Utility Horizons - Second Quarter 2013 - (Page 56)

Purviews By Erich Gunther | IEEE Fellow | Cofounder/CTO EnerNex RESILIENCY: The New Mantra in the Face of Devastation The pursuit of both hardening and resiliency recognizes that resources are limited and that cost/ benefit ratios in pursuit of beneficial risk management must be applied for a rational business case. Let’s also recognize, at the outset, that placing a value on civil order, business continuity and the health and safety of the citizenry is not a simple matter. Still, recent events have added a degree of urgency to determining what steps make financial and operational sense. The concepts of hardening and resiliency and their practical applications are not new to the power industry. Yet two consecutive years of devastating storms – by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012 in the Northeast, as well as derechos in the Mid-Atlantic states in 2012 – have pushed elected officials, public safety organizations, utilities and end users to examine existing technologies and techniques to soften the blow of future events. The recent Congressional appropriation of $60 billion for regions adversely affected by Hurricane Sandy contained money to rebuild damaged infrastructure and compensate for losses stemming from the economic disruption caused by the storm. The appropriation language even encouraged the use of new approaches, including so-called “smart grid” technologies, to avoid 56 • UTILITY HORIZONS • Q2 - 2013 repetition of the devastation – and costs – caused by these storms. While the popularly envisioned, ideal “smart grid” remains a multi-decade challenge involving myriad systems and evolving utility practices, existing technology does offer the opportunity to increase the hardening and resiliency of grids. The process doesn’t lend itself to generalization because it begins with an assessment of legacy In a new world dominated by systems, local and regional environmental risks and the concerns over cyber security specific goals of whoever and natural disasters, many is sponsoring the work. However, I can describe the power utilities, investors, basic contours of one such stakeholders and end-users project in the Northeast to illustrate what’s possible have turned their focus to today, primarily focused on the concept of resiliency. The the risk of natural disasters. prevailing notion is that no matter how much is invested in the grid, cyber attacks and physical devastation will at times overcome the power gridʼs ability to withstand assault. The ability to bounce back – resiliency – is where resources should be focused. The companion concept of hardening – bolstering the gridʼs ability to initially withstand assault – remains integral here as well. ‘Double Whammy’ Drives Effort The driver for the project I’m about to describe was Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011, which was rapidly followed by an early winter storm that dropped snow on fully leafed autumn trees, leading to the familiar domino effect of broken branches and downed power lines. Hurricane Sandy’s even more devastating appearance this past October 29 – just 14 months after Irene – simply added impetus to ongoing efforts on grid hardening and resiliency. The timeline here www.UtilityHorizons.com  http://www.UtilityHorizons.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Utility Horizons - Second Quarter 2013

Utility Horizons - Second Quarter 2013
Publisher’s Message
Contents
The Queue
Automation Rising!
Inside Tracks
Focal Point
Automation and Innovation at Epcor Water Services
BLeading Edge: Advanced Technology Perspectives
Consumer Engagement: The Future Goes Mobile
Demand Response: Why the Future Is in the Cloud
Building Paths to Smarter Water Management
Bullet-Proofing Your Scada System Against the Evil-Doers
Education Matters
Standard Bearings
Regulation De Rigueur
On the Horizon
Purviews
Intersections
Eventualities
Thinking It Through With Sparky Flamedrop
Loose Ends

Utility Horizons - Second Quarter 2013

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