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Reducing the impact of power outages is increasingly complex and important. Extreme weather events are surging. Energy sources are becoming more distributed and variable. And everything is electrifying – making intelligent energy management even more vital.
Advanced self-healing smart grid technologies are helping utilities large and small improve response to severe weather events, significantly reducing the duration and impact of sustained power outages.
This summer, two-thirds of North America is at risk of energy shortfalls due to extreme heat. Our Feeder Automation Manager software, part of the Brightlayer Utilities suite, provides a proven approach to restore power and limit the number of people impacted by extended power outages. And it can be deployed quickly, in a matter of weeks.
Helping Delaware Electric break reliability record
In 2022, Delaware Electric Cooperative set a new reliability record with the help of our Feeder Automation Manager software. And when the power did go out, it was restored in record time. Specifically, the number of outages was down 20% and power was restored five minutes faster.
That was despite severe weather. When a tornado hit the utility’s service area, our Feeder Automation Manager system quickly restored power to 92% of impacted customers.
Our Feeder Automation Manager solutions are enabling a self-healing grid that continuously assesses itself. Rapidly detecting and isolating problems with enhanced restoration capabilities, our technology limits the impact of weather-related outages around the country.
Feeder Automation Manager software enables self-healing smart grid
Feeder Automation Manager software provides fault location, isolation and service restoration (FLISR) capabilities to reduce the duration of outages through intelligent switching operations. This technology helps utilities automatically reconfigure or “heal” the grid by detecting, isolating and rerouting power. This capability turns sustained outages into momentary ones. And restores power faster or even avoids outages altogether, driving down both the System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) and System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI).
The results from our software are dramatic. We’ve already helped utilities reduce the number of customers impacted by power outages by 75%. Customers are cutting their outage duration by more than 38% with our software that typically restores power in less than two minutes, and even as fast as 30 seconds.
Utilities of every size can improve grid resiliency in the face of more frequent severe weather events. Our Feeder Automation Manager software frees up resources, so utility crews can be deployed where they’re needed most. The technology also enhances workplace safety by reducing the number of times workers need to interact with energized equipment. Plus, minimal manual operation are needed, so dispatchers can worry about other things.
It can be challenging to accurately predict and provide accurate restoration times, which depend on many factors. That said, different types of communications media have certain characteristics that are likely to impact restoration time with fiber being the fastest, supporting restoration time as fast as 30 seconds. The exact time will likely depend on polling rates of devices and the overall complexity of the power system topology. Our Feeder Automation Manager software supports multiple communications mediums.
Successful deployment through strong utility-industry partnerships
We work alongside utilities to deploy Feeder Automation Manager software across both three-phase and single-phase lines. Our software is generally simple to deploy, use and maintain. In every case, we provide training and support with regular meetings and event reviews. Not to mention that we’re uniquely positioned to help utilities implement and manage FLISR because we provide both the software and the hardware involved.
It typically takes weeks (not years) to deploy our software and the results kick in rapidly. No programming or scripting is required. The software provides drop down boxes and adding devices is simple. We provide a two-day training program to support configuration, which is then owned and moved forward by the utility. To minimize training, the automation system can be configured to work with linepersons’ existing safety operations. The idea is not to change or complicate existing safe work practices. Beyond that, utilities will want to connect the software with SCADA; our technology can bolt-on to any SCADA system using DNP3 or ICCP.
Our technology is easy to use and maintain by design. Because our software uses a centralized communications architecture, it has a broad understanding of what’s happening across the system and can make better decisions than a distributed system architecture, which has a less expansive perspective. The centralized architecture also provides dynamic operation and detailed post-event analysis.
We also use advanced reconfiguration algorithms to adapt to situations that occur. We can work for multiple contingency events, which are common in storm situations. For example, if the software detects a manual safety operation, our algorithm can restrain automation on the impacted feeder, without losing the self-healing capability of the system.
The benefits of self-healing grids go beyond improving system reliability
Our Feeder Automation Manager software integrates real-time data to detect distribution system disturbances and automatically reconfigure the system, significantly improving reliability while reducing the number of customers affected. But that’s not all it can do.
These types of distribution automation systems can also enhance system protection, manage system overloads and estimate distributed energy resource (DER) contributions to consider mask loading and unpredictable load support – helping system operators manage increasingly complex distribution systems.
It also helps you establish a baseline to improve the effectiveness of your utility operations. As all the data from our Feeder Automation Manager system is aggregated in a centralized location, it is logged, timestamped and stored. This makes it easy to understand what’s happening across your distribution system and allows for continuous improvement, so your automation network can operate exactly how you want it to.
The demands on energy systems are changing fast. By creating an intelligent and digital backbone with feeder automation technology, you can significantly enhance the reliability of your network while gaining the flexibility needed to future-proof infrastructure. And we’re here to help you get there.
To learn more, visit Eaton.com/FAM
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