Author Archives: mike@standardsmichigan.com

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Solarvoltaic PV Systems

“Icarus” Joos de Momper

National Electrical Code Articles 690 and 691 provide electrical installation requirements for Owner solarvoltaic PV systems that fall under local electrical safety regulations.  Access to the 2023 Edition is linked below;

2023 National Electrical Code

Insight into the technical problems managed in the 2023 edition can be seen in the developmental transcripts linked below:

Panel 4  Public Input Report (869 pages)

Panel 4  Second Draft Comment Report (199 pages)

The IEEE Joint IAS/PES (Industrial Applications Society & Power and Energy Society) has one vote on this 21-member committee; the only pure “User-Interest” we describe in our ABOUT.  All other voting representatives on this committee represent market incumbents or are proxies for market incumbents; also described in our ABOUT.

The 2026 National Electrical Code has entered its revision cycle.  Public input is due September 7th.

We maintain these articles, and all other articles related to “renewable” energy, on the standing agenda of our Power and Solar colloquia which anyone may join with the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.   We work close coupled with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee which meets 4 times monthly in American and European time zones; also open to everyone.

 

 

 

 

2028 National Electrical Safety Code

Project Introduction for the 2028 Edition (2:39 minutes)

Changes proposals for the Edition will be received until 15 May 2024

Project Workspace: Update Data Tables in IEEE Recommended Practice for the Design of Reliable Industrial and Commercial Power Systems

Painting by Linda Kortesoja Klenczar

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: Electrical Resource Adequacy

Relevant Research

The standard of care for electrical safety at high and low voltage is set by both the NEC and the NESC. There are gaps, however (or, at best “gray areas”) — the result of two technical cultures: utility power culture and building fire safety culture. There is also tradition. Local system conditions and local adaptation of regulations vary. Where there is a gap; the more rigorous requirement should govern safety of the public and workers.

The 2023 National Electrical Safety Code (NESC)– an IEEE title often mistaken for NFPA’s National Electrical Code (NEC) — was released for public use about six months ago; its normal 5-year revision cycle interrupted by the circumstances of the pandemic.   Compared with the copy cost of the NEC, the NESC is pricey, though appropriate for its target market — the electric utility industry.  Because the 2023 revision has not been effectively “field tested” almost all of the available support literature is, effectively, “sell sheets” for pay-for seminars and written by authors presenting themselves as experts for the battalions of litigators supporting the US utility industry.  Without the ability to sell the NESC to prospective “insiders” the NESC would not likely be commercial prospect for IEEE.   As the lawsuits and violations and conformance interests make their mark in the fullness of time; we shall see the 2023 NESC “at work”.

IEEE Standards Association: Additional Information, Articles, Tools, and Resources Related to the NESC

Office of the President: Economic Benefits of Increasing Electric Grid Resilience to Weather Outages

Research Tracks:

  1. Smart Grid Technologies:
    • Investigating advanced technologies to enhance the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of power grids.
  2. Energy Storage Systems:
    • Researching and developing new energy storage technologies to improve grid stability and accommodate intermittent renewable energy sources.
  3. Distributed Generation Integration:
    • Studying methods to seamlessly integrate distributed energy resources such as solar panels and wind turbines into the existing power grid.
  4. Grid Resilience and Security:
    • Exploring technologies and strategies to enhance the resilience of power grids against cyber-attacks, natural disasters, and other threats.
  5. Demand Response Systems:
  6. Advanced Sensors and Monitoring:
    • Developing new sensor technologies and monitoring systems to enhance grid visibility, detect faults, and enable predictive maintenance.
  7. Power Quality and Reliability:
    • Studying methods to improve power quality, reduce voltage fluctuations, and enhance overall grid reliability.
  8. Integration of Electric Vehicles (EVs):
    • Researching the impact of widespread electric vehicle adoption on the grid and developing smart charging infrastructure.
  9. Grid Automation and Control:
    • Exploring advanced automation and control strategies to optimize grid operations, manage congestion, and improve overall system efficiency.
  10. Campus Distribution Grid Selling and Buying 

