influential women in the industry
share their thoughts on how to address this disparity.
Abby Harvey

T
he Department of Energys (DOEs) 1. Women needed. The energy industry could use the input of women, Nancy Pfund
latest U.S. Energy and Employment (left), founder and managing partner of DBL Partners, told POWER. Courtesy: The Hawthorn
report covers four sectors of the U.S. Club
economy: the electric power generation and
fuels sector; the transmission, distribution,
and storage sector; the energy efficiency sec-
tor; and the motor vehicles sector. The report
found that These energy-related sectors are
relatively less diverse compared to the over-
all national workforce. Women are a smaller
portion of the workforce in these sectors,
ranging from 22 to 34 percent, compared to
the overall economy, where women make up
47 percent of the workforce.
According to the DOE report, in general,
the electric power generation sector employs
more women than the fuel sector. For exam-
ple, coal electric power generation employs
more women than coal fuels, with women
comprising about 37% of the generation
workforce. This carries into the oil and gas
sector, with about a third of workers in gen-
eration being women. Roughly a third of the
combined heat and power generation sector
is comprised of women. Nuclear generation
has a relatively high proportion of female sented the largest annual jump to date, mov- velopment (USAID) in 2014 released a re-
workers, with almost four in ten employees ing from 24% to 28%, the report says. port looking specifically at renewables. The
reported to be women, the report says. That figure only gets more dismal when report notes that In two countries that have
Nancy Pfund (Figure 1), founder and man- looking at women in leadership positions. uniquely monitored these numbers, womens
aging partner of DBL Partners, suggests that According to a 2016 analysis conducted by employment was estimated several years ago
the energy sector needs to attract more wom- international advisory firm Korn Ferry, only at 26% in Spain (in 2010) and 24% in Ger-
en for their unique contributions. We need 6% of energy industry CEOs are women, many (in 2007).
more women in this sector. The perspective 10% of industry chief technology officers are The USAID report goes on to suggest that
and integrative approach that women bring to women, 35% of chief information officers are women might find the renewables sector
investing and business is especially valuable women, and 13% of chief marketing officers more inviting. The renewable energy sec-
in this sector because of the combination of are women. Only in the role of chief human tor is perceived to be less discriminatory than
technical and social forces at work in each resources officer do women outnumber men the fossil fuels industry because it is a new
company, she told POWER. at roughly 57%. All told, the analysis finds and non-traditional field. And there is some
Women are gaining a foothold in the so- that women fill 24% of C-Suite positions in evidence that women are drawn to choose
lar industry, according to the Solar Founda- the energy sector. career paths in line with their worldview or
tions annual jobs census. Women represent that they believe will make a difference in the
a greater proportion of the solar workforce The Global Perspective world, the report says.
than in previous years, having risen steadily The global situation is harder to parse, as This rings true for Trude Sundset, CEO
from 18.7% in 2013 to the 28% reported in comprehensive data is not available. The of Norways state-run carbon capture and
2016. The increase from 2015 to 2016 repre- United States Agency for International De- storage (CCS) enterprise, Gassnova. I feel

36 www.powermag.com |
POWER September 2017

Im at the point in my life where I can de-
cide to do things that are not just a job, it
really means something more, so I would
like to do my best to make sure that we suc-
ceed in CCS, she told POWER in an April
2017 interview.
According to the USAID report, there is
less of a gender divide in Vietnam in engi-
neering training, and women fill up to 40%
of the workforce in science, technology,
engineering, and math (STEM) positions.
At the other end of the spectrum, the report
notes Social stigmas prevent female engi-
neering graduates in Sri Lanka from being
placed in engineering jobs. At a recent re-
newable energy conference in India, of the
200 participants only four were women, who
cited caste status as a prerequisite for either
women or men participating.
In the Boardroom
The picture isnt any better in the boardroom,
where only 16% of all board members in the
worlds top 200 power and utility companies
are women, according to an annual report
produced by multinational professional ser-
vices firm EY. This is unfortunate in light of
studies finding that having more women in
leadership increases profitability.
When we examined the profitable firms
in our sample (average net margin of 6.4
percent), we found that going from hav-
ing no women in corporate leadership (the
CEO, the board, and other C-suite positions)
Only 16% of all board members in the
worlds top 200 power and utility compa-
nies are women, according to an annual re-
port produced by multinational professional
services firm EY. This is unfortunate in light
of studies finding that having more women
in leadership increases profitability.
to a 30 percent female share is associated
with a one-percentage-point increase in net
marginwhich translates to a 15 percent
increase in profitability for a typical firm,
according to a Peterson Institute for Interna-
tional Economics working paper published in
February 2016.
To address the underrepresentation of
women on boards, some countries have
|
September 2017 POWER
2. Take on new challenges. Trude Sundset, CEO of Norways state-run carbon capture
and storage enterprise, said yes to any challenge thrown her way throughout her career, she
told POWER. Courtesy: Gassnova
instituted quotas for publicly traded com-
panies. Norway, for example, was the first
country to institute a gender quota, requir-
ing that the board of any publicly traded
company is composed of 40% women.
Germany, France, Belgium, Iceland, and
Italy also have mandatory quotas. The U.S.
has no such requirement.
Powerful Women
So, how do women get into these positions
of power, and even more importantly, what
can we learn from the experiences of those
who have broken through the energy sectors
glass ceiling?
Perhaps the first lesson to learn from these
women is that there is no one way to the top.
Sundset, for example, started her career as
www.powermag.com
WORKFORCE
a researcher but felt drawn to management
very early on. I think Ive always wanted to
have a broader scoop on things, so Im not
sure I was a very good researcher to be hon-
est because I can easily get bored if I have
to do the same thing over and over again,
she said. To be leading researchers, I love
doing that, to stimulate them, to make sure
that they have the right surroundings, the
right resources, I always loved doing that
I believe this is how I can contribute most.
Sundset (Figure 2) attributes her success
in part to her willingness to take on new chal-
lenges. What is typical for me is that when
they ask me to do things, a new challenge,
I always say yes, she said. If you do that,
if you say yes to some challengesand I
think I could have been better at asking to
get these opportunities myselfbut for me,
it has worked. I have been asked to do things
and then I just kind of, you just have to say
yes, and thats maybe where women tend to
be too afraid to say yes. We should say yes
more because my experience is you always
find a way, you always figure out a way to
do things.
Lynda Clemmons, vice president of sus-
tainable solutions at NRG Energy, gradu-
ated with liberal arts degrees in history and
French, and a minor in business. She went
on to work at an investment bank before be-
ing recruited by Enron, which she calls the
little energy company down the street that
later became a household name for all the
wrong reasons. From there, she took control
of her own career. I had the opportunity and
the good fortune to start two businesses dur-
ing my time there and then left to go start my
37
 WORKFORCE
3. Camaraderie is key. For women working in the energy industry, it is important to make
supportive connections with fellow women. One group working to help build these connec-
tions, the Hawthorn Club, of which all of the women included in this article are members, bills
itself as the only international network for professional women in the energy industry. Heres
a fun fact for youthere are more men named John on the boards of U.S. energy companies
than there are women, Hawthorn Club CEO Meade Harris (back row, fourth from the right) told
POWER. Courtesy: The Hawthorn Club
own company with a few partners. Backed
by an insurance company out of Bermuda,
we built a trading and insurance division
focused on managing financial weather and
energy risks for corporations. We were suc-
cessful and had a lot of fun, but after three
years I was ready to start a family and enjoy
a change of pace from constant travel, she
told POWER.
For seven years Clemmons consulted on
everything from emission credits and weath-
er derivatives to private equity investing and
trading software before joining NRG. I
jumped in at a sales level with no manage-
rial responsibilities. While catching up on the
power sector, I also went back to school and
finally earned that masters degree in finance
I had wanted for 20 years. Today, I lead three
teams at NRGa renewables sales team, a
sustainability team and a put-steel-in-the-
ground project management team.
Dame Fiona Woolfs career has gone
in many, many different directions. She
is currently an energy lawyer with CMS
Cameron McKenna and has previously
served as Lord Mayor of London (one of
only two women to do so). Woolfs back-
ground in banking and project finance for
infrastructure, most notably on the Channel
Tunnel, resulted in her being asked to help
an electricity company in Northern Ireland
persuade the government not to allow a pri-
vate, lignite-fired power station. That com-
pany taught Woolf how they operated their
power system in the Belfast control room,
and she became the only lawyer who had
38
been trained in system operations. As a
result, I got the job of advising the Nation-
al Grid when the industry in England and
Wales was restructured and the competitive
wholesale market was implemented.
Woolf led a team of 38 lawyers, advising
on, drafting and negotiating over 700 agree-
ments and codes for the restructuring and pri-
vatisation of The National Grid Company plc
including the legislation, ancillary services
agreements, the Grid Code, transmission ac-
cess and pricing and the regulatory regime,
according to her website.
When they ask me to do things, a new
challenge, I always say yes. ... We should
say yes more because my experience is you
always find a way, you always figure out a
way to do things.
Challenges for Women in the
Industry
Once in the industry, many women report is-
sues, some big, some small, that they believe
men in the field dont have to consider. For
example, Jennifer Didlo, president of AES
www.powermag.com
Southland, reported various annoyances and
challenges for women that men in the field
may not even notice. Oh, where to start;
there are seemingly little things like no wom-
ens bathrooms out in the plant to obviously
larger things like limited female role models
who are actually doing a job a few steps above
you in an organization. Or other small things
like safety milestone achievement tee shirts
that apparently only come in mens shirts and
other big things like being the only woman
in the room who is six months pregnant and
feeling vulnerable, she told POWER.
Didlo went on to note that while the small
things are annoying, its those bigger issues
that are holding women back. All in all, I
firmly believe it is up to each of us to tolerate
the little things but take many firsts steps to
change the big things, she said.
Lack of Role Models. With so few
women in leadership positions in the energy
industry, many of the women interviewed
noted a lack of female role models as a dis-
appointing reality.
Woolf found a role model in economist
Sally Hunt. Hunt worked for 20 years at
National Economic Research Associates
(NERA). When I couldnt understand what
was being said, I used to follow her into
the ladies toilet and ask her dumb ques-
tions! She always made me feel that it was
the dumb questions that sparked her best
thoughts! Woolf said.
For Woolf, it was up to her to stand up as
a role model for the women working below
her. The job was so inter-disciplinary and
different to anything that any of us had done,
that we all needed and helped each other. It
was a huge collaborative effort, but I did have
to encourage some of the girls in my team
Trude Sundset, CEO of Gassnova
and make sure that they felt supported.
However, being one of the only women at
her level was stressful. I wished that I had
other women at my level to talk to. It was
challenging to build a business and inspire a
young teamI did have a lot of women
|
POWER September 2017
 4th Annual

