We may be in the middle of spring, but extreme weather does not wait for a specific date to wreak havoc. In Colorado, where I live, we experienced our first “bomb cyclone.” Other than hailstorms, blizzards and torrential rain, those of us living in the Front Range of Colorado rarely see crazy weather. Some regions experience flooding, and my house has narrowly avoided and a rare tornado or two, but before March 13, 2019, I had never seen witnessed anything like the bomb cyclone that whipped through my neighborhood.
The night before the storm, local news stations ran a growing list of schools and business closures. On the day of the storm, Denver International Airport shut down operations. This was the fourth time the airport has closed since DIA opened in 1995. When I let my dog out the morning of March 13, the ground was damp from rain hitting the area, but that was the extent of the storm. Given how many parents had to make arrangements for their children whose schools were closed, I wondered if the meteorologists had sounded a false alarm.
Then, the wind picked up, followed by heavy, blowing snow. By 11 a.m., my electricity was out. Xcel Energy said it could take up to three days to restore power to the 80,000 or so who were impacted. Fortunately, my power was up and running by 6:00 that evening. I felt sorry for those who would remain without electricity, but the people I thought about as I watched the relentless snow, were the Xcel Energy crews, who were driving on icy roads or working outside in those wretched conditions.
Before the bomb cyclone, it had been decades since I experienced a power outage. I realize there is more to electricity than flipping a switch for light or pushing a button on a remote control for the television, but it is easy to think power is abundant and always available. As someone who speaks regularly with energy industry experts, I like to think I am smarter than those who take electricity for granted, but being without it for six hours showed me how reliant I am on electric power.
While we may see a few more blizzards between now and the end of May, I am hopeful we have seen the end of extreme winter weather. Meanwhile, the fire and hurricane seasons are just around the corner, which means droughted areas, as well as the U.S. coastal regions, are preparing for harsh climate conditions that await them. To those who keep our electric grid safe, I express my heartfelt thanks. I realize most field workers must respond rapidly and with a clear head while they endeavor to bring the grid back online, even as many of their homes are also impacted by natural disasters.
Fortunately, when it comes to preparing for or mitigating powerful storms, there are steps utilities can take. In his article “Preparing for the Storm with Machine Learning,” Don Leick with DTN writes about the role artificial intelligence can play in helping utilities predict and respond to power outages. As Leick explains, no two utilities are the same, but once deployed, machine learning can identify vulnerabilities, while also providing resiliency insights. There are other best practices in place to prevent or recover from natural disasters. In the Q3 issue of EET&D, we will be publishing articles from industry experts who are addressing these issues. If your company or utility client have a case study you’d like to share, let me know.
When it comes to the electric grid, unfavorable climate is not the only condition putting utilities at risk. As digital information-sharing becomes more common, the need to shore up cybersecurity is more critical than ever. To help those organizations who have yet to implement cybersecurity measures, Christine Hertzog with EPRI and Kay Stefferud, who is the director of Implementation Services for Enernex, each offer insights on cybersecurity. In this issue’s Security Sessions, Hertzog provides an update on the research EPRI is conducting to improve cybersecurity measures. She also offers helpful suggestions for organizations looking to improve their cybersecurity efforts. In her article, “System Engineering Approaches to Address Cybersecurity Challenges of the Grid,” Stefferud describes the important role system engineering can play in establishing cybersecurity protections. There is no one way to ensure a company is protected from cyberattacks, but as Hertzog and Stefferud both point out, we are past the stage of debating which security measures to take. It is now time to take action.
This past autumn, I wrote about emerging technology trends, pointing to a contributed article that mentioned 5G. In response, one of our readers, Robert Landman, commented that he thought 5G would not live up to the hype. He agreed to submit an article about his findings on 5G, which we have published in this issue. From the numerous emails and volume of information Landman has shared with me throughout his researching and writing process, it is evident Landman has become, what I refer to as “an accidental expert” on 5G. I appreciate his effort to bring me up to speed on the topic. There may be readers who remain firm champions of 5G technology and the role it could play in utilities. In this early phase of 5G’s rollout, there remain a lot of unknowns. As more energy providers determine if the technology is right for them, I look forward to learning how it works out.
If you would like to contribute an article or if you have an idea about interesting technology, solutions, or suggestions, please email me at Elisabeth@ElectricEnergyOnline.com.
Elisabeth
