Comments on: Transmission Power: Finding North in NYC’s Electricity

By: 1989 Blackout Landscape | landscape archipelago

1989 Blackout Landscape | landscape archipelago — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 15:52:22 +0000

[...] the Friends of the Pleistocene has noted before the electrical infrastructure of northeastern North America is a bewildering network of twentieth [...]

By: John

John — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 18:08:03 +0000

They replied to an email I sent actually and their chart is correct (sourced from a 2010 PlaNYC document) although with a confusing label. Basically the 80% rule is max generation capacity. If the PlaNYC chart is correct, that means that during off-peak times of year, the in-city generation drops off substantially and we use far more nuclear and hydro from upstate. In other words, if the max recorded peak is ~13,000MW and ‘normal’ is 8,000 or 9,000MW, 20% of 13,000mw is more like 30% of 9,000mw. It sounds to me like the importation capacity of the city is ~5,000MW based on some other sources which is substantially bigger than 20% of the peak MWmax. I’ve read the city is considering a 1,000MW transmission line from Quebec to Astoria Queens which would be all renewable power generation.
Interesting stuff!

By: FOP

FOP — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 17:59:07 +0000

Hi John,
I’ll pass on your email and hope that someone from the New School can get back to you about this.
Thanks!
Jamie (FOP)

By: John

John — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 20:24:58 +0000

I’m doing some research on electricity generation and I came across the New School’s ‘Climate Action Plan’ pdf. I wonder if someone in your department could help me clarify one of the claims in the report. There is a pie chart, Table 5 on page 12, which states that ’32% of New York City’s generation come from Nuclear and 10% from Hydro’. That’s not possible. New York City is a load pocket and by law can only import 20% of its generation needs due to transmission limitations. We generate 80% of our power within the 5 boroughs and none of our generation is either nuclear or hydro. If anyone in your department could help clarify this table, I would greatly appreciate it.

By: David

David — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:51:27 +0000

If you want more information on Hydro-Quebec, I am ready to help you because I work on several projects with them.

By: FOP

FOP — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:34:15 +0000

Thanks Bradford, we’ve clarified our wording and you are correct, each step is the size of two football fields.

By: Bradford Miller, PG

Bradford Miller, PG — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:13:37 +0000

Judging by the photo, I find it hard to believe “each step” at the Robert-Bourassa Dam spillway is “two football fields high.” Perhaps each step is two football fields deep (e.g., into the hillside), and it is certainly many football fields wide.

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 02:03:04 +0000

The Daniel-Johnson dam that creates Manicouagan reservoir is interesting too.

http://jvonneumann.tumblr.com/post/10146275953/the-manicouagan-impact-is-the-fifth-largest