“Unavailability of the water supply pumping and filtration plants due to personnel loss or electrical loss?”
Does the US have enough parts to maintain the power grid and water systems? Maybe someone here knows the answer.
“Does the US have enough parts to maintain the power grid and water systems? Maybe someone here knows the answer.”
I used to be a field engineer with GE and I worked on turbine generator sets. I also worked with an electrical test equipment manufacturer so I have some very limited knowledge of grid components.
The large turbine generator sets are designed to run for years at a time without shutdown. When I was working on them the combustion turbines had a yearly combustion inspection with the replacement of combustion components. That is now done once every three years. The coatings on the combustion components wear out and they must be recoated after three years.
Steam turbine major outages were scheduled every six years. However, it was common for those outage intervals to be stretched to 7,8, or even 9 years. Obviously a unit that had a nine-year interval would require more work during the outage than one with a six-year interval.
An exception to these rules is units used at nuclear plants. Maintenance intervals are rigorously followed for them.
As long as this crisis lasts no more than 6 months routine maintenance can be postponed with limited long term consequences.
The bigger problem is when something goes wrong. Many of the parts associated with these turbine generators have very long lead times even under normal circumstances(3 to 6 months or more). Supply chain disruptions can only add to this problem. Prolonged shutdowns and supply chain disruption could result in a gradual reduction in the availability of operable units. I don’t think this would be a major problem unless we have disruptions lasting more than a year.
I know that much of the electrical grid consists of standard components. Hopefully, sufficient spares exist for their replacement as necessary. I would worry about being able to restore service after a natural disaster such as the tornados in Tennesse this week. Typically in those situations, additional crews are sent to the affected areas as well as spares. A prolonged disease outbreak will reduce the availability of both.