RE+ Tech Supp to POWER September 2023 - 28

EMPOWERING CLEAN ENERGY
POWER GRID
Improving the U.S. Electric Power Grid:
Mitigating Vulnerabilities and Enhancing
Operation
T
he U.S. power grid has many
vulnerabilities, but power companies,
with additional support
from the government, are investing in
the system and enhancing its operation
through new innovative technology.
The electric power grid is arguably
the single most important infrastructure
that exists in the U.S. Almost everything
in the country depends on
having reliable electricity to function
properly. The government, industries,
commercial entities, emergency response
teams, military operations,
and more, would all be seriously handicapped
without electricity.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
has reported that more than 70% of the
nation's power transmission lines and
transformers are greater than 25 years
old (Figure 1). Therein lies one of the
biggest vulnerabilities, as equipment
doesn't last forever. Older components
are more prone to failure.
Many grid components are exposed
to harsh environments. Over time, environmental
factors such as temperature
changes, humidity, and exposure
to weather, as well as other stresses
and strains on the system, can cause
wear and tear, leading to breakdowns.
Insulation can weaken and metal components
can corrode, making both
more prone to failure. The longer
transformers, breakers, and cables
have been in service, the more likely
they are to have experienced some
form of overloading, which can cause
overheating and damage. This, too, can
lead to failures, especially when components
are operated beyond design
parameters for extended periods.
The U.S. government recognizes
that the grid needs attention. " Extreme
weather events like the Dixie Wildfire,
Hurricane Ida, and the 2021 Texas
Freeze have made it clear that Ameri1.
Much of the equipment currently installed in the
U.S. bulk power system is more than 25 years old,
meaning it's more vulnerable to failure than newer
equipment. Source: Envato Elements
ca's existing energy infrastructure will
not endure the continuing impacts of
extreme weather events spurred by climate
change, " the DOE has said. Aged
components require replacement.
Meanwhile, utilities must also expand
systems to account for expected growth.
The DOE, citing independent estimates,
expects U.S. electricity transmission
systems to increase by 60% by 2030,
and it said the grid may need to triple
in size by 2050. Much of the growth will
result from widespread electrification,
including in the transportation sector.
" With more demand for electricity,
and more vital functions depending on
a reliable supply, the grid is changing
and it needs to be able to generate, and
distribute, much more power than it did
in the past, " Kumar Chandran, senior director
of Commercial Strategy with S&C
Electric Co., told POWER. " At the same
time, the increased frequency and intensity
of storms and other weather
events poses a big threat to the grid.
The distribution portion of the grid,
which has minimal automation, is especially
vulnerable to significant impacts
during weather events, and afterwards,
when it takes considerable time to rebuild
damaged infrastructure. "
Investing in the Future
In an article published several years
ago by The Bridge, a National Acade28
Supplement to POWER & RE+ 2023
my of Engineering publication, Theodore
U. Marston, principal for Marston
Consulting, wrote: " The overarching
challenge for the U.S. power system is
how to maintain or replace the aging
infrastructure, given the diverse set of
owners/operators and financing mechanisms.
In contrast to the high-tech
sector, where the turnover of technologies
is measured in months and characterized
by high agility and potentially
high profit margins, the electricity system
is characterized by a capital stock
turnover rate measured in decades,
low agility, and small, regulated profit
margins. The successful nexus of
these very different sectors requires
close cooperation. "
Much has been accomplished since
Marston's article was published. The
Edison Electric Institute (EEI), an association
that represents all U.S. investor-owned
electric companies, reports
that electric companies have invested
more than $1 trillion in critical energy
infrastructure over the past decade.
EEI claims electric companies spent
more than $154 billion in 2023 alone to
make the grid " stronger, smarter, cleaner,
more dynamic, and more secure. " It
also says companies invested nearly
$30 billion in 2023 in " adaptation, hardening,
and resilience (AHR) initiatives "
to strengthen the nation's transmission
and distribution infrastructure.
EEI explains that AHR involves more
than just the ability to recover from
extreme weather events. It also " involves
addressing dynamic and potentially
impactful risks by anticipating,
withstanding, recovering from, and/or
adapting to a wide variety of threats,
including extreme weather, wildfires,
earthquakes, and cyber or physical security
attacks. "
In Marston's analysis, he divided
threats into " natural or environmental
RE+ Tech Supp to POWER September 2023

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