Category: SCADA Systems

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TVA Submitted the Nation’s First Construction Permit Application to the NRC for a new Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Plant

TVA.com: Scott Fiedler

TVA-Clinch-River-GE-SMR
Image: TVA.com Clinch River, GE SMR

TVA announced it was “the first utility in the U.S. to submit a construction permit application (CPA) for the GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GVH) small modular reactor (SMR) BWRX-300 technology to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission – the agency that issues licenses for constructing, operating and decommissioning nuclear power plants.

This CPA is TVA’s next step in pursuing an SMR at its Clinch River site, near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and establishing America’s energy dominance to power artificial intelligence, quantum computing and advanced manufacturing.

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Using AI Technologies for Power System Asset Management

EngineerLive.com

AI-Power-Asset-Management
Image: EngineerLive.com

What new roles will AI play in the future for aiding power utility companies with power delivery asset management techniques? “Utilities face significant challenges with aging infrastructure, extreme weather, rising operational costs and increased demands for reliability. AI offers a promising solution to all of these issues.

Recent advances show how AI can revolutionize asset management for power utilities. Automated systems can now accurately identify and assess components on utility poles, streamline inspections and minimize human error. These systems not only detect defects with high precision but also enhance maintenance efficiency, reduce downtime, and extend the lifespan of critical assets.”

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A North Dakota Coal Plant Approved to Power AI Data Centers

Power-Eng.com: Kevin Clark

ND-Coal-Plant-to-Pwr-AI-Data-Center
Image: Coal Creek Station, ND: Lignite Energy Council

“North Dakota’s largest coal-fired power plant was recently approved by the McLean County Commission for re-zoning of 800 acres of agricultural land to commercial near Rainbow Energy Center’s 1,151 MW Coal Creek Station.”

This approval would pave the way for Rainbow Energy’s Coal Creek to power new AI data centers. “Rainbow Energy has previously said its plans for the area include construction of new data centers that would source power from Coal Creek.”

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Can the Integrated Circuit Chip Manufacturers Keep Up with the AI Demand?

UtilityDive.com: Robert Walton

Amazon-AI-Facility
Image: Amazon Web Services Data Center: Nathan Howard/Getty

Will the integrated circuit (IC) chip manufacturers be able to maintain AI’s ever-increasing demand for new data center facilities?

London Economics produced a report stating that, “AI demand forecasts have alarmed utilities that are rushing to add energy resources, despite concerns over impacts on power bills. Projected data center demand from the U.S. power market would require 90% of global chip supply through 2030, where such a scenario is unrealistic.”

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TVA Adds Another 500-Megawatts to Its Bottom Line

TVA.com: Scott Fiedler, Jennifer Thelen

TVA-Adds-500MW
Image: TVA.com (Johnsonville CT Plant)

TVA recently announced “that it has added 500 additional megawatts of electricity to their power grid – enough energy to power almost 300,000 homes.

With the completion of the 10 new aeroderivative gas turbines at Johnsonville Combustion Turbine Plant, west of Nashville, the Johnsonville site can now provide more than 1,200 megawatts to TVA’s grid, which provides electricity to more than 10 million people across seven states.”

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Copper Prices Are Expected to Rise!

TheAlantic.com: Annie Lowrey

Copper-Prices-Expected-to-Rise
Image: TheAtlantic.com: Getty

Copper prices for all imported copper into the U.S. are expected to rise as much as 50% or more due to the threat of new tariffs that are expected to begin as early as August 2025.

The electric power and electronics industries will be impacted the most with paying nearly double for copper related materials needed for new construction, new assembly, power grid improvements, maintenance replacements, and necessary repairs.

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