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Communications Systems 30 l Distribution Design 36 l Substation Facilities 50
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Communications Systems 30 l Distribution Design 36 l Substation Facilities 50
100 Years
Celebrating
Along the way, we’ve brought you such innovations as:
�� PMH Models featuring Uni-Rupter™, for
simple, foolproof single-pole live switching
� PME Models with switch and fuse components
enclosed and protected within an inner, air-
insulated, grounded steel compartment that keeps
out wildlife and contaminants . . . and reduces
exposure to energized live parts
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Restoration System²D�¿HOG�SURYHQ�6PDUW�*ULG�
solution that provides self-healing response to
distribution system problems
�� Source-Transfer Models for fully automatic
three-pole switching of the sources serving
critical loads that require a high degree of
service continuity
Original Pad-Mounted Gear, 1960
+HUH�DUH�MXVW�D�IHZ�RI�6&¶V�ODWHVW�developments that extend the application of pad-mounted gear and make installation and operation easier than ever:
� 25-kA short-circuit rating for 14.4-kV PME Models
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�� $UF�UHVLVWDQW�FRQVWUXFWLRQ�tested per ,(((�&�������
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distribution services, visit sandc.com/pmt
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Climate change is pivotal. The need for renewable energy solutions and greater sustainability is paramount. So what’s the answer? An integration of technologies customized to your needs, making it one flexible Smart Grid. Our Smart Grid technologies increase the ability to use renewable energy and promote the connection of clean generation to the distribution grid. In addition, these innovations offer rapid demand response for greater efficiency.
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February 2012 | www.tdworld.com2
Vol. 64 No. 2
CONTENTS
CO
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to
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FE
Br
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rY
201
2™
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36
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Irene Puts Smart Systems to the TestPECO’s intelligent response system improves storm-restoration times
and is paying continuing dividends in many aspects of operations.
By Glenn A. Pritchard, PECO
Brazil Accelerates Emergency Response Eletrobras FURNAS develops a telecommunications mobile unit
to deal with transmission line outages.
By Alexandre Pinhel, ricardo Medeiros and José Motta,
Eletrobras FURNAS
Technology Delivers Millisecond RestorationA&N Electric Cooperative’s high-speed, decentralized feeder automation
system isolates faults, transfers sources and restores service in less than
500 msec.
By Kelvin Pettit, A&N Electric Cooperative
Seeing is BelievingThe California ISO uses geospatial visualization and real-time analytics
to optimize the power grid.
By James McIntosh, California Independent System Operator
Transformer Fire IsolatedTightly packed Las Vegas Strip substation experiences a dramatic
transformer fire, but high-tech firewalls protect nearby equipment.
By Gordon Smith, NV Energy
Customers Take to e-BillsWith electronic billing, customers make more on-time payments
and fewer contact center calls.
By George roach, Con Edison42
30
36
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February 2012 | www.tdworld.com4
Departments
GlobalVIEWPOINTJust Get Me the Data. As we look to modernize our grid, we need data
to make cogent investment decisions as we strive to improve reliability.
By Rick Bush, Editorial Director
BUSINESSDevelopments● VELCO, IBM to Build Communications Network for Vermont Electric Grid
● American Electric Power Joins WIRES
SMARTGrid● TEDA, Honeywell Launch China’s Smart Grid Demand Response Project
● ETSI Approves Open Smart Grid Protocol
TECHNOLOGYUpdates● ABB Sets Power Cable Record in New York Harbor
● Russian Utility Installs 3M ACCR to Upgrade Key Transmission Line
QuarterlyREPORTAMI and Outage System Integration. Electric utilities can integrate their
AMI and outage management systems successfully by developing and
implementing procedures and policies.
By Bob Sitkauskas, Utilimetrics
CHARACTERSwithCharacterA Country Boy Can Survive. Dayman Bryant is an Empire District Electric
lineman and meter service technician who just wants to help people.
By James R. Dukart, Contributing Writer
PRODUCTS&Services● Distribution Circuit Breaker
● Integrated Layered Intelligence Solution
StraightTALKEPA Rules Hurt Business. The EPA’s revised National Emission Standards
for Hazardous Air Pollutants rules are discriminatory, affecting almost
every diesel engine used primarily for emergency standby power and
occasionally for peak shaving to manage electric load.
By Jeremy Mahowald, Cass County Electric Cooperative
In Every IssueClassifi edADVERTISING
ADVERTISINGIndex
8
10
14
16
20
22
58
64
60
63
CONTENTS
16
58
2012 IEEE Power & Energy
Society Transmission and
Distribution Conference
and Exposition
May 7-10, 2012Orlando, Florida
22
Quanta Services’ roots in the power industry run deep. For generations, Quanta has been the force behind the development of the power grid. As consumption of electricity rises, so does the demand for transmission and distribution contractors. Reliability is at stake.
Quanta designs, installs, maintains and repairs electric power infrastructure. The branches of our network are far reaching and ready to mobilize. With more than 14,000 employees working in all 50 states and Canada, Quanta’s growth has made the company the foremost utility contractor with the largest non-utility workforce in the country.
The nation’s premier utilities rely on Quanta’s expertise to deliver the manpower, resources and technology necessary to meet growing demand, integrate new generation sources and deliver the power and reliability consumers deserve.
Reliable
www.quantaservices.com 713.629.7600 NYSE-PWR
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com6
Editorial Director Rick Bush [email protected]
Technology Editor Vito Longo [email protected]
Senior Managing Editor Emily Saarela [email protected]
International Editor Gerry George [email protected]
Automation Editor Matt Tani [email protected]
Contributing Editor Amy Fischbach afi [email protected]
Contributing Editor Stefanie Kure [email protected]
Technical Writer Gene Wolf [email protected]
Art Director Susan Lakin [email protected]
Publisher David Miller [email protected]
National Sales Manager Steve Lach [email protected]
Buyers Guide/Marketing Services Joyce Nolan [email protected]
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February 2012 | www.tdworld.com8
GlobalViewpoint
Just Get Me the Data
Get any group of people talking about data and you get
a cross section of responses, from line folks who say,
“I don’t care about data, just give me hardware,” to
engineers who ask “Why should I care?” to analysts who plead
“Give me more.”
