THE WORM HAS TURNED

摘要

In the aftermath of the gas turbine boom and bust, volatile fuel prices, and the Enron scandal, discussion is now focused on coal, nuclear and renewables - topics that will receive ample attention at POWER-GEN International this year in Las Vegas. The worm has definitely turned in the power generation industry. Just a few short years ago, the only topic being spoken about in serious commercial terms was the gas turbine boom. Although the excess gas turbine capacity has not yet worked itself out across the country, the industry is now warily eying the next electricity supply gap. To satisfy the power demands associated with a still-expanding economy, significant baseload power supply will be needed in the next 5 to 10 years. Poised to fill this gap are two technologies that have been referred to as "dinosaurs" in various venues - coal and nuclear. Dinosaurs they may be to some, but to power companies that must make long-term investment decisions with inexact information and uncertain regulations, they represent reliable, relatively inexpensive dinosaurs. And the provisions of the recently passed Energy Policy Act of 2005 didn't hurt, either, with significant support for nuclear and coal plants.