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Extreme Challenges Await Electrical Engineers’
Efforts
to Restore Power on Gulf Coast; Feature Story
in September Issue of IEEE-USA Today’s
Engineer
WASHINGTON (9 September 2005)
—
Electrical engineers will face “extreme
challenges” in their role to restore power to
the Gulf Coast ravaged by Hurricane Katrina,
according to a September article in IEEE-USA
Today’s Engineer. Damage to the regional
electric grid, which includes power plants,
substations and transmission and distribution
lines, is extensive.
“The challenge is to figure out what pieces of
the regional electric grid are left, put them
back together in a sequence that restores as
much power as possible
— as fast as possible
— and remains stable in operation as conditions
change and [demand for electricity] is added
back to the system,” said Harold Adams, a power
engineer with Dominion Resources Services in
Glen Allen, Va. “The challenge to localized
service is similar, but there is a more detailed
focus on the particular restoration priorities
for local customers and government.
“In all of these cases, manpower and equipment
logistics often present a major challenge.”
IEEE-USA Today’s Engineer conducted a
question-and-answer session with Adams and Jack
Casazza, two electrical engineers experienced in
storm damage and electric system restoration
following natural disasters. Both are members of
the IEEE Power Engineering Society and IEEE-USA
Energy Policy Committee. While engineers can
design transmission and distribution systems
that help protect against major power loss in
severe weather, nothing can be done to guarantee
electricity to public facilities, homes and
businesses.
“You really cannot storm-proof the system
completely,” Casazza said. “No matter what you
do, the electric power system is going to be
subject to interruptions
— major interruptions.”
To read “Katrina Poses Extreme Challenges for
Power Engineers,” go to
www.todaysengineer.org. To subscribe to
Today’s Engineer, IEEE members can go to
http://ewh.ieee.org/enotice/options.php?LN=IEEEUSA.
Non-members can visit
www.todaysengineer.org/emailupdates/index.html
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