As we gather more intelligence from the field, we are find-
ing exponentially expanding uses for this data. But we don’t
need to collect data in hopes that a use might spring up, for,
as an industry, we have identified plenty of high-value uses
already.
My friend Bill Menge, director of smart grid at Kansas
City Power & Light (KCP&L), is heading up a US$50 million,
14,000-plus meter smart grid demonstration project, funded
by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimu-
lus dollars and located in midtown Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Menge invited me over to the project zone where I saw the
up and operating electric-vehicle charging station as well as a
home wired with a recently installed smart meter and associ-
ated Zigbee home area network, including a smart thermostat.
I even got to play with the Tendril customer Internet support
portal, through which one can control lighting, heating and
air conditioning and use real-time data to change energy us-
age patterns. With smart thermostats installed throughout its
service territory, KCP&L already has the ability to shift 48 MW
of load when conditions warrant.
Probably my favorite data jockey is Glenn Pritchard, the
technology lead for PECO’s smart grid/smart meter project
(see “PECO to Upgrade Metering Technology,” T&D World,
May 2011). I first worked with Pritchard nearly 30 years ago
when we were both involved in dynamic line and substation
ratings. It’s nice to see that dynamic line rating tools are now
going live in control centers (another smart tool in our smart
grid arsenal). Sometimes the wheels of progress turn slowly.
Today, Pritchard and his team also are building out their
smart grid aided by $200 million in ARRA stimulus funding.
You might recall that Hurricane Irene blew into PECO’s ser-
vice territory in southeastern Pennsylvania in August 2011,
creating more than 500,000 power outages. PECO was able
to use its smart grid tools to aid in the restoration efforts. As
a result, service was restored to almost all customers in just
72 hours. Access to automated meter reading/outage manage-
ment system data made a huge difference, enabling PECO to
reduce first-responder dispatches by 2,300 for single customer
events and by 350 for primary events. Reduced truck rolls and,
particularly, the estimated two-day reduction in the storm-res-
toration effort resulted in savings valued at almost $10 million
(see “Irene Puts Smart Technology to the Test” in this issue).
Don Lamontagne, another data junky friend of mine, de-
veloped a system that looks at the condition of oil in trans-
formers. Lamontagne, manager with Arizona Public Service
(APS), developed the Transformer Oil Analysis and Notifica-
tion (TOAN) system (see “Dissolved Gas Analysis: Continuous
or Annual?” T&D World, December 2010). Lamontagne is an
engineer’s engineer, having received the Edison Electric In-
stitute’s 2008 Edison Award for his outstanding contributions
to the advancement of the power industry. So be careful. If
you ask Don the wrong question, you might be bombarded
with information about the application of Poisson and Weibull
statistics to failure predictions.
But Lamontagne, at his core, is quite practical.
Lamontagne pointed out that you can’t always make a busi-
ness case for getting the data until you have enough data to
see what’s possible. But investing in data gathering before you
know the full potential benefits is a hard sell to utility man-
agement — a catch 22 — that is, unless you have an incident,
such as with the transformer fires in 2004 that cost APS about
$28 million and took two years to restore full capacity. Lamon-
tagne was already working on this issue, but that incident pro-
vided the support so that he could develop this highly sophis-
ticated transformer monitoring and predictive failure analysis
scheme. And the results are already in: The system has already
pinpointed two deteriorating transformers that were taken
out of service before catastrophic failure could claim them.
I asked Lamontagne about data-transfer rates and commu-
nications platforms for smart grid and the like, but he leaves
a lot of the communications protocol issues to others, saying,
“Just get me the data.” From his perch, Lamontagne can’t see
all the requirements throughout APS for data, but he under-
stands the need to get the correct data at the right time.
The big question boils down to “What smart grid data do
we need to prioritize spending on the aging delivery system?”
And the answer is “We don’t know yet.”
As Menge pointed out, “I can have all the data in the world
and decide not to analyze it. But I can’t analyze data I don’t
have.” Too much data is okay, not enough will be disastrous.
So, as we look to modernize our grid, we are at the junc-
tion where we need data to make cogent investment decisions.
Or, to put it more simply, we need data to improve reliability
while holding down costs. To sum up in Lamontagne’s words:
“Just get me the data.”
Editorial Director
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February 2012 | www.tdworld.com10
BusinessDevelopmentsSpanish Partnership Launches Integrated Retrofit Solution for PV Power Plants
Aries Ingeniería y Sistemas and Wind
To Power System (w2pS), respective lead-
ers in the renewable energy sector and
LVRT solutions, have signed an agree-
ment to supply an integrated solution
for the adaptation of photovoltaic (PV)
power plants to ensure maximum com-
pliance with the new regulations on the
response of PV plants to voltage dips.
The objective of this partnership is to
bring together the capabilities of the two
companies that together offer the most
competitive solution for the require-
ments stated in Royal Decree 1565/2010,
of Nov. 19, relating to the mandatory
requirements to adapt PV plants with
power above 2 MW to comply with that
provided in operational procedure O.P.
12.3 on the response to voltage dips.
Aries Ingeniería y Sistemas and w2pS
distribute a turnkey integral solution
that includes the design, engineering,
legalization, installation and the pro-
cessing of the �nal certi�cation of the
power plant. Both companies offer tech-
nical and administrative added value:
l Universal medium-voltage system,
independent of the number and type
of inverters installed in the PV plant. It
is connected in parallel with the substa-
tion of the power plant, not causing loss-
es or affecting the performance of the
power plant. As opposed to low-voltage
solutions, the maintenance required is
minimal as it is a single system.
l Dynamic reactive power regula-
tion, making it possible to obtain the
maximum 4% bonus established in the
current regulations.
l Aries Ingeniería y Sistemas and
w2pS guarantee the adaptation and all
administrative processes necessary to
legalize the modi�cation applied in the
PV plant, together with the coordina-
tion of its �nal certi�cation.
