Essay 3's Second Draft

Josiah Janyszek
Professor Kerr
EN101-23
October 23, 2011

Power Problems

    Most people need electricity in order to continue with their daily lives (“Causes”). Ever since electricity had been introduced, people have been using it to enhance their lifestyle. There are many things that depend on electricity though. Without it, some devices would not work unless they were built to rely on another source of power. Although electricity has made life easier and more enjoyable, it cannot always work or even be used when people need it. There are many things that interrupt the flow of electricity and stop it from being used. Blackouts, power surges, and the weather, among many other factors, cause power problems and outages.
    Blackouts can be the cause and effect of one of the worst power problems that can be experienced. A blackout occurs when absolutely no voltage is running for more than two cycles (“Common”). Tripping a circuit breaker, the power distribution system failing, or utility power failure can create a blackout (“Common”). Most causes of a blackout result from the power system, but human error can play a small part as well (“Electrical”). Blackouts are one of the most dangerous power problems that can exist (“Causes”). James Molinaro, borough president of New York’s Staten Island, said when a blackout occurred during a July heat wave, “Number one, it was a danger to the children that were playing out there in that heat, and secondly it would save electricity that people would need for air conditioning in their homes” (“Patterson”).
  Restoring power after a blackout can be a difficult job for power stations depending on what caused the blackout to occur (“Causes”). Blackouts can never be stopped because the power systems are built and run by human beings (“Electrical”). Although blackouts are very dangerous, power surges can be very expensive depending on what type of electrical equipment is damaged.
    Power surges and spikes can damage electrical equipment depending on how long they last. A power surge and a power spike differ by the amount of time it lasts. A power surge occurs when an excess of voltage is applied for at least three nanoseconds, whereas a power spike occurs when an excess of voltage is only applied for one or two nanoseconds (“HowStuffWorks “How””). Whether it is a power surge or a power spike, it is usually created when the electrical charge is increased at some point in the power line (“HowStuffWorks “Power””). Power surges can be caused by faulty wiring, problems with a power company’s equipment, a downed power line, lightning, which is the most familiar yet the least common cause, or the operation of high-power electrical devices, which is the more common cause (“HowStuffWorks “Power””). Power surges do not always result from lightning when it strikes near power lines; they can also result from magnetic fields that are produced by lightning that is in between storm clouds (“Voltage”). But when the lightning does strike near power lines, the electrical pressure can be drastically increased (“HowStuffWorks “Power””). As for power surges that result from high-power electrical devices, the power surge can be caused by an upset voltage flow in the electrical system (“HowStuffWorks “Power””). The high-voltage electrical devices require a sizeable amount of energy in order to be switched on or off, and the switching creates sudden and brief demands for power that often upsets the voltage flow (“HowStuffWorks “Power””). Power surges can also be created at the switching station of a power company, from a storm that is occurring miles away, by solar winds, or by solar flares (“Voltage”). However a power surge occurs, it can eventually cause overheating and the loss of important and expensive equipment (“Causes”). Because power surges can cause such damage to expensive equipment, it would be a good idea to have surge protection. Jim Korona, principal engineer for power quality at Detroit Edison, warns, “And without surge protection, your electronic equipment is toast” (“Suppressing”). Weather is another factor that can cause power problems and damage electrical equipment.
    The weather can do some of the worst damage to electrical equipment and cause numerous power problems. According to the Edison Electric Institute, weather causes 70% of the power outages in the U.S. (“Causes”). Dust and water can cause short circuits, and, along with lightning, rain, snow, ice, and wind, they can cause many other power failures (“Causes”). The world’s most severe power outages have historically been caused by natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, wind storms, earthquakes, and tsunamis. They can result in damaged power infrastructures and power outages that can last anywhere from days to months (“Causes”). According to a press release about the power interruptions in February 2011, “The task force found a majority of the electric outages and gas shortages were due to weather-related causes” (“FERC”). Poles upholding electrical devices and wires can even be knocked down if the weather becomes horrible enough to do so.
    Many power outages can be caused by blackouts, power surges, and the weather. Blackouts able to leave numerous homes without electricity occur about every four months in the U.S. (“Electrical”). Valuable information can be lost or corrupted, and equipment can be damaged whenever a blackout happens (“Common”). Blackouts, surges, the weather, and other causes can damage all sorts of electrical equipment and leave people without electricity for an unpredictable amount of time. Although electricity is a valuable accessory, it is not always dependable or even safe.

Works Cited

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Patterson, Thom. "U.S. Electricity Blackouts Skyrocketing - CNN.com." CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. Web. 16 Oct. 2011. <http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/08/09/smart.grid/index.html>.
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