Locally, the existence of such a research center would be responsive to regional needs and make this area more attractive to new industries and to help retain those that are already here. Research Focus 1. The petrochemical and utility industries have several research interests in the area of power applications. Foremost is the quality of electric power delivered to the customer. Specifically, continuity of service is critical for many chemical processors.
Shutdowns are expensive to both the customer and to the utility.
Power continuity problems are best solved when the electric system of the provider and the user are viewed as a single system. The Center for Industrial applications for Electric Power and Instru- mentation can provide that focus. From the utility side, automated fault location is of interest. Loss of load also presents power suppliers with stability problems, an area of current research. Industrial users also may face stability problems when power is restored.