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North Carolina power substations taken out by gunfire 16

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FacEngrPE

FacEngrPE

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Feb 9, 2020
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[URL unfurl="true" said:
https://www.foxnews.com/us/north-carolina-sheriff-says-intentional-vandalism-substations-caused-power-outages-40k-customers[/URL]]A North Carolina sheriff and power company official said "intentional vandalism" at substations has caused outages for about 40,000 customers expected to last longer than 24 hours
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NC county announces curfew as nearly 40,000 customers remain without power after 2 substations damaged by gunfire; Tina Burnside, By Nicole Grether, Gloria Pazmino and Tina Burnside, CNN Updated 6:12 PM EST, Sun December 4, 2022

Current outages link and
Moore County Sheriff's Office Dec 4
 
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Don't they have spare transformer/substations on big trailers they can drive up next to the substation and jumper in?? I've seen 69kV ones. How could it take more than a day or two to put one of those in service?

Then post a security guard until a proper cinder-block wall is installed.

Keith Cress
kcress -
 
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you wouldn't need a cinder block wall.

anti Sniper visual screens with the current fence in front of them is enough. And possibly some plate steel covering the big fragile bits which you would need with a cinder wall anyway.
 
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Keith
Mobile transformer kits are manufactured in Lynchburg and they cover up to 230 kV so it's possible one could be used. Lead time on these, and all substation transformers is too long for ordering a replacement to be useful. This picture from this link looks much like the Delta Star Mobil transformer, so Duke Power either has one or was able to obtain one from a reasonably local source.

Screenshot_from_2022-12-06_03-34-19_df2cp5.png

xScreenshot_from_2022-12-06_03-35-52_kfgh0p.png
 
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As a matter of interest what stocks of this sort of thing do power companies hold?

Round me all the old soviet stuff which has been upgraded and was sitting to get recycled is going to Ukraine.

I presume all the USA 60hz gear is only made in the USA.
 
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There are a couple programs in recent years to address the need for critical long lead time spares, I cant speak for how successful they have been. This event may be a good test.
Link
 
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"I presume all the USA 60hz gear is only made in the USA."
Wrong.
I don't know all of the countries that use 60Hz, but Peru is one of them.
Also several other countries make 60Hz gear, including Mexico and Canada. Also ABB makes 60Hz gear in several other countries including Europe.
 
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It appears both auto-transformers were indeed damaged at the West End Substation. Aerial footage shows both 230kV disconnects open and associated bushings grounded. Disassembled radiators can be seen in front of the north-west unit.




Based on Jeff Brooks statement at today's press conference I'm wagering a wild bet one of the auto-transformer has not sustained winding or tank damage beyond the radiators themselves. Unit could be "repaired in place"...


Yes, that is indeed a mobile transformer at the second substation in Carthage. Adjacent 230kv line tapped via mobile circuit switcher, trough the mobile transformer and secondary circuit breaker, voltage regulator, hook disconnects, feeding into the exiting distribution bus at Carthage. Current limiting neutral reactor and 230kV wave trap essentially mimicking a normal substation.

Going forward ballistic resistant barriers will probably become the norm:

 
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All large electrical component manufacturers make all variants of Volt/Hz components.
But almost nothing today is produced without a order first.

Hz_amukgx.jpg


“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.“
Albert Einstein
 
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Several years back, there was a chemical plant in Brandon that had chlorine rail tankers, and they wanted them protected using earth embankments.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik
 
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and the lead time can be 2 or 3 years.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik
 
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Not surprised ABB produce it and there will be a few other German OEM's.

Most of the Green countries don't really make international Merchant ships. The last big ones none mil the USA made had to get taken to Europe to get wired.

I don't think the Japan produced boats are 60hz 110V in my very limited experience.

We used to see a bit of it in Aberdeen but after Piper Alpha it rapidly disappeared.

As for the protection stuff its quite common in the UK to have berms Infront of infrastructure a lot of airports have them now in front of the terminals. But they are protection against getting rammed by vehicles after the Glasgow attack.
 
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I would have thought that they were 220 (which seems to be the international voltage)... just to reduce the size of the conductors.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik
 
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120V is only used for lighting. Most USA ships are 480V generation and distribution. The 50hz ships are similar but I have never been on one. Shore power connections are often 6kV. Ships with electric propulsion have 11kV generation.

USA West Coast ports require ships connect to shore power when at the dock. I know the Korean built ships which are most common here are 60hz. I never thought about how 50hz ships would be accommodated.
 
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well, the ones I had experience with and mates that work on them it's all 220V 50hz same on the oil rigs.

The only funnies are old GulF of Mexico drilling rigs.

But I have extremely low experience in that sector and very UK/Scottish centric which is hardly international.
 
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So most container ships I have seen that carry refrigerated containers supply 440v 3-phase 50hz to the containers, but once they are unloaded they get plugged into 480v 3-phase 60hz. They are also rotation insenstive, I suspect they convert the incoming power to DC then use an inverted to convert it back to AC.
 
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I think it was either Treasure Hunter or Treasure seeker had a major fire in the NorthSea when they plugged in a 3 phase 50hz food container into its grid. I think after that they standardised the sockets so it just wouldn't happen, and it became a sackable offense to even know of a converter tail between the two setups, never mind use one. Things that could take both had both sets of connection sockets or cables with plugs on the end.
 
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