POWER DIGEST [December 2025]
Darrell Proctor
Mon, December 1, 2025 at 8:54 AM EST
6 min read
In this article:
Framatome Selected to Modernize System at Belgian Nuclear Plant. Framatome has been selected by Electrabel, part of ENGIE Group, to modernize the rod control system of the Tihange 3 nuclear reactor in Belgium. Framatome in late October said the move is part of the strategy to extend the power station’s operating life. Tihange 3, commissioned in 1985, is a 1,030-MW pressurized water reactor (PWR). The modernization of the rod control system, which will extend over several years, includes the complete replacement of control cabinets with Rodline technology, as well as all engineering, onsite installation, and maintenance activities. This system plays an essential role in reactor control, ensuring precise power control and automatic failover in case of an unforeseen event. Framatome said its Rodline solution is the most widely used digital rod control technology in the world. This project is part of the agreement signed in 2023 between ENGIE and the Belgian government, aimed at extending the service life of Belgian PWRs, strengthening the country’s energy security, and aligning with Europe’s commitment to a responsible energy transition. Alight Receives Grant for Finnish Solar Project. Alight, a Nordic solar power developer and independent power producer, has been awarded a significant funding grant from the European Commission’s Innovation Fund for its solar project in Loviisa, Finland, that is co-developed with Finnish renewable firm 3Flash. The grant, announced as part of a highly competitive process in which 373 projects applied and only 61 were selected, highlights Alight’s commitment to accelerating the transition to renewable energy across Europe. The planned solar park is a large-scale project with a planned capacity of about 120 MW, with a co-located battery energy storage system of about 45 MW. The project is designed with a focus on agrivoltaics, which integrates solar energy production with agricultural land use. The innovative design utilizes artificial intelligence and trackers, optimizing both energy yield and agricultural productivity. ANDRITZ Chosen to Modernize Thailand Hydropower Plant. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) in early November announced it has selected international technology group ANDRITZ to modernize the Rajjaprabha hydropower plant in Thailand. ANDRITZ will renovate all three 80-MW generating units of the plant. The renewable energy project is included in ANDRITZ’s order intake for the third quarter of 2025. The Rajjaprabha plant on the Saeng River in Ban Ta Khun district, Surat Thani Province, has been operating since 1987. The scope of the contract includes the complete renovation of Units 1–3, consisting of specified turbine components and major generator components along with installation supervision, testing, and commissioning. EGAT owns and operates more than 50 power plants across Thailand, with a total installed capacity of more than 16 GW. The utility recently also awarded ANDRITZ a major modernization contract for the Srinagarind hydropower plant. ANDRITZ has been active in Thailand for more than five decades and has contributed to nearly half of the country’s hydropower capacity through new installations and modernization projects. Energy Storage Project Announced in Japan. Daiwa Energy & Infrastructure (DEI), an asset manager supported by Daiwa Securities investment bank, said it has invested in a battery energy storage system (BESS) project in northern Japan. DEI in late October said the 38-MW/160-MWh capacity installation would be located in Chitose, south of Sapporo. The company said it has started construction on the project with a goal of achieving commercial operation in 2027. DEI said the BESS will have several functions, including the ability to stack revenues earned from wholesale electricity market trading, the balancing market, and the capacity market. Groups Join for Hydrogen Demonstration Project. Utility, a global economic industrial decarbonization company headquartered in Houston, Texas, in late October said it had signed an agreement with the Seongnam Municipal Government of Korea to establish an H2Gen Demonstration and Certification plant at the Seongnam Water Reclamation Center. Utility currently is commercializing its proprietary and proven H2Gen technology platform. The city of Seongnam has been a leader and innovator in circular economy and clean energy initiatives such as hydrogen. Seongnam will host the facility, known as “Frontier Korea.” Officials said it is the first initiative of its kind outside the U.S. The agreement represents a strategic initiative to support South Korea’s “Hydrogen Economy Roadmap,” which prioritizes biogas and hydrogen as energy sources to achieve carbon neutrality and reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels. The country is investing heavily in biogas projects, converting organic waste into clean energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance waste management. Frontier Korea will see Utility build and operate a clean-carbon hydrogen production plant producing more than 99.995% pure hydrogen (fuel-cell grade). The hydrogen will be delivered to the E1 hydrogen refueling station in Seongnam for use in fuel-cell buses, trucks, and cars. Korea has one of the most developed hydrogen-powered vehicle markets in the world, which Utility believes holds significant potential for its H2Gen technology. Through H2Gen, Utility electrochemically produces hydrogen from water without electricity, utilizing raw biogas energy from the anaerobic digestion of organic waste. Utility also recently established a fully owned subsidiary in Seongnam, Utility Korea LLC, and made a qualifying investment under the Foreign Investment Promotion Act. Utility in early October started operations on its U.S.-based Frontier Facility in Houston. The Frontier Korea facility will be a near replica of this proven modular plant, according to Utility. Financing Secured for Danish Solar-Plus-Storage Project. Portugal-based Greenvolt, an independent power producer, in October said it had secured €35 million ($40.6 million) in financing for a solar-plus-storage project in Denmark. The company has an agreement with Denmark investment bank Ringkjobing Landbobank for the installation, which will include 97.36 MW of solar power with 55–60 MW/110–120 MWh of energy storage capacity. The project is being built in Hoegholm, with commercial operation expected early in 2026. The installation as designed would become the largest BESS by capacity in Denmark, surpassing a 30-MW/43-MWh unit built by utility EWII earlier this year, and also larger than a 45-MWh project being built by Eurowind Energy. Data Center Development Planned in UK. Ark Data Centres, a UK-based data center operator, in early November announced it is planning a new 200-MW data center development outside London in Watford. A planning application shows the company wants to redevelop a former hotel at the site in collaboration with the Hertsmere Borough Council. Ark has said the project would represent investment of about £2 billion ($2.6 billion). Ark’s website names the former Mercure Hotel site as its planned Elstree campus. Officials said the location could host as many as six data centers, with construction beginning in 2026, and commercial operation starting in 2029. Reports said the site has previously been in development plans by other companies, who looked to take advantage of a nearby substation in Elstree. Ark, which was founded in 2005, has 27 data centers at nine sites either operating or in development in the UK and Belgium. —Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER
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