VALVE MAGAZINE Winter 2024

INDUSTRY NEWS

First Power from Massachusetts Offshore Wind Project Avangrid, Inc., a leading sustainable energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) announced that power from the Vineyard Wind project was delivered to the New England grid for the first time. As part of the initial commissioning process, at 11:52 PM on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, one turbine deliv ered approximately five megawatts of power, with additional testing expected to happen both on and offshore in the coming weeks. The project expects to have five turbines operating at full capacity early in 2024. Power from the project interconnects to the New England grid in Barnstable, transmitted by under ground cables that connect to a substation further inland on Cape Cod. Once completed, the project will consist of 62 wind turbines generating 806 Megawatts, enough to power more than 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts.

Photo Credit: Worldview Films

Siemens Energy Named Preferred Supplier for Advanced Fission Power Plant Deployments for Oklo

EPA Issues Final Rule on Methane Reduction The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on December 2, 2023, a final rule designed to reduce methane and other harmful air pollutants from the oil and natural gas industry. The final action was announced at COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), advancing President Biden’s historic climate agenda and day-one commitment to restore the United States’ global leadership on climate change. EPA’s final rule should prevent an estimated 58 million tons of methane emissions from 2024 to 2038, the equivalent of 1.5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide – nearly as much as all the carbon dioxide emitted by the power sector in 2021. In 2030 alone, the expected reductions are equivalent to 130 million metric tons of carbon dioxide – more than the annual emissions from 28 million gasoline cars. Details are on the EPA website, and see the article on page 20 for alterna tives to gas-powered actuators.

Oklo Inc., a fast fission, clean-power technology and nuclear-fuel recycling company, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Siemens Energy. designating them to potentially become Oklo’s preferred supplier for rotating equipment of the power conversion system (conventional island) for the Aurora powerhouse. Siemens Energy could also provide consulting to support Oklo in design work of the conventional island. “Fast fission reactors are a proven technology to produce heat and partnering with Siemens Energy takes steps to secure an efficient, reliable and scalable supply chain for converting that heat into power in our Aurora powerhouses,” says Alex Renner, senior director of product at Oklo. “The clean power generated by advanced nuclear is one of the key steps to reaching a net zero future,” said Tobias Panse, senior vice president of industrial steam turbines and generators with Siemens Energy. Siemens will also provide consulting to support the design and integration of the power conversion system.

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VALVE MAGAZINE

WINTER 2024