Instructions: Responses should be a minimum of 250 words and include direct questions. You may challenge, support or supplement another student’s answer using the terms, concepts and theories from the required readings. Also, do not be afraid to respectfully disagree where you feel appropriate; as this should be part of your analysis process at this academic level.

Forum posts are graded on timeliness, relevance, knowledge of the weekly readings, and the quality of original ideas. Sources utilized to support answers are to be cited in accordance with the APA writing style by providing a general parenthetical citation (reference the author, year and page number) within your post, as well as an adjoining reference list. Refer to grading rubric for additional details concerning grading criteria.

Respond to: Gavina

The energy sector is extremely crucial for our nation and everything that thrives from it. If we take a look at what exists due to the energy sector, we can quickly come to the conclusion that without energy, we would be an in great ordeal. With the advancement of technology, almost everything runs with the use of energy, including the backup energy source. In order to be a resilient entity, energy, energy transfer, and energy conservation needs to be fortified. The specific element of the energy sector that I believe needs further efforts to make it more resilient is power distribution. Many threats and incidents can attack or test the resilience of any sector/infrastructure, especially the energy sector that range from natural disasters, to man-made threats. Presidential Policy Directive (PPD-21) highlights the energy sector as particularly vital amongst the critical infrastructure (DHS, 2014). According to this week’s reading, the industry has been battling weather-induced failures for years, but it is unknown exactly how resilient the energy infrastructure and services really are to severe weather disruptions (APUS, 2019).

Taking a look at power distribution, this entails how networks are set up and how energy is transferred to businesses, public and private sectors, and anything else that keeps the nation “afloat”, if you will. Abi-Samra says that making the power distribution system more resilient starts with design changes. For example, splitting large networks into smaller circuits, and reexamining circuit arrangements to enhance the speed of repair (Wagman, 2017). I suppose that it is safe to say that updates have already been implemented within networks and how they are set up. In 2014, as stated by DHS, 2014, power distribution substations were intentionally isolated from one another to prevent power surges, known as fault currents, from cascading through the system and causing serious damage. This was done as a way to shield the system from essentially destroying itself. The goal was to limit the capability to reroute power from one substation to another in the event of an emergency.

Emphasizing and focusing on power distribution should be priority because there is no use in having the energy and power to run a nation, but not be able to properly distribute it for use. The goal should be to create a system strong enough to distribute whatever amount of energy necessary to power any infrastructure, regardless of its size or demand. If there are issues, there should also be a network that kicks in, in the event of a failure. DHS mentions newer cables that are better than the conventional distribution lines previously used. The IFCL-HTS cables can eliminate loss, and decrease the necessary amount of power generated for the same load conditions (DHS, 2014). We have come a long way with updating power circuits but more research needs to be done for continued progress. The nation is moving towards becoming more resilient and it will continue its efforts, especially with the many threats that continue to arise. The capabilities exist to provide the nation with the resilience it needs, the next step is to implement and test it. Abi-Samra says it’s unrealistic to think that damage to the grid can be avoided when severe storms or other events occur. Instead, he says the goal should be to minimize any adverse impacts. Microgrids, distributed generation resources, smart grid technologies, and operational analytics all can enhance resiliency (Wagman, 2017).

References

APUS, (2019). Week 5: Energy, Water, and Communication System Resilience and the Homeland. American Public University System. Retrieved July 28, 2019, from https://edge.apus.edu/portal/site/402419/tool/d0fdd8d1-3e6c-4641-aca6-0f2aeef171ed/

DHS. (2014, October 27). Resilient Electric Grid. Retrieved July 28, 2019, from https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Resilient Electric Grid-508.pdf

Wagman, D. (2017, December 14). How to Build a More Resilient Power Grid. Retrieved July 28, 2019, from https://apus.intelluslearning.com/lti/#/document/132381686/1/f00e234a 2092 19b8033b301ff3f458c8/6d6e0852afe19d6ec83e0735c915018b/browse_published_content/8783/59218/70173/2/lesson/lesson