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30584
 WORKFORCE
and I was so busy that I struggled to find the
time to help them develop because we were
all client-focused, she said.
Didlo notes that her first role model in the
industry was not a woman, but her father.
Growing up I watched my father, an engi-
neer for GE, go to work energized and ex-
cited about work nearly every day, she said.
However, what really drew her to the in-
dustry was an event that brought like-minded
women together. When I was in high school
I attended a women in engineering day at
[the University of Southern California] and
was fascinated by the interesting work these
women did and also felt an amazing sense of
community being among these accomplished
women. This sense of community is rare in
the working world; for me, I have experi-
enced it either while working on a very high-
ly functioning team and in organizations and
groups that are focused on bringing women
together, she said. Didlo went on to note
that industry groups for women, such as The
Hawthorn Club (Figure 3), have been instru-
mental in keeping that feeling of camaraderie
throughout her career.
Finding a female role model is easier for
some. Of course its a challenge, you dont the world.
have that many, but Norway had, very early
on, a female prime minister, Sundset said,
speaking of Gro Harlem Brundtland. She
always talked about you can do anything,
and then you had all this focus politically on
health care, on maternity leave, on kindergar-
ten, and all this, so I think thats one of [my
role models].
Child Care and Maternity Leave. An
ongoing challenge for women in every in-
dustry in the U.S. is a lack of mandated paid
maternity leave. According to a 2015 article
in The New York Times, Paid leave raises the
probability that mothers return to employ-
ment later, and then work more hours and
earn higher wages. Paid leave does not neces-
sarily help businessesbut it does not seem
to hurt them, either.
Sundset finds that living in a country
that supports working mothers significantly
improves the productivity of workers. In
Norway, new parents may take 46 weeks of
maternity leave at full pay or 56 weeks at
80% pay. Fathers are allowed to take up to 10
weeks of paternity leave, but if they choose
not to take it, it is subtracted from the total
parental leave for the family. This way, fa-
thers are encouraged to be as active in child
rearing as mothers.
That makes a big difference in how car-
ing for children is viewed in the workplace,
Sundset says. You can be in a meeting and
say, Well, I actually have to leave because I
have to pick up my kids at 4 oclock, thats December 2016 fact sheet released by Cata-
accepted. ... It is accepted that you take care
40
of your kids.
She also noted that this flexibility in work-
life balance does not lead to decreased pro-
ductivity. When you give people flexibility
they also give something back. I can always
trust my employees, if they say theyre going
to deliver, they do so, she said, going on to
state that it doesnt matter if her employees
complete their work at home after their chil-
dren have gone to bed, or during the work
day, as long as it gets done. If you want
to have a life outside, if you want to talk to
In Norway, new parents may take 46 weeks
of maternity leave at full pay or 56 weeks
at 80% pay. Fathers are allowed to take up
to 10 weeks of paternity leave. ... According
to a recent study by Expert Market, Norway
is the second-most-productive economy in
your kids and see them play handball or foot-
ball, you have to get your job done quickly
enough so that you can do that and thats very
appreciated in Norway.
This kind of flexibility is nothing to scoff
at. According to a recent study by Expert
Market, Norway is the second-most-produc-
tive economy in the world.
Corporate views on child care issues
in the U.S. are rather shortsighted, Clem-
mons said, noting that she is thankful that
she was working as her own boss when she
had her children. Challenges around taking
care of familywhether children or aging
parentsstill fall mostly on women. And
corporations often view onsite childcare
or even lactation rooms as a big expensive
perk, which to me is as ridiculous as it is
shortsighted. And lets be clear, its not
limited to the energy industry, she said. I
didnt have to worry if my job would still be
there for me after a short term of corporate
maternity leave, and I didnt have to worry
about burning out only a short while after
returning and trying to juggle everything.
Where Do We Go From Here?
So, what is there to be done? According to a
ive role model.
lyst, women still lag behind men in pursu-
www.powermag.com
ing STEM degrees, and in turn, working in
STEM career fields. In the United States,
only 11% of working engineers are women.
Among women who earned engineering de-
grees, over a third (38%) quit engineering or
never even entered the profession, according
to the fact sheet.
Even when women do enter technical in-
dustries, theyre much more likely than men
to leave those industries quickly. Women
who start out in business roles in tech-in-
tensive industries leave for other industries
at high rates53% of women, compared to
31% of men, according to the fact sheet.
This migration of women out of the en-
ergy industry is particularly interesting to
Clemmons. For entry-level positions, the
ratios are roughly equal men to women, but
once you get into the next level or two of
management, women become scarce. Then,
at higher levels, women often return in lead-
ership roles, hired from outside of the indus-
try. I think theres a great opportunity for the
power sector to take a look at why women
in their mid-20s to mid-30s arent sticking
around to grow, she said.
Citing a report by the Center for Talent
Innovation, the fact sheet claims Isolation,
hostile male-dominated work environments,
ineffective executive feedback, and a lack
of effective sponsors are factors pushing
women to leave [Science, Engineering, and
Technology] jobs.
The key to succeeding in the energy
industry, according to these POWER-ful
women, is relatively simple, though perhaps
easier said than done: find something that
you love to do and stick with it, dont let
anyone tell you that you dont belong, and
dont underestimate the value of a support-
Abby Harvey is a POWER reporter.
|
POWER September 2017
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 ENERGY MARKETS
Could Success Spoil ISO-NE?
Independent System Operator-New England celebrated its 20th anniversary
last July with a solid record in its energy and capacity markets, turning
around a fragmented regional electric system. Can it repeat that perfor-
mance in the face of new challenges: retiring coal, oil, and nuclear plants;
gas deliverability problems; the rise of renewables; and the need for de-
carbonization?
Kennedy Maize