Relevant Technical Literature

IEC 60050 International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 601: Generation, transmission and distribution of electricity | April 16

Recommended Practice for Battery Management Systems in Energy Storage Applications | Comments Due March 26

Medical electrical equipment: basic safety and essential performance of medical beds for children | April 26

Medical electrical equipment: basic safety and essential performance of medical beds for children | April 26

 

Standards:

Presentation | FERC-NERC-Regional Entity Joint Inquiry Into Winter Storm Elliott

IEEE Guide for Joint Use of Utility Poles with Wireline and/or Wireless Facilities

NESC Rule 250B and Reliability Based Design

NESC Requirements (Strength and Loading)

Engineering Analysis of Possible Effects of 2017 NESC Change Proposal to Remove 60′ Exemption

National Electrical Safety Code Workspace


Joint Use of Electric Power Transmission & Distribution Facilities and Equipment

A Framework to Quantify the Value of Operational Resilience for Electric Power Distribution Systems

August 14, 2003 Power Outage at the University of Michigan

Technologies for Interoperability in Microgrids for Energy Access


National Electrical Safety Code: Revision Cycles 1993 through 2023

 


February 24, 2023

The new code goes into effect 1 February 2023, but is now available for access on IEEE Xplore! Produced exclusively by IEEE, the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) specifies best practices for the safety of electric supply and communication utility systems at both public and private utilities.  The bibliography is expanding rapidly:

NESC 2023: Introduction to the National Electrical Safety Code

NESC 2023: Rule Changes

NESC 2023Safety Rules for Installation and Maintenance of Overhead Electric Supply

NESC 2023Safety Rules for the Installation and Maintenance of Underground Electric Supply and Communication Lines

NESC 2023: Rules for Installation and Maintenance of Electric Supply Stations

IEEE Digital Library

Grid Edge Visibility: Gaps and a road map


October 31, 2022

The IEEE NESC technical committee has released a “fast track” review of proposed changes to fault-managed power system best practice:

CP5605 Provides a definition of new Fault Managed Power System (FMPS) circuits used for the powering of
communications equipment clearly defines what constitutes a FMPS circuit for the purposes of application of the NESC
Rules of 224 and 344
https://ieee-sa.imeetcentral.com/p/eAAAAAAASPXtAAAAADhMnPs

CP5606 Provides new definitions of Communication Lines to help ensure that Fault Managed Power Systems (FMPS)
circuits used for the exclusive powering of communications equipment are clearly identified as communications lines
and makes an explicit connection to Rule 224B where the applicable rules for such powering circuits are found.
https://ieee-sa.imeetcentral.com/p/eAAAAAAASPXpAAAAAFfvWIs

CP5607 The addition of this exception permits cables containing Fault Managed Power System (FMPS) circuits used for
the exclusive powering of communications equipment to be installed without a shield.
https://ieee-sa.imeetcentral.com/p/eAAAAAAASPXuAAAAAEEt3p4

CP5608 The addition of this exception permits cables containing Fault Managed Power System (FMPS) circuits used for
the exclusive powering of communications equipment to be installed without a shield.
https://ieee-sa.imeetcentral.com/p/eAAAAAAASPXvAAAAAGrzyeI

We refer them to the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee for further action, if any.

 


August 5, 2022

We collaborate closely with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee (IEEE E&H) to negotiate the standard of care for power security on the #SmartCampus  since many campus power systems are larger than publicly regulated utilities.  Even when they are smaller, the guidance in building the premise wiring system — whether the premise is within a building, outside the building (in which the entire geography of the campus footprint is the premise), is inspired by IEEE Standards Association administrated technical committees.

Northeast Community College | Norfolk, Nebraska

Today we begin a list of noteworthy changes to be understood in the next few Power colloquia.  See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting.

