Attack-Proof Power Line to be Installed Under NY

Podcaster writes "American Superconductor Corporation and Con Edison have announced a joint effort to develop and deploy a new system that utilizes high temperature superconductor power cable technology in Con Edison's grid in New York City. The project, called Project Hydra, will aim to establish 'Secure Super Grids' that can withstand extreme weather and terrorist attacks."

Comments

Reasons why NYC needs 'Team Hydra'

[Podcaster]

Don't want to RTFA? That's fine, this is /. after all. Here's a summary of the main points to get you started:

• "Project Hydra" is named after the mythical Greek monster that grew back multiple heads when one was severed. The grid is expected to be able to self-regulate power surges and maintain supply under extreme conditions.
• The system's reliability comes from the large number of interconnections that will be made to the power grid under NYC. This is also the driving force behind the need to use HTS materials because the electrical resistance of copper is too high for it to be used.
• The superconductor cable is expected to cost nearly $40 million, funded in part by the US Dept of Homeland Security.
• The cable is expected to be commissioned for operation in early 2010.
• This link is the best place to start if you want to find out more about Team Hydra.
• I, for one, welcome our new multi-headed superconducting subterrainian overlords!

-P

Re:Reasons why NYC needs 'Team Hydra'

[Podcaster]

The superconductor cable is expected to cost nearly $40 million, funded in part by the US Dept of Homeland Security.

That's rich -- toss in a reference to terrorism into the bid, and you get federal dollars for your project. Lame... and expensive.

However, I think the grid's greatest enemy is it's own users. This country is too power hungry.

I tend to agree with you. I'm not sure that this system addresses any part of the power infrastructure that might actually be vulnerable to human attack. Natural disasters are fine, but have any NYC blackouts in recent decades been caused by nature, or have they all been SNAFU?

-P

Re:Reasons why NYC needs 'Team Hydra'

[jandrese]

I don't work in the industry, but I have to say that $40M for a long haul power line sounds pretty cheap, especially when you give it the old anti-terr'ism spin. Personally, I'm impressed that they can run a cryogenic cable underneath NYC that cheaply.

Re:Reasons why NYC needs 'Team Hydra'

[Deagol]

I assume you're referring to the interstate highway system? I could certainly live w/o the Feds holding highway funding over state's heads when they try to show an ounce of sovereignty. State-level roads are sufficient. The US economy would not collapse if the interstate highway system suddenly vanished. Hell, maybe the rotting US rail system would get a much needed kick in the ass as a result. :)

Re:Reasons why NYC needs 'Team Hydra'

[drinkypoo]

Getting reactionary, and losing all sense of proportion is a really nice door to facisms...

If you can explain how running an efficient, buried power line leads to fascism (note spelling) I'd be highly interested.

I'd also be calling the men in the clean white suits to come and pick you up.

Try using the following gauge; if it's a good idea, and it's being done in the name of preventing terrorism, do it anyway. If it's a bad idea, and it's being done in the name of preventing terrorism, don't do it. It's just that simple.

And I picked the vest because - *ahem* - it's a good idea to wear a vest. I didn't pick your ridiculous example because that's not a good idea. But when I read this my first reaction was "it's about fucking time!" We lose somewhere from five to ten percent of our power in transmission. If we can reduce that through the use of superconductors, then we should.

One thing computing has taught me about technical developments is that there is always something better over the horizon, but to wait for it is foolish in many cases. Is this one of those? I don't know. But until we get true room-temperature superconductors, we won't know how long that will take, and in the meantime we could be enjoying the benefits of the "high-temperature" superconductors we have now.

smekel666

[User 956]

The project, called Project Hydra, will aim to establish 'Secure Super Grids' that can withstand extreme weather and terrorist attacks.

But will it survive human error and project mismanagement? I think not.

My greek mythology is a bit rusty...

[niceone]

From TFA:

The Department of Homeland Security will fund up to $25 million for the nearly $40 million superconductor cable, it calls "Project Hydra," after the mythical Greek monster that grew back multiple heads when one was severed.

Wasn't Hydra was the mythical monster that managed to think of multiple ways to get government money in the name of fighting terrorism each time one was cut off?

Re:Sensationalism gone wrong

[Control Group]

"Cool bit" is something of an understatement, don't you think? 43 Kelvin is well past "cool" and into "cold," possibly even "frigid" territory.

PFFT...

[way2trivial]

screw terrorism, screw weather, is it BACKHOE proof?

New target

[ushering05401]

Uh.. according to TFA this system must be cooled to -382 degrees farenheit to work properly. Of course they use liquid nitrogen to do the cooling.

So now, instead of having a system that can be patched relatively quickly with stock parts by people wearing goggles and cover-alls you will have a system that depends on a teams able to deal with radical temperatures within the system, cordoning off segments from the liquid cooling system, performing maintenance, and reintroducing additional coolant before the patch can be brought back online.

While they may find a way to make this new power system harder to take down completely, the process of getting it back up after a destructive event would seem to be exponentially more difficult.

If anything, this technology could inspire terrorist types to try hitting the power grid... something they have not done in America yet.

Let's hope not.

Regards.

Attack-proof?

[Red Flayer]

sorry, the claim of it being 'attack-proof' is just PR spin from DHS. The ConEd site about the project, and all the other info I've found on it, don't mention proof against terrorism as a primary part of the project. It's designed to carry a heavy load in a low volume of space, and to resist current faults (surges). It does have redundant substations, but that's to resist faults as much as terror attacks.

DHS always tries to justify public expenditure by playing the terror card, but in reality, the blackout of 2003 (or whatever year it was) has far more to do with Hydra than any terror threat.

That said, in today's environment, doesn't it seem a bit moronic to name your project after a mythical monster slain by a mythical hero from the Middle East? Isn't that just asking for people to see the US as the bad guys?

And, of interest possibly only to me:

for that there shold be such a serpent with seven heads, I think it unpossible, and no more to bee beleeved and credited than that Castor and Pollux were conceived in an egge

-Topsell

I never knew Ralph Wiggum masqueraded as a 17th century English naturalist.

Technical conclusions from a non-tech article

[Radon360]

You're probably right with the misprint.

Articles like this are just fodder for the less technically educated masses, and typically written by somebody with a less technical background (afterall, it _is_ coming from Reuters). When they get posted here, the real fun is watching the interpretation, extrapolation and speculation begin on what is really being done from a technical standpoint.

Re:Sensationalism gone wrong

[conteXXt]

Somebody's never been to Winnipeg in February.

43 Kelvin is spring.

Sheer genius

[Anonymous Coward]

Because nothing says "fault tolerance" better than a requirement to keep 40 miles of wire at -400F.

New York is one of the world financial hubs...

[Etherwalk]

Economy of New York

If it were a country, its GDP would be the 17th largest in the world. It makes a prime target for economic reasons, and major terrorist action in New York would have a significant impact on the rest of the nation.

This does sound like a grab for homeland security money, certainly; but it's not unreasonable, on the whole, to keep a special eye on New York when it comes to preventing terrorism.