Interconnection of Power Systems in the Southeastern States

Superpower systems have become one of the prominent economic and political factors of the day. Because in the Southeastern States interconnection of systems and interchange of energy hare been practised longer and to a greater degree than almost anywhere else. The author reviews briefly the history of interconnection in this section and the underlying principles that brought this about. The advantages of interconnection in reducing capital investment, operating expenses and outages, as compared with isolated operation are shown. The necessity of thorough engineering studies to get the best use of the interconnected systems is brought out. The importance of having the proper kind of interchange contract is stressed and the workings of some interchange agreements are illustrated. The load dispatching and other operating problems are discussed, bringing out the necessity of careful voltage and frequency control, accurate adjustment of protective relays and the proper handling of wattless current. The value of close cooperattion through engineering and operating committees in studying the most economical handling of present plants and the proper sequence of new development are stressed.