System and method to reduce electrical transients

A system for supplying power from a utility grid, comprising:

• a plurality of utility power consumers, wherein each utility power consumer includes a building having a power input interconnected with the utility grid;
• a first power transfer device connected between the utility grid and the power input of a first one of the buildings, including:
• a first input terminal configured to be connected to the utility grid;
• a first output terminal configured to be connected to at least one electrical load of the first building;
• a first switch selectively connecting the first input terminal to the first output terminal;
• and
• a first switching control unit electrically connected to the first input terminal to monitor the operating status of the utility grid and configured to generate a first switching signal as a function of the operating status of the utility grid, wherein:
• the first switching control unit detects power being provided by the utility grid to the first input terminal after a power outage, executes a first delay module having a first randomly selected delay time period, and generates the first switching signal to close the first switch to connect the first input terminal to the first output terminal after the first delay module executes;
• and
• wherein the first switching signal opens the first switch to disconnect the first input terminal from the first output terminal upon detection of power not being provided by the utility grid;
• and
• a second power transfer device connected between the utility grid and the power input of a second one of the buildings, including:
• a second input terminal configured to be connected to the utility grid;
• a second output terminal configured to be connected to at least one electrical load of the second building;
• a second switch selectively connecting the second input terminal to the second output terminal;
• and
• a second switching control unit electrically connected to the second input terminal to monitor the operating status of the utility grid and configured to generate a second switching signal as a function of the operating status of the utility grid, wherein:
• the second switching control unit detects power being provided by the utility grid to the second input terminal after a power outage, executes a second delay module having a second randomly selected delay time period, and generates the second switching signal to close the second switch to connect the second input terminal to the second output terminal after the second delay module executes;
• wherein the second switching signal opens the second switch to disconnect the second input terminal from the second output terminal upon detection of power not being provided by the utility grid;
• and
• wherein the first and second delay time periods are executed by the first and second delay modules of the first and second power transfer devices, respectively, independent of control from the utility grid, and wherein the second delay time period is different from the first delay time period.