TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: Gas Refrigerator (was 25 Hz Power)

Re: Gas Refrigerator (was 25 Hz Power)

DLR (news22@raleighthings.com)
Sat, 18 Mar 2006 06:49:47 -0500

> The 1965 NE power failure has been documented as to causes and
> solutions (which presumably have been implemented). But I don't know
> if they ever published the analysis of the more recent NE power
> failure. I believe it was caused by surges in an Ohio system that
> rippled to other systems. I don't know if there is a protection
> against such "rippling". That's why I wish there were some kind of
> "buffers".

In general yes they do know what happened. But these systems are now
more like the Internet than a generator powering a city. And while
there is some (very limited) buffering that can be done, it's a cost
and amazingly, each company tries to put the costs on the other guys
and the income on themselves. Without an almost national power company
I doubt the buffer will be there unless everyone is mandated to have
it. And I'd rather see the current situation, warts and all, continue
before I'd want a single national power company.

If you mean "store" power for a rainy day, that's very very
hard. About the only way it's done now is to do things like use
nuclear power to pump water up hill during off peak times so it can be
used for hydro generation when needed.

AC Power is mostly a game of use it or loose it.

Now back in the early 70s my father's plant spent tens of millions of
dollars to change their continuous process such they could drop their
power load by large megawatts in a few hours instead of the days it
took (well to do it nicely) before. This was so they could give up
their power for $$$ if requested by the power companies so they could
ship it to NE when needed during peak summer loads. They came out way
ahead on the deal after a few years. I don't know the exact figures
but in 1968 his plant was using the same amount of power as the City
of Detroit's power system.

Will there be large scale blackouts in the future? Yes. We just don't
have the knowledge to design fool proof large scale very complex
systems. And not mater how many laws Congress writes, they can't
legislate results. :)

Post Followup Article Use your browser's quoting feature to quote article into reply
Go to Next message: T: "Re: Verizon's FiOS TV Service Takes Off in Texas"
Go to Previous message: T: "Re: Gas Refrigerator (was 25 Hz Power)"
May be in reply to: Dave Grebe: "Gas Refrigerator (was 25 Hz Power)"
TELECOM Digest: Home Page