Inventors:
Scott B. Thompson - Anchorage AK
William R. Thomson - Anchorage AK
Assignee:
National Bank of Alaska - Anchorage AK
Alaska Science and Technology Foundation - Anchorage AK
International Classification:
H02J 100, H02K 718, H02H 706, B60L 102
Abstract:
A system (30) for providing electrical-power to remote communities (34) widely distributed over an extended geographical area (38) includes a generating station (32) located proximate each of the communities, each generating station supplying only that community to which it is proximate. The generating stations are in electronic communication with a central computer (40). Each generating station includes a plurality of generators (54-56). Each of the generators is controlled by a microprocessor based controller (64). Each controller is arranged to operate the generating station cooperatively with the other controllers associated with other generators in the station, and to assume a supervisory role in doing so by a mutual arbitration procedure among the controllers. Each controller is also arranged to monitor important generator operating parameters and to communicate these parameters to the central computer. Any controller may be reprogrammed by instructions communicated from the central computer, and functions of any controller may be overridden by instructions communicated from the central computer.