Electricity In Rural Areas Research Articles

Automatic circuit reclosers

Of recent years there has been a large increase in the use and application of electricity in rural areas. The loads are usually small but are distributed over very large areas, and a high standard of service is an essential requirement as prolonged interruption of supply may cause serious inconvenience to users. Supplies in such areas are generally provided by high-voltage overhead lines, from which distribution transformers provide links with the general medium-voltage distribution networks. The transformers and spur h.v. lines are usually protected by fuses, with the number of h.v. circuit-breakers kept to a minimum. Under these conditions, therefore, h.v. faults of both a transient and a permanent nature might cause prolonged interruption of supply, owing to the distances to be covered before fuses can be replaced or circuit-breakers reclosed. Where only a limited breaking capacity is required an automatic circuit recloser can be made to overcome the operational difficulties detailed above. The paper reviews some of the factors influencing the design, selection and application of circuit reclosers. The principles determining whether the main contacts of a recloser are to lock open or hold closed upon the completion of an operating sequence are discussed, and the co-ordination of reclosers with other reclosers and with fuses is described. The development of the use of automatic-reclosing features is also discussed in relation to operation in conjunction with automatic sectionalizers.

Federal Administration of Rural Electrification

Origin. The Rural Electrification Administration began as one of the “temporary” and “emergency” units in Roosevelt's collection of alphabetical agencies under executive order 7037 of May 11, 1935. The expressed purpose of the President was to promote the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in rural areas. Morris L. Cooke, noted management engineer who had served as a member of the Power Authority of New York when Roosevelt was governor, was chosen administrator. Money for loans to coöperatives, public bodies, and private companies was made available from relief funds, with the stipulation that borrowers must use at least 90 per cent relief labor in construction work. All money was to be repaid; no part of the federal funds was to be used for grants or subsidies.