Electric Power Service Research Articles

THE ROLE OF THE MILITARY LOGISTIC SYSTEM IN SUPPORT OF THE CIVIL CRISIS MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS TO MILIGATE THE EFFECTS OF NATURAL DISASTERS AND TECHNICAL FAILURES: THE CASE STUDY OF POLISH MILITARY LOGISTICS

Research purpose: The aim of the paper is to identify the scope of the engagement of the military logistic system in supporting civil crisis management operations and reducing the negative effects of natural disasters and technical failures. Methodology/approach: The single case study methodology is applied to achieve the aim of the research. The case analysis focuses its attention on the logistic system of the Polish Armed Forces as the unit of the study. The following methods have been used to collect the data for the study: literature review, documentation analysis, analysis of the news published on the website of the Inspectorate for the Armed Forces Support and participatory observation. Findings: The key areas of support provided by military logistics for the operations of civil crisis management encompass preparing the conditions for temporary stay of evacuated population and medical support. The lessons identified from the civil crisis management operations conducted between 2008 and 2015 confirm that the scope of real life support provided by the military logistic system is consistent with the priorities of crisis and humanitarian logistics which include supplies of drinkable water, food, clothes, electric power and logistic services. Limitations/implications: The applied methodology of the single case study limits the possibility to generalize the findings. The analysis is deeply embedded into a given context i.e. civil crisis management operations supported by Polish military logistics between 2008 and 2015. Originality/value: So far, not enough research attention has been given to the issue of the military logistics engagement in supporting the civil crisis management to mitigate the negative effects of natural disasters and technical failures. Therefore, the study contributes to the efforts to fill the identified gap in knowledge.

Impacts of Natural Disasters on Swedish Electric Power Policy: A Case Study

The future of climate and sustainable energy are interrelated. Speaking of one without mentioning the other is quite difficult. The increasing number of natural disasters pose a great threat to the electric power supply security in any part of the world. Sweden has been one of the countries that have suffered from unacceptably long blackouts. The tremendous outcomes of the power interruptions have made the field of the economic worth of electric power reliability a popular area of interest among researchers. Nature has been the number one enemy against the supply security of the electricity. This paper introduces a recent and thorough electric power reliability analysis of Sweden and focuses on the country’s struggle against climate change-related natural disasters via updating the country’s electric power policy to improve its service quality. The paper highlights the Gudrun storm of 2005 as a case study to demonstrate the severe impacts of extreme weather events on the energy systems. The economic damage of the storm on the electric power service calculated to be around 3 billion euros.

Power Transformer Loading Analysis in Order to Improve the Reliability of a Substation

This paper presents the power transformer loading analysis in order to improve the reliability of a substation. The substation that was the location of the study was the 150/20 KV Kentungan Substation, Sleman, Yogyakarta Special Region. Power transformers are the most important electrical equipment in a substation. The power transformer functions as a provider of electrical energy that has been transmitted from the power plant to then be channeled to electricity loads. In its operational it is very important to know the capacity and capacity of power transformers in serving electric loads for decades to come, with the aim that the electric power service can take place well. Therefore, the forecasting of the power transformer is important to know in the framework of the operational planning of a good substation. The results of the study indicate that the peak load of power transformers in the period 2014 to 2016 is still in a safe level, where the maximum peak load is 93% of the total capacity of the transformer. However, it is recommended that the power transformer capacity be planned to begin to anticipate the growth of loads in the coming years.

Deadline Differentiated Pricing of Deferrable Electric Loads

A large fraction of the total electric load is comprised of end-use devices whose demand for energy is inherently deferrable in time. Of interest is the potential to leverage on such latent flexibility in demand to absorb variability in power supplied from intermittent renewable generation. The challenge, however, lies in designing incentives to reliably induce the desired response in demand. With an eye to electric vehicle charging, we propose a novel forward market for differentiated electric power services, where consumers consent to deferred service of pre-specified loads in exchange for a reduced per-unit price for energy. The longer a consumer is willing to defer, the larger the reduction in price. The proposed forward contract provides a guarantee on the aggregate quantity of energy to be delivered by a consumer-specified deadline. Under the earliest-deadline-first (EDF) scheduling policy, which is shown to be optimal for the supplier, we explicitly characterize a non-discriminatory, deadline-differentiated pricing scheme that yields an efficient competitive equilibrium between the supplier and consumers. We further show that this efficient pricing scheme, in combination with EDF scheduling, is incentive compatible (IC) in that every consumer would like to reveal her true deadline to the supplier, regardless of the actions taken by other consumers.