The collaboration between both
companies constitutes a milestone in the
renewable energy sector in Spain and
responds to the legislative adaptation of
solar power plants.
Visit www.aries.com and w2pS.es.
VELCO and IBM to Build Communications Network for Vermont Energy Grid
Vermont Electric Power Co. (VELCO) and IBM have entered into an agree-
ment to build an intelligent �ber-optic and Carrier Ethernet communications and
control network across the state of Vermont. Spanning more than 1,000 miles
(1,609 km), this advanced �ber communications network will connect transmission
substations to Vermont’s distribution utilities, delivering reliable electric service and
the capabilities required for the state’s future smart grid.
IBM will provide project management and networking services, part of its Intelli-
gent Utility Network solution, to help VELCO improve the state’s electric infrastruc-
ture. This new system provides the communications capability to relay information
back to the utility about usage, voltage, existing or potential outages, and equipment
performance. Fiber transport and Carrier Ethernet systems will ensure reliability
and security of the transmission network and allow utilities to improve power quality
and avoid power outages or resolve them faster.
For more information, visit smartgrid.velco.com.
Power Line Construction Boom Leads to Proposed Electrical Conductor Standard
Construction of an unprecedented number of overhead power lines around the
world has increased the demand for accurate data and models for electrical conduc-
tors. A proposed standard, ASTM WK35208, Test Methods for Stress-Strain and Creep
Testing for Overhead Electrical Conductors, will answer this need. ASTM WK35208
is being developed by Subcommittee B01.02 on Methods of Test and Sampling Proce-
dure, part of ASTM International Committee B01 on Electrical Conductors.
ASTM WK35208 will provide clear guidelines for performing the test used to
develop a model for electrical conductors employed in overhead power lines and
processing the data resulting from such tests. The proposed standard will be used by
conductor manufacturers and test laboratories. Utilities will specify that conductors
meet the requirements in other ASTM standards, which in turn reference the tests
outlined in this proposed standard.
For more information, visit www.astm.org.
American Electric Power Joins WIRESAmerican Electric Power has joined WIRES as a full supporting member, ex-
panding the group’s diverse membership to 28 members. WIRES, a national non-
pro�t organization, continues its educational work and advocacy for strong high-
voltage electric transmission infrastructure across North America. Like AEP, WIRES
members that operate facilities, or participate in power markets, across multiple
jurisdictions recognize the need for consistent national and regional policies that
foster infrastructure investment.
AEP owns the largest electricity transmission system in the United States. The
network includes nearly 39,000 miles (62,764 km) of lines, including more 765-kV
extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems com-
bined. AEP transmission directly or indirectly serves about 10% of electricity de-
mand in the Eastern Interconnection and about 11% of demand within ERCOT
in Texas. AEP’s utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power,
AEP Appalachian Power, Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service
Company of Oklahoma and Southwestern Electric Power Co.
For more information, visit www.wiresgroup.com.
There’s no substitute for getting the job done right the first time. NECA/IBEW
contractors have the best trained workforce to head off potential problems
before they happen and to insure healthy performance on any job.
NECA/IBEW contractors deliver peace of mind on all types of electrical
construction jobs, especially those involving the latest technologies. NECA
contractors can also monitor the efficiency and reliability of a power distribution
system, providing preventive maintenance that saves money and helps to avert
system breakdowns.
When you need the job done right the first time, on time and within budget,
call a NECA/IBEW contractor.
Contact your local NECA chapter or IBEW local union for more information.
We’re not in the insurance business,but we sell peace of mind.
www.thequalityconnection.orgNational Electrical Contractors Association
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
N E C A / I B E W C O N T R A C T O R S • T H E Q U A L I T Y C O N N E C T I O N
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
BusinessDevelopments
12
arklineSmall Metal Buildings
Our unique self-framing metal
building system is attractive,
durable and maintenance free.
The world’s largest electrical
companies trust us to protect their
most valuable equipment. Let us
protect yours, too.
FACTS Technology to Strengthen Texas Transmission Grid
Electric Transmission Texas LLC
(ETT) has awarded ABB a US$50 million
contract to provide electrical equipment
that will improve reliability, strengthen
the existing transmission grid and facili-
tate the integration of wind power.
The project, to be completed by 2013,
is part of the Competitive Renewable
Energy Zones (CREZ) program, aimed at
increasing the contribution of renewable
energy in Texas by up to 18 GW, making it
one of the world’s largest land-based wind
initiatives.
ABB will design, supply, install and
commission four static var compensators
(SVCs) at two sites. SVCs are part of ABB’s
family of FACTS (flexible alternating cur-
rent transmission systems) technologies,
which help enhance the capacity and
flexibility of power transmission systems,
and also contribute to the development
of smarter grids. FACTS technologies al-
low more power to reach consumers with
minimal environmental impact, lower
investment costs and shorter implementa-
tion times than the traditional alternative
of building new power plants and trans-
mission lines. They also help address volt-
age and frequency stability issues and en-
able the transmission system to run more
efficiently.
Visit www.abb.com.
Smart Meter Opt-Out Programs Spread Across North AmericaTo defuse opposition from smart meter foes and allow util-
ity companies to move forward with grid-modernization plans,
utility leaders may have to consider creating smart meter opt-
out programs, regardless of the validity of opponents’ concerns
about health, safety and privacy, according to Chartwell’s lat-
est industry report, “Smart Meter Opt-Out Programs 2012.”
Some utilities may be forced into creating such programs.
In May, Central Maine Power was subject to the first regulatory
ruling by the Maine Public Utilities Commission that required
a smart meter opt-out program. The California Public Utili-
ties Commission could become the second regulatory body
to require an opt-out program for Pacific Gas & Electric.
