The FIRE experiment1 will present a net electric power demand approaching 1000MW for 10's of seconds, repeated once every 2 hours, delivered to the load via thyristor AC/DC converters which exhibit a widely varying power factor. The issues associated with the supply of such a load from the utility grid can be divided into two categories:

Technical

transmission line power flow vs. capacity

voltage deviation within the grid vs. limits

frequency deviation within the grid vs. limits

loading of electrical equipment (e.g. generators)

control of power generation (e.g. steam turbines)

Operational

control and monitoring of grid power flow

coordination of protection systems

repetitive cycling of power system equipment

allowance for contingency on tie line power flows

power flow reversal

harmonic content of load

power and energy monitoring, billing rate structure