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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."

1 of 162 comments (clear)

  1. Linux hardware by DrSkwid · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    25Mhz 386
    32Mb RAM
    40GB ide
    512k Trident 8900c
    AT case
    100W PSU
    14" EGA Monitor
    10BaseT BNC NIC
    102-Key Keyboard
    No mouse

    and you can probably run it off a couple of AA batteries

    --
    There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter