UMC Utility Operations & Infrastructure 2

Question 1

What is the primary purpose of a SCADA system in utility operations?

Accepted Answer

Monitoring and controlling remote infrastructure in real time

Answer

Billing customers for usage

Answer

Scheduling employee shifts

Answer

Auditing financial accounts

Question 2

Which water treatment process removes dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium to reduce hardness?

Accepted Answer

Ion exchange softening

Answer

Chlorination

Answer

Coagulation

Answer

Sedimentation

Question 3

In electric distribution systems, what device automatically isolates a faulted section while keeping the rest of the network energized?

Accepted Answer

Sectionalizer

Answer

Transformer

Answer

Capacitor bank

Answer

Revenue meter

Question 4

A utility's integrated resource plan (IRP) is primarily used to:

Accepted Answer

Forecast long-term supply and demand and plan for future resources

Answer

Set employee performance goals

Answer

Determine daily dispatch schedules

Answer

Calculate monthly customer bills

Question 5

What does the term 'non-revenue water' (NRW) refer to in a water utility?

Accepted Answer

Water produced but not billed due to leaks, theft, or metering errors

Answer

Water sold to industrial customers at a discount

Answer

Stormwater collected for reuse

Answer

Water reserved for fire suppression

Question 6

Which natural gas pipeline integrity management program component involves physically inspecting pipe walls from the inside?

Accepted Answer

In-line inspection (smart pig)

Answer

Cathodic protection survey

Answer

Pressure testing

Answer

Leak survey

Question 7

In utility asset management, what does 'condition-based maintenance' mean?

Accepted Answer

Performing maintenance based on actual asset condition data and diagnostics

Answer

Replacing assets on a fixed calendar schedule

Answer

Deferring all maintenance until failure occurs

Answer

Outsourcing maintenance to contractors