The World Bank on June 1 approved a Power Distribution Improvement Project to increase the capacity and efficiency of the Lao PDR’s domestic electricity grid, and to strengthen financial management at the state electricity company.

Mirage

World Bank Backs Upgrades for Lao Electricity Grid

A power ministry-constituted panel in India  has suggested a roadmap outlining the interventions for the near, medium, and long term for the development of the electricity market.

Economic Times

Power ministry panel outlines roadmap to develop electricity market

Some U.S. communities are at particular risk from power grid failures, research suggests — especially as human-caused climate change progresses

The Washington Post

Power outages hit some communities harder and more often, study says

Given that hydropower, biomass and geothermal energy have significant geophysical limitations, the two sustainable options are wind and solar farms for a data center's energy supply

Forbes

Going Back To The Future: Two Ways To Power Data Centers That Aren't Science Fiction

Austria’s TSO Austrian Power Grid (APG) is introducing artificial intelligence for virtual drone-based inspection of its 12,000 power masts.



Smart Energy International

Austrian Power Grid brings AI to electricity pylon inspection

There’s a weight of expectation on G7 leaders when they meet later this month. Businesses want to see a commitment to fully decarbonise power systems by 2035 and a rapid scale-up of renewables.

Reuters

Why investing in power grids should be a live issue for G7 leaders

A fast, flexible way to deal with the curtailment, or the deliberate restriction of power supply from renewable energy farms due to a grid that’s too weak or congested to transport the full volume generated, is to use battery energy storage, says Jacobs APAC substations technical director Lara Kruk.



Renew Economy

Big batteries as “virtual power lines” could be quick solution to unleash wind and solar

To tap the potential of renewable energy, the United States needs to dramatically expand the electric grid between places with abundant wind and sunshine and places where people live and work. And it needs to happen fast. 

The New York Times

The Renewable Energy Revolution Has a Power Line Problem

There’s a weight of expectation on G7 leaders when they meet later this month. Businesses want to see a commitment to fully decarbonise power systems by 2035 and a rapid scale-up of renewables

A power transmission grid can be destabilized by hackers who manipulate smart meters to create an oscillation in electricity demand, researchers have shown.



Tech Xplore

Research shows how hackers can target smart meters to destabilize electricity grid

When thinking about how to achieve significant carbon emissions reductions in the energy sector, large-scale renewable energy projects typically come to mind. The drawback is that scaling wind and solar takes great investment and time.



A Clean Energy Future Starts With An Efficient Grid

The energy crisis has two faces: the need for decarbonisation in order to limit global temperature increase and rising highly volatile energy prices due to energy market turbulence caused by the war in Ukraine. The common solution to both crises would be to stop using fossil fuels and shift to renewable energy sources. 



SAP supports utilities across the EU to enable the energy transition

As part of the Biden administration’s effort to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of the United States to zero by the year 2050, the Environmental Protection Agency is preparing regulations that would forbid power plants from emitting CO2.

National Review

The Costs of Net-Zero Electricity

India is predicting blistering heat across swathes of the country in May, which could strain the power network, hurt the economy and threaten people's lives

News 24

India facing heatwave that could place its power grid at risk

The National Assembly of Serbia passed the changes to the Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources. One of the rules is that investors will be able to avoid grid operators delaying the connection of their power plants to the grid if they add battery storage systems.



Balkan Green Energy News

New renewables law in Serbia limits connection capacity to keep grid stable

Integrating utilities across the western United States into a single, organized power market is the best way to keep prices low, bolster reliability, and hasten decarbonization.

NRDC

Western Electricity Grid Is Entering Its Day-Ahead Market Era

Ever since brutal winter storms blacked out much of Texas and killed hundreds of residents in February 2021, the state’s government has constantly talked a big game about bolstering its grid and shielding Texans from future disasters. There is shockingly little to show for it.



Slate Magazine

Texas’ plan to fix its power grid is a disaster

Alarmingly, the security around U.S. power grids is far less fortified than many assume — a vulnerability of which our geopolitical enemies are surely aware



Why Complacency Is Leaving The US Electrical Grid At Risk

Power network operators are calling for greater transparency regarding electric cars and heat pumps connected to the grid in order to reinforce the EU’s network where necessary and tap into the potential of energy savings from households.