While developing viable opt-out programs is a growing
priority for utilities, “Smart Meter Opt-Out Programs 2012”
shows that not just any program will suffice. Offering to dis-
able the RF transmitter after installing the smart meter, for
example, does not always satisfy vocal opponents. According
to the report, an analog option has better potential to neutral-
ize smart meter conflicts and clear the air for better customer
outreach efforts with the vast majority of customer who will
choose smart meters.
In addition to detailing which opt-out programs seem to
be getting the most support, the report
discusses the positive impact on customer
satisfaction when utilities offer customers
options, regardless of where they fall in
the smart grid debate.
Visit www.chartwellinc.com.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
Learn Today – Shape the Future
International Conference of
Doble ClientsMarch 25–30, 2012
Boston, Massachusetts USA
Cables SeminarMay 8–10, 2012
Lake Buena Vista, Florida USA
Protective Relay SeminarJuly 31–August 2, 2012
Lake Buena Vista, Florida USA
“Revolutionary Machines” SeminarSeptember 10–13, 2012
San Francisco, California USA
Doble Client Committee Meetings &
International Protection Testing
Users Group MeetingSeptember 30–October 5, 2012
Chicago, Illinois USA
EuroDoble ColloquiumOctober 15–17, 2012
Manchester, UK
Join the conversation at these
Doble events:
Knowledge is Power
www.doble.com
The topics we discuss today shape the future of the electric power industry.
LEARN MORE
DOBLE IS AN ESCO TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com14
SMARTGrid
TEDA and Honeywell Launch China’s First Smart Grid Demand Response Project
The Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) and Honeywell
have entered an agreement to implement China’s first smart grid demand response
project. The agreement also represents the official launch of the Demand Response
System Pilot jointly sponsored by the U.S. and Chinese governments through the
U.S.-China Energy Cooperation Program, which aims to develop a nationwide set of
smart grid industry standards and regulations in China.
Under the Honeywell-TEDA agreement, Honeywell will conduct a demonstra-
tion project using its automated demand response (Auto DR) technology at select
facilities within the TEDA development area, including government and commer-
cial facilities, and industrial plants.
With Honeywell’s Auto DR technology, customers establish customized energy-
reduction strategies for their facilities, which are put into action by utilities during
demand-response events. Through Auto DR, utilities can quickly and reliably reduce
overall energy consumption during peak-use periods, and commercial customers
can cut their energy use and costs without compromising critical operations. Auto
DR also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the need to run expensive peak
power plants, which typically sit idle until customers require more electricity than
the utility is able to provide using its primary, base-load generators.
Deployment of Auto DR can reduce peak loads by 15% to 30% and, when done at
scale, can create the effect of a “virtual power plant” that generates “negawatts” — or
reduced demand — instead of megawatts. The project will help TEDA improve its in-
vestment and operational profile, as well as make a contribution to energy efficiency
and the environment.
China seeks to develop a “smarter” electrical grid to better manage the country’s
growing demand for energy and improve the reliability and efficiency of nation’s
utility infrastructure. Adding intelligence to the grid will enable utility customers
to better manage how and when they use their energy based on its availability and
price. China is expected to spend RMB$1.5 trillion on its energy infrastructure dur-
ing the 12th Five-Year Guideline period ending in 2015, with the long-term goal of
having a robust smart grid operational throughout the country by 2020.
For more information, visit honeywell.com and en.investteda.org.
ETSI Approves Open Smart Grid Protocol
ETSI has published two specifications
for smart grid that will help drive the
development and deployment of open,
interoperable smart grid technologies
internationally.
As the smart grid evolves, it will be-
come commonplace for utilities to coop-
erate with grid-aware systems and devices
to reduce power usage intelligently, giv-
ing commercial, industrial and municipal
users reduced rates in exchange for lower
consumption while increasing grid reli-
ability and the use of renewable energy
sources. Automated demand response,
peak load management and other pro-
grams can mean significant cost savings
for commercial and residential custom-
ers. This is why it’s important that vendors
work together through open standards to
increase the market for compatible prod-
ucts and technologies. Standards-based
smart grid devices and systems can moni-
tor and save energy, lower costs, improve
productivity, enhance service, quality,
safety and convenience, and help in the
transformation to a more energy efficient
future and smarter electricity grid.
The two OSGP specifications origi-
nated with ESNA and were published by
ETSI for global use:
• Group specification GS OSG 001: Open
Smart Grid Protocol. Produced by the ETSI
Open Smart Grid Industry Specification
Group, this application-layer protocol
can be used with multiple communica-
tion media.
• Technical specification TS 103 908:
Powerline Telecommunications; BPSK Nar-
row Band Power Line Channel for Smart
Metering Applications. Produced by the
ETSI Technical Committee for Power-
line Telecommunications, this specifi-
cation defines a high-performance nar-
row band powerline channel for control
networking in the smart grid that can be
used with multiple smart grid devices.
“As the effects of globalization per-
meate further and accelerate, ETSI is
providing businesses and the industry
with efficient solutions for accessing and
developing new and established world
markets via standardization,” said Luis
Jorge Romero, director general of ETSI.
Visit www.etsi.org.
Ambient Corp. Deploys 75,000th Smart Grid Communications Node
Ambient Corp. has deployed its 75,000th communications node — the flagship
hardware element of the Ambient Smart Grid Communications Platform. First
deployed in 2005, the Ambient Smart Grid Communications Node has pioneered
open, secure, two-way standards-based grid communications for utilities.
Ambient’s nodes connect more than 500,000 end devices in the Duke network
and can support a variety of smart grid applications. Starting at the communications
network layer in any smart grid implementation ensures the costs of implementation,
operations and communications are optimized, and the Ambient node represents a
cost-effective solution to reduce capital and operational expenses for utilities.
As there is no one communications technology that is right for all applications
and environments across utilities, the Ambient node’s ability to support multiple
communications protocols simultaneously along with purpose-built applications
and management systems provide a level of visibility and control that utilities have
never before enjoyed.
For more information, visit www.ambientcorp.com.
Thank You.
www.huskietools.com
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When it’s on the line, you count on Huskie Tools.
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com16
TechnologyUpdates
ABB Sets Power Cable Record in New York Harbor
The cable route of the ABB 345-kV cable system, with the southern tip of Manhattan in the top right-hand corner. The indirect route is due to the many shipping channels and anchorage areas in the busy harbor waters.
ABB has completed the delivery and energization of the
world’s first cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulated
345-kV AC submarine cable system. Extruded in a single con-
tinuous length without factory joints, the new cable system
brings 512 MW of power-generation capacity to the critical
wholesale power market in New York City, New York, U.S.
The ABB extra-high-voltage (EHV) cable system is part
of the Bayonne Energy Center (BEC) power generation and
transmission project, a new facility that will provide cleaner,
more reliable power for Manhattan and the New York City
power transmission network.
BEC comprises a new high-efficiency natural-gas fired
power plant in Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S., that will generate up
to 512 MW of electricity for transfer via the ABB cable system
to a Con Edison substation in Gowanus, Brooklyn, New York.
The cable system links the power plant to the substation
and delivers the power at EHV (345 kV AC) across New York
Harbor, close to Liberty Island and the famous Statue of Lib-
erty. Completed and energized by ABB in December 2011, the
system includes three single-core XLPE submarine cables,
each 6.5 miles (10.4 km) in length, and two XLPE under-
ground cable segments that connect the submarine cables to
the power plant in Bayonne and the substation in Brooklyn,
respectively.
In accordance with BEC’s requirements, ABB manufac-
tured each of the three 6.5-mile extruded cables in a single
continuous length. Such a long extruded EHV AC cable with-
out factory joints had never been attempted before. It requires
exceptional levels of expertise at the cable factory, with no
margin for error in the extrusion process which, for a cable of
this length, takes more than 10 days.
Secondly, New York is a busy international seaport with
freighters, cruise ships, ferries and tourist boats anchoring or
operating in the harbor. To mitigate concerns about possible
future dredging in the harbor and the risk of anchor dam-
age, ABB was required to bury the cables at a depth of up to
15 ft (4.6 m), which is significantly deeper than the 3-ft to 6-ft
(0.9-m to 1.8-m) burial required for most other submarine
power cables. The water depth along the cable route in the
harbor is on average about 66 ft (20 m).
ABB was responsible for delivering a turnkey cable system
including design, engineering, manufacture, field construc-
tion at the landfall sites, laying and installation, and commis-
sioning.
The work at the landfall sites included construction of in-
water cofferdams and horizontal directional drilling in Brook-
lyn. The construction work at the landing sites and the laying
of the cables were performed by a local New Jersey based firm
(Caldwell Marine International) under a subcontract with
ABB.
For more information, visit www.abb.com.
Russian Utility Installs 3M ACCR to Upgrade Key Transmission LineThe electricity transmission unit of MOESK Co. (Moscow
United Electric Grid Co.) has installed the 3M ACCR over-
head conductor to upgrade a line serving a densely populated
southern district of Moscow, Russia, to avoid the need for larg-
er towers or an expanded right-of-way. The installation is the
second application of 3M ACCR by MOESK in Moscow, and
the eighth across the country to date by a Russian utility, with
three more soon to be completed.
MOESK is Russia’s largest interregional distribution grid
company, serving a 47,000-sq km (18,147-sq mile) area with
a population of about 17 million. The utility chose 3M ACCR
to achieve up to 1,200 A of current on a 3.3-km (2.05-mile)
110-kV double-circuit overhead segment of its Cheremushki-
Yughnaya line, serving the Nagatino-Sadovniki portion of
Moscow’s Southern Administrative District. The alternative
solution would have been to enlarge the towers to support a
220-kV or 330-kV upgrade, causing difficult logistical prob-
lems in the densely packed community. Among other impedi-
ments, the line crosses six-lane and eight-lane highways, as well
as railroad tracks.
3M ACCR is a lightweight, low-sag, high-capacity conduc-
tor that can carry twice the current or more of conventional
steel-core conductors of the same diameter, on existing towers,
thereby helping utilities avoid a wide range of problems in en-
vironmentally sensitive areas and in crowded urban settings.
Its low-sag characteristic also provides a solution for clearance
issues.
For more information, visit www.3M.com.
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com18
technologyUpdates
Siemens and PJM Interconnection Commission One of the Most Advanced Grid Management Systems
In late 2011, as the result of the Advanced Control Center (AC2) program run by the regional transmission grid opera-tor PJM Interconnection (Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S.), one of the most advanced grid management systems in the world commenced operation and is being used to manage North America’s largest transmission grid.
The grid management system integrates the Siemens Spectrum Power energy management system and is based on a shared architecture integration platform developed by
Siemens Infrastructure & Cities and PJM. The system is oper-ated at two different sites. The control centers at each site are fully functional and capable of running the grid either inde-pendently or jointly as a single virtual control center. PJM is the only grid operator in North America and one of the few companies worldwide to have dual primary control centers.
With two fully staffed primary control centers staffed, PJM’s AC2 program improves the reliability of the grid and enables practically uninterrupted power supply and grid control, in
case either of the control centers should suffer a malfunction.
“This is a formidable breakthrough for grid operators worldwide. In commis-sioning this grid management system we have proven that innovative IT technolo-gies can be adapted to high-performance and critical-task environments for smart grids,” commented Jan Mrosik, CEO of the smart grid division of the Siemens Infrastructure & Cities.
“From the beginning of system design, PJM sought to integrate security controls, scalability and flexibility into a new gen-eration of systems to enhance grid reli-ability and sustain wholesale power mar-ket innovations. That led us to the idea of a new shared architecture platform so that our systems could easily grow with our members and adapt to new technolo-gies,” said Terry Boston, president and CEO of PJM.
