4 ms·
Restarting a down grid is nontrivial. Small power stations are used to kickstart the larger stations. Think of the starter motor in a car. Now do all of this wh
by bagrow 10y ago
Restarting a down grid is nontrivial. Small power stations are used to kickstart the larger stations. Think of the starter motor in a car. Now do all of this while precisely maintaining 60 Hz (in the US) everywhere.
- ridgeguy 10y agoThis is called a "black start". [1] Definitely nontrivial. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_start https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_start
- astrodust 10y agoCan they still do it the old fashioned way with a telephone to coordinate and an oscilloscope to line up the phase?
- tonteldoos 10y agoBack in 2014-ish, when Eskom in South Africa was having particular problems with blackouts, they discussed this possibility. Some estimates on restart times were given at the time, but this is the only reference I could find now: https://africacheck.org/reports/does-south-african-face-an-electricity-grid-collapse-it-is-possible-but-unlikely/ https://africacheck.org/reports/does-south-african-face-an-e...