Discussion Paper: Addressing Intermittency with Dispatchable Solar and Variable Supply Electric Power Services

As measured standardly by levelized cost of energy (LCOE), onshore wind and utility scale solar PV (photovoltaic) have been rapidly declining in cost and are now reported to be the cheapest ways of generating electric power. While this is indisputably a welcome development, the fact that renewables in general --- wind and solar in particular --- are variable and available only intermittently makes LCOE a quite incomplete, perhaps even misleading, measure of value because it neglects the system cost of accommodating renewables for the sake of meeting demand and keeping the grid in balance. The additional cost of building and employing peaker plants (mainly fueled by natural gas), which serve as backup and reserve and hence are often idle, has led many observers to pessimistic conclusions about the economic viability of very high levels of penetration by renewable sources of energy. This paper fully acknowledges the problem. We present an ensemble of several ideas that plausibly may be useful for mitigating the intermittency problem accompanying high levels of penetration of renewable power generation, particularly solar PV (photovoltaic). The ensemble, presented as a proposed setup or institution, includes provision for dispatchable solar PV (and by extension wind power) as well as provision for a market for what we call variable supply electric power. This is described in the paper and contrasted with existing services, which may be described as guaranteed supply. Further, we confront our proposed setup with three years of insolation data for Philadelphia, PA. This leads to a number of quantified measures of variability that should be useful for system design and management. This is an exploratory paper, aiming at an initial vetting of these ideas. Very much remains to be done to investigate them fully.

A study on the magnitude and causes of turnover among academic staffs of Ethiopian Higher Institutions: evidence from Ambo University

Considering high turnover as a sign of failure in an educational organization, the study was conducted to assess the causes of turnover among the academic staffs of Ambo University. The study focused on six plausible factors: economic, managerial, environmental, social and technological, teaching related factors and student characters. To achieve this end, the data were collected from 295 (113 former and 182 current) staff members through attitudinal survey questionnaire, semi-structured interview, focused group discussions and document analysis. The former staff members were selected on the bases of available and snowball sampling techniques, whereas, multistage stratified sampling techniques were employed to select the current staffs. The analysis employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Considering data were ordinal, percentage, median, weighted mean, standard deviation, ranking methods and Mann Whitney U Test were used analyze the data. The results determined that economic, social service and technological, managerial, student characters, teaching related and environmental factors in descending order are identified as the reasons for the teacher turnover in the university. In relation to the groups, male, experienced, elder instructors were dissatisfied and tend to leave the university at higher rate than their counterparts. Therefore, in bringing about improvement in these factors, the government should revise the compensations, fringe benefit, promotion, loans and performance appraisal policies to enhance opportunities for the academic staffs particularly for experienced Maters and PhD holder instructors, and the universities should also create further opportunities and implement the policies in fair and transparent manner. Moreover, both federal and the regional government should give due attention to improve the supply of pure water, electric power, network and internet service for Ambo town in general and for AU in particular. K ey w o r d s: Causes, Pull-Push factors, Determinant Factors, Academic staff Turnover

An Overview of Dynamic Contact Resistance Measurement of HV Circuit Breakers

With the deregulation of the electrical power industry, utilities and service companies are operating in a changing business environment. High voltage circuit breakers are extremely important for the function of modern electric power supply systems. The need to predict the proper function of circuit breaker grew over the years as the transmission networks expanded. The maintenance of circuit breakers deserves special consideration because of their importance for routine switching and for protection of other equipments. Electric transmission system breakups and equipment destruction can occur if a circuit breaker fails to operate because of a lack of preventive maintenance. Dynamic Contact Resistance Measurement (DCRM) is known as an effective technique for assessing the condition of power circuit breakers contacts and operating mechanism. This paper gives a general review about DCRM. It discusses the practical case studies on use of DCRM for condition assessment of high voltage circuit breakers.

A Mathematical Model Used in Repairs for Electric Power Distribution Network

This paper presents a mathematical model applied in the problem of determining the optimal number of teams used in handling events generated by breakdowns in the distribution system of electric power or preventive maintenance services. The model proved to be an excellent tool to quantify the optimal number of teams to attend the services requested of low and medium voltage. The model succeeded in solving the problem where several computational experiments were performed based on actual data provided by a distributor of electricity. The results of computational experiments show as quantified the number of teams per day, month, semester or year.

Multi-fault service restoration in distribution networks considering the operating mode of distributed generation

This article presents an electric power service restoration model for distribution networks considering distributed generation (DG). The optimization model is based on genetic algorithms (GA), using the fundamental loops of the network as the topology selection mechanism. The algorithm was tested on IEEE test systems with 17 and 33 buses. Results show the advantages of DG in the restoration process, the best operating mode of the DG and the effectiveness of the study technique.

Analysis and Study of Wireless Communication Network on Electric Power Automation

With the rapid development of science and technology, our country has basically entered into the network era, Internet and convenient optical fiber communication technology has covered all areas of the application. At the same time, electric power industry also vigorously applies network technology to improve its market competition strength. This technology plays an important role in electric power industry development, the operation and service of electric power industry in our country. The paper makes analysis and research about the wireless communication network technology on electric power automation.

