The U.S. power grid is increasingly making headlines nationwide. These news stories can raise questions and concerns for many people about the electric grid. Is the grid strong? Reliable? Safe? Ready for the future? The answers to these questions often differ from state to state. Georgia Transmission, which builds and maintains high-voltage substations and transmission lines for Georgia’s electric cooperatives, has taken some of the most common headlines from across the country and put them into context for Georgians.
National Headline: The U.S. Power Grid Cannot Support the Growth of Renewable Energy
What it means for Georgia: While some parts of the country grapple with the complexities of connecting new energy generation sources to existing high-voltage electric infrastructure, the power grid in Georgia is well positioned for continued strategic growth. As part of our responsibility to plan, build and maintain the high-voltage substations and transmission lines that connect power generation to local electric membership corporations (EMCs), Georgia Transmission continually conducts renewable energy interconnection studies and utilizes a robust forecasting and planning process to ensure the state can continue to benefit from reliable, cost-effective power as energy needs and sources evolve. Additionally, we are committed to continual innovation, as we implement new technology and infrastructure like static synchronous compensators, large-scale battery energy storage systems, load management programs and more to ensure we’re ready for the electric energy mix of tomorrow.
National Headline: The U.S. Power Grid is Increasingly Vulnerable to Extreme Weather
What it means for Georgia: Georgia’s electric grid is resilient and continually supported by a statewide team. Georgia Transmission’s System Control and Protection Team monitors the power grid through daily analyses, testing and reporting. Utilizing the team’s data analytics, Georgia Transmission can predict and address potential equipment failures and outage risks, as well as implement a rapid response when outages do occur. Storm response technology, including lightning arresters and automatic switches, helps us effectively manage threats to prevent outages when extreme weather strikes. Additionally, our robust maintenance programs identify and address potential hazards on an ongoing basis. Every year, we conduct flyovers by helicopter or drone of all 5,000 miles of our transmission lines, replacing any dated equipment and addressing any vegetation that may threaten lines during a storm. Our combined efforts help ensure Georgians enjoy power that is more reliable than the national average.
National Headline: Threats of Physical and Cyber Attacks on the Grid are Growing
What it means for Georgia: Georgia Transmission is prepared as we actively defend the state’s power grid from threats that would impact reliability. For decades, we have worked with Georgia System Operations Corp. (GSOC), local EMCs, industry partners, and federal and state regulators to ensure Georgia residents can enjoy reliable power without interruptions. Through collaboration with entities such as the Department of Energy, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the FBI and E-ISAC, we share threat intelligence, enhance our risk management protocols and extend our grid security and cybersecurity capabilities. To put our preparation and protocols to the test, Georgia Transmission participates in real-world exercises – including GridEx, the largest grid security exercise in North America – to exercise our response and recovery plans. Georgia Transmission was preparing for these issues long before any governing standards were put in place, developing robust security protocols and a layered defense strategy focused on prevention and detection controls, as well as swift event response and recovery. Our long-term strategic planning has led to the development of a dynamic power grid that can reroute electricity quickly if outages occur.
National Headline: Electric Vehicle Boom Could Put Major Strain on the U.S. Power Grid
What it means for Georgia: The electric transmission system has a long history of adapting to new technology and the needs of consumers and businesses – from the establishment of the Rural Electric Association in the 1930s to provide rural farms with electricity to the surge of in-home televisions and computers. Georgia Transmission continually forecasts future infrastructure needs by studying evolving electricity usage in partnership with the state’s EMCs. We use research and data to determine when we need to build or upgrade transmission lines and substations to meet increasing demand, including electric vehicles. Meanwhile, technological advancements continue to improve the energy efficiency of EVs. Researchers at the nonprofit utility organization Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) anticipate that efficiency improvements in EVs could reduce energy consumption by half over the next 30 years, significantly reducing demand on the grid.