Living on the Grid: The Fundamentals of the North American Electric Grids in Simple Language

William L. Thompson

May 2016 · iUniverse

About this ebook

There’s probably a good chance that you’ve turned on your television, computer, or an appliance without giving much thought about the electric grid. But when there’s a power outage, it’s a different story. Suddenly, you’re asking yourself questions such as: What is the electric grid and who owns it? Who controls the grid and how is it controlled? What causes a grid blackout? What is the future of the grid? William L. Thompson, who retired from Dominion Virginia Power after thirty-eight years in the electric business, answers those questions and many more in this book for anyone curious about the electric grid and how it works. In plain, simple language, he reveals what goes on behind the scenes at grid control centers across the country. He also explains how electricity is generated through renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. He also examines the causes behind the largest blackout in United States history and how global warming and technological developments could permanently change Living on the Grid.

Ratings and reviews

Well written and supported with explainotory diagrams. Quite a bit of anologies put out by the author make it easy to follow the technical terminologies of the Electricity. It is plain and articulate. Anybody living of the grid should at least have some basic understanding of what is AC/DC and What is transformer?How do 800 hundred gorilla grids by-product electricity with the help of generators? What are the differences between power, energy and current? Could interconnected grids potentially help reduce the energy consumption/ per user? As a matter of fact it all boils down to effective Utilization and the distibution cost of generated Electricity. Kw/h. Thank you so much for taking the challenge of writing this informative book on the matter of this Subject. Indeed, as human beings our lives in the 21st century very much dependant on electricity regardless of our circumstances!

About the author

William L. Thompson earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech and a master’s in business administration from Averett University. He retired from Dominion Virginia Power after thirty-eight years in the electric business. He has two grown sons and lives with his wife in Richmond, Virginia.