Technology and The Climate

I just got home after spending 16 hours at work, why? A thunderstorm of some force caused water to enter a 4 KV breaker short circuit a motor control center and removed a 520 MW facility from the local grid. We had failsafe devices, generator relay protection, and redundant feeds all installed with the sole purpose of protecting the units and various auxiliary equipment that might be impact by an upset system condition.

We invested millions in utility mandated standard protective equipment; however, they could not protect the generating facility from Mother Nature. This just shows that technology has its limits. We can dictate where it takes us and use it for our benefit. The environment is another matter. We have no control over the climate. The natural resources we utilize, and the effect that humans have on our environment has an impact on the climate. We should therefore strive to lessen our impact, and become stewards of the environment.