A Modern Electrical

Transmission and Distribution

System
Jim Markowsky
CAETS Presentation
Calgary, Alberta - July 2009
The Current T&D System
Todays Challenges
T&D System must meet challenges it was not
designed for:
A digital society which demands higher reliability
and power quality
Increasing number of power marketing
transactions
Increased use of renewable and distributed
generation
Cyber-security and terrorist attack
Todays Challenges
Pressure on capital and O&M spending and
difficulty in siting new transmission lines
U.S. R&D expenditures have trended
downward
Aging workforce
The Key Players in Todays T&D
System
ISO and RTOs in North America
North Americas Four Interconnected
Regions
Historical Trend in US Transmission
Investment
9000
System 1975 - 2007 (Millions
Investment in Transmission

8000
7000
6000
$2007)

5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Year
Recent Trend in Transmission Loading
Relief Events
Addressing the Problem
Recent upward trend in investment will need
to continue just to maintain current
capabilities and reliabilities
Older and outdated equipment will need to be
replaced and new transmission lines build to
handle the increasing load and power flows
Addressing the Problem
Employ new technologies to make grid more
resilient
New technology can do much to meet the
challenges, but not in isolation policy and
regulatory changes may be needed for the
transmission system
Modern T&D System Performance
Standards
Provide reliability and power quality for the
21st century
Provide emergency response
Fast restoration after a system failure
Effective routine operations
Asset optimization
Effective system planning capabilities
T&D System Characteristics Required
to Achieve Performance Standards
Accommodates all generation and storage
options
Enables wholesale power markets
Self-healing
Motivates and includes the customer
Provides high power quality where needed
Secure
Optimizes assets and operates efficiently
The Modern T&D System
Cost of Modernizing the T&D System
Projected Total Investment:
Duration 20 years
Transmission: $225 billion vs. $175 billion
(BAU)
Distribution: $640 billion vs. $470 billion (BAU)
Cost of Modernizing the T&D System

Incremental investment required to modernize

Transmission: $50 billion
Distribution: $170 billion
Deploying Modern T&D Systems
Many technologies can be deployed by 2020
Challenge is deploying technologies in a
seamless manner
A continent wide system with many
stakeholders will require a broad vision to
define goals
Deploying Modern T&D Systems
Complexity suggests development of metrics
to measure performance and societal benefits
A national strategy may be required for
transmission
AEF Study T&D Findings
1) Performance
T&D systems in the United States are not
adequate to manage reliability, peak loads, or
diverse power sources of power that will be
needed over the next 20 years.
AEF Study T&D Findings
2) Technology
Many Advanced T&D technologies are ready for
deployment
Advanced equipment
Measurements, communications, and controls
Improved decision support technologies
AEF Study T&D Findings
3) Deployment
Transmission would benefit from National plan
and consensus
Distribution smart meters and related
technologies can improve efficiency and
economics of distribution
Both Transmission and Distribution could be
modernized by 2030
A concern shortage of trained personnel and
manufacturing capability
AEF Study T&D Findings
4) Cost
The costs to modernize T&D is relatively modest
relative to the investment that will be required
simply to meet load growth and replace aging
equipment
Approximately 20% of the total transmission
investment over 20 years.
Approximately 25% of the total distribution
investment over 20 years.
AEF Study T&D Findings
5) Barriers
Technical high cost of advanced technology and
integrating into existing system
Investment lack of recognition of societal
benefits in the return on investment
Regulatory and Legislative barriers
Cultural and Communications active public
opposition to new transmission lines
AEF Study T&D Findings
6) Integrating Renewable Resources
Intermittent renewable and distributed generation
present a challenge to T&D systems
AEF Study T&D Findings
7) Research and Development
Much of the technology needed to modernize the
grid is now available but R&D can reduce costs
to encourage more rapid deployment
The current level of R&D investment is
inadequate to develop new technologies which
may be needed to meet future challenges
Thank you.