Euractiv

Grid operators call for greater transparency on household electricity use

Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity shared updates in connection with cross-border power grid projects with Turkey, Jordan and the Gulf countries.



Zawya

Iraq shares updates on cross-border power grid projects

Power & Utilities | Power Grid

Deep within the bedrock in western Finland, flashing lights from heavy machinery cast shadows in eerie tunnels that lead to a tomb that must remain unperturbed for millennia.

Finland's nuclear catacombs nearly ready to house waste

Radioactive microparticles were still coating buildings near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant five years after the disaster, according to a study in Chemosphere

Cosmos 

Tiny radioactive particles persist indoors years after Fukushima

Disputed law on clean energy is key element of EU Green Deal

Bloomberg

France, Germany Dispute Over Nuclear Energy Leaves EU Deadlocked on Renewables

The Vogtle nuclear power plant—seven years behind schedule and a staggering US$14 billion over budget—is finally nearing completion. Once Units 3 and 4 are finished, Vogtle will become the largest power plant in the US, generating a capacity large enough to power one million households.



Energy Trend

Signs of Nuclear Revival? Vogtle Set to Become the Largest Power Plant in the US upon Completion

Japan on Wednesday passed a law allowing nuclear reactors to operate beyond 60 years, as it tries to reinvigorate the sector to meet energy challenges and climate targets.

Japan allows nuclear plants to operate beyond 60 years

Breakthrough technologies, like thorium-based reactors, and SMRs, are gaining momentum due to their cost-effectiveness, reduced waste generation, and flexible deployment.

Innovation Fuels Nuclear Energy’s Revival, But Challenges Remain

The very public push by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy for nuclear power must be seen within the context of an ongoing public relations campaign currently being waged in South Africa by supporters of nuclear power.

Daily Maverick

Nuclear power is neither reliable nor ‘green’ and is not suitable for the just transition

Industry insiders are optimistic about the approval of new nuclear power projects this year, with some companies saying that orders on hand have returned to historic highs as China accelerates its move to low-carbon development

Global Times

Manufacturing orders of nuclear power industry surge, new project approval and construction expected to be sped up

Ukraine’s defence intelligence directorate warns Russia will simulate an attack at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

Al Jazeera

Ukraine claims Russia planning ‘massive’ incident at nuclear site

It will be “not be easy to manage” the different views

Green industry law haunted by old conflicts over nuclear, financing

Nuclear power must be treated on par with renewable sources in all European legislation as the bloc pursues plans to speed up its switch from fossil fuels toward cleaner electricity generation, French Energy Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said on Sunday.

Al Arabiya

French Energy Transition Minister calls for equal treatment for nuclear in EU laws

Finland’s adoption of nuclear power has brought the country’s wholesale energy prices down by “75 per cent”

Sky News Australia

Nuclear energy brings Finland’s power prices down ‘75 per cent’

The energy crisis is making countries consider reopening - or building - nuclear reactors. Due to the times involved in starting a reactor’s operations, smaller units might represent an option

Innovation Origins

Can Small Modular Reactors be the next green energy source?

For over a decade, China has been steadily expanding its nuclear power fleet to provide stable, reliable, clean baseload electricity for its growing economy

How Long Will It Take For China’s Nuclear Power To Replace Coal?

The first newly constructed US reactors in decades will make Vogtle the biggest energy generator in the country



Nuclear Plant $16 Billion Over Budget Arrives for Atomic Revival

When European countries want to decommission aging nuclear plants, they often call Nukem. There’s only one catch

The Russian Nuclear Company The West Can't Live Without

After generations of trying to produce the power of a star on Earth, a successful nuclear fusion ignition happened in the middle of a December night and was over in 20-billionths of a second

This lab achieved a stunning breakthrough on fusion energy

Ex-adviser worries ministers have not taken into account sea level rise and storms in selecting sites

The Guardian

Weatherwatch: concerns over climate impact on UK nuclear power sites

OpenAi CEO Sam Altman, a prominent figure in the tech world and former president of startup accelerator Y Combinator, has made a significant investment in nuclear fusion startup Helion Energy. Altman’s involvement has brought increased attention to the potential of nuclear fusion technology.



