Dramatic changes are now taking place in the U.S. electric-power industry as deregulation is implemented and as competition is introduced in providing electric power. This document describes the changes taking place in the industry. These changes are translated into technical needs associated with industry`s response and then into the associated measurement needs for which NIST assistance will be required. The resulting measurement needs are grouped into categories by priority. The highest-priority needs are generally those with the greatest prospective economic impact. This document focuses principally on measurement capability for the electrical quantities associated with the transmission and distribution of electric power. Special emphasis is placed on those measurement needs requiring the assistance of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The assessment here reflects NIST`s current understanding of the key measurement needs, based on interactions with industry, universities, and government during the development of this document. Through publication of this document, NIST solicits additional feedback on the measurement needs of this industry. NIST`s purpose is to assure that its resources are applied as effectively as possible in support of the U.S. electric-power industry and its customer nationwide.

/pdf/measurement-support-for-the-u-s-electric-power-industry-in-ycxngrogq1.pdf

Measurement support for the U. S. electric-power industry in the era of deregulation, with focus on electrical measurements for transmission and distribution

During the past decade, there has been a rapid rise in public awareness and concern with the need for environmental protection. Widespread regulatory initiatives have been put in place to conserve energy resources and take action to stem a variety of environmental issues such as urban air pollution, acid rain, greenhouse gases, and depletion of the upper atmosphere's protective ozone layer. Through its generation and use, electric power can be one of the many sources of emissions that contribute to some of these problems. EPRI and the electric utility industry are developing effective technologies and practices for environmental protection, through reductions in power-plant emissions as well as improvements in the efficiency of end-use technologies. In this paper, the author provides a brief summary of the potential for increasing efficiency of existing uses and focuses the remainder on the latter new uses strategy.

V.A. Rabl

Papers

Beneficial electrification: environmental advantages of new electricity uses