[email protected] hath wroth:
West Virginia, Wyoming and Idaho are looking really good right about
now.
I wonder if Google will open their next server farms there, or go for
a Kazakhstan server farm?
Michael
Oh, you want *RELIABLE* power as well as cheap? Well, that's a
different story. We have NERC:
<
http://www.nerc.com>
which is a big help in keeping the grid functional. Also CAISO (Calif
Independent System Operators):
<
http://www.caiso.com>
and of course the feds regulate everything, FERC (Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission):
<
http://www.ferc.gov>
"2006 Long-Term Reliability Assessment
The Reliability of the Bulk Power Systems in North America"
<ftp://
www.nerc.com/pub/sys/all_updl/docs/pubs/LTRA2006.pdf>
"2006 System Disturbances
Review of Selected Electric System Disturbances in North America"
<ftp://
www.nerc.com/pub/sys/all_updl/oc/dawg/disturb06.pdf>
I wouldn't be surprised if Google is considering building their own
nuclear reactor and power generation system just to avoid the
bureaucracy.
Anyways, the problem with electrical reliability comes in two parts,
generation and distribution. If Google can locate their server farm
near a power plant, the distribution part of the equation disappears.
If the plant has a proven history of reliable operation, all the
better. Location is almost incidental as it's MUCH cheaper to run a
few fiber optic cables to the nearest connection exchanges, than to
run power transmission lines.