OpenAI CEO Invests in Nuclear Fusion Startups as Technology Gains Traction

Power & Utilities | Nuclear

The 2023 edition of Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report warns that current efforts are not enough to achieve the SDG 7 on time.

IRENA

Basic Energy Access Lags Amid Renewable Opportunities

Rolling blackouts are costing South Africa dearly

South Africa's power blackouts: Solutions lie in solar farms, battery storage at scale, and an end to state monopoly

Regulator expected to examine whether sustainability reports on sourcing of wood pellets meet renewables subsidy criteria

Ofgem to investigate Drax compliance with biomass reporting rules

Austrian crane specialist Palfinger Marine has revealed that 14 of its PF 200 fixed boom […]

Offshore Wind

Palfinger Cranes for Japanese Offshore Wind and Battery Storage Project

EDF Renewables Ireland has entered into a partnership with Simply Blue Group to develop […]

EDF Renewables and Simply Blue Enter Floating Offshore Wind Partnership in Ireland

Brazilian utilities company Eneva has begun commercial operations at its 692.4MW Futura 1 solar complex in Juazeiro City, Bahia state, Brazil.


Power Technology

Eneva begins operations at 692MW solar complex in Brazil

The upheaval in oil and gas markets started by Russia's war in Ukraine is helping fuel a clean-energy boom as countries scramble to secure their power supply. One notable record: Investment in solar outpaced that in oil for the first time last year, according to the International Energy Agency, which released a report recently on global energy investment.

CBS News

For the first time, more money is going into solar power than oil

England, Scotland and Wales survey reports similar response to people with gas boilers

Heat pumps: more than 80% of households in Great Britain ‘satisfied with system’

Terrestrial Energy has announced a significant milestone with the completion of regulatory review for its Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) design.

Fourth Generation Nuclear Reactors Take A Big Step Forward

NGOs are stepping up their fight against Brussels' decision to label nuclear energy and natural gas as sustainable investments.





Politico

Green groups take EU Commission to court over sustainable investment list

State-run NTPC Ltd., India’s largest electricity producer, plans to start building more coal plants this year as the country continues to lean on the fuel to meet its growing energy needs.

India Power Giant to Add More Coal Plants to Meet Soaring Demand

Government ministries from Singapore and the US have announced the start of a joint feasibility study on regional energy connectivity, advancing energy cooperation plans first mooted in July 2022.



The Edge Singapore

Singapore, US begin feasibility study on Asean regional power grid

London based nuclear company Newcleo plans to raise 900 million pounds ($1.10 billion) to advance a plan to build a fleet of small nuclear reactors in the U.K.

UK's Newcleo to raise $1.1 bln to build fleet of small reactors

Italian power grid operator Terna (TRN.MI) will invest over 21 billion euros ($22.41 billion) in the next 10 years in speeding up the energy transition and reducing the country's dependence on foreign supplies.

Terna to invest over 21 bln euros in Italy power grid in 10 years

Nuclear power has its pros and cons. Right now, the U.S. is embracing its advantages.

A new nuclear reactor in the US started up last week — the country's first in nearly 7 years.

The UK can build a reliable, secure and cost-effective electricity system that is decarbonised by 2035, says the government’s advisory Climate Change Committee (CCC)

Carbon Brief 

 Here’s how the UK can get reliable zero-carbon electricity by 2035

Türkiye is set to receive a $40 billion (TL 752.64 billion) investment as the country heads toward establishing a second nuclear power plant (NPP) in Sinop province’s Inceburun district in the Black Sea region.

Daily Sabah

Türkiye to attract $40B investment for 2nd nuclear plant

Power & Utilities | Investments

After last year’s devastating heat wave sent California’s power consumption soaring to near-record levels, the state’s power grid buckled under the strain


California Amps up Energy Storage and Hydroelectric Power, Diminishing the Threat of Summer Blackouts

In nominal terms, the average monthly electricity bill for residential customers in the United States increased 13% from 2021 to 2022, rising from $121 a month to $137 a month

U.S. residential electricity bills increased 5% in 2022, after adjusting for inflation

Expensive new contracts are kicking in just when government support has been cut back

Financial Times

UK businesses need a solution to exorbitant energy costs

India is considering overturning a ban on foreign investment in its nuclear power industry and allowing greater participation by domestic private firms

India's nuclear power industry may be opened to foreign investments

The slow reform pace hindered the market-share reallocation over power plants with divergent carbon intensity and thus locked the carbon trajectory of China’s power sector. Here we analyse the effects of the delayed electricity market reform in terms of CO2 emissions.

