Rebirth of Nuclear Power and New Generations of Nuclear Reactors-Part of a Clean Energy Strategy

There is growing interest world-wide in the potential for nuclear energy to have a major role in reducing carbon emissions (i.e. providing clean energy) in addition the traditional benefits of nuclear energy efficiency and the ability to meet energy generation capacity requirements. Recent Gallup Inc. poll results indicate that U.S. public opinion is increasingly favorable towards nuclear power,...

Types of Nuclear Reactors

The Nuclear Power industry classifies Nuclear Reactors based on the: Type of Nuclear Reaction, Nature of the Moderator Material, Coolant Type, and Reactor Design Types   Types of Nuclear Reaction Nuclear fission – All commercial nuclear reactors operate under the principles of nuclear fission, for which they generally use uranium. Fission reactors can be further categorized based...

Expected Results and Benefits from Grid Modernization (Including SmartGrid and AMI)

Grid Modernization: Electric Infrastructure with SmartGrid and AMI Most electric customers and other stakeholders are keenly aware of the vast innovations, improvements, and cost reductions that have occurred in their telecommunications networks and they clearly recognize the benefits they have realized from them. In contrast, few customers and other stakeholders recognize the potential for...

Driving Forces behind Grid Modernization (Including Smart Grids and AMI)

There are numerous internal (i.e. to the utility, its customers, and the regulatory regime) and external (i.e. societal and technological) forces that have established a compelling need for grid modernization, and understanding these forces is central to understanding why modernization is a vital topic for each electric utility, its customers, and all its stakeholders. Forces Driving Grid...

Grid Modernization- The Path to Full Network Automation

Current priorities placed on Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and SmartGrid technologies at the highes levels of state and federal government are creating compelling pressure on every utility to commit significant investment to such initiatives. But the path to success involves a plan that integrates myriad of factors, including: Electric Grid Modernization Broad array of developed and...

Underground Residential Distribution (URD) Cable Replacement

The electric utility industry in the United States grew significantly the 1960s and 1970s (Refer to Figure 1) and this led to the installation of a large number of electric utility plant assets for generation, transmission, and distribution. Figure 1: U.S. Growth Trend - URD Cable Installation in the US 1960 - 2005 Concurrent with this spike in growth, suburban locations nationwide desired the...

Introduction to Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (PHEVs)

What are PHEVs? Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are passenger vehicles that combine both an internal combustion engine (ICE) and a battery-powered electric motor of an electric vehicle (EV).     PHEVs operate at the outset of any trip on the electric power stored in their battery. When this power is exhausted, they convert to their ICE mode for the balance of the trip. PHEVs are...