DOE Provides up to $51.8 Million to Modernize the U.S. Electric Grid System

Department of Energy ^ | 6/27/2007 | Department of Energy

[P-40]

DOE Provides up to $51.8 Million to Modernize the U.S. Electric Grid System Superconductor Research Crucial to Improving Power Delivery Equipment

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman today announced that DOE will provide up to $51.8 million for five cost-shared projects that will help accelerate much-needed modernization of our Nation’s electricity grid. This research will advance the development and application of high-temperature superconductors, which have the potential to alleviate congestion on an electricity grid that is experiencing increased demand from consumers. Making investments to modernize our electricity grid; securing a diverse and stable supply of reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible energy; as well as increasing efficiency, are central to the Bush Administration’s effort to increase energy and economic security.

“Modernizing our congested and constrained electric grid - through the development of advanced, new technologies – is vital to delivering reliable and affordable power to the American people,” Secretary Bodman said. “As demand for electricity continues to grow, we must take steps now to identify potential problems, identify solutions, and deploy new technologies to provide a secure and steady energy supply. We look forward to the success of this research and recognize it will help us realize President Bush’s goal of a more modern and efficient electricity system.”

*SNIP*

[Kellis91789]

“... cost of upkeep and of improvement gets passed onto the public.”

Which is no different than any other product.

I didn’t realize the government owned any of the power lines.

I realize compartmentalization of failures has proven to be a problem in the last decade or so. I still think the individual power companies should be taking measures themselves to prevent a cascade failure. I just don’t see how the government adds value here.

Then again, the whole idea of a grid seems like a weak point to me. True, it allows for generation in one place to support use in another, but it requires long transmission lines which are expensive and have significant losses. How hard would it be for terrorists to engineer the kinds of failures that have cascaded through large portions of the US and Canada ? I’d love to see small but deep geothermal made economical, with thousands of 100MW plants serving 100,000 homes each. If going to 30,000 feet depth were not so expensive, geothermal would work anywhere in the lower 48 states.

[Kellis91789]

It makes you wonder how much money is wasted doesn’t it ?

How many bureacrats on both the government and power company sides wasted how many hours in the review and regulatory process ?

Costs passed along to taxpayers and electric customers.

[P-40]

Then again, the whole idea of a grid seems like a weak point to me.

Without it, there would be massive wastage in some places and just plain nothing in other areas. It allows a sharing of excess as well as a prevention of shortages.

If you want a really good book on the subject, check out Infrastructure by Brian Hayes. I know it sounds boring but it is an incredible read.

[abigailsmybaby]

Yes. And it’s especially bad out here because there are so many environmentally protected areas. It can be a real quagmire.

[Brilliant]

“Which is no different than any other product.”

True, and that is how it should work. However, I do think that we have a national interest in making sure that the grid works everywhere, and if that means the feds have to pay for it to some degree, then I can understand why they are doing that. The alternative is to simply mandate that all owners of any portion of the grid conduct any necessary improvements. Currently, they are not doing it.