With power substations in the news because of the attack in North Carolina – it’s pretty easy to stand outside the chain-link fence and shoot out important components – I checked out my 2012 visit to a big substation in Amherst, NH. Unlike many of my stories for the Nashua Telegraph, it’s still online although without any photos, right here.
For newcomers puzzled by terminology, this was before PSNH became Eversource.
I suspect media visits like this are no longer encouraged.
Return to the Concord Monitor
Cool, I lived in Amherst from 1979- 1985 or so (then rattled around Milford and Mont Vernon for several years more). I forget if I’ve seen the Amherst substation, but I don’t pay too much attention to them. I appreciate your description, especially the 10X step-down transformers. (Your description of a transformer wasn’t too cringe-worthy.)
You can hear corona discharges by standing near high voltage transmission lines, it’s related to the crackle you get on AM radio stations when you drive under the lines. I don’t think those are strong enough to be visible, even at night.
Yes, Boston’s Museum of Science has a fine electric show. Some local hobbyists have some amazing Tesla coils too.
I am related to a high-ranking military officer who’s expertise is in the power distribution field, and we have extensive conversations about the vulnerability of The US power grid. His arguments lean toward a policy that the military must become power self-sufficient because there is no current plan to protect the US (and Texas) power grid.