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The world is becoming increasingly electrified. For the foreseeable future, coal will
continue to be the dominant fuel used for electric power production. The low cost and
abundance of coal is one of the primary reasons for this. Electric power transmission, a
process in the delivery of electricity to consumers, is the bulk transfer of electrical power.
Typically, power transmission is between the power plant and a substation near a populated
area. Electricity distribution is the delivery from the substation to the consumers. Due to the
large amount of power involved, transmission normally takes place at high voltage (110 kV
or above). Electricity is usually transmitted over long distance through overhead power
transmission lines. Underground power transmission is used only in densely populated areas
due to its high cost of installation and maintenance, and because the high reactive power gain
produces large charging currents and difficulties in voltage management.
A power transmission system is sometimes referred to colloquially as a "grid"; however,
for reasons of economy, the network is rarely a true grid. Redundant paths and lines are
provided so that power can be routed from any power plant to any load center, through a
variety of routes, based on the economics of the transmission path and the cost of power.
Much analysis is done by transmission companies to determine the maximum reliable
capacity of each line, which, due to system stability considerations, may be less than the
physical or thermal limit of the line. Deregulation of electricity companies in many countries
has led to renewed interest in reliable economic design of transmission networks.
This new book presents leading-edge research on electric power and its generation,
transmission and efficiency. |