First Draft of Essay 3

Josiah Janyszek
Professor Kerr
EN101-23
October 18, 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 make their lives easier. There are many things that depend on electricity. Without it, some devices would not work. 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”). A blackout can occur when a circuit breaker is tripped or because of power distribution or utility power failure (“Common”). Even though blackouts can be caused by human error, most of the causes are from the power system (“Electrical”). One of the most dangerous power problems is a blackout (“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”). Blackouts may cause many power problems, but power surges can cause more expensive problems.
    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, by solar winds, by solar flares, and created from a storm that is occurring miles away (“Voltage”). However a power surge occurs, it can eventually cause overheating and the loss of important and expensive equipment (“Causes”). Weather is another factor that causes power problems.
    The weather can do some of the worst damage to electrical equipment and cause many 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, 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 and 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”). The weather and natural disasters can knock down poles upholding the power lines or even knock out power stations depending on how serious the natural disaster is.
    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. Although electricity is a valuable accessory, it is not always dependable.

Works Cited

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"Common Power Problems." Power Solutions Home. Web. 14 Oct. 2011. <http://www.power-solutions.com/power-quality/common-problems.php>.
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“FERC: “Weather-Related Causes” Explain Power Supply Problems During 2011’s Extreme Winter êThe Energy Collective.” An Energy Policy, Climate Change, and Alternative Energy Community êThe Energy Collective. Web. 16 Oct. 2011. <http://theenergycollective.com/michaelgiberson/63450/ferc-nerc-conclude-weather-related-causes-explain-most-electric-power-and-gas->.
"HowStuffWorks "How Are Voltage Surges and Spikes Different?"" HowStuffWorks "Science" Web. 16 Oct. 2011. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/voltage-surges-spikes-different.htm>.
"HowStuffWorks "Power Surges"" HowStuffWorks "Electronics" Web. 14 Oct. 2011. <http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/everyday-tech/surge-protector3.htm>.
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>.
"Voltage Spike." DC Power Supplies. Web. 16 Oct. 2011. <http://dcpowersupplies.org/backup-power/voltagespike.html>.