  1. New rules 190 through 195 cover photovoltaic generating stations.  Rule 116c adds an exception for short lengths of insulated power cables and short-circuit protection if the situation involves fewer than 1,000 volts.
  2. Rule 320B has been revised to clarify separations that apply to communications and supply in different conduit systems.
  3. Table 410-4 is based on the latest arc flash testing on live-front transformers.
  4. Rule 092A adds an exception allowing protection, control, and safety battery systems to not be grounded.
  5. Rules 234 B1, C1, D1 were revised to better present vertical and horizontal wind clearances, and to coordinate requirements with the new Table 234-7.
  6. Rule 120A was revised to provide correction factors for clearances on higher elevations.
  7. Table 253-1 has been revised to reduce the load factor for fiber-reinforced polymer components under wire tension—including dead ends—for Grade C construction.
  8. Rule 410A now requires a specific radio-frequency safety program for employees who might be exposed.
  9. In the Clearances section, as well as in the specification of the Grade of Construction in Table 242-1, the Code further clarifies the use of non-hazardous fiber optic cables as telecom providers continue to expand their networks.
  10. Revisions in the Strength & Loading sections include modified Rule 250C, which addresses extreme wind loading for overhead lines. Two wind maps are now provided instead of the previous single one. A map for Grade B, the highest grade of construction, with a Mean Recurrence Interval (MRI) of 100 years (corresponding to a one percent annual probability of occurrence) is provided in place of the previous 50–90-year MRI map. For Grade C construction, a separate 50-year MRI (two percent annual probability of occurrence) map is now provided. In the previous Code, a factor was applied to the 50–90-year MRI map for application to Grade C.
  11. Changes were also made to the method of determining the corresponding wind loads, consistent with the latest engineering practices as an example of a Code revision focused on public safety, the ground end of all anchor guys adjacent to regularly traveled pedestrian thoroughfares, such as sidewalks, and similar places where people can be found must include a substantial and conspicuous marker to help prevent accidents. The previous Code did not require the marking of every such anchor guy.
  12. Significant revisions were made in Section 14 covering batteries. Previous editions of the code were based on lead-acid technology and batteries only used for backup power. The 2023 Code incorporates the new battery technologies and addresses energy storage and backup power.
  13. A new Section 19 of the code covers photovoltaic generating stations, with sections addressing general codes, location, grounding configurations, vegetation management, DC overcurrent protection, and DC conductors. These new rules accommodate large-scale solar power projects.
  14. In the Clearances section, all rules for wireless antenna structures have been consolidated in the equipment section (Rule 238 and 239), which makes the Code more user-friendly.
  15. A new subcommittee was created focusing on generating stations, with the original subcommittee continuing to address substations.
  16. A working group is investigating Fault Managed Power Systems (FMPS) cables as the technology may be used for 5G networks. The team is looking at possible impacts, including clearances and work rules.

 


February 18, 2021

 

Several proposals recommending improvements to the 2017 National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) were submitted to the IEEE subcommittees drafting the 2022 revision of the NESC.   Some of the proposals deal with coordination with the National Electrical Code — which is now in its 2023 revision cycle.  Keep in mind that that NESC is revised every 5 years at the moment; the NEC is revised every 3 years.

The original University of Michigan standards advocacy enterprise has been active in writing the NESC since the 2012 edition and set up a workspace for use by electrical professionals in the education industry.   We will be using this workspace as the 2022 NESC continues along its developmental path:

IEEE 2022 NESC Workspace

The revision schedule — also revised in response to the circumstances of the pandemic — is linked below::

NESC 2023 Edition Revision Schedule*

 

The NESC is a standing item on the 4-times monthly teleconferences of the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities committee.  The next online meeting is shown on the top menu of the IEEE E&H website:

IEEE E&H Committee

We have a copy of the first draft of the 2023 NESC and welcome anyone to join us for an online examination during any of Power & ICT teleconferences.  See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting.

Business unit leaders, facility managers and electrical engineers working in the education facilities industry may be interested in the campus power system reliability database.   Forced outages on large research campuses, for example, can have enterprise interruption cost of $100,000 to $1,000,000 per minute.    The campus power system forced outage database discriminates between forced outages attributed to public utility interruptions and forced outages attributed to the university-owned power system.   The E&H committee will convey some of the discipline applied by the IEEE 1366 technical committee into its study of campus power systems and, ultimately, setting a benchmark for the standard of care for large university power systems.

 

 

* The IEEE changed the nominal date of the next edition; likely owed to pandemic-related slowdown typical for most standards developing organizations.

Issue: [16-67]

Contact: Mike Anthony, Robert G. Arno, Lorne Clark, Nehad El-Sharif, Jim Harvey, Kane Howard, Joe Weber, Guiseppe Parise, Jim Murphy

Category: Electrical, Energy Conservation & Management, Occupational Safety

ARCHIVE: University of Michigan Advocacy in the NESC 2007 – 2017


LEARN MORE:

P1366 – Guide for Electric Power Distribution Reliability Indices 

University Design Guidelines that reference the National Electrical Safety Code

 

Electrical Resource Adequacy

“When buying and selling are controlled by legislation,
the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.”
P.J. O’Rourke

Predictive Reliability Analysis of Power Distribution Systems Considering the Effects of Seasonal Factors on Outage Data Using Weibull Analysis Combined With Polynomial Regression


February 2024 Highlights 

Failure Rate Prediction Model of Substation Equipment Based on Weibull Distribution and Time Series Analysis

January 2024 Highlights



Transmission Planning Using a Reliability Criterion

Readings / The Administrative State

In power system engineering, availability and reliability are two important concepts, but they refer to different aspects of the system’s performance.

Reliability:

  • Reliability refers to the ability of a power system to perform its intended function without failure for a specified period under given operating conditions. It is essentially a measure of how dependable the system is.
  • Reliability metrics often include indices such as the frequency and duration of outages, failure rates, mean time between failures (MTBF), and similar measures.
  • Reliability analysis focuses on identifying potential failure modes, predicting failure probabilities, and implementing measures to mitigate risks and improve system resilience.Availability:
  • Availability, on the other hand, refers to the proportion of time that a power system is operational and able to deliver power when needed, considering both scheduled and unscheduled downtime.
  • Availability is influenced by factors such as maintenance schedules, repair times, and system design redundancies.
  • Availability is typically expressed as a percentage and can be calculated using the ratio of the uptime to the total time (uptime plus downtime).
  • Availability analysis aims to maximize the operational readiness of the system by minimizing downtime and optimizing maintenance strategies.

Reliability focuses on the likelihood of failure and the ability of the system to sustain operations over time, while availability concerns the actual uptime and downtime of the system, reflecting its readiness to deliver power when required. Both concepts are crucial for assessing and improving the performance of power systems, but they address different aspects of system behavior.

 

November 2023 Highlights | FERC insight | Volume 10

Determining System and Subsystem Availability Requirements: Resource Planning and Evaluation

Comment: These 1-hour sessions tend to be administrative in substance, meeting the minimum requirements of the Sunshine Act. This meeting was no exception. Access to the substance of the docket is linked here.

Noteworthy: Research into the natural gas supply following Winter Storm Elliot.

 


August 14, 2003


 UPDATED POLICIES ON U.S. DECARBONIZATION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSITIONS


June 15:FERC Finalizes Plans to Boost Grid Reliability in Extreme Weather Conditions

On Monday June 13th, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission commissioners informed the House Committee on Energy and Commerce that the “environmental justice” agenda prohibits reliable dispatchable electric power needed for national power security. One megawatt of natural gas generation does not equal one megawatt of renewable generation. The minority party on the committee — the oldest standing legislative committee in the House of Representatives (established 1795) — appears indifferent to the reliability consequences of its policy.

Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission

“Our nation’s continued energy transition requires the efficient development of new transmission infrastructure. Federal and state regulators must address numerous transmission-related issues, including how to plan and pay for new transmission infrastructure and how to navigate shared federal-state regulatory authority and processes. As a result, the time is ripe for greater federal-state coordination and cooperation.”












 

Bibliography:

Natural Gas Act of 1938

Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978

Glossary of Terms Used in NERC Reliability Standards

The Major Questions Doctrine and Transmission Planning Reform

As utilities spend billions on transmission, support builds for independent monitoring

States press FERC for independent monitors on transmission planning, spending as Southern Co. balks

Related:

Homeland Power Security

At the July 20th meeting of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Tristan Kessler explained the technical basis for a Draft Final Rule for Improvements to Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements, On August 16th the Commission posted a video reflecting changes in national energy policy since August 14, 2003; the largest blackout in American history.

Energy Standard for *Sites* and Buildings

ANSI Standards Action Weekly Edition

 

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is an ANSI-accredited continuous-maintenance standards developer (a major contributor to what we call a regulatory product development “stream”).   Continuous maintenance means that changes to its consensus products can change in as little as 30 days so it is wise to keep pace.

Among the leading titles in its catalog is ASHRAE 90.1 Energy Standard for Sites and Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings.  Standard 90.1 has been a benchmark for commercial building energy codes in the United States and a key basis for codes and standards around the world for more than 35 years.  Free access to ASHRAE 90.1 version is available at the link below:

READ ONLY Version of 2022 ASHRAE 90.1

Redlines are released at a fairly brisk pace — with 30 to 45 day consultation periods.  A related title — ASHRAE 189.1 Standard for the Design of High Performance Green Buildings — first published in 2009 and far more prescriptive in its scope heavily  references parent title 90.1 so we usually them as a pair because 189.1 makes a market for green building conformance enterprises. Note the “extreme prescriptiveness” (our term of art) in 189.1 which has the practical effect of legislating engineering judgement, in our view.

25 January 2023: Newly Released ASHRAE 90.1-2022 Includes Expanded Scope For Building Sites

ASHRAE committees post their redlines at the link below:

Online Standards Actions & Public Review Drafts

At least two energy/building enclosure related redlines are open for consultation through May 27th.  

Education industry facility managers, energy conservation workgroups, sustainability officers, electric shop foreman, electricians and front-line maintenance professionals who change lighting fixtures, maintain environmental air systems are encouraged to participate directly in the ASHRAE consensus standard development process.

We also maintain ASHRAE best practice titles as standing items on our Mechanical, Water, Energy and Illumination colloquia.  See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.

Issue: [Various]

Category: Mechanical, Electrical, Energy Conservation, Facility Asset Management, US Department of Energy, #SmartCampus

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Larry Spielvogel, Richard Robben

Under Construction:  ASHRAE WORKSPACE


More

The fundamental concept in social science is Power, in the same sense in which Energy is the fundamental concept in physics. - Bertrand Russell

ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1-2019: Energy Standard For Buildings

ARCHIVE 2002-2016 / ASHRAE 90.1 ENERGY STANDARD FOR BUILDINGS

US Department of Energy Building Energy Codes Program

ASHRAE Guideline 0 The Commissioning Process

Why Software is Eating the World

S. 4090 Enforcing the Rule of Law on Campus Act


Laken Riley Act passes 251-170, with 37 Democrats joining all Republicans in support

The murder of Laken Riley occurred on February 22, 2024, in Athens, Georgia. Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University, disappeared when she was jogging at the University of Georgia (UGA). Her body was found near a lake of a wooded area at UGA; her death was caused by blunt force trauma.  The police described Riley’s killing as a “crime of opportunity”, and that no murder had been committed at UGA in almost 30 years; a gap filled by the open border policy of Democrat President Joseph Biden, Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and chain of Democrat District Attorney’s who let the perpetrator run free.

The murder has international news, generating extensive media attention — though not nearly as much as the George Floyd tragedy and the Black Lives Matter zietgeist — sparking debate over illegal immigration in United States after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that Ibarra is a Venezuelan illegal immigrant who is not a U.S. citizen and was caught crossing the border but released back into the United States

Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan citizen who entered the US illegally, was arrested by UGA police and has been charged with felony murder, false imprisonment, and kidnapping.[4] Ibarra lived about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the area where Riley’s body was found..

European leaders are indifferent to the rape and murder of their young women by migrant men also:


But what is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?  If men were angels, no government would be necessary.  If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.  In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this:  you must first enable the government to control control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.”James Madison, Federalist 51

Relevant Federal Executive & Legislative Committees

House of Representatives: Committee on Education & the Workforce

Senate: Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions 

SCOTUS: West Virginia, et al. v. Environmental Protection Agency

United States District Court, Michigan | Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School et al. v Ann Arbor School District Board


H.R. 305: One School, One Nurse Act of 2023

H.R. 6078: GROWTH Act of 2023

H.R. 3425: To amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to authorize capacity building grants for community

H.R. 221: Expand Pell Grant eligibility to certain trade schools

H.R. 193: Teach Relevant Apprenticeships to Drive Economic Success Act

H.R. 202: States’ Education Reclamation Act

H.R. 302: Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Act of 2023

The University Campus As A Designed Work and an Artefact of Cultural Heritage

Bucolia 300

Anglo-americká vysoká škola, z.ú. Czech Republic

Today we walk through literature governing the safety and sustainability of the open space features of education community estates.   Unlike the titles for the building envelope, which are known to most design professionals and contractors, the standards for grounds and landscaping are widely scattered; many of them occupational safety related; created, administered and enforced by units of government.

During the fair seasons we examine the moment in landscape, garden, tree and water literature.  We also track titles about the reclamation of building roofs for permeable surfaces and gardens.

During the winter months in the northern hemisphere we include snow and ice management; while covering summer month technologies for southern hemisphere (and vice-versa).  Snowfalls in the southern hemisphere are mainly contained to the highlands and mountain ranges, which are almost exclusively in Victoria and Southern New South Wales, as well as the mountains in Tasmania.   Winter does not pose as much of a cost burden to education facilities in the southern hemisphere as it does in the northern hemisphere.

Arboreta

Landscape standards refer to guidelines or regulations that specify the requirements for the design, installation, and maintenance of outdoor spaces such as parks, gardens, streetscapes, and public spaces. Landscape standards typically cover various aspects of landscape design, including vegetation selection, planting arrangements, irrigation systems, hardscape materials, and lighting.

These standards may be set by government agencies at the federal, state, or local level, or by professional organizations such as the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Landscape standards aim to ensure that outdoor spaces are safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing while also promoting sustainability and environmental protection.

Landscape standards may also address issues such as accessibility for people with disabilities, water conservation, stormwater management, and erosion control. They may vary depending on the specific location, climate, and intended use of the outdoor space. Compliance with landscape standards may be required for approval of development projects, public funding, or other permits.

We track the standards catalog of two ANSI-accredited standards developers:

American Hort

Tree Care Industry Association

Additional practice titles applicable to accessory systems:

ASABE/ICC 802 Landscape Irrigation Sprinkler and Emitter Standard 

National Electrical Code: Article 411 Low-Voltage Lighting

Upcode Article 411

National Electrical Code: Article 225: Outside Branch Circuits and Feeders

Illumination Engineering Society (Lighting Library)

Land F/X: Landscape Lighting, Codes, Guidelines and Techniques  

OSHA Landscape and Horticultural Services

As a cross-cutting subject involving soil and water and sun many other standards developers, and all levels of government, produce best practice literature for today’s topic.  We’ll have a look at what’s moving among those.

To join us use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

Standing Agenda / Bucolia

World Soil Museum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The World Soil Museum hosts a range of educational programs and workshops for students, researchers, and other visitors who are interested in learning more about soil science. These programs cover topics such as soil classification, soil management, and soil conservation, and they are designed to help people understand the vital role that soils play in supporting agriculture, ecosystems, and human societies around the world.

 

 

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