O
n July 1, the Independent System Op- New Englands electric market in the
2. Covering a six-state region. The
erator-New England (ISO-NE), head- 1990s, dominated by vertically integrated ISO-NE serves six states, from Maine at its
quartered in Holyoke, Massachusetts monopoly electric utilities, was a mess. northern end, to Connecticut and Rhode Is-
(Figure 1), marked 20 years as a wholesale, Consumer rates were high. Generation was land in the south. Source: FERC
competitive market covering Connecticut, dominated by oil, coal, and nuclear. Little
Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New electric system investment was occurring in
Hampshire, and most of Maine (Figure 2). the region. Reliability was problematic. Then
When the ISO began operations, competitive FERC unleashed its experiment in wholesale
wholesale markets were a bold experiment electric market competition.
for the 1990s, fostered by the Federal Energy The experiment was extremely success-
Regulatory Commission (FERC). The foun- ful, ISO-NE CEO Gordon van Welie told
dation was FERCs belief, based in classical POWER in an interview shortly after the
economics, that market competition would anniversary. The aim of restructuring was
produce superior results compared to the con- more efficient production and greater reli-
ventional model of the state-regulated, verti- ability. We can check both those boxes. We
cally integrated monopoly electric companies. also needed to attract investment in the re-
FERCs theory was that separating elec- gion. That box also got checked.
tric generation, which had seen competition ISO-NE claims the following benefits
arise as a result of the 1978 Public Utility have been realized:
Regulatory Policies Act and the appearance
of nonutility generation companies, from Wholesale energy prices (which translate Some 14,000 MW of newmostly gas
transmission and distribution would lower into consumer prices) have dropped 44% combined cyclegeneration has replaced
consumer prices, introduce new investment, since 2004, which was the first year of the older coal- and oil-fired generating capac-
and spur innovation. It was called restruc- ISOs energy market. 2016 saw the lowest ity, a private investment of about $14 bil-
turing. There were plenty of skeptics. wholesale electric prices since 2003. lion. Another $8 billion of private-sector
investment has gone into new high-volt-
1. At the controls. The control room of Independent System Operator-New Englands age transmission, with another $4 billion
(ISO-NEs) headquarters in Holyoke, Massachusetts, is the nerve center for the groups op- coming along.
erations. Those manning the controls are responsible for ensuring the reliability of a grid that The new generation has slashed regional
receives power from a mix of natural gas, nuclear, coal, oil, hydro, and renewables such as wind air pollution. Nitrogen oxide emissions
and solar. ISO-NE was designated a Regional Transmission Organization in 2005, and given
decreased by 68%, SO2 emissions plunged
broader authority over development of the regions transmission system. Courtesy: ISO-NE
95%, and CO2 emissions dropped 24% be-
tween 2001 and 2015.
New technology and efficiency has ar-
rived, including wind, solar photovoltaic,
demand response, and energy efficiency.

The changed generating profile of the

region illustrates the generation transition
that has occurred in a system that now totals
30,500 MW in capacity. According to the
ISO, in 1990, the region saw nuclear power
as the dominant generating source, at 36%,
followed by oil at 34%, coal at 16%, hydro
at 7%, natural gas at 6%, and pumped stor-
age at 1.7%. That general profile remained
the case for more than a decade, but thats
changed. Today its a much more reliable

42 www.powermag.com |
POWER September 2017
 ENERGY MARKETS

Brayton Point, From Coal to Oil, Back to Coal, to Done

New England Electric Co. (NEECO) in 1957 began construction
in Somerset, Massachusetts, of what would become the largest
fossil-fueled generating plant in New England, at a 300-acre site
called Brayton Point on the Taunton River (Figure 3). It was de-
signed as a coal-fired plant, with a generating capacity from four
units of more than 1,500 MW.
On May 31, 2017, Brayton Points four units shut down for good,
having made a transition from coal to heavy fuel oil and back
to coal over the years. During those years, it also saw a series
of owners, starting with the conventional, investor-owned New
England Electric, and ending up a property of Houston-based mer-
chant generator Dynegy.
The first Brayton Point unit went into service in 1963 and the
others followed quickly. Coal was cheap, but during the 1960s,
coal prices were rising and oil prices were a bargain, particularly
the heavy residual oil at the bottom of the crude oil refining pro-
cess. In 1969, New England Electric converted the baseload plant
to oil, which had become the dominant fossil fuel for electric
generation in the region.
Then the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo hit, as Arab oil producers cut
off exports to the U.S. in a political move against U.S. support
for Israel. Oil prices soared astronomically. Throughout the de-
cade, the utility saw its costs and customer rates riseand profits
fallfrom Brayton Point.
In 1981, newly hired executive Glenn Schleede, who had been
the No. 3 in the Reagan administrations Office of Management
and Budget, honchoed the conversion of Brayton Point back to
coal. With customary showmanship, Schleede brought the first
shipment of coal to the plant from an Exxon-developed mine in
Colombia. The South American nation was developing a small coal
industry and Schleede bought the coal from the new El Cerrejn
mine. Schleede told me at the time that he was sending a signal
to U.S. coal producers that they did not have a monopoly on
supplying coal to U.S. utilities. El Cerrejn has since become the
largest coal strip mine in the world, according to Sourcewatch.
org. Colombia is now the fifth-largest coal producer in the world,
according to Reuters.
In 1984, New England Electric brought coal from British Co-
lumbia. I reported at the time that the surface-mined coal was
transported 780 miles by rail to Vancouver, shipped down the
Pacific Coast, through the Panama Canal and across the Caribbean
to Massachusetts, at a price competitive with Appalachian coal.
I wrote, This move was instigated by Glenn Schleede, president
of NEECOs fuel subsidiary, New England Energy, and the leading
3. A long and storied history. Brayton Point began service
in 1963, running for more than 50 years before closing May 31, 2017.
The power plant on the Taunton River in Massachusetts had a series
of owners and also several different generating fuels. It was origi-
nally designed as a coal-fired plant, but was converted to oil soon
after it opened, before later being converted back to coal. Courtesy:
Dominion
militant in the coal industrys battle with the U.S. railroads over
transportation rates. His move toward foreign coal is intended to
serve notice on the rails that coal customers have some weapons
to fight rail rate increases.
During the 1990s and into the new century, Brayton Point
faced a series of environmental challenges, including adding NOx
controls in 2006 and closed-cycle cooling in 2011 to replace
once-through cooling. As the years progressed and environmen-
tal costs and political protests dogged the plant, it continued to
be a profitable enterprise.
Over that period, when electric restructuring led to the sepa-
ration of generation and transmission from formerly vertically
integrated companies, Brayton Point went through multiple
ownerships: PG&E Corp. (transformed into USGen New England),
to Dominion Resources, to Energy Capital Partners, to Dynegy
in 2014.
During that game of business musical chairs, fracking hap-
pened, stunning the fuel market with enormous and cheap
supplies of new natural gas. Gas prices fell so low that even a
paid-off coal plant couldnt compete in the ISO-NEs wholesale
market. The Dynegy purchase of Brayton Point included a provi-
sion to retire the plant in May 2017. The plant took its final
shipment of coal in February.
A Dynegy spokesman in Houston told the Fall River, Massachu-
setts, Herald News, Were removing all of the combustible energy
sources. Operations will discontinue.
Kennedy Maize

system, cleaner and greener, said van Welie.
Changing Generation Mix
During the mid-2000s, the generating mix
changed rapidly, driven largely by the rise
in natural gas produced by horizontal drill-
ing and hydraulic fracturing. By 2015,
natural gas held the dominant market share
at 49%, followed by nuclear, renewables,
coal, andbadly trailing a market it once
dominatedoil.
At the moment, New England faces an
oversupply of electric generation, as van
Welie acknowledged, which he said was
temporary overcapacity. New market entry,
mostly gas, he said, cleared a bit more than
we needed. Demand reduced slightly, and
we are expecting to see more [retirements of
older coal and oil capacity].
The market profile will continue to change
in the years ahead, according to van Welie.
Coal and oil capacity will slide (see side-
bar). For nuclear, Entergys 640-MW Ver-
mont Yankee plant shut down in 2014 and
the companys 690-MW Pilgrim nuclear
plant on Cape Cod will be out of the mix in
2019. That leaves only Dominions two-unit,
2,000-MW Millstone station in Connecticut,
the largest generating plant in New England,
and NextEra Energys single unit, the 1,200-

