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BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY FOR THE GLOBAL GENERATION INDUSTRY SINCE 1882 Vol. 161 • No. 6 • June 2017

Compliance and Safety Best Practices Coal Is Back Machine Learning in the Energy Sector How to Prevent Circulating Water Flow Reversal

Entergy’s 550 Megawatt Ninemile 6 CCGT power plant

THE TEAM YOU TRUST As an integrated engineering, procurement and construction company, CB&I can handle your gas-fired power generation project from start to finish. Our portfolio of services includes engineering, procurement, pipe and steel fabrication, and construction. Today’s power market requires a team that can deliver with certainty. When it comes to constructing new gas-ired power generation facilities that are reliable and cost efective, trust CB&I’s in-depth market knowledge and industry leading experience. Contact CB&I at +1 704 343 7500 to learn how our complete solutions in power can beneit your next project. ADVANCED CLASS TURBINES PRICE AND SCHEDULE CERTAINTY INTEGRATED SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS EXTENSIVE CRAFT RECRUITMENT/MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE

A World of Solutions Visit www.CBI.com 41M042017H

ON THE COVER

Established 1882 • Vol. 161 • No. 6

June 2017

Arc-rated/flame-resistant (FR) clothing can go a long way toward improving safety. In the past, workers may have complained about discomfort or poor fit, but new, lightweight and breathable fabrics are making FR clothes attractive in more ways than one. Courtesy: Workrite Clothing Co.

SPEAKING OF POWER Coal Is Back

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GLOBAL MONITOR A Double Whammy for Coal Power in Europe THE BIG PICTURE: Generation Transition Geothermal Drilling in Iceland Reaches Supercritical Target SCE, GE Debut Battery-Gas Turbine Hybrid System IRENA: Solar and Bioenergy See Record Growth in 2016 Validation Wraps Up for GE, Ansaldo Gas Turbines POWER Digest

FOCUS ON O&M

You’re Never Fully Dressed without Flame-Resistant Clothing PID Loop Tuning Pocket Guide Released

LEGAL & REGULATORY

Offshore Wind Contract Conundrum Heads to Supreme Court

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By Rebecca Williams and Ben Lamble, Watson Farley & Williams

COVER FOCUS: WORKFORCE & SAFETY CONCERNS How to Develop a Values-Based Compliance Culture

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Compliance programs come in various shapes and sizes. Some focus on command-and-control-based principles, while others use rules-based or processdriven strategies. But a values-based approach has worked well for one big company, and borrowing some pages from its playbook could work well for you.

Safety Culture: A Common Construct Requiring Commitment from the Board Room to the Shop Floor

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An organization’s culture has been defined by some as the shared perception of the group’s traditions, values, and socialization processes that endure over time. When safety is a core component of that culture, it can be a very positive thing. But how does a group build a strong safety culture? Developing and consistently reinforcing a set of constructive traits is a good start.

Scaffold Safety in Coal-Fired Power Plants

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If you’ve ever walked around a power plant, you know that temporary scaffolding is a very common sight. But what you may not realize is how dangerous erecting, using, and deconstructing scaffolding can be. If you want to improve your plant’s safety program, there’s no better place to begin than by focusing on your scaffolding procedures.

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June 2017 POWER

www.powermag.com

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SPECIAL REPORT: TECHNOLOGY Energy Generation from A-to-Z with Machine Learning

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Machine learning and artificial intelligence may seem more like futuristic sci-fi movie topics than current power generation matters, but computer algorithms are already being used to produce advanced solar cells, forecast renewable generation, and operate at least one cogeneration plant. Although implementing machine learning programs can be a challenge, the effort might be worthwhile.

OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE How to Prevent Circulating Water Flow Reversal

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Piping systems with parallel pumps, or systems that pump to higher elevations, are subject to reverse flow when a pump suddenly stops. Circulating water pumps used for condenser cooling are especially susceptible to the problem. Several options are available to alleviate the concern, but choosing which solution is best requires a good understanding of system operating conditions and perhaps even some computer modeling.

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TURBINE GENERATOR MAINTENANCE Borescope Inspection Saves Time and Money for Gas Turbine Plant

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Major turbine and generator inspections are important preventive maintenance tasks. The work provides the opportunity for minor problems to be caught and corrected before they become more significant and costly. Wouldn’t it be nice if checkups could be done without tearing an entire unit apart? In some situations, a borescope inspection can make that possible.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES The Deep Dispute over “Deep Decarbonization”

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Several scenarios have been developed outlining the power supply mix that would be necessary to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement. The magnitude of the task seems daunting and some would argue unnecessary. One naysayer is President Trump. Under his administration, the prospects for deep decarbonization seem remote, at best.

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ELECTRIC POWER Power Market Operators and Participants See a Glimmer of Optimism in Current Chaos 52 The wholesale power market model, the struggles faced by traditional baseload power plants due to cheap natural gas and the proliferation of renewables, and the rollback of regulations under the Trump administration were all topics of discussion during the ELECTRIC POWER Conference & Exhibition this year. The CEOs of North America’s two largest regional transmission organizations, along with other power leaders, offered insight on how the industry is being affected.

COMMENTARY

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Evolving Workforce and Safety Practices for Wind Farms

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By Jack Rawcliffe, JDR Energy

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Report: Cheap Natural Gas Poised to Roil PJM Power Market Trump Nominates Chatterjee, Powelson to FERC VC Summer Project 64% Complete, SCE&G Says No Firm Date for Watts Bar 2 Return to Service Yet Vogtle, V.C. Summer Project Owners Buy More Time to Mull Fate of Nuclear Units Norwegian CCS Boss: CCS is not BS D.C. Circuit Halts Clean Power Plan, Mercury Rule Litigation EPA Guidance on State Coal Ash Permit Programs Is Coming, Pruitt Says Columbia Study Casts Doubt on Trump Coal Plan Report: Westinghouse Bankruptcy Raises “Fundamental Questions” About Nuclear’s Future

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POWER June 2017

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