DisastersMore states experiment with microgrids to withstand powerful storms
During Superstorm Sandy, communities throughout the Northeast experienced power outages which affected critical facilities including hospitals, gas stations, and water treatment plants. As severe weather becomes more common, authorities are acknowledging the shortcomings of a large electric grid system. Some utility providers have contemplated burying power lines to help prevent outages, but it can cost up to $4 million per mile to place electric lines underground. Several states are now experimenting with microgrids, self-contained systems for generating and distributing power.
During Superstorm Sandy, communities throughout the Northeast experienced power outages which affected critical facilities including hospitals, gas stations, and water treatment plants. As severe weather becomes more common, authorities are acknowledging the shortcomings of a large electric grid system. “When you have a major snowstorm, the branches fall on the above-ground power lines and the whole thing breaks down. When you have flooding, you have problems. When you have wind, you have problems,” said Niek Veraart, a consultant with Louis Berger who worked with communities after Superstorm Sandy.
Some utility providers have contemplated burying power lines to help prevent outages, but it can cost up to $4 million per mile to place electric lines underground. Communities in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts are now experimenting with microgrids, self-contained systems for generating and distributing power. “When we talk about microgrids, it’s a wicked hot topic. It’s going to be in the dictionary next year as a new word, like ‘Twitter,’” said Alan Rubacha, director of Wesleyan University’s physical plant and capital projects. “But it’s existed for a long time.” Most commonly used on some college campuses and military installations, states are now awarding grants to communities to develop microgrids as a way to promote energy resiliency.
Governing reports that Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut recently installed a natural gas-powered microgrid, just three years after a snowstorm knocked out power to its campus and surrounding area. With a contribution of $694,000 from the state, Wesleyan built a $3.5 million microgrid to power the roughly 330 buildings on its campus.
In 2012, Connecticut governor Dannel Malloy helped pass a law authorizing $18 million to fund nine microgrid projects in communities throughout the state. In March 2014, Malloy announced a second round of microgrid grants worth $15 million. “Our statewide program is a national model and others are looking to Connecticut’s program as an example of how to increase resiliency and protect residents, commerce and vital services even when the power goes out,” Malloy said. Wesleyan is asking for $1.1 million from the second round of grants to help connect more buildings to the school’s microgrid.
As part of his Superstorm Sandy relief package, Governor Andrew Cuomo included $40 million in prize money for the creation of ten microgrids in New York. The state has also awarded $10 million each to Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island to build microgrids. Massachusetts is allowing municipalities to build microgrids using part of the $40 million allocated to improve their electric grids. In Maryland, a gubernatorial task force recently called for the creation of utility-owned microgrids, along with third-party systems created by local governments and private developers. While New Jersey’s transit agency has partnered with the Energy Department and Sandia National Laboratories to develop a microgrid for the transit system. The state has also directed federal disaster money to help municipalities establish microgrids.