|
September 2017 POWER www.powermag.com 43
 ENERGY MARKETS
MW Seabrook in New Hampshire, success-
fully bidding into the ISO-NE market.
Dominion failed to get Connecticut lawmak-
ers to adopt a Millstone subsidy similar to what
Illinois and New York adopted to keep marginal
nuclear units able to bid into the competitive ca-
pacity markets. These zero emissions credits
(ZECs) give a value to avoided carbon dioxide
emissions from nuclear power in order to boost
the ability of the nuclear plants to bid into the
competitive markets.
Several independent analyses, including a
study by the Massachusetts Institute of Tech-
nology, said Millstone is profitable. Domin-
ion has said it fears the plant will become a
money-loser. NextEra has made no similar
statements about Seabrook. In the future,
said van Welie, we expect economic pres-
sure on both nuclear stations.
Subsidies Distorting the Market
While ISO-NE has not faced the issue of sub-
sidized nuclear units bidding into the market,
as in PJM and the New York ISO (NYISO),
New England states are subsidizing wind and
solar generation, distorting the competitive
market. ISO-NEs proposed solution, drafted
earlier this year and unveiled prior to a FERC
technical conference in May, is a two-part
auction process.
The first stage would be a capacity auction
run just as it is today, including a minimum
offer price rule (MOPR). The minimum
price rule would likely mean that the subsi-
dized generation wouldnt clear the market
and get capacity payments. A second, sub-
stitution auction would then follow, run
without the MOPR. Winners in the first auc-
tion that are open to retirement could pair up
with subsidized resources not selected in the
first auction.
Analysts Robbie Orvis and Eric Gilmon of
the Energy Innovation firm, writing in Util-
ity Dive, offer a hypothetical example of how
the ISOs two-step process would work. If
a coal plant cleared the first auction at $10/
kW-month and acquired a forward capac-
ity obligation. Then the same plant cleared
the second auction at $2/kW-month, it could
decide to retire and make a profit of $8/
kW-month from transferring its capacity ob-
ligation to a new unit and permanently ex-
iting the market. A retiring 500-MW plant
could see nearly $50 million as a result. The
analysts noted, The goal is to pair units that
are willing to retire with other resources that
are not selected in the first auction, in a pay-
for-retirement scheme. ISOs van Welie
calls this a severance payment. Others have
called it cash for clunkers.
The two-round capacity auction is on the
drawing board, said van Welie. We will talk
to our stakeholders, he said, noting that the
44
timeline for the plan is to circulate it and get
various views, and vote on it in December.
The plan would then require FERC approval.
Orvis and Gimon are not high on the two-
stage auction schemes (PJM has proposed a
somewhat different two-stage plan). In ISO-
NE, they wrote, if resources dont clear in
the second stage of the market but are built
anyway due to state policy, too much capaci-
ty will be built. That would add to ISO-NEs
problem of excess generating capacity, not
alleviate it.
In addition to the two-step auction, the
ISO is also looking for a way to build carbon
prices into its processes. Van Welie would
like to do that, and there is a mechanism in
place that could do the job: the multistate
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
We would love to use RGGI, he said. But
the states, which govern RGGI, wont go
along with folding RGGIs carbon price pro-
cess into ISO-NEs markets.
Analysts Orvis and Gimon like carbon ad-
ders (which NYISO and PJM are considering)
better than the two-stage auction plan. Since
the marginal unit typically has higher-than-
average emission intensity, a [carbon adder]
increases the incentive for energy efficiency,
providing the largest efficiency incentive in
hours when carbon emissions are highest.
But there is a carbon adder downside. The
key vulnerability of a [carbon adder] is the
need for agreement on setting and changing
the [carbon] price. Thats the problem that
ISO-NE would like to solve through RGGI,
but cannot.
Gas Deliverability a Challenge
Another generating challenge for ISO-NE is
natural gas deliverability. While gas has en-
abled a major transition away from coal and
oil, it has brought on its own problems. New
Englands gas infrastructure is built around
serving heating load. Most of the year, theres
enough gas to supply electric generation.
But when winter hits hard, residential users
have preference for pipeline gas, and electric
generators are last in line. The result is cur-
Add all those [renewables] up, and you see
very low marginal cost and very low prices.
tailment of gas-fired power and a complex
search for alternatives to keep the lights on.
That happened in January 2014, with the
polar vortex plunging most of the east-
ern U.S. into record low temperatures. New
England was hit hardest. Natural gas prices
www.powermag.com
4. Confronting new challenges.
Gordon van Welie, CEO of ISO-NE, acknowl-
edged the group faces many issues in an ev-
er-evolving power generation landscape, but
said he is confident we will continue to make
wholesale markets work. Courtesy: ISO-NE
soaredand so did prices bid into ISO-NEs
energy market, resulting in spiking electric-
ity prices and considerable public consterna-
tion and opposition. There was little ISO-NE
could do about it.
The obvious solution for the long term is
to build more gas pipelines from gas fields
to New England, and add more gas storage.
But attempts to bolster gas deliverability to
the region have failed.
Most recently, at the end of June, En-
bridge shelved a $3.2 billion pipeline proj-
ect to bring enough gas to power 5,000 MW
of generation. Enbridge cited an inability to
line up financing in the face of hostility from
Massachusetts toward the idea that electric
customers would pay for the pipeline. A Mas-
sachusetts state court in 2016 ruled against
putting the cost of the project into electric
distribution rates. Last year, Kinder Morgan
also dropped a planned $5 billion pipeline,
which would have brought Marcellus Shale
gas to New England.
According to van Welie (Figure 4), the
Gordon van Welie, ISO-NE CEO
ISO has largely given up on the idea of bring-
ing more gas to the region, in the face of the
inability of pipeline developers to win sup-
port for their projects. The problem now, he
said, is how to get efficient electricity pro-
duction during winter, assuming we see no
|
POWER September 2017

further investment in gas infrastructure. He
added, Fuel has to come from somewhere
when the existing pipelines are constrained.
The need to keep the lights on during the
winter clashes with the ISOs desire to re-
tire the regions old and inefficient oil-fired
steam plants, which burn heavy residual fuel
oil. They generally dont run, but when win-
ter slams the region, ISO-NE has to replace
gas with oil-fired capacity. The regions oil-
fueled units represent 23% of the total re-
gional generating capacity. But in 2016 (with
a warm winter), oil made up only 0.5% of the
years generation.
We are studying that problem right now,
van Welie told POWER. The study is looking
at retirements, additions of renewables, and
imports, mostly from Canada and New York.
There is surplus capacity in upstate New
York, including a lot of wind. New York has
north-to-south transmission constraints but
not east-to-west.
Renewables on the Rise
Renewables are booming in New England,
which means that the issue of subsidized
power and capacity may grow. Massachu-
setts is in the process of procuring 1,200
MW of onshore wind. At the end of June, the
|
September 2017 POWER
state issued a new request for proposals for
400 MW of offshore wind generation, which
could grow to about 800 MW, according to
an analysis by Washingtons Pierce Atwood
law firm. Rhode Island has announced a plan
for 1,000 MW of renewables in 2020. Solar
investment is going on all over New England,
most of it rooftop solar. Add all those up,
said van Welie, and you see very low mar-
ginal cost and very low prices.
The Northeast electricity blackout of 1965,
which turned out the lights on 30 million
Americans in a region that spanned from east-
ern Canada to Pennsylvania, was the impetus
for the 1990s federal restructuring of much
of the U.S. electric market. In New England,
hardest hit by the blackout, the initial response
was the 1966 formation of the Northeast Power
Coordination Council. In 1971, the regions
utilities formed the New England Power Pool
(NEPOOL), which operated as a power coordi-
nator for the six-state region.
When FERC began serious restructur-
ing of wholesale markets 25 years later,
NEPOOL became the foundation of the new
independent system operator. (NEPOOL re-
mains, largely as a trade association for the
regional utilities.)
Over its 20-year history, ISO-NE has
www.powermag.com
ENERGY MARKETS
shown a record of success in the face of nu-
merous challenges. Now it faces new chal-
lenges: retirement of coal, oil, and nuclear
baseload generation; the rise of renewables
and how to fit them into the region-wide gen-
erating system while continuing to provide
reliable service; and the potentially game-
changing role of energy storage, if it actually
becomes economically competitive. In the
background is a growing resistance to whole-
sale markets, led by utilities with substan-
tial nuclear and coal-fired generation who
are seeking state subsidies to essentially put
their thumbs on the scale of the competitive
wholesale markets.
I am confident we will continue to make
wholesale markets work, said van Welie, who
has been working for ISO-NE since 2000 (and
was inducted into the National Academy of
Engineering this year). Thats not going to be
without big challenges. But New England has
a good history of working through issues. He
said he hopes the region can begin a long-run
direction to how to decarbonize, adding that
this is not just about carbon reduction, but
economic development.
Kennedy Maize is a long-time
energy journalist and frequent
contributor to POWER.
45
 OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
Upgraded Boiler Feedwater
Pump Improves Efficiency
and Adds Flexibility
Times have changed. Not long ago, baseload units came online and went
straight to full load for days on end. Now, those same units are being
asked to cycle operations to accommodate for variable renewable ener-
gy resources. That can take a toll on equipment such as boiler feedwater
pumps. One plant found that upgrading its pumps was the most-effective
way to adapt to new operational realities.
Leif Bothun and Robert Aronen