Nature

Decarbonization efforts hindered by China’s slow progress on electricity market reforms

Last week, Germany closed its last three nuclear power plants, becoming nuclear-free for the first time in 62 years

Nuclear power is a vital part of fighting climate change

An ambitious reactor construction programme aimed at reducing carbon emissions is running into the realities of skilled worker shortages

France’s struggle to deliver a second nuclear era

Electricity network operators are standing in the way of the green revolution, preventing businesses from taking advantage of cheap renewable energy and causing untold economic damage.

The Scottish Farmer

Renewables being held back by grid capacity constraints

Ill-designed subsidies for renewable energy have led to unintended and costly consequences, requiring support for dispatchable fossil-fuel generation at the state level to play a supporting role.

The Wall Street Journal

Can Nuclear Solve the Renewables Problem?

Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill creating a statewide energy plan for Indiana into law on Thursday. It requires the state agency that oversees utilities to consider five things in most of its decisions: reliability, affordability, resiliency, stability and environmental sustainability.

wfyi

Holcomb signs bill to create a statewide energy plan into law

Power & Utilities | Policy & Regulation

The drilling of an 80-meter test well for geothermal heating in the Rupert-Egenberger School in the municipality of Gaukönigshofen in Würzburg, Germany has been completed. The project will now proceed to testing of the well using a geothermal probe, the results of which will be used to determine the requirements for late use of a heat pump.

Think GeoEnergy

Geothermal heating to be tested in Würzburg, Germany

Reactors small enough to fit on a truck might sound like something from '60s science fiction, but they may be here soon.


Jalopnik

Could Compact Nuclear Reactors Be the Future of Electricity?

Construction is in progress on 24 nuclear power units in China, with a total installed capacity of about 26.81 million kilowatts (kW), ranking the first in the world, an industry report showed on Wednesday.


China building 24 nuclear power units, ranking No.1 in world: industry report

Today, 9 countries will meet for the next North Sea Summit to combine and coordinate ambitions for deploying offshore wind and developing an offshore electricity grid

The North Seas can be the world’s biggest power plant

As more EV customers plug into the grid, the role of today’s electric utilities — or Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) — must evolve


Electric Autonomy

The e-mobility customer experience will shape the grid of the future. Are utilities ready?

Modern electricity grids that can optimize clean power production from a constantly changing flux of renewable and fossil energy sources will play a vital role in enabling global energy transition efforts.

Electric Grids Need Major Upgrades To Aid Global Energy Transition

In the sky above, a family of Pacific swallows are busy doing acrobatics. Sitting rather incongruously in this bucolic scene is the vast concrete hulk of the Bataan nuclear power plant. This is South East Asia's first nuclear power plant, which was completed in 1986. Except it has never produced a kilowatt of electricity. It was never even put into operation. Now, more than three decades after it was finished, there is growing support for opening it.

The 70s nuclear relic that may be about to open at last

On March 23, the Texas Senate Business and Finance Committee held hearings related to a set of bills that would enact more reforms to the state’s electricity grid managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).

Texas Policymakers Have Another Chance To Fix The State’s Power Grid

High renewable energy penetration in the electricity production mix combined with low demand brought challenges for Greek network operators.


Greece’s power grid in risk of blackouts amid high renewables share, demand drop

An additional investment of over 128 billion euros compared to earlier plans is needed to make Germany’s electricity grid fit for a climate neutral future, according to a first draft of a 2037-45 grid development plan drawn up by the country’s four transmission system operators (TSOs).

Clean Energy Wire

Making Germany’s electricity grid fit for climate neutrality to cost extra €128 billion

Ukraine fears its Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station could by late summer face a shortage of water to cool reactors because Russian forces have let water out of a reservoir that supplies the plant.

Ukraine fears nuclear plant could face dangerous water cooling shortage

Malaysia’s national power grid has the capacity to take on more energy from renewable energy (RE) sources up until 2030 without affecting grid stability, said International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) director-general Francesco La Camera.



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