This PJM program is based on a shared architecture platform. Shared ar-chitecture is a standardized integration platform for applications that differ in terms of their technology, such as energy management, market management and distribution management systems. The open architecture allows integration of traditional utility applications into new smart grid applications. It also offers power utilities a degree of flexibility and options that vendors of older grid control center applications would not have been able to provide.
Siemens and PJM are aiming to coop-erate with other interested partners in this field, with a view to advancing the de-velopment of modern smart grid integra-tion platforms and in order to contribute to the drafting of integration standards for smart grid architectures.
To learn more, visit www.pjm.com and www.siemens.com.
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com20
are not related to storms. Scenario two involves notification
from your AMI system at 2 a.m. about a single customer out-
age. The customer, most likely sound asleep, has not called to
report the outage. Do you call the customer in the middle of
the night to verify the outage? Do you dispatch a crew or wait
until morning? Follow your utility’s policies and procedures
for non-storm events.
Mixed Signals Scenario three begins with a beautiful sunny day. Your util-
ity’s AMI system is working its magic, providing that last-gasp
message to the OMS. All of a sudden, the AMI system notifies
you of several outage events in a small area on a single cir-
cuit. Since the AMI system is operating properly, you dispatch
an outage crew to the affected area. The crew members then
need to leave their job site to drive to the outage location.
When the outage crew members arrive, they learn they are
responding to an operating crew’s scheduled outage. Clearly,
the AMI system is working, but there has been a communica-
tion breakdown among utility employees.
Isolated OutageIn the fourth scenario, it’s the same sunny day, and the
AMI system notifies you of a single customer outage. After
waiting an appropriate length of time to ensure it is not a
glitch, you attempt to contact the customer by phone, only to
reach voice mail.
In accordance with company procedures, you send a field
investigator to the site. This investigator discovers an electri-
cian working on a customer upgrade. The electrician pro-
duces a building permit and explains he has been working
in this area for years and has never been questioned. The in-
vestigator explains that the building is now equipped with a
smart meter. As such, the AMI system notified the utility of an
outage when the meter was removed from its socket. Since the
electrician was not familiar with smart meters or AMI, he had
no idea that the utility was notified of an outage.
These four scenarios illustrate the importance of devel-
oping and enforcing procedures for AMI and OMS systems.
Utilimetrics provides education and information on utility
automation. To learn more, visit www.utilimetrics.org.
Bob Sitkauskas ([email protected]) is chairman of the
board of Utilimetrics, a trade association of utilities, consultants,
vendors and other professionals engaged in or considering
utility automation.
QuarterlyRepoRt
AMI and Outage System Integration
By Bob Sitkauskas, Utilimetrics
Many utility professionals will say that integrating
advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and out-
age management systems (OMS) is simple, as it only
affects what happens in the back office. As soon as you have
messages and acknowledgements integrated with your OMS,
everything should work like a charm. But, in reality, this seem-
ingly simple integration of two systems can expose unexpected
process issues.
AMI allows utilities to have more information and achieve
greater precision on outage and restoration locations. At the
same time, however, technology is only one component of
identifying and fixing outages.
Electric utilities need to develop processes that are support-
ed by competent and effective procedures. Relevant stakehold-
ers from the organization, including staff, contractors and
customers, need to be aware of these policies. In turn, they
must educate their team members.
Successful integration of AMI and outage management
includes people, process and technology. It takes hard work,
but the benefits are worth it. Here are a few typical scenarios
in which technology integration yields some new institutional
situations.
Storm-Related OutagesLet’s start with storms. Regardless of your budget limita-
tions, you have to deal with these sometimes unexpected gifts
from Mother Nature. Let’s say your utility has 50,000 custom-
ers without power. In addition to your own staff, you’ve re-
cruited “foreign” crews from other utilities to help with power
restoration. The goal is to get as many customers restored as
soon as you can.
Once the work is complete, the crews call dispatch with the
news. The dispatcher asks the crew members if they have pinged
each meter to verify the complete restoration. If dispatch is on
the phone with a member of a foreign crew, that person may
have no idea what the dispatcher is talking about unless you
have procedures in place to direct these crew members.
Now, let’s assume your utility is able to handle the storm
outages without outside crews. Once your utility identifies the
outage locations, you can group AMI single customer outages
and then dispatch crews to the areas with the highest customer
count. The crews can then find the problem and restore power
to 200 of the 50,000 customers.
Beyond StormsElectric utilities also have to contend with outages that
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22 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
CHARACTERSwithCharacter
A Country Boy Can Survive
Dayman Bryant, Empire District Electric Co.
By James R. Dukart, Contributing Writer
Dayman Bryant, an Empire District Electric Co. line-
man and meter service technician, describes himself
as “ just an ol’ country boy who wants to help people.”
That he did in a memorable way last May when an EF5
multi-vortex tornado ripped through Bryant’s and Empire’s
hometown of Joplin, Missouri, U.S., killing or wounding more
than 160 people and wreaking an estimated US$2.8 billion in
damages. Bryant was not on duty that day, but he ended up
walking about 30 blocks from the center of the storm to his
dispatch dock in order to help Joplin get back on its feet.
When the tornado hit, Bryant was at Joplin’s St. John’s
Mercy Hospital, where he had just taken his 86-year-old
mother after she had suffered a stroke earlier in the day.
Bryant says he has always considered himself a “caretaker,”
noting that shortly after his marriage, he and his wife both
provided care for their elderly parents. Thus, checking in with
his mother on that Sunday was nothing out of the ordinary.
Nor was it out of the ordinary that once the tornado tore
through the hospital — a direct hit that would result in the
relocation of all patients — that Bryant would be among those
organizing the evacuation.