1. Fort St. Vrain Generating Station. The Fort St. Vrain nuclear power plant ceased

A
s wind and solar power supplies have
increased, conventional power plants operating in 1989 and was decommissioned from 1992 to 1996. The station was repowered as
have been asked to vary output to a natural gas-fired facility in stages between 1995 and 2009. Courtesy: Leif Bothun/Xcel Energy
accommodate for intermittent renewable
generation. For many units, that has also
resulted in more cycling operation of boiler
feedwater pumps.
At the Fort St. Vrain Generating Station in
Colorado, greater pump cycling raised a few
concerns. The plants original boiler feed-
water pumps were not designed for frequent
starts and stops, which created a higher risk
of internal metal parts galling and increased
the potential for pump seizure.
The Fort St. Vrain facility has a unique
history. It was originally commissioned as
a nuclear power station with an innovative
high-temperature gas-cooled design. Unfor-
tunately, the cutting-edge design created ex-
cessive operating costs and the nuclear plant
shut down in 1989.
But that wasnt the end. The plant was re-
commissioned in 1996 as a combined cycle
gas-fired power station (Figure 1). The plant
uses the original General Electric D8 nucle-
ar steam turbine and three General Electric
7F-Class gas turbines feeding three Vogt
heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs). water pumps (Figure 2) running at a typi- are relatively long and thin. When the pump
The plant has dual exhaust stacks for simple cal operating temperature of approximately is not running, there can be a significant
cycle or combined cycle operation, which 260F and pressure of 2,700 psig. The pump shaft deflection (rotor sag) at the center of
allows extraordinary flexibility in output internal seals (wear rings, center bushing, and the pump. The rotor sag creates potential for
from approximately 70 MW to more than throttle bushing) were originally constructed contact and galling at the internal seals, es-
1,000 MW. This flexibility allows the plant using stainless steel rotating and stationary pecially during a pump start. Once the pump
to follow load swings that result as solar and parts. These components separate the high- is running, differential pressure across the
wind power output rise and fall through the pressure from low-pressure areas within the internal seals creates a hydraulic force called
average day. pump and directly impact pump efficiency the Lomakin Effect, which stabilizes the ro-
and rotor stability. tor and minimizes the contact between the
Motivation for the Retrofit The original design also created a risk for internal seals.
Each of the three HRSGs uses two 100% galling or seizure at the internal seals. Be- The plants versatility is highly valuable
redundant, 10-stage, axially split boiler feed- cause these are 10-stage pumps, the shafts to meet system demand; however, it creates

46 www.powermag.com |
POWER September 2017

2. Fort St. Vrain boiler feedwater pump. Each of the plants three heat recovery
steam generators has two 10-stage, axially split boiler feedwater pumps. Courtesy: Leif Bothun/
Xcel Energy
some challenges. For example, the pumps in
the boiler feedwater system are often forced
to cycle multiple times per day. Because of
the rotor sag, metal-to-metal contact can oc-
cur at each start or stop of the pump, creat-
ing the risk of a pump seizure. Adding to the
challenge, the original equipment manufac-
turer (OEM) informed plant personnel that
the pump was not originally designed for
cycling operation. Rather, it was designed
for steady-state operationbeing online for
weeks or months at a time.
Therefore, during a recent rebuild of the
31A pump, plant engineering and manage-
ment requested that the repair shop evaluate
and provide upgrade options that would al-
low the pump to better handle the constant
cycling and avoid galling. Furthermore, if the
pumps were going to be modified, the repair
3. A marriage by design. To account
for the difference in the coefficient of ther-
mal expansion between Vespel CR-6100 and
pump base metal components, the compos-
ite material is press fit into metal holders.
Courtesy: Boulden Co.
|
September 2017 POWER
shop was also requested to consider potential
performance upgrades.
One option was to continue using metal
parts and standard clearances, but increase
the difference in hardness between the ro-
tating and stationary parts to reduce the
risk of galling. Another option was to up-
grade the stationary wear components to a
composite material called DuPont Vespel
CR-6100 and continue running stainless
steel rotating parts. That option would
eliminate the metal-to-metal contact points
in the pump and effectively eliminate the
galling and seizure potential.
With the risk of seizure minimized, the
clearance between wear parts could also be
reduced, providing an additional benefit of
higher efficiency and lower operating costs.
Due to the frequent cycling of the boiler feed
pumps and the potential for performance
gains, the plant selected the composite mate-
rial for the stationary wear parts.
Accounting for Thermal Expansion
Differences
In order for the application to be successful,
important design details needed to be ad-
dressed. The first issue was accounting for
the difference in thermal expansion between
the metal components and the composite ma-
terial. The coefficient of thermal expansion
of Vespel CR-6100 is approximately 60%
less than the coefficient of thermal expansion
of the base metal components in the pump
(see sidebar).
The way to design for the difference is to
install Vespel CR-6100 inserts with a press
fit into metal holders (Figure 3). The press fit
allows the composite insert to follow the
metal part as it thermally expands, and it also
www.powermag.com
OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
The Importance of the
Coefficient of Thermal
Expansion
A very low coefficient of thermal ex-
pansion is required for a reliable
upgrade to composites in boiler feed-
water service because of the operating
temperature and potential contact be-
tween rotating and stationary parts in
the pump. The low coefficient of ther-
mal expansion allows for dimensional
stability as the pump heats up to oper-
ating temperature.
More importantly, when contact oc-
curs between rotating and stationary
parts, frictional heat is generated. A
typical plastic with a high coefficient
of thermal expansion will grow, reduc-
ing the clearance between the parts,
increasing the contact, and generat-
ing more heat in a rapid cycle toward
component failure. A truly engineered
composite with a very low coefficient
of thermal expansion can withstand this
frictionally generated heat, allowing the
pump to survive through transient con-
ditions without galling or seizure.
prevents rotation of the insert. No additional
anti-rotation pins or screws are needed.
The inserts follow the metal part because
the press fit creates a residual compression
stress in the insert. The inside diameter of the
insert will decrease at very close to a 1:1 ra-
tio with the press fit. For the Fort St. Vrain
pumps, the press fit on the case rings was
0.026 inch; therefore, the inside diameter of
the insert decreased by 0.026 inch during the
press fit.
As the pump is brought up to the 260F
operating temperature and the metal holder
thermally expands, the Vespel CR-6100 ef-
fectively mirrors the thermal expansion
properties of the metal holder because the
compression stress created by the press fit is
reduced. The end result is that the composite
insert expands at the same rate as the metal
part and maintains the installed clearance at
normal operating temperatures.
Addressing Differential Pressure
Requirements
A second design requirement is for the com-
posite insert to be able to withstand the dif-
ferential pressure across the component. To
account for that necessity, the metal hold-
ers were machined with a shoulder on the
47
 OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE

4. Lean on me, when youre not Table 1. Original design clearance versus upgraded design. By reducing
strong. A shoulder machined on the low- the clearance, significant efficiency gains were achieved (mm = millimeter). Source: Boulden
pressure side (right side of this cross-sec- Co.
tional view) of the metal holder supports
the composite insert (shown in blue on the Component Original Clearance Upgraded Clearance Reduction
drawing), holding it in place against differential Wear rings 0.020 inch (0.50 mm) 0.012 inch (0.30 mm) 40%
pressure (P). Source: Boulden Co.
Center bushing 0.011 inch (0.27 mm) 0.009 inch (0.22 mm) 18%
Throttle bushing 0.011 inch (0.27 mm) 0.009 inch (0.22 mm) 18%

Table 2. Comparing performance. Fort St. Vrain rebuilt pump 41B to original equip-
ment manufacturer specifications and upgraded pump 31A with composite seals, which offered
tighter clearances. Testing at maximum flow confirmed that the upgraded pump was nearly
10% more efficient while providing the same flow and higher head. Source: Boulden Co.

