Everybody needs electricity; some just need a lot more than others. If those high-demand customers don’t have the right connection to the grid, their energy consumption can have disastrous consequences.
When a customer’s consumption outgrows their grid connection’s capacity, their account becomes what the utility industry calls a high-density load. Local residential utility connections aren’t designed to handle the continuous extreme demand of a high-density load, but they often occur when customers begin mining cryptocurrencies.
High-density loads push the limits of their connection’s maximum electrical capacity and hold it there for long periods of time in a confined area. They stress the electrical panel to the max and generate enough heat to risk starting an electrical fire or causing a neighborhood brownout.
There is no single way a connection becomes a high-density load, but large groups of networked computers used to mine digital cryptocurrencies are common causes.
Cryptocurrency mining computers aren’t like most PCs. They’re about the size of a mailbox, powerful and designed to be easily connected to others. Miners can fit a lot of them in a small space, like an apartment bedroom. They work by solving highly complex algorithms to earn the cryptocurrency, and they’re profitable only when they’re running. That means they’re running nearly all the time. Crypto computers generate a lot of heat that hinders their performance. To cool them off, miners often add large air conditioning systems, which pushes their energy bills even higher.
“The powerful and portable design of these systems enable them to be installed just about anywhere there’s some extra room, like a strip mall or apartment,” said Bart Hansen, a Clark Public Utilities key accounts manager. “The people who build these systems really know their machines, but they usually don’t realize how easy it is to push their 200-amp electrical service to its absolute limits.”
Cryptocurrency mining isn’t the only way to create a high-density load. There are many scenarios that could cause a customer’s account to draw large, potentially dangerous quantities of energy, like welding equipment or large electric kilns. Although those demands come in bursts, as opposed to long draws, they still put great stress on the property’s electrical service.
“High-demand machines like those produce heat that can cause the property’s service wire insulation to melt and burn up,” Hansen said. “That quickly becomes a dangerous situation.”
If you’re a shadetree mechanic, a glass or ceramic artist, or an aspiring crypto baron, call Clark Public Utilities before you install any high-consumption electric equipment. Utility staff will make sure the utility connection can withstand the equipment’s energy demands or if decide if the home grid connection needs to be upgraded. Call the utility at 360-992-3000 to get the process started.
The utility’s Key Accounts managers are specially trained to help commercial customers with high demands, but they’re also here to help residential customers with unique needs. They may be able to offer other useful information. Plus, they might be able to secure the account a lower electricity rate, depending on the usage.
“We want to help all of our customers get the power they need in the safest and most reliable way possible,” Hansen said. “That starts with having the right connection in place to protect them and their neighbors.”
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98688.
