Introduction to the Power Grid

July 14, 2017
ME Lecture Hall
1300

Mr. Erik Hale

Project Director, Power Engineers, INC.

Abstract

Mr. Erik Hale will deliver a presentation on the state of the Western Electrical Coordinating Council (WECC) transmission system, commonly known as the Western Interconnect, or simply the Grid. His presentation will start with a look at the components and extent of the WECC system and how it operates on a daily basis. There will be deeper explanations of the function of circuit breakers and transformers which provide the grid’s core functionality. Mr. Hale will conclude with an insider’s perspective on various Smart Grid initiatives; an explanation of micro-grids with a focus on DoD applications; and an exciting look at recent developments in large scale battery energy storage systems and renewable generation.

Biography

Mr. Erik Hale is a Project Director with POWER Engineers, Inc. in their Portland, Oregon office. In that role he leads a group of Project Managers and Engineers as they execute a wide variety of substation, transmission line, and distribution projects for the electrical utilities in the West. Mr. Hale is a former Air Force officer with 25 years of consulting experience with the electrical transmission grid. He earned a bachelor’s degree in geology from UC Santa Barbara in 1982, and then, after joining the Air Force and surviving officer training, he earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineer from Auburn University through the Air Force Institute of Technology. Mr. Hale is a registered Professional Engineer in Idaho and California, and sits on the Industry Advisory Board for the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Portland State University.

POC

Dr. Daniel A. Nussbaum
Naval Postgraduate School 
Principal, Energy Academic Group
Monterey CA 93943
Phone: 831-656-2387
Mobile: 831-324-3228
Email: dnussbaum@nps.edu