Pump 41B Pump 31A

5. PERF-Seal design applied to
the center-stage bushing. In some
instances, high differential pressure can force
fluid into the press-fit interface between the
composite insert and the metal housing. The
PERF-Seal design uses a pattern of holes
drilled through the composite insert to elimi-
nate the problem. Courtesy: Boulden Co.
low-pressure side of the Vespel CR-6100 in-
sert to prevent the composite material from
being extruded by the differential pressure
(Figure 4).
In the case of the center and throttle bush-
ings in the Fort St. Vrain pump, the maximum
differential pressure across each component
is 1,000 psi. Experience with composite ma-
terials over the years has revealed the pos-
sibility that high-pressure fluid can penetrate
the press fit interface between the composite
and the metal housing. Even though this is a
rare occurrence, if it happens, it can create ra-
dial deformation of the composite insert and
lead to premature failure.
To add a safety factor against this potential
failure mode, the principals from the mate-
rial supplier, Boulden Co., invented a patent-
pending solution called the PERF-Seal,
which uses a pattern of holes drilled through
Parameter Units
Capacity gallons/minute
Head ft
Brake horse-
HP
power
Efficiency % 59.30
the composite insert (Figure 5).
The holes balance the pressure between
the outside diameter and inside diameter of
the insert. This essentially eliminates radial
deformation of the composite insert, allow-
ing the reliable use of composites at much
higher differential pressures.
The design has been validated using finite
element analysis and in subsequent field tri-
als up to 2,320 psi differential pressure. Fur-
ther laboratory testing has also shown the
design to reduce leakage across the seals by
an additional 25% compared to a plain seal
and to increase the rotor-dynamic damping
coefficient of the seals by a factor of three to
four times when compared to a plain seal at
typical running speeds.
How Reduced Clearances Affect
Pump Efficiency
The internal seals in the pump separate the
high-pressure from the low-pressure regions.
Due to the differential pressure, there is sig-
nificant leakage across these parts, which de-
creases pump efficiency.
By upgrading to composite materials
and eliminating the metal-to-metal contact
inside the Fort St. Vrain pumps, it was pos-
sible to reduce the clearance at all of the in-
ternal sealsthe wear rings, center bushing,
and throttle bushing. Original and upgraded
clearances are shown in Table 1.
As noted earlier, testing of the PERF-Seal
design has shown an additional 25% reduc-
tion in leakage across the components com-
pared to plain, smoothbore components. The
combination of reduced clearance and the
PERF-Seal design in the upgraded pump led
to a significant efficiency gain.
(original design) (upgraded design)
1,210 1,210
6,099 6,290
2,923 2,608
68.50
Before the results of the upgrade were
clear, the site rebuilt another boiler feed
pump, opting to return it to OEM specifi-
cations. Having two newly rebuilt pumps
offered a great opportunity to compare per-
formance between the original model and
the upgraded design. The results are shown
in Table 2.
Benefits Continue
Since the upgrade, plant operators have been
happy with the pump. There have been no is-
sues starting and stopping the pump repeat-
edly when the plant is asked to cycle. After
two years of operation, there has been no
noted increase in power consumption or de-
crease in performance of the upgraded pump.
Furthermore, Fort St. Vrain has experi-
enced at least one added benefit. Previously,
boiler feedwater pump motors would bump
into and sometimes surpass their full-load
rated amperage during hot summer days.
Occasionally, the motors would overheat
and trip. However, with the upgraded pump
drawing less current, it has added a signifi-
cant safety factor between full load and a
tripped pump when it is needed most.
The savings in house power shouldnt be
discounted either. For a 3 x 1 combined cycle
facility, if the operating pump in each of the
three units is upgraded, the savings in elec-
tric house power alone is nearly 1 MW. For
a utility to add this power to the grid instead
of consuming it adds to plant profitability.
Leif Bothun is senior operations
manager at Xcel Energys Fort St. Vrain
Generation Station and Robert Aronen
is managing director with Boulden
International.

48 www.powermag.com |
POWER September 2017
 Industrial Water Use and
Treatment Guidebook
Industrial uses of water are many: in cooling
towers, condensers and boilers, as process
and wash fluids and more. Treatment of
water is often needed, to prevent corrosion
for example, and for reuse or disposal.
With water scarcity as a serious global
challenge, efforts to conserve, treat
and reuse water, as well as to reclaim
water via desalination are leading to
new technological advancements.
This collection of articles from
POWER magazine presents
Industrial
a timely and informative
Water Use
overview of global efforts
and
Treatment on industrial water-related
Guidebook topics. It includes articles on
cooling water, boilers,
water conservation,
wastewater treatment, some
of the latest technological
advancements and more.

Articles include: A Primer on Reverse Osmosis Advantages Gained in Automating

Wastewater Sludge Centrifugation
Before Drying
Biological Wastewater Treatment:
Maintaining the Needed
Microorganism Population
Cooling Towers: Managing Tighter
Water-Discharge Regulations
Water Takes the Stage at Achema
Cooling Towers: Estimate
Evaporation Loss and Makeup
Water Requirements
Superheater Problems in
Steam Generators
Pressurized Piping: Sampling
Steam and Water
Technology
Mitigate Corrosion in
Condensate-Return Systems
Beware of Flow-Accelerated
Corrosion
Water-Saving Strategies for the CPI
The Financial Benefits of Water
Treatment
Troubleshooting and Solving a
Sour-Water Stripper Problem
Understanding Boiler Circulation
Biological Wastewater Treatment:
Selecting the Process
Treating Wastewater for Industrial
Reuse
Industrial Wastewater Treatment
Plants
How To Properly Size A
Steam Trap
Modern Water-Treatment
Challenges
Challenges of Drying Sticky
Wastewater Sludge
Using Sensor Technologies to
Optimize Maintenance of Power
Plant Water Systems
Desalination Expands, but Energy
Challenges Remain
Plus much more

Learn more at store.powermag.com

30362
 FUNDAMENTALS
Useful Tips for Designing Thermal
Insulation Systems
Thermal insulation is installed on almost every piping system and much of the
plant equipment at power generation facilities. It not only saves energy,
but also protects workers, reduces noise, helps protect against freezing,
and more. However, determining the most cost-effective thermal insula-
tion solution can be difficult. Completing a few calculations can help en-
sure systems and personnel are adequately protected while optimizing
process variables.
S. Zaheer Akhtar, PE

T
hermal insulation is mainly used to
limit heat loss from hot surfaces and
heat gain on cold surfaces. In addition,
thermal insulation also serves to provide con-
densation (anti-sweat) control, protection for
personnel, freeze protection, fire protection,
noise control, and process control.
This article explains the basic calcula-
tions associated with the design of thermal
insulation for hot and cold pipes, including
surface temperature and freeze protection
calculations. Energy savings estimates and
the specific requirements for cold insulation
and jacketing are also presented.
Basic Heat Transfer Calculations
Heat flows in the direction of the temperature
gradient and the relationships governing heat
flow depend on whether the heat transfer is
occurring by conduction, convection, or radi-
ation. These mechanisms for heat transfer are
discussed below with sources of equations,
such as the American Society of Heating, Re-
frigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
(ASHRAE), appropriately noted.
Conductive Heat Transfer Through a
Flat Slab. The basic equation for conduc-
tive heat loss or gain through a flat slab is
given by the following equation, which can
be found in the 2013 ASHRAE Handbook:
Fundamentals, I-P Edition:
handbook, is similar with a slight change in
the value of X and A, as shown below:
Q = k x A2 x (T1 T2) / (r2 x ln (r2 / r1))
where Q is the heat loss or gain (Btu/hr); k
is the thermal conductivity (Btu-in./hr-ft2-F);
T1 T2 is the temperature difference (F); A2 is
the area of outer surface (ft2); r2 is the radius
of outer surface (in.); and r1 is the radius of
inner surface (in.).
The above equations for heat loss and
gain through a flat slab and a hollow cyl-
inder are based on conductive heat transfer
only. However, the heat transfer from the
surface to the environment involves convec-
tion and radiation as well. This is shown in
the equation below for heat transfer through
an insulated pipe.
Total Heat Transfer Through Insulated
Pipe. The basic heat transfer equation for
heat loss based on conduction through the
metal pipe and insulation, and convection at
the inside fluid film and the outside insulation
surface air film is given as follows, obtained
from the Mechanical Engineering Reference
Manual for the PE Exam, 12th Edition, writ-
ten by Michael R. Lindeburg, PE:
hc is the outside convective film coefficient
(Btu/hr-ft2-F); kpipe is the thermal conductivity
of pipe material (Btu/hr-ft-F); and kinsulation is
the thermal conductivity of insulating mate-
rial (Btu/hr-ft-F).
Convective Heat Transfer and Radiant
Heat Transfer from Outer Surface of In-
sulated Pipe. The convective heat transfer
coefficient and the radiant heat transfer coef-
ficient determine the heat loss or gain from
the outer surface of the insulation (or pipe, if
uninsulated) to the ambient atmosphere. The
heat loss equation from the 2013 ASHRAE
handbook is given by:
QCR = (hc + hr) x A3 x (Tsurf Tamb)
where QCR is the convective and radiant heat
transfer (Btu/hr); Tsurf is the temperature of
the surface in contact with ambient (F); Tamb
is the ambient temperature (F); hc is the con-
vective heat transfer coefficient (Btu/hr-ft2-
F); hr is the radiant heat transfer coefficient
(Btu/hr-ft2-F); and A3 is the outer surface
area (ft2).
The convective heat transfer coefficient
(hc) for the outside air film can be calculat-
ed by several methods. The most common
method is to use a correlation involving di-
mensionless numbers in the Nusselt equation
in the following form:

Q = k x A x (T1 T2) / X Nusselt No. = C x (Grashof No. x Prandtl

where Q is the heat loss or gain (Btu/hr); k
is the thermal conductivity (Btu-in./hr-ft2-
F); A is the area of heat flow (ft2); T1 T2 is
the temperature difference (F); and X is the
thickness of material (in.).
Conductive Heat Transfer Through a
Hollow Cylinder. The basic equation for
conductive heat loss or gain through a hollow
cylinder, also found in the 2013 ASHRAE
where Q is the total heat loss (Btu/hr); L is
the length of pipe (ft); Ti is the temperature of
fluid inside pipe (F); To is the temperature of
outside environment (F); r1 is the inside radi-
us of pipe (ft); r2 is the outside radius of pipe
(ft); r3 is the outside radius of insulation (ft);
hi is the inside film coefficient (Btu/hr-ft2-F);
No.)n
wherein the convective heat transfer coeffi-
cient hc is a parameter within the Nusselt No.,
and C and n are constants.
However, a more convenient form for
calculating the convective heat transfer
coefficient is given in the 2001 ASHRAE
Handbook: Fundamentals, I-P Edition, as
follows:

50 www.powermag.com |
POWER September 2017

where hc is the convection heat transfer coef-
ficient (Btu/hr-ft2-F); C is a constant ranging
from 0.89 to 1.79 depending on the shape and
orientation of heat flow; d is the diameter of
the pipe (in.); Tavg is the average temperature
of the air film (R), that is, Tavg = (Tamb + Tsurf)
/ 2; T is the temperature difference between
Tsurf and Tamb (R); and Wind is the air speed
(miles/hr). For flat surfaces and large cylin-
ders (d > 24 in.), use d = 24 in.
The radiant heat transfer coefficient (hr)
found in the 2013 ASHRAE handbook is
given by:
where is the surface emittance; is the
Stefen-Boltzmann Constant (0.1714 x 10-8
Btu/hr-ft2-R4); TSurf and TAmb are tempera-
ture (R).
Energy Savings Due to Insulation. The
heat loss in still air from a bare hot pipe with
a temperature difference in the range of 300F
to 450F is expected to be around 1,0002,000
Btu/hr-ft2. By providing insulation on such a
pipe, the heat loss can be reduced to an ac-
ceptable level of around 100 Btu/hr-ft2.
The desirable heat gain in cold piping
(except chilled water) is generally limited
to around 10 Btu/hr-ft2 depending on energy
costs while somewhat higher values (around
40 Btu/hr-ft2) are used for chilled water. With
cold insulation meeting these requirements,
it is likely that this will also prevent surface
condensation most of the time. The surface
condensation will be prevented as long as the
surface temperature remains above the dew
point temperature. The surface temperature
can be calculated as shown below.
Surface Temperature Calculation. In
addition to minimizing heat loss or gain,
thermal insulation provides several other use-
ful functions. One such function is to limit
the surface temperature. In the case of hot
insulation, the surface temperature must be
limited to below 140F (or more preferably
125F) to protect personnel from potentially
irreversible injury.
In the case of cold insulation, the surface
temperature should be sufficiently higher
than the ambient dew point if surface con-
densation is to be limited or retarded.
The surface temperature can be calculated
by considering a steady state energy balance.
For hot insulation, the heat flow through the
insulation equals the heat flow from the outer
|
September 2017 POWER
surface of the insulation to the ambient air.
For cold insulation, the heat flow from the
ambient to the outer surface of the insulation
equals heat flow through the insulation.
The thickness (X) of insulation required
to achieve a desired surface temperature can
be determined from the following energy
balance, where h is the combined convective
plus radiant heat transfer coefficient.
Heat transfer Q (Btu/hr) for a flat insula-
tion surface as noted in the 2013 ASHRAE
handbook is equal to:
For a radial surface of unit length, the left-
hand side (LHS) of the flat-surface equation
after substitution becomes:
where ro is the outside radius of insulation
and ri is the inside radius of insulation.
The above formulation for the radial sur-
face equation is arrived at by substituting the
following from Lindeburgs manual:
and
As a result, the energy balance equality:
provides the relationship for calculating the
insulation surface temperature Tsurf for vari-
ous insulation thicknesses and thermal con-
www.powermag.com
FUNDAMENTALS
ductivities. However, the calculation for Tsurf
requires a trial-and-error solution, and the
maximum value for Tsurf is generally limited
to 140F (or preferably 125F) to prevent per-
sonnel injury from irreversible burns.
Insulating for Freeze Protection of Pip-
ing. During cold weather, piping exposed to
low temperatures is subject to freezing. Use
of insulation can extend the time to freeze,
but the pipe under no-flow conditions will ul-
timately reach the freezing point. In such cas-
es, heat tracing plus insulation can be used
to prevent pipes from freezing, even during
extended periods of time under no-flow con-
ditions at below-freezing temperatures.
The heat lost through the insulation must
be compensated for by heat added using heat
tracing tape or elements. Typical low-power
heat trace tape wattage is between 3 watts per
linear foot and 10 watts per linear foot. The
heating cables are self-regulating with power
output responding variably to temperature.
Increasing the insulation thickness can de-
crease the heat trace load. Nevertheless, a
point is reached when additional insulation is
not cost-effective.
In the case of flowing lines, heat is con-
stantly being added by inflow of warmer
fluid, and in most cases freezing is not an is-
sue. However, fluid can reach a potentially
problematic low temperature if the length of
the pipe is long or if any drop in process tem-
perature is intolerable.
To calculate the time to freeze of a non-
flow line, ASHRAEs 2013 handbook pro-
vides the following equation:
where is the time to freezing (hr); is the
density of water (lb/ft3); Cp is the specific
heat of water (1.0 Btu/lb-F); D1 is the inside
diameter of the pipe (ft); ti is the initial water
temperature (F); ta is the ambient air temper-
ature (F); tf is the freezing temperature (F);
and RT is the combined thermal resistance of
the pipe wall, insulation, and outside air film
(ft-F-hr/Btu). Ice formation occurs when the
temperature reaches the freezing point and
the fluid loses additional heat in the form
of latent heat of fusion for ice (144 Btu/lb)
through the insulated pipe.
In addition to the above equation for de-
termining time to freeze, ASHRAE provides
tables showing insulation thicknesses for var-
ious pipe sizes and time to cool still water to
freezing. The tables are based on initial water
temperature of 42F with ambient at 18F and
51
 FUNDAMENTALS
using insulation with thermal conductivity
of 0.025 Btu/hr-ft-F. For cases with flowing
water, the tables also show the water mass
flow rate per unit length of exposed pipe to
prevent freezing based on initial water tem-
perature of 42F. In case it becomes impracti-
cal to avoid freezing with insulation alone,
heat tracing is utilized to compensate for the
heat loss through the insulation.
Cold Insulation
Cold insulation refers to insulation installed
on piping and equipment operating below
ambient temperatures. The main difference
between hot and cold insulation is that with
cold insulation there is the possibility of
creating a water vapor pressure gradient,
which could drive the water vapor through
the insulation to the cold metal surface. This
could lead to accumulation of water within
the insulation and on the surface of the pip-
ing, which could degrade the insulation and
pipe surface.
To counter the effect of water vapor mi-
gration, closed-cell insulation material is
recommended for cold insulation applica-
tions so that it resists moisture absorption or
wicking. In addition, moisture vapor stops
are used to isolate insulation sections and
limit the area of damage, if it occurs. Also,
a vapor retarder jacket is used but it must
be continuous and sealed at all seams and
joints to provide effective protection against
moisture ingress.
Insulation Jacket
The insulation jacket provides the outer
covering for the insulation and functions to
protect the insulation from mechanical dam-
age and moisture ingress. The commonly
used material for the insulation jacket is
aluminum. However, aluminum has a low
melting point and therefore is not suited for
use under fire conditions. For cases where
fire risk is present, stainless steel jacketing
is used, which has a significantly higher
melting point.
Aluminum jacketing is available with
various surface finishes such as smooth,
stucco-embossed, or corrugated. Ingress of
water has the potential to corrode the alumi-
num jacket from the inside. Therefore, alu-
minum jackets are often provided with an
inner layer of nonpermeable material (mois-
ture barrier), which protects the jacket from
moisture corrosion from the inside.
If jacket corrosion is an issue, other ma-
terial such as thermoplastics, fabrics, or
synthetic rubber can be utilized. The vari-
ous jacket materials have different emissiv-
ity and this has an effect on heat transfer
performance. Polished metals have lower
emissivity whereas plastics, such as PVC
(polyvinyl chloride) or fabric-mastic layer,
have higher emissivity.
High emissivity results in higher heat
loss from the hot-source pipe or equipment.
In low-temperature systems, higher emis-
sivity jackets result in higher heat gain by
the cold pipe. For anti-sweat insulation and
personnel protection insulation, high-emis-
sivity jackets tend to reduce the required
insulation thickness.
Thermal insulation is also important for
noise control and for fire protection. Sound
attenuation is a natural attribute of insula-
tion material and jacketing. For fire protec-
tion, metal jackets and bands, as mentioned
previously, are made of stainless steel, and
they are fixed to ensure that they can with-
stand the impact from a firefighting water
stream.
S. Zaheer Akhtar, PE is principal
engineer-mechanical with Bechtel Corp.

