Energy for Sustainable Society

6Electric Energy Systems

Synchronous generators at Bonneville Dam and Power Plant on the Columbia River, 40 mi east of Portland, Oregon. Each generator in the picture is rated 60,000‐kW generation capacity with output voltage of 13.8 kV. Total generation capacity of the hydroelectric power plant is 1227 MW. Generated electricity is transmitted to the grid via 115 and 230 kV overhead lines. The construction of Bonneville power plant was completed in 1938, and the first powerhouse was upgraded in 1942 and 1943. The second powerhouse was added between 1972 and 1982.

Source: US Army Corps of Engineers®; © H&O Soysal

6.1 Introduction

Electricity is a convenient energy carrier and the most flexible secondary source. As we indicated in Chapter 1, nearly one‐fifth of the world's energy is supplied in the form of electricity. From the energy system perspective, electric systems transmit sources that cannot be delivered directly to consumers such as nuclear energy and most renewables. All forms of energy can be converted to electricity by using a proper conversion system and electricity can be converted to virtually all other forms of energy. Electric energy can be conveniently transmitted over long distances. At the user end, equipment driven by electric machines are cleaner, quieter, more efficient, and more controllable than their engine‐driven counterparts. Moreover, electronic ...