Massachusetts is going to blow

Posted by David Roberts at 7:25 AM on 18 May 2007

Read more about: energy | electricity grid | Massachusetts

The electrical grid in Massachusetts is getting ready to blow:

Documents obtained by the Herald show more than 12,000 transformers from Attleboro to Ayer are operating at above 200 percent capacity, with some as high as 900 percent over design standards. Union officials, who last night reached an agreement in contract talks with National Grid, say the overloads are pushing the state's electrical system to the brink and could lead to widespread blackouts this summer.

We have to replace them anyway. Why not replace them wtih smart, networked, solid-state transformers?

For story: Massachusetts is going to blow
9 Comments | Post a Comment

Transformers

Where would a utility acquire smart, networked, solid-state transformers for distribution applications?

by ffletcher at 2:21 PM on 18 May 2007

Dunno

Dunno, but I'm sure PG&E or EnergyWatch knows.

http://www.pge.com/customer_service/ami/
http://www.energywatch.org.uk/publications/campaigns/inde ...

by GreyFlcn at 2:25 PM on 18 May 2007
[ Parent ]

Schlumberger

Itron, for instance.

http://www.itron.com/pages/products.asp
http://www.energyvortex.com/pages/headlinedetails.cfm?id= ...

by GreyFlcn at 2:34 PM on 18 May 2007
[ Parent ]

Smart Meters

Thanks GreyFlcn for the smart meter references. I am very interested in those as well. I have a program underway now at our utility that will use the Itron Smart Meters and links them to an energy database using Wi-Fi. The conceptual design for the Wi-Fi just got done this last week.

Meters are the devices that measure the energy used by a customer while transformers change the voltage and current of the electricity delivered to the customer. Typically in the United States electricity is transformed from 12,470 voltage to 240 within a few hundred feet of the customer's service entrance. Transformers are linear devices that use magnetic flux and coils as the means to transform electricity.

There has been talk of solid state transformers in the past but I have not heard much of them in recent years. The concept was to employ solid state switches to reduce the losses of transformers and reduce higher order harmonics for cleaner power. I suspect that by adding a processor and network capability they might better fit into distribution automation systems, outage management systems, and transformer load management systems. I just have never seen any of these devices as utility grade products. If they do exist I would be interested in trying some, provided they can talk Wi-Fi.

by ffletcher at 3:03 PM on 18 May 2007
[ Parent ]

Apparently

Apparently the term is:
"Universal Intelligent Transformers" UIT

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=universal+intell ...

Haven't read much into it, but EPRI should be a pretty good source of information.

Might even be able to call them up and ask them.

by GreyFlcn at 3:44 PM on 18 May 2007
[ Parent ]

Ahh, apparently

Ahh, apparently EPRI is the ones making them or something like that.

Can contact them to check on purchase information here:
http://www.epri.com/portfolio/purchase.aspx

by GreyFlcn at 3:48 PM on 18 May 2007
[ Parent ]

And for a little bit about EPRI

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), with major locations in Palo Alto, Calif., Charlotte, N.C., and Knoxville, Tenn., was established in 1973 as an independent, nonprofit center for public interest energy and environmental research. EPRI brings together members, participants, the Institute's scientists and engineers, and other leading experts to work collaboratively on solutions to the challenges of electric power. These solutions span nearly every area of electricity generation, delivery, and use, including health, safety, and environment. EPRI's members represent over 90% of the electricity generated in the United States. International participation represents nearly 15% of EPRI's total research, development, and demonstration program.

They are also dabbling in making PHEV work vehicles.
http://kww.autobloggreen.com/2007/04/12/new-york-times-ge ...

by GreyFlcn at 3:52 PM on 18 May 2007
[ Parent ]

Thank You, Good Reference

I am quite familar with EPRI. I see from the article you reference they have been making some advances on those solid state transformers. Looks like it still is not ready for customers trials. But I will keep an eye on them.

What I thought interesting is that this single device can produce a wide variety of electricity. It may have interesting applications on the renewable side. For example, as an alternative to an inverter on a solar panel. As a step-up transformer for a wind turbine.

As an alternative to an inverter it may be able to make it possible to use with a solar panel (with a battery bank) to provide power to a residence during an outage.

by ffletcher at 4:04 PM on 18 May 2007

Could be a memorable summer

OK, so we have something like a trillion dollars in infrastructural needs ...

But couldn't this BG writer have looked into how much more power people are using in MA? Could it be that bigger houses and more AC (and a little population increase) could be a partly to blame for a stressed electricity grid?

by Colin Wright at 7:15 PM on 20 May 2007

ADVERTISING POLICY

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