“The Matrix is Broken - Tiny Power Quality Ripples Shut Down Million-Dollar Operations”
It’s a dangerous fallacy to presume our electrical grid is “stable” just because the lights stay on and air conditioners are blasting. I possess a long list of former clients who’ve lost millions of dollars due to what are commonly considered “minor blips” in the matrix of our power grid.
In reality, our grid is a sophisticated puzzle with pieces that don’t fit seamlessly anymore. Over time, the grid has experienced significant transitions. It was originally designed for the straight-forward requirements of the incandescent light bulb, and the Adam Beck station in Niagara Falls did a respectable job of serving up a stable, robust power feeds for a simple, linear load.
Fast forward to present day and myriad complexities exist within the demand side, saddled by non-linear loads that have become prevalent in our manufacturing sector. Moreover, thousands of mini-power suppliers sporadically feed into the system from wind and solar facilities, none of which are as stable, dependable and continuous as Adam Beck or nuclear plants. I refer to the latter as “stiff sources”, known for their robust capabilities.
We see spikes, peaks and voltage drops, and loads creating harmonics and hitting resonant points with potentially damaging implications. These shifts often go unnoticed to the trained eye, even though they have profound consequences. At times, they cause shutdowns, affecting manufacturers, producers and even condo elevators which are as ubiquitous as they are essential.
We are increasingly relying upon a network of smaller, fragmented sources of electricity, undermining the grid’s once formidable strength.
Consider this analogy: we filter our water but we don’t filter the “dirty” electricity before it reaches extremely sensitive equipment in our manufacturing facilities. Given the deep connection between power quality and business success, the risks are evident and growing.
Just because a problem isn’t evident, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. A tiny ripple in our electricity grid can escalate into a tidal wave of equipment chaos, inflicting substantial financial and economic damage. This is why I’m frequently contacted by concerned managers and electrical contractors looking to solve the mysteries behind of their recurring breakdowns, power disruptions, or malfunctioning elevators.
Addressing and improving power quality is imperative as we modernize the manufacturing sector. The incandescent bulb may belong in the past, but if we don’t secure our power supply, we can’t secure our future.