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Superconductors as Electrical Grid Surge Suppressors

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the keeping-power-flowing dept.

securitas writes "The New York Times published a story about Intermagnetics -- a company that plans to use 'superconductors as valves on the electric-utility power grid, letting their temperature rise to choke off the flow of power,' a day before the largest blackout in North American history. The timing couldn't have been better. On the day of the blackout, Intermagnetics announced a $6 million contract from the Department of Energy to develop and install superconductor 'valve' prototypes by 2006 in the Niagara Mohawk distribution system. Considering that one of the leading theories for the cause of the cascading blackout is a surge in the Niagara Mohawk power grid, this announcement seems incredibly timely."

7 of 162 comments (clear)

  1. I must say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    those bastards!

    nic.

  2. Welcome our New Overlords by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    I for one welcome our new superconducting overlords.

  3. NYTimes name change by duvel · · Score: 4, Funny
    > The New York Times published a story ........... a day before the largest blackout in North American history

    In related news, NYTimes is considering a namechange to NYFutureTimes

    --

    I have a photographic memory for numbers. I know almost a hundred of them.

  4. Hmm. by xenoweeno · · Score: 4, Funny

    this announcement seems incredibly timely.

    A little too timely.

    /me twirls handlebar moustache

  5. Fancy gadgets will help? by AndroidCat · · Score: 4, Funny
    They were supposed to have protection systems to prevent a cascade failure like this. Making the protection systems fancier isn't going to help too much if they don't install/maintain them properly.

    Or as Kosh said, "Once the blackout begins, it is too late to order pizza."

    --
    One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  6. Re:Linux by mopslik · · Score: 2, Funny

    I fail to see how hardware running linux is going to use markedly more or less power than hardware running any other operating system.

    Actually, Windows requires less energy to run, since users spend half their time powering down and rebooting.

  7. Re:Coincidence? by uncoveror · · Score: 2, Funny

    It wasn't Microsoft. It was the Zhti Ti Kofft. Put on your tinfoil hat!

    --
    The Uncoveror: It's the real news.