Why try a different solution? Why not just rebuild the existing grid more robustly so it can withstand damage better?
I'm not saying this wouldn't work but changes in kind are generally riskier then changes in degree.
I'm not saying this wouldn't work but changes in kind are generally riskier then changes in degree.
There's also probably some research funding provided by DOE for this because it's a new approach. And if it works, it would be beneficial in tons of other places.
I don't read your comment as ignoring this, but I want to point out for everyone that reliability always has tradeoffs about what events you want to be able to handle and how much preparation you want to do / pay someone to do for you.
puerto rico's grid was in quite bad shape, but it was also originally designed around importing most of its fuel and operating a single (or few) large generator supplying the island. this setup created concentrated points of failure in the event of a natural disaster and also now makes little economic sense given recent advancements in PV and battery technology.
Every replacement part need requires that PREPA either have the part machined specially, or they need to purchase a production run of whatever the part is.
The conversation left me with the impression that its likely less expensive to simply replace large sections or even re-engineer than to incrementally improve the existing infrastructure.
In general, it matters very much how the money is appropriated for whatever you’re going to do with government money. What you might not be able to do under one particular program may not be prohibited at all under another. Or, some official may be empowered to waive some requirements. I would expect, for example, that FEMA might be able to waive the requirement you speak of, if, for example, they found it was less expensive, or even just convenient for the government.
And in terms of what the specific person I was talking with had to say, his bid on work with PREPA included proposals based on getting funding for upgrades as he had previously done in Florida after another hurricane. Which seemed reasonable when he explained. Basically, Florida Power & Light got grants from FEMA to do various upgrades to their grid because the upgrades were likely to save the feds money in a future hurricane. Or at least, that was his explanation. And it fits with my experience in DC early in my career as well.
Source: https://www.apnews.com/5221fe5a9b1247e1ad1af0e1c35bf5e6
But this sentiment comes up quite frequently in regards to Puerto Rico.
I live in Illinois. The budget/financial situation is a mess. People may have opinions about what went wrong. They might say "Illinois really needs to do X." But to my knowledge no one is seriously calling for a national intervention or strong-arming Illinois into privatization.
Can you elaborate on why you think the people of Puerto Rico are not to to be trusted taking care of their home?
Not him, but I am puertorican. There's nothing unusual in someone being unable to take care of their home, it happens with some frequency. By the same token, it should not be surprising that several nations fit this bill. I would probably toss most of the southern hemisphere in that bin, Puerto Rico included.
> But that was colonialism!
I tried this thought experiment once: imagine the people of the wealthy global north just disappeared today. Does this mean the problems of the global south are fixed? The answer to this is self-evidently 'no', at least to me. It's useless to ruminate on the past, it is not the global north that create and maintain our current situation. It's ok to admit that it's us that haven't put in a good performance.
No it isn't. Quite common.
>Do you ever hear people talk about states this way. Is New York, West Virginia, or Washington ever "not responsible enough" to have control over their roads, electricity, or water supply?
Yes! All the time. For example, people complain all the time about the way California is run, or the way LA or SF is run.
>Can you elaborate on why you think the people of Puerto Rico are not to to be trusted taking care of their home?
He didn't say anything about the people of Puerto Rico - he was talking about the government and the power authority. No matter what happens, the people of Puerto Rico will continue to run their own affairs.
OF COURSE that's the right solution but that isn't sexy.
Puerto Rico instead decided: why not be a guinea pig for unproven technology with unknown costs and unknown benefits. Especially in light of issues with PREPA around neglect and corruption and competence.
It seems like the more bloated and corrupt the organization is, the most likely it will engage in these pie-in-the-sky projects.