28. NATURAL DISASTER REDUCTION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

 

The U.S. electric power sector is a critical part of our society.  Virtually all aspects of residential, industrial, and commercial activities depend on safe, reliable, and affordable electricity.  Electricity is among the most infrastructure-intensive segments of the energy sector – the electricity grid includes a network of 5,000 power plants with a generating capacity of 800,000 megawatts, 100,000 high-voltage transformers, 63,000 substations, and 158,000 miles of transmission lines.  In some cases, this infrastructure is operating at-or-near capacity.  Therefore, the potential to be in a supply-shortfall position when affected by a natural disaster has never been greater.

 

Any prolonged interruption in the supply of electricity would be devastating to the nation.  Natural disasters, including major weather events, have caused damage to the electricity infrastructure, resulting in high energy-loss consequences, as well as subsequent public health, safety, and economic losses.  For example, hurricanes Katrina and Rita impacted Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, resulting in widespread power outages to residential, commercial, and industrial customers.  The long-term power outages caused disruption to all parts of society, including inter-dependent critical infrastructure such as communication, oil refineries, pumping stations, pipelines, and gasoline stations.

 

Reducing the consequences of such disasters has been accomplished by implementing sound emergency management policies that involve close coordination between federal, state, and private stakeholders.  Nonetheless, there remain many technological approaches which could decrease vulnerability and accelerate recovery of the electric grid.  The most urgent research issues include:  (1) advanced power electronics for faster routing of electricity flow and for integration of storage and renewables as buffers, (2) simulation models to assist in recovery measures, and (3) the development of restoration software tools based on advanced sensor data to rapidly ascertain the state of the grid. 

 

Grant applications are sought only in the following subtopics.

 

 

a. Vulnerability Reduction Via Advanced Power Electronics—High-voltage/high-current power electronics devices allow precise and rapid switching of electric power to support long-distance transmission.  Power electronics are essential for integrating devices such as energy storage, photovoltaic arrays, microturbines, and wind power integration with the local electric distribution system.  During abnormal grid operation and interruptions, power electronics can be used as grid shock absorbers, current limiters, and to improve power flow management.  Advanced power electronic devices could assist in the recovery from brownouts and blackouts, either short or extended.  Therefore, grant applications are sought to develop new power electronic devices to aid in minimizing the impact of, and assisting in the recovery from, natural disasters.  These devices must be able to withstand harsh and chaotic electrical perturbations such as frequency fluctuations, erroneous loops flows, large voltage sags and swells, and current surges that can be experienced during a natural disaster. 

 

Questions – contact Imre Gyuk (imre.gyuk@hq.doe.gov)

 

 

b. Simulation Models—Grant applications are sought to develop simulation models to improve recovery from disruptions of critical electricity infrastructure, or when possible, preclude such a situation from occurring.  The aim is to develop tools that could quickly alert operators and recommend corrective control actions that may be taken to alleviate an existing or potential problem in the system, and return the system to a stable state.  Some examples include refined "real-time" tools for contingency analysis; modeling interdependencies; analyzing potential overload and/or short-circuit conditions; and estimating restoration time.  Projects with an emphasis on the high-voltage transmission system are preferred.  Also of interest are simulators that provide a realistic environment for operators to practice procedures under emergency operating situations. 

 

(Note distinction between subtopics b and c:  the intent of this subtopic is to develop enhanced decision support tools, whereas subtopic c focuses on providing operational understanding of system status through sensor measurements.)

 

Questions – contact Gil Bindewald (gilbert.bindewald@hq.doe.gov)

 

 

c. Restoration Software Based on Advanced Sensors—Sensors are an essential component in the operation and maintenance of energy systems, and advanced sensors could aid in disaster reduction.  These sensor networks, located on the transmission and distribution system, would allow control area operators to record the status of the grid prior to a large disturbance and determine line status after a disaster and where generation capacity can be matched with load.  Grant applications are sought to develop software tools that use time-synchronized sensor data from all parts of the transmission grid, individually or in combination, to aid operators in restoring full service across a region.  The sensor data of interest would be derived from phasor measurement units (PMUs), digital fault recorders with GPS-synchronization, and intelligent electronic devices in substations for time synchronized circuit breaker monitoring.  Such sensors could provide information on phase angles to re-synchronize circuits in the system, real and reactive power flows, breaker positions, dynamic line loading conditions, and low-frequency oscillations during the grid restoration process.  By operating on these data with appropriate software tools, system operators then could reconfigure electricity flow to restore power to the grid safely and efficiently, while isolating any problem areas.

 

Questions – contact Phil Overholt (Philip.overholt@hq.doe.gov)

 

 

References:

 

  1. National Energy Policy (URL: http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/energy/)

 

  1. Department of Homeland Security.  (2006).  National Infrastructure Protection Plan. (Full text available at: http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/NIPP_Plan.pdf)

 

  1. Department of Energy (August 2006).  Five Year Program Plan for Fiscal Years 2008 to 2012 for Electric Transmission and Distribution Programs, A Report to the United States Congress Pursuant to Section 925 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. (Full text available at: http://www.oe.energy.gov/DocumentsandMedia/Section_925_Final.pdf)

 

  1. Generator Black Start Validation Using Synchronized Phasor Measurements, Koellner, Kris; Anderson, Chris; and Moxley, Roy,  Western Protective Relay Conference, October 2005. http://www.selinc.com/techpprs/6208_GeneratorBlack_RM_20070607.pdf

 

5.      Department of Energy (August 2006).  Five Year Program Plan for Fiscal Years 2008 to 2012 for Electric Transmission and Distribution Programs, A Report to the United States Congress Pursuant to Section 925 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. (Full text available at: http://www.oe.energy.gov/DocumentsandMedia/Section_925_Final.pdf)

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