EGR240 (EGR199) “Energy Issues”
Homework for Monday, November 7 (recall that you also have a summary/critique for the speaker on
Friday also due on Monday November 7).
Read the following article:
"The 21st Century Grid: Can we fix the infrastructure that powers our lives?", By Joel Achenbach. National
Geographic Magazine. July 2010.
(available at: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/07/power-grid/achenbach-text )
Answer four of the five following questions.
1.
What is PJM?
2.
What causes frequency to fluctuate, and what does the power system do to respond?
3. The article discussed the blackout of August 14, 2003. Tell two things about the blackout from
the article (example: where it started, how it started, how far it reached, what was its impact,
what was its cost, etc.)
a.
b.
4.
The paper uses the term “demand management”. Briefly explain what this means, as
mentioned in the paper.
5.
The paper says that some countries are ahead of the US in “upgrading their electrical
intelligence”. Two countries were mentioned. Name one.
6.
The paper mentions a remote city that relies on a huge array of batteries for emergency
backup, and this is the size of a football field. What state is this city in?
7. An “interconnection” is a large interconnected electrical grid. How many interconnections are
there in the lower 48 continental states, and what geographic regions are they associated with?