Grid Reliability & Infrastructure Flashcards
7 cards from real BGE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Grid Reliability & Infrastructure flashcards as text
During a major storm event, BGE prioritizes restoration in which order?
Answer: Transmission → distribution substations → feeders → individual services
BGE follows a systematic priority: restore transmission, then distribution substations, then feeders serving critical facilities, then individual services.
What is an Underground Residential Distribution (URD) cable's main advantage over overhead lines?
Answer: Greater resistance to weather-related outages
Underground cables are shielded from wind, ice, and tree contact, making them far less susceptible to storm-related outages compared to overhead lines.
A substation transformer has an OLTC (On-Load Tap Changer). What does this device do?
Answer: Adjusts transformer turns ratio without de-energizing to regulate voltage
An OLTC allows operators to change the transformer tap position while it is energized and loaded, enabling voltage regulation without an outage.
BGE is part of which regional transmission organization (RTO)?
Answer: PJM Interconnection
BGE operates within the PJM Interconnection, the RTO that coordinates wholesale electricity markets and grid reliability for the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions.
What is the purpose of a sectionalizer on a distribution circuit?
Answer: Count fault current pulses and open automatically after a recloser locks out
A sectionalizer counts the number of fault-current pulses from an upstream recloser and opens after a preset count, isolating the faulted section without interrupting unfaulted sections.
Which condition most commonly triggers a thermal overload alarm on a distribution transformer?
Answer: Customer load exceeding the transformer's kVA nameplate rating
Thermal overload occurs when customer demand exceeds the transformer's kVA rating, causing excessive heat buildup that can shorten insulation life and lead to failure.
What does 'load shedding' mean in the context of grid reliability emergencies?
Answer: Deliberately de-energizing portions of the network to prevent system collapse
Load shedding is the intentional disconnection of customer load to reduce system stress and prevent a wider, uncontrolled blackout during a grid emergency.