Description
Book SynopsisAbi-Samra's practical book on power grid resilience investigates the impact of extreme weather and the effects of climate change. It explores proven practices for successful restoration on thermal power plants in light of floods, winter storms, hurricanes, heat waves and dry spells and provides an overview of line insulation coordination, stress-strength analysis and tower insulation strength. The book also covers structural hardening of power systems against various weather conditions, including wind pressure, wood poles and vegetation management. Using the storm Sandy as a backdrop for different examples, the reader will also be presented with practical implementations to improve future smart grids.
Trade ReviewThis book is an excellent reference that documents the fundamentals and theory behind the effects of extreme weather on the power grid. This comprehensive and authoritative reference on the topic of weather-related impacts and resiliency is invaluable for practicing engineers. This can also be used as a textbook for use in university courses. It provides a wealth of case histories, practical examples, detailed analyses, summaries and features over 150 carefully annotated figures. The book covers several areas that were not covered in other textbooks on the market. -- Saifur Rahman * IEEE Power & Energy Society *
Abi-Samra has produced an excellent contribution toward understanding power system resilience and how we can build systems that are less susceptible to forces of nature. The analysis is technically sound and well supported by a rich list of citations. The book should be required reading for all power system engineering students. Experienced engineers will gain a lot from the numerous insights presented. And non-technical individuals who just want to understand how the power system works will enjoy a clear and well written story. -- Gerry Cauley * North American Electric Reliability Corporation *
As the electrical power grid and its components are significantly affected by myriad of weather related events, it is electricity that is needed to bring life back to normal. Preventing power outages and, if this is not possible, restoring electrical power as soon as possible during those events are critical aspect of managing the electrical power grid. This book provides valuable information in summarizing many lessons learned from previous extreme weather events that affected the power system. It includes detailed explanations of the impacts of extreme weather and covers applicable industry standards and initiatives. It offers unique insight and practical answers through examples of how power systems can be affected by weather and how countermeasures can be applied to mitigate them. -- Damir Novosel * Quanta Technology *
Weather is one of those fundamental unknowns which add the greatest uncertainty to power system planners and operators worlds. Nick Abi-Samra is one of the few engineers who has a thorough understanding of the uncertainty of the timing and severity of weather and its effects on power systems. -- Clark Grellings
The subject of extreme weather on the grid is one which has not received great attention. However it is a serious problem and will be only getting worse as global warming continues. Abi-Samra has written a siminal work which should be of interest to both policy makers and engineers alike. -- Karl Stahlkopf * SPS Energy & Financial *
Nicholas has the enviable talent of processing an in-depth understanding of transmission technology coupled with many years of applying his knowledge and experience to help utilities from every corner of the world better design, manage and operate their transmission systems. Over the decades the focus for transmission asset owners has evolved in concert with ever-changing challenges from increasing transmission voltages to reliability. This shifted to asset management followed by a focus on increasing power flow and more recently to the integration of intermittent renewables. Looking over the horizon for the next challenge, Nicholas has focused on the impact of unpredictable weather patterns. Assumptions about weather underpin many of the key design parameters associated with transmission networks. While these aspects are ever present, in the foreseeable future, the changing weather will drive utilities to reconsider every assumption impacting directly choice of technology, costs, operations and lifecycle management decisions. It will also demand that the design assumptions associated with existing designs be reviewed. This book is therefore very timely. -- Raymond Lings * Powertech Labs Inc. *
DNV GL provides services globally to utilities to safeguard life, property and the environment for a safe and sustainable future. I would like to emphasize from our cooperation - Nicholas Abi-Samra with his deep technical understanding of the T&D business is the right person to provide that comprehensive handbook dealing with the mitigation of extreme weather events. Are we prepared to the increasing stress on the power system by new operational schemes, and extreme weather events? It must be clear a simple app will not help to maintain accustomed reliability level, it is the deep technical understanding of potential risks and how to mitigate them in new designs and operating procedures. -- Gunnar Heymann * DNV GL Energy *
Table of ContentsEffects of Heat Waves on Power Systems; Effect of Droughts on Hydroelectric Power Plants; Effect of Droughts on Thermoelectric Power Plants; Extreme Weather Effects on Directly Buried Underground Cables; Effect of Heat Waves on Distribution Transformers; Effect of Lack of Ground Moisture on Transmission Line Performance; Effects of Heavy Winter Precipitation on Transmission Line Insulation; Effects of Heavy Winter Precipitation on Transmission Line Corona Losses; Effects of Winter Storms on Power Systems; Effects of Winter Storms on Wind Turbines; Structural Hardening Against Storms; System Resiliency.
