Power Systems Flashcards
What factor encouraged utility companies to begin partnerships?
They wanted to become more efficient and reduce costs.
What is demand-side management?
Demand side management programs are implemented to manage load growth and achieve economic stability. They are designed to help consumers reduce their energy demand and control their energy cost while delaying the construction of generation, transmission, and distribution facilities.
Which type of generator has the fastest response capability?
simple-cycle combustion turbines
What are a power transformer’s three main purpose?
step-up system voltage
step-down system voltage
regulate system voltage during normal and emergency conditions
What are the primary features of a circuit switcher and a circuit breaker?
Circuit Switchers:
not capable of high speed closing
generally have a slower interrupting capability
Circuit Breakers:
can quickly interrupt power
capable of high speed closing
What is the primary purpose of disconnect switches?
Normally operated under no load and provide a visual break in the circuit.
Isolating devices consists of:
fuses
circuit breakers
circuit switches
Protective relays, expulsion fuses and surge arrestors operate when?
when there is an overcurrent or overvoltage
During outages or other fault conditions, electricity may become unreliable and expose equipment to potential harm. What equipment is used to ensure protective relays and circuit breakers have a reliable source of energy to operate in an emergency?
batteries
Operators rely on Contingency Analysis tools to help plan and manage the system so credible contingencies can result in acceptable performance. Contingency Analysis is:
A computer application that uses a simulated model of the power system to evaluate the effects and calculate any overloads from an outage event.
A review analysis tool that simulates and quantifies the results of problems that could occur in the power system.
A study tool for the off-line analysis of contingency events and an on-line tool to show operators the effects of future outages.
What are System Operating Limits (SOL)?
A SOL satisfies the most limiting of the prescribed operating criteria for a specified system configuration to ensure operation within acceptable reliability criteria.
Transmission owners must rate all transmission system components.
These ratings are used to establish System Operating Limits (SOL) and Interconnection Reliability Operating Limits (IROL), but these ratings are not the System Operating Limits.
Why was the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) founded?
The federal government requested the US Federal Power Commission determine the cause of the 1965 blackout and recommend ways to prevent its recurrence. One recommendation resulted in the founding of the National Electric Reliability Council, now known as the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).
In 1967, the US Federal Power Commission published a report recommending the establishment of:
“A council on power coordination made up of representatives from each of the nation’s regional coordination organizations to exchange and disseminate information on regional coordinating practices to all of the regional organizations, and to review, discuss and assist in resolving matters affection inter-regional coordination”.
The federal government launched both legislative and regulatory initiatives to promote industry competition by allowing many new entities into the electric marketplace. What was one of those initiatives?
The Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992 promoted industry competition by allowing many new entities into the electric marketplace.
NERC develops and implements reliability standards in accordance with FERC-approved procedures. However, NERC does not enforce these reliability standards. Who is responsible for enforcing these procedures and standards?
Regional Entities (RE) are responsible for enforcing reliability standards NERC develops and implements in accordance with FERC-approved procedures.
Which three main function categories are defined by the NERC functional model?
The NERC functional model defines three main function categories:
standards and compliance
reliability service
planning and operation
All organizations that are officially registered as entities are subject to the compliance process, such as:
Balancing Authorities (BA) Transmission Operators (TOPs) Generating Operators (GOP) Reliability Coordinators (RC)
If a significant problem occurs in one area of the grid, and is not properly resolved, it can
affect the power supply or flow in other areas of the grid.
System operators were unable to use jet-driven auxiliary turbines to generate additional power to prevent a massive outage just before the 1977 New York City Blackout because operators for the turbines
had gone home for the evening.
The New York City Blackout of 1977 was caused by several factors including:
the Indiana Point Power plant tripping off-line
lightning strikes at the Buchanan south substation
inability to start jet-driven auxiliary generators.
The Great Northeast Blackout occurred on:
November 9th, 1965, leaving 30 million people without electricity. As the largest blackout to date, it affected the northeast portion of the US and the adjoining southeast portion of Canada, including major cities such as Toronto and New York. Although only 12 hours in duration, this blackout caused a major disruption to the lives of those affected by it.
Although November 9th, 1965 was a very cold day, investigators determined the cause of the Great Northeast Blackout of 1965 was
an incorrectly set relay near the Adam Beck Station No 2 plant in Ontario.
Although blackouts cause great inconvenience to communities, and generally result in millions of dollars of financial damage, they often provide
valuable information on how to prevent future blackouts.
Who are responsible for investigating the routine and major disturbances and events that occur within their area?
Regional Entities
Who began establishing the standards for the training and qualifications for those responsible for operation of the Bulk Electric System in 1997. Specifically, it began developing programs for System Operator Certification.
NERC
In 2002, NERC expanded its System Operator Certification Program to include specialized testing in the following areas:
- Balancing and Interchange Operator
- Transmission Operator, Balancing/Interchange and transmission Operator, and
- Reliability Operator