The average person’s life is filled with more digital devices than anyone, save some especially prescient science fiction writers, could have imagined even just a decade ago.
In fact, the technology company Cisco Systems Inc. estimates there were roughly eight networked devices per person (2.4 billion) in the United States in 2017; and that number is expected to climb to 13.6 devices per person by 2022.
With all the attention focused on the ever-advancing capabilities of the latest and greatest devices, it can be easy to forget that none of these products — nor the internet they rely on — would function without electricity.
Our power supply in Southwest Washington is so stable it’s easy to take it for granted. What most rarely think about, and almost never see, is the elaborate supply network and round-the-clock work that keeps a steady, stable flow of energy coming to our communities.
About 60 percent of the electricity used by Clark Public Utilities customers is produced by hydroelectric dams in the Columbia River Basin, and roughly 35 percent is produced by the utility’s natural gas generator on River Road. The rest is produced by a combination of nuclear, wind and other sources.
After the electricity is produced, it goes to a nearby transformer station where it’s stepped up from around 14,000 volts to anywhere between 100,000 and 765,000 volts. At those levels it’s prepared to travel long distances across transmission lines.
Those transmission lines carry the electricity to community utilities. That includes Clark Public Utilities, which delivers roughly 4.8 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually to just under 200,000 customers through a grid of 6,600 miles of transmission and distribution lines, attached to 62,000 power poles and running through 55 substations throughout the county.
Once the energy is delivered, each utility is tasked with supplying it to customers in the most careful and deliberate way possible.
“One of the most important things about operating a distribution system is keeping it in balance,” said Clark Public Utilities Director of Operations Gene Morris. “Having a stable system prevents outages or power failures, preserves the integrity of the system and makes sure customers receive good, consistent electricity.”
The average residential customer might not notice small fluctuations in their supply, but certain businesses, such as computer chip manufacturers who need a clean and constant supply, are highly sensitive to changes.
Strategic steps
Utility substations are the step where the grid moves from transmission to distribution. Substations are strategically placed around the community, but they’re only built or upgraded after years of planning and careful consideration about load growth and demand changes. They step down electricity to tens of thousands of volts, which is good for local distribution but is still too high for customer use.
After leaving the substations, electricity goes to distribution transformers. If you look closely you’ll see these facilities around your neighborhood. They’re often inside the big green boxes in neighborhoods with buried utilities or they’re large gray cylinders on power poles.
They step the power down once more to 120/240 volts, which is a level suitable for residential homes. However, utilities can customize feeds to meet the needs for businesses or shops that may need larger quantities of energy.
Finally, the electricity runs along one more wire to a service line that is connected to a meter at the side of your home or business.
Regardless of the customer’s needs, the utility has to ensure a constantly seamless flow from supply to demand.
“We put an enormous amount of investment into our assets,” Morris said. “Whether it’s vegetation management or balancing load growth, we’re constantly looking for ways to improve our system and keep our service as affordable and high quality as possible.”
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
