

US electrical grid on the edge of failure - feelthepain
http://www.nature.com/news/us-electrical-grid-on-the-edge-of-failure-1.13598

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taylodl
What an alarmist headline. A networking study is done, but because they
ignored the physics of the actual grid, yielded little or no new information.

One of the changes since the 2003 blackout is automation, monitoring, and
control for both distribution and transmission. This provides us a near-real
time look at the goings on of the grid. As the article notes, we're still
learning how to utilize this data to increase grid stability and reliability.

In short, the electrical grid is in better shape today than it was in 2003 and
we're continuing to make it better. Hardly a grid on the edge of failure.

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feelthepain
Well, the headline reflects the message of the study accurately enough it
seems. The caveats about the simulation not taking into account the physics of
the system are in the news piece. The study itself was published in a peer
reviewed journal-so whatever its weaknesses, it's not to be completely
shrugged off.

