POWER May 2010 - 1

Power Equipment Maintenance
A BHI Energy Company
Established 1882 * Vol. 154 * No. 5
May 2010
SUCCESSFULLY
MANAGING & STAFFING
PROJECTS FOR 30 YEARS
18
ON THE COVER
Scott Burke, a system engineering and electrical instruments & components principle
engineer at Columbia Generating Station near Richland, Wash., holds a $15 uranium fuel
pellet. One pellet is equivalent to the energy provided by 149 gallons of oil, or 1,780
pounds of coal, or 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas. After the fuel's six-year lifespan in a
nuclear reactor, it may be recycled for reuse, as is the case in Japan, France, and Russia,
though the technology is not currently funded in the U.S. Nearly 95% of Columbia's used
fuel can be recycled and reused. All of Columbia's used fuel storage casks (seen in the
background)-containing 25 years of spent fuel-can fit inside a building the size of a
typical convenience store. If recycled, the fuel needing storage would fit inside the soda
cooler in the same convenience store. Photo courtesy Energy Northwest
COVER STORY: REnEwablES
18 The U.S. Spent nuclear Fuel Policy: Road to nowhere
With the gate on Yucca Mountain essentially padlocked, where will the U.S. send its
spent nuclear fuel? Nowhere, if history is any indication of how the latest investigation
by a federal commission will fare. To put the recent Yucca Mountain saga in perspective,
we look at the origins of U.S. nuclear waste policy and its many dead ends.
SPECIal REPORTS
PlanT SaFETY
42 natural Gas Piping: It's Time for better Risk Control
Gas piping is unlike every other type of piping encountered in a power plant, yet
virtually all of the teams that might work on gas piping do so without adequate
knowledge and training. Consider this article-which includes the top 10 gas piping
hazards-your first step toward avoiding a disaster like the one recently experienced
at the Kleen Energy plant.
50 Forensic Engineering: a Valuable Tool in Incident Investigations
Case studies of three serious power plant incidents demonstrate the value of forensic
engineering. Every plant can learn something from the recommended corrective
actions designed to prevent similar incidents from occurring.
58 a burning Concern: Combustible Dust
Governments at all levels, standards-making organizations, and industry entities
must work together to promote the safe and efficient handling of coal. Here are
some recommendations for how you can prepare to play a role in preventing coal
dust fires, explosions, and implosions.
64 POwER In MEXICO
The latest in-depth country report on the power business from Global Business Reports
looks at a U.S. neighbor. Mexico is one of the few countries in Latin America
that maintains state control of its power sector, yet private capital has a role to play.
Though it enjoys a diverse mix of fuels and (to date) few serious financing obstacles,
the country is confronting many of the same challenges that face electricity infrastructure
developers worldwide. (Continued on next page)
May 2010 | POWER
www.powermag.com
SUCCESSFULLY
MANAGING & STAFFING
PROJECTS FOR 30 YEARS
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No matter how you
produce your energy,
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coal
hydro
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PEOPLE TO POWER IT.
No matter how you
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we've got the
people to power it.

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POWER May 2010

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