I am working with Duke Energy for my Kenan Fellowship.  My mentor, Sharene Pierce, is the manager for the Distribution Control Center (DCC) in Raleigh.  The DCC manages all parts of the power grid from the substation to customer’s homes for most of eastern North Carolina, a small part of South Carolina, and Asheville.  Another group controls power transmission from the power plant to the substation.

During these beginning weeks, I have been sitting with individuals who hold different positions with the company to see what they do.  I have also been given some solo time that I have spent trying to learn about electricity in general.  Through these experiences, I have a deeper understanding of Duke Energy’s new “smart grid” technology which allows them to save power and money by optimizing the way their power grid runs during peak use times.

Over the next few weeks, I will begin working on a telecommunications project.  The key component to the smart grid is the data gathered from the devices out on the power grid and those devices communicate over a cellular network.  Some of those devices have issues for one reason or another.  I will be working to improve their efficiency as well as evaluating the company’s procedure for increasing that efficiency.