News Highlights from the Electric Power Industry.
NERC: U.S. power sector strong, yet increasingly susceptible to weather, cyber threats
The nation’s bulk power system faced massive challenges over this past year, including a deadline winter storm in the southwest and devastating wildfires, heat waves and tropic storms elsewhere.
The power sector certainly failed in some of those instances, but all in all the U.S. grid is holding together pretty well considering evolving threats and growing variety in the generation mix, according to the annual report from the North American Electric Reliability Corp. NERC is the industry’s overseer for the nation’s six major system operators on power and grid performance. Read more >>
New alliance formed to help improve cybersecurity of electric grid
This week, Ampere Industrial Security and INPOWERD announced that they have combined forces to help utilities and energy companies raise their levels of cybersecurity, reliability and compliance.
The partnership, comprised of two cybersecurity consulting firms, will give more critical infrastructure organizations the opportunity to improve their levels of NERC CIP and Operations and Planning (O&P) standards compliance at the same time, the two companies said in a press release. >> Read more
As DOE ramps up Hydrogen Shot initiative, debate about means of production begins
With the U.S. Department of Energy choosing hydrogen for the first of several new initiatives aimed at decarbonizing the electric grid, and with multiple dignitaries expressing a belief that hydrogen will prove critical to fully eliminating carbon emissions, the hydrogen moment seems to have officially gone mainstream. But the next debate may entail how hydrogen fuel will — or should — be produced. >> Read more
Residential applications for smart grid technologies continue to grow as electricity customers take more control of their energy usage and costs. Homeowners with rooftop solar have been selling power back to the grid for years, and more opportunities for power customers are coming as electric vehicle owners tap into the market via energy storage. >> Read more
“Power is at the center of everything we do.” This is the mantra of Power Storage Solutions (PWRSS), a company dedicated to keeping your back-up power systems running smoothly, minimizing risk of a critical system failure and maximizing uptime.
With over 20 years of experience handling back-up power systems as PowerCare, a division of Interstate Batteries, PWRSS was launched in 2018 when Terry Cummings, Steve Baker and Derrick Elledge purchased the group. Since then, the organization has grown to over 70 employees with locations in Dallas, Houston, Detroit and Orlando, Florida. >> Read more
Low wind generation, high gas prices leads UK grid to ask for West Burton A coal-fired power
The United Kingdom is quickly phasing out coal-fired power in its electricity mix and only operates a handful of such stations nationwide.
This week, however, coal-fired power was brought up to the forefront, if only temporarily, as the national grid dealt with low capacity wind-energy output and high natural gas prices during a warm weather streak, according to multiple news reports. >> Read more
Be Prepared. Think Safety.