Simple multi-attribute rating technique for renewable energy deployment decisions (SMART REDD)

In the effort to provide electrical power service and the sustaining fuel required to run generators at forward-deployed bases in Afghanistan and Iraq over more than 10 years, the US military spent billions of dollars and a paid a heavy toll in terms of human casualties. The green energy linear program for optimizing deployments (GELPOD) proof-of-concept model showed that a linear program could be used to optimize combat deployment of energy generation systems to minimize cost and casualties. Results indicated that reduction in both cost and casualties for renewable energy sources was highly dependent on fuel cost and deployment length. Neglected in the decision making process, however, were factors that impact the operational success of the mission. When deploying combat units, commanders must not only consider potential costs and casualties, they must also contend with battlefield mobility requirements, maintenance capability (or lack thereof), weather, and anticipated hostile action that could affect operational performance. This paper leverages the simple multi-attribute rating technique (SMART), pioneered by Edwards, to attempt to address this deficiency. The resulting simple multi-attribute rating technique for renewable energy deployment decisions (SMART REDD) model allows commanders to take mission attributes into consideration when making decisions on which energy source is most appropriate for the mission as well as providing information on operations costs, expected transportation requirements, and expected casualties.

ITER diagnostics ex-vessel engineering services

Extensive diagnostics systems will be installed on the ITER machine to provide the measurements necessary to control, evaluate and optimize plasma performance in ITER and to further the understanding of plasma physics. These include measurements of temperature, density, impurity concentration, and particle and energy confinement times. ITER diagnostic systems extend from the center of the Tokamak to the various diagnostic areas, where they are controlled and acquired data is processed. This mainly includes the areas such as ports, port cells, gallery, diagnostics enclosures and cubicle areas. The diagnostics port plugs encloses the front end of the diagnostic systems and the diagnostics building houses the diagnostics equipment, instrumentation and control cubicles. There are several systems providing services to diagnostics. These mainly include ITER buildings, electrical power services, cooling water services, Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), vacuum services, liquid and gas distribution services, cable engineering, de-tritiation systems, control cubicles, etc. Requirements of these service systems have to be defined, even though many of the diagnostics are at an early stage of development. It is a real challenge to define and to design diagnostics systems considering the constraints imposed by these service systems. This paper summarizes the provision of these services to the individual diagnostics and diagnostics areas as well as the total requirements to a significant level of definition. It demonstrates the impact of this as a design restraint and requirement on both the diagnostics and the service systems as they are further specified, designed and procured.

News analysis: Surviving Sandy - smart technologies help the recovery

The paper presents the smart technologies that help in restoring electric power services when Hurricane Sandy struck U.S.A.

The Research and Design of Intelligent Community Energy Management System

Community energy management system is the development trend and an important part of the future intelligent community. For the construction objective, this paper introduces the general construction scheme of community energy management system, and the specific design schemes of the system's hardware structure, software architecture,communication mode are described in detail. The system will implement information integration and monitoring of the intelligent community, optimal allocation and coordinate control of energy, so as to provide users with safe and green electric power service.

Rural electrification for isolated consumers: Sustainable management model based on residue biomass

This paper presents a case study of the electrification of a riparian community in the State of Pará, Brazil, within the scope of the Program for Electric Power Service Universalization in Brazil. The community is located in a remote area; approximately 100 km from the municipal district, there is no regular transport to access the community, and adequate communication service. The community is provided with electrification facilities through a small biomass-based power plant, directly firing residues produced by the local economic activity. The objective of the paper is to propose a sustainable management model that is suitable for community's isolation conditions, considering the high costs with operation and maintenance related to the supply of isolated consumers in small locations. A simulation is conducted for the operation of the small biomass-based power plant, the generation costs are determined, the legal aspects are analyzed, and a suggestion for the management model is presented.

Sustainable management model for rural electrification: Case study based on biomass solid waste considering the Brazilian regulation policy

This paper presents a proposal of sustainable management model alternative for electrification of remote communities in the Amazon region, considering the Brazilian regulation policy. This paper presents also a case study of the electrification in a river-dwelling community in the State of Pará, Brazil, within the scope of the Program for Electric Power Service Universalization in Brazil. The community shall be provided with electrification facilities through a small biomass-based power plant, directly firing residues produced by the local economic activity. The objective of the paper is to make a proposal for a sustainable management model that is suitable for the community’s isolation conditions, considering the high costs with operation and maintenance related to the supply for isolated consumers in small locations. A simulation is conducted for the operation of the small biomass-based power plant; the generation costs are determined; the legal aspects are analyzed; and a suggestion for the management model is presented.

