CapX Transmission Line Principal Engineer

Filed under:Nuts & Bolts — posted by admin on May 6, 2009 @ 6:51 pm

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Hmmmmm… what happened to their Engineer?

Transmission Line Principal Engineer

Posted by: Xcel Energy <amanda.l.sirek@xcelenergy.com> on May 06, 2009 at 13:11:10.

Contract / Temp to Perm / Permanent: Permanent
City: Minneapolis or EauClaire
Country: United States

A Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Civil Engineering from an ABET accredited curriculum, or equivalent, plus appropriate continuing education is required for this position. It is expected that one of the primary responsibility of this position will be involvement in the CAPX 2020 series of projects. CAPX2020 is a joint initiative of 11 transmission-owning utilities in Minnesota and the surrounding region that are to expand the high voltage electric transmission grid (nearly 650 Miles of new 345kV transmission lines) to ensure continued reliable service (www.capx2020.com). Engineering Involvement in this project would include; permitting support, creating detailed scopes, engineering calculations, detailed design drawings, Modeling in PLS CADD, material specification & requisitions, estimating, construction support, overall project coordination and scheduling. This position also requires occasional on call duties and after hours response. Other core responsibilities are to provide engineering and design for the construction of transmission lines in Minnesota, Wisconsin, N. Dakota, S. Dakota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. These lines range in voltage from 35kV to 500kV. Work in Xcel Energy’s Transmission Line Engineering Department provides a broad range of career opportunities and extremely challenging high voltage projects. Please verify that your education and/or experience meets the minimum requirements listed. Please do not apply if you do not possess the requirements. Relocation may be offered for this position.

Has full technical responsibility for interpreting, organizing and coordinating project assignments. Plans and develops engineering projects which have unique or controversial problems and which have an important impact on the corporation. Work involves exploration of subject area, definition of scope and selection of problems for investigation and development of novel solutions. Maintains contacts with individuals and units within and outside the corporation for action on technical matters. Requires the use of advance techniques with knowledge and expertise resulting from extensive progressive experience.

To express interest, please send an updated resume and salary requirements to amanda.l.sirek@xcelenergy.com.

Line loss

Filed under:Nuts & Bolts — posted by admin on @ 9:56 am

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Recently, someone asked me a question that I didn’t know the answer to, that’s rare, and I put it out there in the world and got a response.

Q:  Given line loss is heat and energy, what is impact of line loss on global warming?

And the answer that I got in an Economist comment:

Yon Yatsin wrote:

Sorry Carol but I see some bad science here and need to correct you:

The line loss resulting from electricity transmission has a negligible impact on global warming. Global Warming is caused by the addition of gases such as Carbon Dioxide and Methane to the Earth’s atmosphere. These gases change the ability of the Earth to radiate heat initially absorbed from solar energy back into space. The problem isn’t that our appliances, industrial processes, and transportation generate heat. The problem is that the method of producing this heat is ultimately derived from fossil fuel combustion. Think of it like this: if the composition of the atmosphere 150 years ago can be thought of us a down blanket on your bed, the atmosphere today can be thought of as a thicker down blanket. Slight changes to your metabolism won’t have as much of an effect on the temperature in your bed as the blanket.

True, there is heat loss due to resistance in the wires during electricity transmission. This results in a local increase in temperature, within the immediate vicinity of the line. Energy (and heat and work) are conserved. But because the net sum of the heat loss of the wire is small relative to the system’s ability to absorb it without a dramatic change in temperature the temperature increase will be negligible, perhaps a few millionths of a degree if that. Think of electricity transmission like a space heater in your house. While it may be effective at heating a room, chances are it won’t produce enough heat to change the overall temperature of your house, let along your yard, your neighbor’s house, or the store down the street.

Sounds about right, don’t cha think?