Smart Grid: Forget Russia and China. The real threat to the power grid is from... the Sun???

Quick Take: Smart Grid News is recently warned you that Russia was behind a malware attackthat hit more than 1,000 utilities in the U.S. and Europe. And that China and other countries are undertaking massive, sustained cyber espionage targeting the power grid.

But a recent article in Bloomberg Businessweek reminds us that there's an even bigger threat out there – the Sun. – Jesse Berst

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Smart Grid: Forget Russia and China. The real threat to the power grid is from... the Sun???

PG&E and IBEW 1245 Celebrate Journeyman Lineman Recognition Day

Honoring the Dedication, Focus and Skill Required to Safely and Reliably Power Northern and Central California

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PG&E and IBEW 1245 Celebrate Journeyman Lineman Recognition Day

Wise Moves: Demand Response | EC Mag

Once known as demand-side management, the implementation of products and practices designed to modify electricity consumption are proven methods for electricity providers and consumers to control usage. This field is now referred to as “demand response” or “intelligent efficiency.” In today’s era of rising electricity prices and desire for green and sustainable businesses, electrical contractors are wise to familiarize themselves with this field and the various measures that can help their commercial, industrial and residential customers achieve greater control of their energy consumption and costs. 

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Wise Moves: Demand Response | EC Mag

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NO RELIEF ON POWER COSTS: Court denies request

The U.S. Court of Appeals today, Wednesday, denied a call for a stay on further power auctions under the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's "new capacity zone" that is raising electricity prices in the mid- and lower Hudson Valley.

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NO RELIEF ON POWER COSTS: Court denies request

Destination of giant transformer remains a mystery - Yuma Sun: News

The Yuma Sun has spent the past few weeks attempting to track down intended purpose and destination of the giant electrical transformer (seen here) which recently made its way here. The 17 feet tall, 20 feet wide, 350 feet long electrical transformer slowly snaked its way across Arizona to Yuma from the New Mexico border. At 1,040,500 pounds, or about 520 tons, the transformer was hauled by a semi-truck on a specialized bed supported by 25 axles.

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Destination of giant transformer remains a mystery - Yuma Sun: News

Maine power upgrade: CMP closing in on finish of 5-year project | SeacoastOnline.com

A lineman, fastened to a hovering helicopter, works on a pole seen from Route 236 in South Berwick. The work is being done as part of the Maine Power Reliability Program, a five-year, $1.4 billion project to upgrade the existing 115-kilovolt system and construct new 345-kilovolt high-voltage transmission lines from Eliot to Orrington.Deb Cram/dcram@seacoastonline.com

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                   Maine power upgrade: CMP closing in on finish of 5-year project | SeacoastOnline.com

Systems Engineering and Consumption Challenges | The Energy Collective

A system is a set of inter-related components that interact in an organized fashion toward a common purpose.  When you add living organisms like humans, it becomes an ecosystem.  The electric grid was a complex system, but the advent of Smart Grid technologies started a grid transformation into a complex ecosystem or collection of related systems that are generally identified as the electricity value chain.

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Systems Engineering and Consumption Challenges | The Energy Collective

American Electric Power Improves Substation Design with Bentley Substation > ENGINEERING.com

Last week, American Electric Power (AEP), one of the country’s largest electrical utilities, adopted Bentley Substation to improve the design of their power stations.

Bentley’s building information modeling (BIM) software is able to design 3D models, assist in electrical design functions, automatically provide BOMs and generate reports for the production of electrical substations.

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American Electric Power Improves Substation Design with Bentley Substation > ENGINEERING.com

Hackers seek to disrupt electric grid through 'smart' devices - SFGate

FILE- In this Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003, file photo, the setting sun silhouettes electric transmission lines crossing Berea, Ohio. Americans are paying more to maintain the nation's electrical grid than a decade ago, but they appear to be getting little for their money from utility services that are no more reliable and in some cases seem to be getting worse. An Associated Press analysis of utility spending and reliability nationwide found that electric customers are spending 43 percent more than they did in 2002 to build and maintain local electric infrastructure. Since then, power outages have remained infrequent; but when the lights do go out, it now takes longer to get them back on. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) Photo: Mark A. Duncan, Associated Press

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Hackers seek to disrupt electric grid through 'smart' devices - SFGate