What your colleagues were telling CCJ subscribers five, 10, 15, and 20 years ago Five years ago The 7F Users Group and CCJ collaborated on the first virtual user-group meeting conducted as a result of the global pandemic. It was the launchpad for more than 20 online user meetings facilitated by CCJ during that challenging three-year period. The Combined […]
CCJ Historical Society: Looking back from 2025 Read More »
The need to recover quickly from plant equipment failure is often at odds with the patient, methodical steps required to conduct a root cause analysis (RCA) that will be accepted by all parties to a potential dispute among stakeholders down the road. Stakeholders may include plant staff, owner/operator, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), insurance companies, component suppliers, third-party operation and maintenance (O&M) service providers,
Handling RCAs with future disputes in mind: More is better! Read More »
Increasing demand from data centers and extreme weather continues to push utilities and independent producers to find dispatchable megawatts fast. New-build capacity is on order, but lead times stretch years. For owners of GE Vernova 7F units, one of the largest installed gas turbine fleets in the world, the near-term opportunity lies in upgrading the machines already in service. Two recent GE Vernova webinars outline complementary paths: a performance leap
While new capacity waits in line, 7F upgrades deliver flexibility and output now Read More »
Upcoming events where you’ll see CCJ attendance and coverage. Hope to see you there. PROENERGY Conference January 26-28 Arizona Grand Resort, Phoenix, Ariz. Details/registration at www.proenergyservices.com. Contact: Chris Evans, cevans@proenergyservices.com. PSM Asset Managers Conference January 26-28 | Wyndham Grande at Harbourside Place, Jupiter, Fla. Details/registration at www.psm.com. Contact: Michèle McDermott, Michele.McDermott@us.psm.com. Vogt Combined Cycle Seminar February 11-12 Omni
Plan for 2026: CCGT Industry Events Read More »
If you’re managing MK4, MK5, or EX2000 platforms, this Technical Information Post (TIP) from AP4 Group demands your attention (Download here). These “classic” control systems rely on EEPROMs—and in the case of MK5 and EX2000, the U9 chip—to store essential software and configuration data. Failures of these components, increasingly common in systems over 25 years
Protecting MK4, MK5 & EX2000 turbine controls from costly failures Read More »
Hunterstown Generating Station Owned by LS Power Asset management by Competitive Power Ventures Operated by NAES Corp 810 MW, 3 × 1 7F.04-powered combined cycle equipped with a GE D11 steam turbine, located in Gettysburg, Pa Plant manager: Mark Kadon Challenge. Anticipating industry-wide knowledge-gap challenges resulting from retirements and staff turnover, Hunterstown Generating Station saw
Hunterstown: Closing gaps in O&M knowledge through enhanced workforce development Read More »
River Road Generating Plant Owned by Clark Public Utilities Operated by GE Vernova O&M 248 MW, gas-fired 1 × 1 7F.02-powered combined cycle (STAG configuration) equipped with a Foster Wheeler HRSG, GE A12 steam turbine, and GE 324 generator, located in Vancouver, Wash Plant manager: Robert Mash Safer handling of chemical totes Challenge. Gravity feeding
Empire Generating LLC Owned by Empire Acquisitions LLC Operated by NAES Corp 635 MW, gas-fired 2 × 1 7F.03-powered combined cycle with Alstom HRSGs and a GE D11 steam turbine, located in Rensselaer, NY Plant manager: Chet Szymanski Cooling-tower mod improves maintenance access Challenge. Empire Generating’s cooling tower is designed with a dry section that
Faribault Energy Park Owned by Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (MMPA) Operated by NAES Corp 265 MW, 1 × 1 7F.03-powered combined cycle equipped with a GE A10 steam turbine and CMI HRSGs, located in Faribault, Minn Plant manager: Shawn Flake Challenge. Accurate and complete gathering of data during abnormal plant operations can be difficult and
Faribault: Protective-relay trip logs reduce errors Read More »
The 15th annual meeting of the Air-Cooled Condensers Users Group (ACCUG) was held at the University of East London (UK) July 23-25, 2024. Principal content categories were chemistry and corrosion, air-cooled condenser (ACC) design and performance, and system operation and maintenance. The event was chaired by Andy Howell, EPRI; Barry Dooley, Structural Integrity (UK); and
ACCUG: Global collaboration drives air-cooled condenser innovation Read More »