“There was blood and water everywhere, blown-out win-
dows and broken water mains,” Bryant recalls of the storm’s
aftermath. “It was clear no one was going to be able to stay
there, so we started wheeling out beds into the parking lot and
finding vehicles to transport to other hospitals. Once we got
people outside, I tried to find vehicles for transporting them.”
Among the vehicles that were not available was Bryant’s
truck; he found it flipped and with the windows blown out
on the hospital’s helipad. Nonetheless, he and his wife (who
had driven to the hospital right before the storm in a separate
vehicle — also totaled by the storm) managed to ferry Bryant’s
mother to another hospital. From there, Bryant’s dual country-
boy and caretaker instincts took over again.
“All the cell towers were down, so we had no way to call
work,” he says. “But I knew we had a ton of repair work, so I
checked with my wife. She said, ‘You need to go.’”
With no truck, Bryant set out to walk the roughly 30 blocks
from the hospital to his dispatch dock. The 58-year-old line-
man, in his 32nd year with Empire District Electric, estimates
he’s been on dozens of storm-restoration calls during his
career, but nothing that even came close to the devastation he
saw that day.
“I graduated right here from Parkwood High School, the
one that got destroyed in this tornado,” Bryant notes. An avid
hunter, outdoorsman and Harley rider, Bryant says he was
“drawn to line work because I loved being outdoors, knew I
could never do a desk job or want to be in a factory all day.”
After high school, Bryant worked any number of construc-
tion and outdoor jobs for a few years, and one day was watch-
ing some electric linemen do their work and thought that
might be an ideal job for him. He started at the power plant
and eventually got his opportunity to go out with line crews
and learn his craft as a lineman.
“When I started, it was all just on-the-job training,” he says.
“I had taken machinists courses in school, but you just learned
this [electrical line work] as you went.”
Asked about highlights of his career, Bryant returns to
storm restoration. “It’s just kind of what you remember most,”
he says, speaking of tornadoes, thunderstorms and ice storms
in Tulsa, Kansas City, St. Louis and even Hurricane Katrina in
New Orleans. He calls damage from the Joplin tornado, “the
worst I have ever seen,” adding that his trek from the hospital
to work on that Sunday felt like “one of those movies where you
see the world coming to an end.”
Bryant says, the town is “starting to get back to normal.”
Though many schools, churches and commercial buildings
have reopened, several facilities are still operating in tempo-
rary locations. Bryant’s life is also starting to get back to nor-
mal, as he spends much of his time today turning power on to
new or rebuilt homes. He and his wife have replaced both of
their vehicles, and, fortunately for them, their house — a mere
quarter mile from the hospital — escaped significant dam-
age. Bryant’s mother passed away in August, and, true to form,
Bryant and his wife were her caretakers to the end.
Today, he looks back on that fateful May day — as well as
the rest of his long career with Empire — with satisfaction
over the work that has been done but also with more than a
modicum of modesty.
“We take care of our family first, so I made sure my mother
was okay, but after that, I didn’t question it,” Bryant recalls
of his long walk to work that Sunday. “We all did it that day;
everybody just started showing up at work.”
That long walk to work, as well as long days of storm restora-
tion in Joplin and through the years in other towns and cities
is also nothing out of the ordinary, Bryant concludes.
“Shoot, I’m just an ol’ country boy who wants to help peo-
ple,” he drawls, “there ain’t nothing special about me.”
Pict
ure
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icro
n.a
t/p
ainti
ng
s
When used together with the MPD 600
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partial discharge (PD) in the transformer
without opening it up. The PDL 650
creates a 3D-representation of a failure
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Dad can generate a comprehensive
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24 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
25www.tdworld.com | February 2012
Hurricane Irene 2011
Sept. 1 – Service is restored to all customers by late evening.
Aug. 28, 12 p.m. – The bulk of the storm has moved northward and is dissipating; it is now a tropical storm.
Storm restoration begins in earnest
Aug. 27, 3 p.m. – The first bands of high winds and heavy rains hit PECO.Winds and rains increase throughout the night;
flooding and downed trees impede local travel.
Aug. 27 – PECO crews are staged and mutual-assistance crews are on site preparing for a 6 a.m. start on Aug. 28.
Aug. 25-27 – PECO begins storm preparations to battle a potential Category 3 hurricane; materials (poles, wires, hardware, line trucks, etc.)
and mutual-assistance crews are secured, along with lodging and meals.
Aug. 21 – Hurricane Irene forms and is predicted to hit the East Coast of the United States.
PECO’s intelligent response system improves storm-restoration times and is paying continuing dividends in many aspects of operations.By Glenn A. Pritchard, PECO
In August 2011, Hurricane Irene tested U.S. utilities all along the East Coast. The
storm brought winds and heavy rains to the entire Eastern United States, includ-
ing PECO’s service territory in southeastern Pennsylvania. At PECO, the storm was
responsible for more than 500,000 power outages from falling trees, flooding and
other storm-related damage, but that is only part of the story.
Hurricane Irene left nearly 7 million customers without power in 14 states. Ranking
as one of the Top 5 worst storms in PECO’s history, Hurricane Irene brought 10 inches
(25 cm) of torrential rains and more than 24 hours of winds gusting up to 75 mph
(121 kmph). However, PECO was able to immediately react to the storm damage and
restore service to nearly all affected customers in just 72 hours — faster than other
neighboring utilities — with full restoration completed in just five days.
PECO’s emergency preparedness team quickly recognized the pending hurricane
could have a major impact on the distribution system, not unlike Hurricane Isabel,
which hit the PECO service territory almost exactly nine years ago. The utility made
preparations in advance of the storm, secured and scheduled crews, staged materials
and configured the grid to best tolerate outages.
26 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
BACKUPSystems
The smart meter installation represents the onset of the system and customer benefi ts that will accrue from these devices.
Smart Deployment PayoffFor more than a decade, PECO has taken an aggressive ap-
proach to the operations of its distribution grid through wide-
spread applications, automation and smart grid functionality.