A Genetic Algorithm Based Multi Objective Service Restoration in Distribution Systems

Problem statement: A Genetic Algorithm (GA) used here to find exact or approximate solutions to optimization and search problems. Genetic algorithms are a particular class of evolutionary algorithms that use techniques inspired by evolutionary biology such as inheritance, mutation, selection and crossover. Approach: GA is a method for search and optimization based on the process of natural selection and evolution. In this approach, several modifications are done for effective implementation of GA to solve the Electric Power Service Restoration Problem. Results: The problem statement includes all the objectives and constraints required for a practical supply restoration scheme. GA is used here to obtain the better result compared with other methods. GA starts with number of solutions to a problem, encoded as a string of status of sectionalizing and tie switches. Conclusion: The status of the switch ‘1’ and ‘0’ has been considered as ‘close’ and ‘open’ condition of the switch. The string that encodes each string is ‘chromosome’ and the set of solutions are termed as population. Obtained results are good and this technique is recommended here for future study.

Special Issue on Pacific Health

The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined a healthy island as an island that is committed to, and involved in, a process of achieving a better health and quality of life for its people and healthier physical and social environments in the context of sustainable environment. The main challenges facing island health include the increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases as well as the continuing, and sometimes reemerging, burden of communicable diseases. Human resources for heath in remote areas are always a problem, but it is even more difficult to develop and retain health workers on islands. Some remote island villages, be it in the Pacific region or elsewhere, have only the bare necessities for survival; no electricity, no proper toilets or clean drinking water. In India, for example, the Indian government brings electric power, education, and health services to rural villages. Together with UNICEF, the Indian government is attempting to bring basic health care to isolated island villages, such as those situated along the Brahmaputra River or in the Andaman archipelagoes. But the challenge of small populations, remoteness and an island environment make this difficult. Indonesia and the Philippines have the largest number of islands, countless thousands of them, and providing public health services in these remote island villages is difficult and challenging because of geography, culture, economics, and politics. In the Pacific islands, the “healthy island” concept provides a theoretical underpinning for efforts in health promotion and health protection in island countries. WHO began its healthy island initiatives in 1995. Healthy island initiatives are linked to community commitment and take various forms in several Pacific islands countries. Some initiatives focus on control of specific diseases or health problems, for example, malaria control in the Solomon Islands, environmental health and health promotion initiatives in Fiji, or on water supply and sanitation in Tonga. All these pose a challenge to the coordination of health programs and interventions and the strengthening of public health in these island countries. Binns et al, 1 in their article, discussed the issues and challenges of island health and its impact on public health and illustrated the scope of the problem of island health and how health services in islands required an integrated approach to public health and clinical services. The roles of schools of public health are highlighted in promoting healthy islands. There is a need to develop competency in knowledge and skills and in inculcating a right and positive attitude for island health with the hope of delivering island health leadership in health care. Furthermore, there is a need for intersectoral collaborations, and cooperation is a matter of necessity among Pacific island nations. 2

Multiple Criteria Assessment of Substation Conditions by Pair-Wise Comparison of Analytic Hierarchy Process

In this paper, the authors present a procedure of assessing equipment health for substation maintenance and upgrade planning based on the pair-wise comparison of analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The developed tool for substation asset management measures and visualizes the health conditions of substation equipment in multiple criteria. The criteria selected are to evaluate such issues as age, load factor, the number of obsolete equipment, equipment showing symptoms of failure, the same type equipment as the one failed, noise levels (the degree of achievement of noise regulation), and the amount of PCB-contaminated insulation oil. The assessment also considers the estimated changes in future years. Priority weights for the assessment criteria, differing in physical measurement units, are aggregated by the pair-wise comparison of AHP. The developed assessment procedure was applied to 74 substations in the Tokyo Electric Power service areas to evaluate its effectiveness and practicality.

Luz, leis e livre-concorrência: conflitos em torno das concessões de energia elétrica na cidade de São Paulo no início do século XX

O artigo discute o processo de introdução da energia elétrica na cidade de São Paulo no início do século XX. A Proclamação da República marcou o início da modernização das empresas de serviços urbanos, com a introdução da eletricidade. Foi neste contexto que dois grupos iniciaram uma intensa batalha no setor elétrico paulista: o grupo nacional da Companhia Brasileira de Energia Elétrica (CBEE) - conhecido também como Docas de Santos - e o canadense Light. A falta de uma legislação federal para o setor de energia elétrica legou às Câmaras Municipais o poder concedente para os serviços de eletricidade, garantindo que as relações políticas entre vereadores e empresários tivessem decisivo papel na instalação de tais serviços. Assim, o artigo descreve o processo de introdução da eletricidade em São Paulo mediante os debates sobre a regulamentação dos serviços públicos, desvendando os critérios políticos ou ideológicos que levaram a conformação de tais leis.