MOTM

Hi group,

man - it cracks me up to see that some think this was some sorta 
staged thing!  Kinda goes to show you how energy, of the electrical 
kind, is taken for granted  AND why there are utility outages.  
Faults on 12kV and above transmission and distribution systems 
usually aren't a matter of a replacing a 20amp fuse/breaker alone!

As Larry spoke of: "...commonly referred to as "shunt 
reactors".  ...Adding some info here: these are really only big 
inductors, which as you all probably know, limit current, more so at 
higher frequencies than at lower - so what they do is limit fault 
current on utility systems where that fault current is trying to find 
its way back to the subsystem from which it came - via the earth.  
This is Kirchoff's Law working in high energy fashion!

Interestingly enough, these buggers can cause 'power quality' 
problems - but thats another subject, another day...

The fault current frequency is mostly higher than 60hZ (a lot higher)
so these reactors become effective during the faults only, otherwise 
they wouldn't work too well in a distribution system if they were 
trying to limit 60hZ current  - right? You don't want that 
happening...

Just limit the high freq. current - which is A LOT, during a fault 
and would probably fry most of the protection devices is it 'slammed' 
into it instantaneously.  Reactors SLOW the fault down so to speak.

Ah now - surge protection for your beloved synth-beast....think this 
applies??  Right! - getting interesting yet?  It all applies here.  
The universe of power quality has everything to do with how 'Big' 
power interacts with 'Small' power devices, such as a 'puter, or 
MOTM3000Z Ultra Mega VCO Oysterizer!

Ok - just stirring up the soup!

Rog