The Nation’s Energy Grid

The Nation’s Energy grid is what makes electricity in our houses possible. The Grid is a network of power plants and transformers connected by over 450,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines. Electrical power is generated in power plants, which is then moved by the transmission lines to substations. What gets the electrical power to us is a system of smaller, low voltage transmission lines. These are the power lines we see everywhere around us.

The obvious pros of having this electrical grid are that it allows us electricity and power in our homes, which we really can’t live without. Electricity gives us access to almost everything we use and need in our daily lives. There are several cons to our electrical grid one of them being the cost. To sustain the grid, and make modern updates so that we can keep up with our growing technologies and demands means investing billions of dollars. Through the Recovery Act, the Department of Energy invested about $4.5 billion to do such improvements. Severe weather also results in hefty costs.Severe weather may cause power outages which cost the economy between $18 and $33 billion every year. The number of power outages is expected to increase due to the rise in climate change. There is more likely to be extreme weather in the future because of global warming, which means more money needed to fix the power outages.

Below is a diagram of the costs per year for power outages:

The Nation’s Smart Grid is a more reliable way of getting electricity. As I mentioned above, our demand and need for efficient power and electricity is rising as we take on increasing technologies. This includes increasing numbers of electronic devices we have in our homes, utilities, and recreational items. As our society progresses, so should our energy grid. The Smart grid is making the future more possible. Grid modernization is working towards energy storage so that we are ready for many generations to come. Today’s grid primarily delivers electricity in a one-way flow from its generators to our homes. The Smart grid will have a two-way flow of both electricity and information. The smart grid is essential for our modern world and increased demand for reliable electricity.

In order to build an efficient and effective smart grid, it requires hundreds of standards. For example, one of today’s smartphones typically incorporates over 150 standards. Our nation is currently working to update and develop new standards. The Smart Grid will be a more reliable and efficient electricity form.

Below is a simplified diagram of the Smart Grid: