Evensong “Gymnopedie”

Loading
loading...

Daylight Saving Time

March 8, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
,
No Comments

North American Time Zone Map

Standard Time Act of 191818th November 1883 “The Day of Two Noons”

Donkey Years

Homage to Salvador Dalí’s famous painting “The Persistence of Memory (1931)”

The time shift results in sunrise and sunset occurring approximately one hour later on the clock than the day before, providing more daylight in the evening and less in the morning.

Start Date
: Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 9, 2025. This is the second Sunday in March, following the schedule established by theEnergy Policy Act of 2005.
Time Change: At 2:00 a.m. local standard time, clocks are set forward one hour to 3:00 a.m. local daylight time. This is often referred to as “springing forward.”
Geographic ScopeMost of the United States observes DST, except for Hawaii and most of Arizona (with the exception of the Navajo Nation, which does observe DST).  U.S. territories such as American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not participate in DST.
Legal Basis: The rules are governed by the Uniform Time Act of 1966, as amended by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The U.S. Department of Transportation oversees the implementation, while states and territories have the option to opt out of DST but cannot independently choose to make it permanent without federal approval.

Ovid “The Metamorphoses”


Superseded: Daylight Saving Time Rules

“Time After Time” 1947 Frank Sinatra

Indiana University | Monroe County

“Time After Time (Cindy Lauper Cover) | University of Delaware

https://youtu.be/bgcZjADSRTk?si=mwbvNFphUOSbKkHG

University of Wisconsin Eau Clair

The U.S. power grid operates on a synchronized frequency of 60 Hz, maintained across three major interconnections: Eastern, Western, and Texas. During the Daylight Saving Time (DST) switch—typically at 2:00 AM local time on the second Sunday in March (spring forward) or the first Sunday in November (fall back)—the grid’s synchronization is unaffected because it relies on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), not local time. Grid operators, coordinated by entities like the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), ensure frequency stability through automatic generation control (AGC) systems, which adjust power output to match demand in real time.

Ω

The DST shift doesn’t disrupt this process. When clocks spring forward (e.g., 2:00 AM becomes 3:00 AM), demand may briefly drop as human activity adjusts, but AGC systems respond instantly, balancing generation and load. In the fall, when clocks fall back (e.g., 2:00 AM repeats), a temporary demand spike might occur, but the grid’s inertial stability—provided by large rotating generators—and real-time monitoring prevent desynchronization. Operators may pre-schedule minor adjustments, but the system’s design, rooted in UTC-based frequency regulation, ensures seamless operation. Thus, while local time shifts, the grid’s 60 Hz hum remains steady across the transition.

Campus Clocks

Spring Break

March 7, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
No Comments

Michigan Central

 

One MSU Professor Singlehandedly Started Spring Break

🐦Homophily Michigan 🐦

“You’d get married? Well, what about school?”

“Girls like me weren’t built to be education. We were made to have children. That’s my ambition: to be a walking talking baby factory”


Roadway Electric

March 6, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
No Comments

Rules for electric supply (power) and communication (telecommunication) lines and equipment, including those along or crossing roadways across and along campus perimeters. Copyright restrictions prohibit our sharing of the First Draft.  IEEE should be making this draft free of charge according to ANSI’s Incorporation by Reference Recommendations but, alas, we pick our battles. We have purchased the Draft Copy and have been discussing the changes for the past several weeks and will continue to do so until the March 24th deadline.

Shoes hanging on power lines

Relevant sections:

Sections 1–3 and 9 (Introduction, Definitions, References, Grounding Methods) — apply to all parts.

Part 1 (Rules 100–199): Electric supply stations and equipment (substations; generally not roadway-specific).

Part 2 (Rules 200–299): Safety Rules for the Installation and Maintenance of Overhead Electric Supply and Communication Lines — primary coverage for roadway scenarios.

Part 3 (Rules 300–399): Safety Rules for the Installation and Maintenance of Underground Electric Supply and Communication Lines.

Part 4 (Rules 400–499): Rules for the Operation of Electric Supply and Communication Lines and Equipment (work practices, employee/public safety).

 

 

Revisiting the Campus Power Dilemma: A Case Study (Michael A Anthony P.E, Patricia Koman Ph.D, Max Storto Ph.D 2013)

Wires, Roads, and Real-World Challenges at Clemson University

Challenges with Aging Electrical Infrastructure at California State University Fresno

Conceptual Study to Underground Utility Wires in Berkeley (UC Berkeley Campus Area)

Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering v. Department of Telecommunications & Energy: A Massachusetts Supreme Court case where the college challenged utility regulations on power and telecom lines, including overhead and underground installations. The ruling interpreted provisions affecting campus wiring safety and compliance.

Mega Construction Co. v. United States (Virginia Tech Case Study): A construction dispute analyzed at Virginia Tech involving delays and mismanagement in utility projects, including power line installations potentially affecting campus infrastructure.

 

2028 National Electrical Safety Code

NESC 2028 Call for Comment

7th Edition (2018): Geometric Design of Highways & Streets

7th Edition (2018): Geometric Design of Highways & Streets

March 6, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com

No Comments

Michigan State University

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols, and guidelines that are used in highway design and construction throughout the United States.  Despite its name, the association represents not only highways but air, rail, water, and public transportation as well.   Its technical committees are responsible for route numbering recommendations.

Although AASHTO sets transportation standards and policy for the United States as a whole, AASHTO is not an agency of the federal government; rather it is an organization of the states themselves. Policies of AASHTO are not federal laws or policies, but rather are ways to coordinate state laws and policies in the field of transportation.

One of its consensus products — the so-called “Green Book” — is heavily referenced in campus design guidelines and construction contracts because most education communities exist within municipal infrastructure.   Power, water supply, sewers to schools and campuses large and small all tend to follow transportation pathways.  The Green Book is revised periodically, the 2018 Edition the most recent.

SUMMARY OF KEY REVISIONS AND UPDATES

We do not advocate in this product at the moment but follow the movement in concepts relevant to education communities; notably the recent reorganization that emphasizes transportation of people, rather than focusing primarily on moving vehicles.  A new chapter discusses multimodal level of service and puts greater emphasis on lower-speed, walkable, urban zones in which new mobility technologies are emerging (such as micro-scooters on campuses)

We maintain the AASHTO catalog on our Pathways, Zoning and Mobility colloquia.  See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting, open to everyone.

Land Measurement

Standards March: Water

March 6, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
, ,
No Comments

Curated list of our interest and accomplishments in water-related codes, standards and related best practice literature.

International Building Code | Chapter 29 Plumbing Systems

IAPMO International

Backflow Prevention

Fire Pump Reliability

Legionella

Emergency Shower & Eyewash Testing

Gallery: Great Lakes

Building Water Demand

Water and Electricity

Florida Gulf Coast University | Lee County

Water Management

University of Newcastle | New South Wales

Natatoriums 300: Advanced Topics

University of Southern California | Orange County

Qualität der Wasserversorgung

DRINKING, WASTEWATER & STORMWATER SYSTEMS

 

Vegetation & Animal Management

March 5, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
No Comments

Facility Management units in educational settlements rarely deal with tree obstruction on overhead supply sources except where off-campus sources provide power to agricultural units. The NESC does not provide specific tree‑species or pruning schedules—that is often left to local utility standards guided by NESC clearances. The IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee deals with these borderline cases, often collaborating with the IEEE Rural Electric Power Conference.

NESC Minimum Vertical Clearances (Rule 232)

Voltage (kV) Minimum Vertical Clearance (ft)
0 – 750 V 12 ft
0.75 – 22 kV 18 ft
22 – 46 kV 22 ft
46 – 72.5 kV 26 ft
72.5 – 121 kV 30 ft
121 – 145 kV 32 ft
145 – 230 kV 37 ft
230 – 345 kV 40 ft
345 – 500 kV 44 ft
500 – 750 kV 50 ft

NESC Minimum Lateral Clearances (Rule 234)

Voltage (kV) Minimum Lateral Clearance (ft)
0 – 750 V 3 ft
0.75 – 22 kV 3 ft
22 – 46 kV 4 ft
46 – 72.5 kV 5 ft
72.5 – 121 kV 6 ft
121 – 145 kV 6 ft
145 – 230 kV 8 ft
230 – 345 kV 10 ft
345 – 500 kV 12 ft
500 – 750 kV 14 ft

2022 Guide for Animal Deterrents for Electric Power Supply Substations

Stray Voltage: Sources and Solutions

March 5, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
,
No Comments

Michigan State University

 

Stray Voltage: Sources and Solutions

Truman C. Surbrook – Norman D. Reese – Angela M. Kehrle

 

Abstract.  Stray voltage is caused by voltage drop and ground faults and may have its origin on the primary electrical distribution system or on the customer’s secondary electrical system. The rms value of the neutral-to-earth voltage along a primary distribution line may be at a value of zero some distance from the substation depending on the condition of the conductor resistances, grounding resistances, and the amount of load. Neutral-to-earth resistance is not the cause of stray voltage; however, the value of this resistance to earth at a particular location will affect the level of stray voltage. A four-wire single-phase feeder system supplying farm buildings from a single metering point is effective in preventing on-farm secondary neutral voltage drop, provided the four-wire system is extended to all farm loads, and provided no high-magnitude ground faults are present. Isolation of the primary and secondary neutral systems at the distribution transformer is effective in preventing off-farm sources from entering the customer’s system. This separation may be accomplished using a number of commercially available devices.

CLICK HERE for access to the entire paper

2022 Guide for Animal Deterrents for Electric Power Supply Substations

March 5, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
,
No Comments

1264-2022 – IEEE Guide for Animal Mitigation for Electric Power Supply Substations

IEEE Power Engineering Society

Abstract: Documented in this guide are methods and designs to mitigate interruptions, equipment damage, and personnel safety issues resulting from animal intrusions into electric power supply substations, thereby improving reliability and safety, and minimizing the associated revenue loss.
Scope: This guide documents methods and designs to mitigate interruptions, equipment damage, and personnel safety issues resulting from animal intrusions into electric power supply substations, thereby improving reliability and safety, and minimizing the associated revenue loss.
Purpose: Intrusion by animals into electric power supply substations has been a problem experienced by most of the electric utility industry. The costs associated with outages caused by animals continue to escalate. Although animal problems differ in nature geographically, the damage to equipment, interruption of or loss of service to customers, and safety problems encountered by operating personnel result in similar general concerns. This guide identifies various animals, the problems they cause, and mitigation methods. Further, it recommends criteria for applying mitigation methods, documents survey-reported effectiveness of various methods, and recommends factors for evaluating effectiveness of methods once they are applied.

CLICK HERE to order the guide

Related:

IEEE Standards Association

PES General Meeting 16-20 July | Orlando

Layout mode
Predefined Skins
Custom Colors
Choose your skin color
Patterns Background
Images Background
Standards Michigan
error: Content is protected !!
Skip to content