IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Summer 2013 - 8

shortages continued to drive up prices. Electricity usage
the future of the American grid. In 2009, President
had exponentially increased, particularly due to the
Obama announced the largest-ever investment in
use of air-conditioning, and supply struggled to match
the grid to implement smart grid technology. As he
demand. In the blackness, looting and
explains, "this investment will come
property destruction were rampant as
in the form of 100 grants totaling $3.4
There was an
people stole clothing, food, and housebillion - grants that will go to private
hold appliances. This event reinforced
companies, utilities, cities, and other
overwhelming
the public notion that darkness was
partners who have applied with plans to
sense of unity in
equated with "criminality and chaos".
install smart grid technologies in their
response to the
However, the response to the Northarea" [2]. Envisioned as a much-needed
Great Northeast
east blackout of August 2003 was more
upgrade for the current grid, the smart
like the 1965 event despite heat wave
grid is expected to increase reliability
Blackout of
conditions and the tail-end of a national
and better accommodate renewable
1965.
recession. After 9/11, citizens and the
energy sources via networked sensors
media were primed for more attacks.
and advanced control schemes. unlike
After being assured that the blackout had no terrorist
voluntary "greenout" efforts, the smart grid has a real
origins, people turned to street parties and solidarity.
potential to shift our understanding of electricity from
Nye also argues that the timing of the blackout (occura right to a resource. For example, smart meters will
ring at 4 p.m.) and improved policing contributed to the
provide utilities with time-of-use information to enable
relative calm. These incidents serve to raise the fundanew rate schemes that encourage energy conservation
mental unanswered question of how to best ensure reliand efficiency via economic incentives designed to
ability in an electrical grid where increased complexity
shift peak power usage [3].
increases the likelihood of cascading failures. While
Overall, this book highlights blackouts as a way to
Nye reserves limited discussion for this subject, it is
explain the contradictions inherent to the consumpclearly a concern for utilities, policy makers, and the
tion of electricity in America. Customers want to use
future of regulation in the utility industry [1].
more electricity, but they do not want to live next to
Nye concludes the book with a passionate call-toa power plant. And perhaps most surprisingly, in an
arms: "the choices are fundamental. Will Americans
electrical grid where increased complexity has led to
continue on a high-energy binge, and treat the electria higher probability of major blackouts, the smart grid
cal grid's technological momentum as inevitable and
solution serves to further increase complexity.
inexorable? Or will Americans learn to consume less
energy?"
References
Yet, he provides a completely unsatisfactory vision
[1] J. Apt, L.B. Lave, S. Talukdar, M.G. Morgan, and M. Ilic, "Electrical
of how this transition will happen. He goes on to ask,
blackouts: A systemic problem," Issues in Science and Technology,
vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 1-8, 2004.
"... will Americans help to build a future of alterna[2] B. Obama "remarks by the President on recovery Act Funding
tive power generation and greater energy efficiency?
for Smart Grid Technology," Arcadia, FL, Oct. 27, 2009; http://www.
Involuntary blackouts or voluntary greenouts?"
whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-recovery-actfunding-smart-grid-technology.
However, the choices are not so simple. For exam[3] Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy reliability, "The Smart
ple, Nye chooses not to include a discussion of smart
Grid: An Introduction," u.S. Department of Energy, 2008; http://
grid technology, which is likely to become central to
energy.gov/oe/downloads/smart-grid-introduction-0.

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Summer 2013