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| Economy |
| US Power Companies Warn of Dangerous Transformer Supply Chain Issues |
| 2023-09-08 |
| [TransformersMagazine] Power companies have issued warnings about dangerous transformer shortages in the USA. US power companies are raising the alarm about a potential energy crisis. Transformers are crucial to the grid because they change the voltage of electricity to make it usable. However, energy trade groups warn that the nation can’t count on aging transformers to keep the power on. Also, if transformers blow during storms, it could take more than a year for power companies to get new ones due to the supply chain shortage. ERMCO estimates that, in case a storm blows enough transformers in a city with no reserves, it could take several weeks to bring the lights back on. |
| Posted by:Gromble Dribble4342 |
| #14 If there was ever a component in the energy delivery system totally beyond the understanding of people who think electricity comes from the light switch... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2023-09-08 17:00 |
| #13 Parallel point: The giant substation tranfomers can only be moved by rail, and not on all lines (no tunnels or low bridges). There are exactly two railcars for the operation in North America. |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2023-09-08 16:25 |
| #12 https://www.eenews.net/articles/how-a-transformer-shortage-threatens-the-grid/ Wow. Neglected since 10/2020. What was going on then... Think I'll change my generator oil. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2023-09-08 16:20 |
| #11 https://www.eenews.net/articles/how-a-transformer-shortage-threatens-the-grid/ |
| Posted by: NoMoreBS 2023-09-08 14:29 |
| #10 #5 - and long burn-in/test times |
| Posted by: Frank G 2023-09-08 10:39 |
| #9 Are they still using PCB oils? PCB were banned a long time ago. Synthetic oils are used in the large high voltage transformers. |
| Posted by: Enver Slager8035 2023-09-08 10:12 |
| #8 I'm surprised they have only now started to decouple from China on this. Should have seen the writing on the wall a few years ago. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2023-09-08 10:10 |
| #7 Are they still using PCB oils? |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2023-09-08 09:14 |
| #6 Seems like a business Musk should be in. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2023-09-08 08:32 |
| #5 The large utility transformers take an incredibly long time to make. Just doing the precision winding on the cores might take a couple of weeks of 24/7 operation. And if something goes wrong during that process, another day or two to unwind (operation doesn't have to be quite as precise) and then start all over again. |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2023-09-08 08:27 |
| #4 This issue has been known for a long time. Seems nobody in industry or gummint wants to do much more than maunder about it. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2023-09-08 07:21 |
| #3 Can ventilators be turned into transformers? We have lots of ventilators that are just a few years old. |
| Posted by: Airandee 2023-09-08 06:54 |
| #2 NIMBY comes home to roost? |
| Posted by: Grom the Reflective 2023-09-08 01:45 |
| #1 "ERCOT needs our help to conserve electricity today from 5 p.m. to 9 p. m." |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2023-09-08 01:22 |