Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) Gas is used as an electrical insulator and arc suppressant in high and medium voltage electrical equipment in the electrical power utility and industrial power industries. SF6 is also used in medical devices, metal production and other manufacturing applications. The same properties that make SF6 useful as a dielectric create environmental problems. SF6 is a major greenhouse gas with a GWP of 23,900; however, with proper training and equipment, SF6 can be...
In a conference room in early 2017, a group of Transmission operators, supervisors, and executives at Ameren sat down in an effort to craft a strategic analytics roadmap that would tackle the new challenges associated with transmission operations. One of the first questions the group posed to...
Asset and risk management for electric utilities BY SIRI VARADAN, UISOL, & SERGE VANASSE, Clevest Aging transmission and distribution (T&D) infrastructure is a critical issue for electric utilities, resulting in the need for utilities to make decisions regarding the replacement, repair,...
How weather affects power quality on the electric grid BY ALDEN WRIGHT & MARK STEPHENS, Electric Power Research Institute Utilities have long understood that weather and grid power quality are closely linked. As anyone who keeps up with the news will note, the last few years have seen a...
How to improve reliability by hardening the power grid BY BO ZENG, WEI YUAN & LONG ZHAO, University of South Florida North America relies heavily on its interconnected power grid. Throughout its history, the grid has provided years of reliable electricity to 300 million people to power home...
Duke Energy Florida has announced plans to build four new utility-scale solar energy facilities across the state, aimed at adding 300 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy to the grid. This expansion is part of the company’s broader strategy to increase its solar generation capacity and...
In a strategic move to tackle the growing electricity demand and bolster energy security, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), under Secretary Chris Wright, has announced plans to focus on expanding baseload and dispatchable power generation. This shift in priorities, outlined on January 5, 2025,...
A coalition of large energy consumers and ratepayer advocates has filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), urging the agency to prohibit transmission owners from independently planning "local" transmission projects exceeding 100 kilovolts (kV). The coalition argues...
The rapid shift toward renewable energy resources (RERs) has placed significant demands on traditional power systems. To address these challenges, modern energy infrastructure is evolving into smart grids, leveraging advanced technologies like Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) to enhance grid...
Louisiana, known for its robust oil and gas industry, is experiencing a significant shift as some of its largest industries express frustration over delays in the state’s renewable energy transition. These major players are pushing for accelerated development and implementation of renewable...
Direct current (DC) is the preferred technology for moving large amounts of power across long distances. DC results in overall higher efficiency and reliability than an equivalently-sized alternating current (AC) system moving the same amount of power. The Advantages of DC More efficient: Over long...
