Utility Automation & Engineering T&D articles from September 2006

Utility Automation & Engineering T&D archives from September 2006

The era of the ERO begins.(FROM THE EDITOR)
September 1, 2006... In mid-July, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission did something that many in the power industry (this writer included) have spent years clamoring for: It certified NERC as the official "Electric Reliability Organization" for the United...

CapX 2020 utilities plan new transmission lines.(NEWS)
September 1, 2006... The CapX 2020 utilities--an alliance of electric cooperatives, municipals and investor-owned utilities--took the first step in the regulatory process for three new 345-kV transmission lines this summer. A preliminary filing for one of the three...

NERC gets FERC nod as U.S. ERO.(North American Electric Reliability Council )
September 1, 2006... The creation of an independent, international electric reliability organization (ERO) moved a step closer to completion in July when the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved the North American Electric Reliability Council's...

HTS cable at work in Albany.(NEWS)(High temperature superconductors)(SuperPower Inc.)
September 1, 2006... This summer, when the demand for electricity to run pool pumps, fans and air conditioners is at its peak, power customers in Albany, N.Y., will get some extra capacity thanks to new technology. A system that eliminates the resistance that...

Europia: Europe clamors for a T & D Utopia.(INTERNATIONAL FEATURE)(Cover story)
September 1, 2006... Europe's transmission markets, if personified like a great literary character, would best be labeled "sophisticated, but scattered" these days--a polished old gent who can't quite figure out the best way to arrive at his destination. Each...

Using bad data to train good grid dispatchers.
September 1, 2006... Power grid dispatchers can now train like airline pilots, using simulators that provide faulty readings designed to throw them off, thus teaching them how to compensate for instrument failure and continue to safely and reliably operate the...

The state of WAMS.(wide area monitoring systems)
September 1, 2006... August marked two dates of historical interest in the power industry: the third anniversary of the 2003 blackout that spread across the eastern United States and Canada, and the one-year anniversary of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct)....

Hydro-Quebec's Distribution technology roadmap.
September 1, 2006... Hydro-Quebec is no different from other utility companies in that they face the challenges of an aging workforce, an aging network, new technologies, increased customer's requirements, etc. Where Hydro-Quebec Distribution differs from some...

Expanding uses of GPS.(VEHICLE FLEET MANAGEMENT)(Global Positioning System)
September 1, 2006... Today nearly everyone has heard of global positioning systems (GPS), and many have a good idea of what they do. But, if you think location is the only benefit of GPS, then you may be missing the big picture. Business and government fleets of...

University project takes aims at grid security.(GETTING EQUIPPED)
September 1, 2006... Recently, several threats to the nation's power grid have been made plain. Hurricanes Rita and Katrina showed the damage that extreme storms could cause, and this summer's heat wave has put a strain on the grid. The North American blackout of...

AMI operating software.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... Command Center 2.3, the newest version of Hunt Technologies AMI operating software, has been released. Command Center 2.3 contains many enhancements for Hunt customers, including easier navigation between report screens, enhanced export...

Dispatch Console.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... The UltraCom Dispatch Console System from Moducom with its all-digital technology offers numerous features that are valuable to the utility industry. It provides radio, phone, and Interoperability/VoIP, all in a single software application,...

Power Quality Analyzer.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... Fluke Corp. has announced the new Fluke 435 Power Quality Analyzer and expanded capabilities for the Fluke 434 Power Quality Analyzer. The Fluke 434 and Fluke 435 three-phase power quality analyzers are designed to help users pinpoint power...

Lock-out Relays.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... Lock-Out Relays (LORs) from Electroswitch protect critical electrical equipment in utilities. A variety of models featuring manual-, electric-, or self-reset capability can accommodate virtually any lock-out switching application in the...

Exam and board reports.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... SecureWorks, a provider of Managed IT security services to the utility industry, is announcing its new enhanced exam and board reports. The new reports are making it manageable for utility companies to demonstrate best practices and compliance...

Calendar.
September 1, 2006... Distribu TECH 2007: The utility industry's most comprehensive conference on automation, information technology and T & D engineering. Feb. 4-6, 2007. San Diego, CA // Phone: 918.832.9265 // www.distributech.com SEPTEMBER 18-20 Gartner...

Next-generation wide area management.(SMART GRID PERSPECTIVES)
September 1, 2006... Wide area measurement/management systems (WAMS) allow utilities to maintain "over the horizon" awareness of conditions in neighboring control areas. I recently toured a new facility at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland,...