>> Power grids existed long before networked-computers came out. Why
>> would the grid be so vulnerable now?
> Because it is more efficient to control a grid froma central location,
> rather than sending men out to substations to throw breakers.
>> Shouldn't those critical networks be isolated from outside access >> altogether?
> Information sharing can be gathered for non-control systems from the
> intelligent devices at grid control points. Meters are not only
> useful for determining load and deciding when to switch to a different
> circuit, but for billing as well. information about voltage and
> frequency support is used to demonstrate "more stability" and thus
> gain a higher retail price, in addition to giving the control board
> operators information on what they need to do to support the grid.
> Also, the grid has become more complicated, with "distributed
> generation". With people looking for alternative sources of power,
> there are many additional complexities. For example, in my city,
> Austin Texas, there are solar, fuel-cell, and small-package combined
> chiller/generators distributed around the city that feed into the
> grid, along with a couple of methane burners at the dumps.
> Coordinating all of those small generators takes extensive
> instrumentation that wasn't necessary 20 years ago, and wouldn't be
> possible without networks.
>> Secondly, they should be more worried about grid overloads from all the
>> power source shifting done today. The grids were not designed to
>> handle that kind of loads and problems like the recent NYC-NE blackout
>> will occur again.
> Yup. The real solution, assuming we can't upgrade the grid, is to
> build more powerplants closer to the load (that is, closer to
> population centers). Of course, that is very popular and people are
> overjoyed to welcome new jobs into their neighborhoods. ;-)
> Daniel J McDonald CCIE # 2495, CNX
> Visit my website:
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These little gas-fired plants (100MW ?) seem to be solving the problem for the NYC area. They take about an acre and generate no perceptable smells/noise/etc and pass zoning review if the proposed location isn't a residential area.
The downside it seems is that we may have "overcomitted" our supply of natural gas. Greenspan made a statement to this effect a year or so ago.