Posted on 03/10/2014 9:10:50 AM PDT by null and void
Transformers are the most vulnerable components in the power grid and they are under attack.
The main components in our power grid distribution system are transformers. They step up the generated voltage to a higher level for more efficient transport over very long lines. Then they step the voltage back down in several stages for final consumption. These transformers are located at the power plants and thousands of substations. They are big and right out in the open. Weather does not bother them, but bullets do. They are the weak links in our power grid.
Last year someone decided to shoot out the transformers at PG&E’s Metcalf substation in Silicon Valley taking the substation out of service. Luckily, PG&E was able to reroute the power to prevent a total blackout. But it took months to get replacement transformers and restore service.
This is a major wake up call to the utilities. Terrorists, or disgruntled customers, can easily take down a substation with a rifle at long range and get away with it. The transformers are defenseless as they are not covered or protected in any way. Furthermore, replacement transformers are hard to come by.
Power transformers are not an off-the-shelf item. Most are custom made to match the utility’s system. Each transformer is unique so requires special manufacturing efforts. It takes months to make small transformers and as many as two years for the big transformers. And they cost a fortune with small ones going for up to $1 million and as much as $10 million for the big ones. In addition, transportation is an issue. How do you ship a monster transformer weighing a couple hundred thousand pounds? So while replacements are possible, it takes a significant amount of time. This could cause a black out for months or longer.
On top of all that, there are only about seven transformer manufacturers in the U.S. And most of these are not typically that busy. Even so it would be a major problem to get fast service from a U.S. company for custom products. Not that many of them make the really big high voltage transformers. However, there are other transformer companies worldwide but service would no doubt be slow, and let’s not mention shipping costs.
Something needs to be done about this, fast. You know how you feel during even a short few hour blackout. It is miserable. Think of all the businesses, hospitals, and government services that depend upon power. It is a scary thought to think we could go without power for months. No doubt the utilities are already taking that California event as a wakeup call. I have not heard what they are doing about it. And just what can be done anyway? Special housings? Bullet proof shielding? Kevlar vests? Utilities could keep a spare or two of the smaller cheaper transformers, but it would be too costly to stock a spare of the larger ones.
Most substations are not that secure. They usually have a chain link fence and maybe even video surveillance but neither of these help when your enemy is a sniper a hundred yards away. Even armed guards are no help. It would not take much of a complex or expensive effort to really disrupt electrical service nationwide. Just ask hurricane and icy winter survivors how bad it is without power for a long time. So what is the solution?
Since the terrorists now know of this cheap and easy way to hurt us, we had better develop some protection. In the meantime, it wouldn’t hurt to get yourself a good generator for back up.
If you really want a feel for how vulnerable we are through IT, you can spend a few hours at the link:
http://conference.hitb.org/hitbsecconf2013ams/materials/
Have fun.
Trucks=toast, agreed. Ships from Korea? As long as it is aboard a Chinese Naval vessel looking to land on the Left coast. LOL. Wasn’t aware of the electrical smelters for the cores. Ouch. Wow, we are so screwed.
We have sometimes had transformers blow and need to be replaced. For some reason, it didn’t really take that long.
Most of the businesses, hospitals, walmart, grocery stores, health centers etc. in our area have their own backup generators that go on automatically when the electric goes off-that way they are not totally at the mercy of the power company’s plan.
Yes. the small local “pole pig” transformers are jellybean commodities, your local power company has scores of them in inventory.
It’s the BIG garage sized ones at the substation that are difficult to replace, they are custom built, long lead time and very expensive.
Your local hospital, etc. has emergency generators that are expected to provide a whopping 100 hours of power a year. It’s by no means certain that even if they are regularly refueled they could run continuously for the several months it would take to rebuild a fraction of the substations in this country.
Would your car last being run 24/7 for a few months?
The power plants at hospitals and hotels are dry-sumped, so the oil can be changed while the engines are running.
There are several diesel generators at the CCCSD treatment plant near Martinez that have been running continuously since early 1993.
Well, I know that the health center bought really heavy duty generators with the idea of a year of power if needed.
Don’t know much about the hospital’s plan. I do know that they are not likely to survive much longer due to the changes in the ACA.
I also know that while the new parts of the hospital are dependent on gas and electricity, the older parts, functional parts, of the hospital are still run on oldfashioned boilers. I think they told me it was run on coal.LOL
Excellent! and as editor-surveyor pointed out diesel generators can be a lot more robust than cars.
At our home we have for heat 2 wood burning fireplaces with heatalator fans, several kerazene heaters which I wouldn’t use indoors unlees I stuck them in the fireplace, but would be useful to keep patio vegetables from freezing.
We also have electric heaters that can run off either of our 2 generators. For heat, and to run the well pump. I have also ordered a rocket bucket so that we could get water from our well manually if needed.
We would probably conserve our generator use and just run it for a few hours spread out during the day. The fireplaces keep everything toasty in the upstairs living area, and nothing else requires constant electricity.
We have plenty of battery operated lights, and fans, and candles. Also some kerosene lanterns and coleman lanterns, and the aforementioned solar lighting along our sidewalk.
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>> “ I think they told me it was run on coal. LOL” <<
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You may not be laughing for long.
Obummah’s EPA has effectively cancelled coal mining.
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Well then I’ll just have to find something else to laugh at. I think it’s ironic that during the last outage, the old fashioned equipment worked while all the new stuff didn’t.
If shtf, we all may be finding ways to use “old” methods.
it’s a lot more complicated than that.
I once had a $250.00 crank shaft bend to save a 07¢ crank shaft key.
W/o power a 3D printer is just an expensive paper weight.
Regards,
GtG
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