2018
SOLAR
POWER Content Licensing for
Every Marketing Strategy

EVENTS
Solar Power Northeast | Feb. 5-6 | Boston, MA
Marketing solutions it for:
Outdoor
Direct Mail
Print Advertising
California Solar Power Expo | Mar. 27-28 | San Diego, CA Tradeshow/POP Displays
Social Media
Solar Power Southeast | May 14-15 | Atlanta, GA Radio & Television

Solar Power Texas | June 4-5 | Austin, TX

Logo Licensing | Reprints
Solar Power International Eprints | Plaques
Co-located with: Energy Storage International
Leverage branded content from Power Magazine to
Sept. 24-27 | Anaheim, CA
create a more powerful and sophisticated statement
Solar Power Midwest | Fall 2018 | Chicago, IL about your product, service, or company in your
next marketing campaign. Contact Wrights Media
Solar Power New York | Dec. 11-12 | New York, NY
to ind out more about how we can customize your
LEARN MORE | events.solar acknowledgements and recognitions to enhance your
marketing strategies.
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or visit our website at www.wrightsmedia.com
EVENTS

52 www.powermag.com |
POWER September 2017
 PROCO PENSEALS STATICALLY SEAL
ANNULAR SPACE
The pipe penetration seals (PenSeal) from Proco Products, Inc.
have been designed to assist in achieving an efficient, low-cost
mechanical seal between any pipes passing through walls,
floors, tanks, pipeline casings and vaults. The PenSeal has
also been designed to provide a gas and watertight seal. The
PEN-SEAL is available in EPDM or Nitrile material with carbon
steel or 316L hardware. All sizes have been tested to withstand
a hydrostatic seal up to 20 psig or 40 feet of head pressure in
addition to withstanding temperatures up to 250F. For more
information, please visit the Proco Products, Inc. website.
www.procoproducts.com | 800-344-3246

AUMA LAUNCHES NEW COMPACT PART-TURN

GEARBOXES
Electric actuator manufacturer AUMA has launched a
new range of part-turn gearboxes that combine compact
design with superior quality and reliability. Engineered and
manufactured in Germany, the new GQB gearboxes are
designed for basic 90 applications such as butterfly and ball
valves. The gearboxes expand the application range of AUMAs
proven multi-turn actuators, deployed for valve automation in
a wide variety of processes within power plants.
Clever engineering considerably reduces the parts count and
materials inventory without compromising performance. Drive
components are hardened to increase wear resistance, and the
housing is protected by AUMAs extremely corrosion-resistant
two-layer powder coating system. A patent-pending overload
protection guarantees safety in case of excessive torque.
GQB gearboxes are available in three sizes covering a torque
range of 21,00084,000 Nm, with further sizes to follow.
www.auma.com

|
September 2017 POWER www.powermag.com 53
 ADVERTISERS INDEX

Page Page

AUMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Magnetrol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 2

www.auma.com www.magnetrol.com

Chanute. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

www.chanutemfg.com www.changeinpower.com

Clear Span . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Paharpur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

www.clearspan.com www.paharpur.com

Fluke Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Proco Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

www.fluke.com www.procoproducts.com

Hamon Deltak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 PSEG Fossil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

www.deltak.com www.pseg.com

Henkel Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Sulzer Turbo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 4

www.na.henkel-adhesives.com/protectivecoatings www.sulzer.com

Kelvion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Young & Franklin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

www.kelvion.com www.yf.com

Kiewit Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Vogt Power a Babcock Power Inc. Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 31

www.kiewit.com www.vogtpower.com

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POWER September 2017
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September 2017 POWER www.powermag.com 55
 COMMENTARY
Fuel Cells: Key to Our
Electric Energy Future
Harry T. Roman
or more than 20 years, I have been championing the use of
F fuel cell powered cars to connect the natural gas distribu-
tion network of this country with the electric distribution
network, making them partners in providing clean, safe, elec-
trical energy at the point of use, and for export back into the
national grid. Some early patents were awarded, but they were
way ahead of their time.
The technological foundation for this concept remains strong
and vitalrepresenting a disruptive force aimed at the heart
of traditional utility system operations. However, there seems
to be a potential partnership that can be forged between auto
manufacturers, electric utilities, and natural gas utilities to
make this all happen.
Outage Risk = Opportunity
In the U.S. there are two centralized energy systems: the
electric utility grid and the natural gas network. Both systems
together touch just about every home. Surprisingly, most peo-
ple never think about combining the two systems to create a
resilient hybrid system, immune from major storm disruptions
and terrorist attacks. We hear a great deal today about the
smart grid. Such a hybrid system can be about as smart as it
gets, and quite flexible and sophisticated too.
When a big weather event strikes, the above-ground electric
utility system can take an awful beating. Dont expect that to
change anytime soon, because it is simply too expensive to
retrofit all those lines underground (some estimates suggest at
least 20 times as expensive as overhead construction). On the
other hand, when was the last time your natural gas service
was taken out during any kind of stormwinter or summer?
Wouldnt it be reasonable to ask if there was a way to con-
vert your homes reliable natural gas service into electricity
for your household? The best way to do this, in my opinion, is
using a fuel cella device that can electrochemically convert
natural gas into a useable fuel by stripping off the hydrogen
portion of the methane molecule and combining it with oxy-
gen to generate clean electricity and some waste heat.
Fuel cell technology is very attractive. It has relatively
high conversion efficiency (32%42%); produces very small
waste byproducts and some low-grade waste heat; comes in a
highly modular design, allowing for size expansion; is proven
technology; and uses a native and abundant resourcemeth-
aneavailable from natural and man-made sources.
Fuel Cell Car Power Plants
What if we used fuel cell powered cars in a very different
way than for just transportation? A typical car fuel cell is
56 www.powermag.com
about 45 kW to 50 kW in size. That capacity is much more
than an average home needs. So I ask a simple question:
Why cant your car power your house both during normal
conditions and when the utility system is unavailable due to
widespread outages?
Go one step further. Why not have all cars generate power
wherever they are parked? Most people only drive their car
about 4% to 6% of the daymostly for commuting. The rest
of the time it just sits there. It could be put to work during
that downtime.
You see, your car follows you everywhere, and everywhere
you go you need energy. If parking lots were suitably de-
signed with natural gas and electrical connections, your car
could be turned into a portable power plant whenever you
park it. It could provide you with the energy you need and the
excess could be sold into the market.
The really nice part of this is that fuel cell powered cars
can do it 24/7/365. No vagaries of the wind, no clouds to
block sunshine, just lots of clean power generated all the
time. It is the natural gas network and the electric grid work-
ing together.
By the Numbers
There are more than 250 million registered vehicles in the U.S.
If even 10% of those were 45-kW fuel cell powered cars con-
nected to the electric grid, it would be equivalent to adding
1,125 GW of power capacity to the system. Thats more than
the total generating capacity currently installed in the U.S.
The implications of this are staggering. How would this dis-
ruption affect electric and natural gas utilities, automobile
manufacturers, the oil industry, companies operating fleets of
vehicles, and others?
Because the electric utility industry will always be vulner-
able to large outages, this natural gas-electric concept could
be significant. The fuel cell is the energy transformer between
the two systems. Fuel cell powered cars make it possible to
instantly decentralize the grid, if under attack by Mother Na-
ture or terrorists. For those of you committed to alternative
energy sources, you can still have them if you wantin fact,
fuel cell powered cars are the ideal back up for them.
Is this a disruptive technology? You bet! Could it be done?
I think so.
Harry T. Roman is a retired engineer, research and
development project manager, teacher, inventor, and author.
He has 12 patents to his credit and is a past recipient of the New
Jersey Inventor of the Year Award, given by the
New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame.
|
POWER September 2017
 2ND ANNUAL

FEBRUARY 27-28, 2018

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Hosted by:

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30526
Minimizing Your Risk
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