How long would power last if everyone disappeared?

[SpongeHead]

I am writing a short story and I need to know how long electricity
would be produced if all humans vanished. I know that it will vary
from grid to grid since there are a few ways to produce power. Would
dams overflow and cause major destruction? Or would the plants just
shut down having some sort of emergency switch?

 

[Don Kelly]

"SpongeHead" <hgoodale_msp@msn.com> wrote in message
news:be84687b.0308181030.58467415@posting.google.com...

I am writing a short story and I need to know how long electricity
would be produced if all humans vanished. I know that it will vary
from grid to grid since there are a few ways to produce power. Would
dams overflow and cause major destruction? Or would the plants just
shut down having some sort of emergency switch?
----------

There is no one answer. It could be minutes, days, months depending on a
multitude of factors such as weather, part failures, etc. I can visualise
an isolated, unloaded hydro unit running for several months then failing
because a mouse liked control wiring insulation for nest building material.

In addition, if all humans vanished, who would know?
Build your scenario - it is the author's job to suspend disbelief.
--
Don Kelly
dhky@peeshaw.ca
remove the urine to answer

 

On Tuesday, August 19, 2003 5:45:48 AM UTC-4, Rheilly Phoull wrote:

The power would last for 19.76 hours as long as you didn't use your electric
razor.

--
Regards ............... Rheilly Phoull

"Don Kelly" <dhky@peeshaw.ca> wrote in message
news:b1i0b.801940$Vi5.17911294@news1.calgary.shaw.ca...


"SpongeHead" <hgoodale_msp@msn.com> wrote in message
news:be84687b.0308181030.58467415@posting.google.com...
I am writing a short story and I need to know how long electricity
would be produced if all humans vanished. I know that it will vary
from grid to grid since there are a few ways to produce power. Would
dams overflow and cause major destruction? Or would the plants just
shut down having some sort of emergency switch?
----------
There is no one answer. It could be minutes, days, months depending on a
multitude of factors such as weather, part failures, etc. I can visualise
an isolated, unloaded hydro unit running for several months then failing
because a mouse liked control wiring insulation for nest building
material.

In addition, if all humans vanished, who would know?
Build your scenario - it is the author's job to suspend disbelief.
--
Don Kelly
dhky@peeshaw.ca
remove the urine to answer

Hoover dam which is highly automated could run for years provided the ater supply was still available

 

On Monday, August 18, 2003 at 7:30:39 PM UTC+1, SpongeHead wrote:

I am writing a short story and I need to know how long electricity
would be produced if all humans vanished. I know that it will vary
from grid to grid since there are a few ways to produce power. Would
dams overflow and cause major destruction? Or would the plants just
shut down having some sort of emergency switch?

You've had lots of answers from the point of view of the power stations and yes, the Hoover dam etc could go on and on. However the power system is, at best, only just stable. At the first major thunderstorm there is a good chance that, with no human intervention, you will get a cascade failure (google it) and every breaker connecting every power supply to the load is likely to disconnect.

The UK is very proud of its National Grid. Once the maths was understood (or at least capable of being computed) it was found to have been stable by chance.

Colin

 

[Rheilly Phoull]

On 09/01/15 5:09 PM, colin_toogood@yahoo.com wrote:

On Monday, August 18, 2003 at 7:30:39 PM UTC+1, SpongeHead wrote:
I am writing a short story and I need to know how long electricity
would be produced if all humans vanished. I know that it will vary
from grid to grid since there are a few ways to produce power. Would
dams overflow and cause major destruction? Or would the plants just
shut down having some sort of emergency switch?

You've had lots of answers from the point of view of the power stations and yes, the Hoover dam etc could go on and on. However the power system is, at best, only just stable. At the first major thunderstorm there is a good chance that, with no human intervention, you will get a cascade failure (google it) and every breaker connecting every power supply to the load is likely to disconnect.

The UK is very proud of its National Grid. Once the maths was understood (or at least capable of being computed) it was found to have been stable by chance.

Colin

How come we are answering a 2003 message ???

 

[John G]

It happens that Rheilly Phoull formulated :

On 09/01/15 5:09 PM, colin_toogood@yahoo.com wrote:
On Monday, August 18, 2003 at 7:30:39 PM UTC+1, SpongeHead wrote:
I am writing a short story and I need to know how long electricity
would be produced if all humans vanished. I know that it will vary
from grid to grid since there are a few ways to produce power. Would
dams overflow and cause major destruction? Or would the plants just
shut down having some sort of emergency switch?

You've had lots of answers from the point of view of the power stations and
yes, the Hoover dam etc could go on and on. However the power system is,
at best, only just stable. At the first major thunderstorm there is a good
chance that, with no human intervention, you will get a cascade failure
(google it) and every breaker connecting every power supply to the load is
likely to disconnect.

The UK is very proud of its National Grid. Once the maths was understood
(or at least capable of being computed) it was found to have been stable by
chance.

Colin

How come we are answering a 2003 message ???

The power has lasted 12 years anyway. lol

--
John G Sydney.

 

[Maynard A. Philbrook Jr.]

In article <s6-dnThF553kXSzJnZ2dnUVZ8tCdnZ2d@westnet.com.au>,
rheilly@bigslong.com says...

On 09/01/15 5:09 PM, colin_toogood@yahoo.com wrote:
On Monday, August 18, 2003 at 7:30:39 PM UTC+1, SpongeHead wrote:
I am writing a short story and I need to know how long electricity
would be produced if all humans vanished. I know that it will vary
from grid to grid since there are a few ways to produce power. Would
dams overflow and cause major destruction? Or would the plants just
shut down having some sort of emergency switch?

You've had lots of answers from the point of view of the power stations and yes, the Hoover dam etc could go on and on. However the power system is, at best, only just stable. At the first major thunderstorm there is a good chance that, with no human intervention, you will get a cascade failure (google it) and every breaker connecting every power supply to the load is likely to disconnect.

The UK is very proud of its National Grid. Once the maths was understood (or at least capable of being computed) it was found to have been stable by chance.

Colin

How come we are answering a 2003 message ???

Better late than never ! come on....

Jamie