Several key areas of functionality include a remote sectionaliz-
ing and restoration program, the installation of an automatic
meter reading (AMR) platform, the integration of the AMR
and outage management system (OMS), and the ongoing de-
velopment of smart data analytics. Each of these systems, indi-
vidually and combined, have resulted in more effi cient opera-
tions and storm response.
restore power as PECO’s back-offi ce
teams assessed the damage, ana-
lyzed data and dispatched crews
to the next job. In many cases,
work was hampered by fl ood-
ed and blocked roads. The
restoration efforts concluded
on Thursday, as the fi nal
affected customers regained
power. Mutual-aid crews began
to move northward to assist other
utilities in their restoration efforts.
The remaining work was to return the
distribution grid to its normal confi guration
and assess the overall storm response.
Reclosers and SectionalizingPECO’s remote sectionalizing and restoration
program helped restore power to more than 120,000
customers during the Hurricane Irene event. These
customers otherwise would have experienced sus-
tained outages. The supervisory control and data
acquisition (SCADA) and operational logs demonstrated that
the sectionalizing and effective rerouting of the power sup-
ply from one circuit to another maintained the power fl ow to
customers. This is in contrast to a traditional outage response
that requires manual switching and restoration. The automat-
ic switches kept customer interruptions to a simple blink of the
lights when the automatic switching occurred.
The recloser installation program was initiated in the mid-
1990s. In this program, nearly 100 reclosers typically were in-
stalled on the worst-performing reliability circuits and others
that would benefi t from such technology. Today, more than
1,500 reclosers are in use across the PECO system.
Outage Management SystemPECO recognized the value of an OMS decades ago. Like
many utilities, PECO developed its own in-house solution that
met specifi c needs and requirements but, ultimately, became
diffi cult to manage, support and enhance as more sophisti-
cated requirements were developed. PECO then moved to an
off-the-shelf Intergraph Public Safety OMS that offers state-
of-the-art solutions. This system employs several logical tech-
niques to predict outages based on customer calls, SCADA
system activity and outage notifi cations from meters.
Working hand-in-hand with the OMS, PECO developed
an outage-response process that optimizes the skill sets of its
diverse workforce. Specifi cally, there are two broad classes
of fi rst responders: energy technicians and linemen. Energy
technicians are dispatched to work on secondary voltage issues
such as service drops and meters, while linemen are dispatched
to work on primary events such as transformer failures and
wire replacement. This differentiation has created the means
for PECO to optimize is response to outage events.
The utility continues to use the OMS today. While PECO
has made various improvements and upgrades, the system’s
At the height of the storm, PECO had
more than 700 fi eld and offi ce staff
working around-the-clock shifts
to restore power to all
affected customers.
As Hurricane Irene moved into PECO’s service territory,
the utility was ready. On Aug. 27, 2011, a Saturday morning,
the fi rst cadre of storm responders was on site and waiting.
The fi rst sign of trouble started in PECO’s service territory in
the early afternoon, and the full fury of Irene was in effect by
that evening. Heavy rains and high winds blanketed the ser-
vice territory, which led to several tornado warnings and sig-
nifi cant fl ooding. At the height of the storm, PECO had more
than 700 fi eld and offi ce staff working around-the-clock shifts
to restore power to all affected customers. By Sunday after-
noon, Irene had moved northward and continued to wreak
havoc and destruction along her path.
At that point, PECO fully engaged its restoration process.
Field crews, including mutual-aid crews, worked feverishly to
BACKUPSystems
ability to offer high performance and
usability still stands true.
Automatic Meter ReadingAs PECO completed its AMR de-
ployment in early 2003, the utility be-
gan to focus on new means to leverage
the data the AMR platform produces.
PECO is currently fully automated with
a fi rst-generation Landis+Gyr/Cellnet
fi xed radio frequency network AMR
system. The fi rst step in this process
was to employ the outage notifi cation,
power verifi cation and restoration con-
fi rmation capabilities of the meters by
creating an interface between the AMR
platform and OMS, and by developing
several new business processes. This
integration has proven quite successful in shortening outage-
response times on the customer average interruption duration
index (CAIDI) and creating the means for more effi cient dis-
patch and storm management.
The fi rst opportunity to use the integrated AMR/OMS
application was in 2003 during Hurricane Isabel. During this
event, PECO used the outage-verifi cation process to cancel
approximately 2,400 single customer events where service
either had been restored already or power never was lost. This
benefi t was valued at more than US$250,000 and was consid-
ered to have helped reduce the overall duration of the storm
restoration.
During the eight years since this event, PECO has improved
on its AMR/OMS integration. Most recently, the application
AMRlast gasp
IVR
Call center Outagerecord
OMS DispatchAMR
powerup
Customer-initiated calls
AMR-initiated event
PECOcontactscustomer
AMR pingAdvanced
assessment tools
Automaticprocessing
AMR-initiated eventSCADA
This connectivity diagram indicates the relationships between major smart systems.
The VLF-34E is a new generation VLF AC Hipot that uses a solid state design
with microprocessor controls. It meets the requirements of applicable world
standards regarding cable testing up to 25kV class maintenance testing. It is
light, compact, rugged, and very portable. It also contains an integral Tan
Delta cable diagnostic feature that requires no external parts, making it the
simplest and least expensive TD available. Its sine wave output is suitable for
using external PD detection equipment. Using a PD option, the VLF-34E
is all that is needed for nearly all cable testing up to 25kV class.
Easy to use controls. Programmable test sequences & manual
control, USB port for downloading data and for unlimited test report
capture, wireless computer interface to control and download Tan
Delta diagnostics and for remote control operation via laptop.
Cable Standards met:
IEEE 400.2-2004, IEEE 400-2001, NS 161-2004
VDE DIN 0276-620/621, CENELEC HD 620/621, IEC 60060-3
Introducing the NEW
VLF-34E 34 kV VLF TesterVery Low Frequency AC Technology
31 County Rt. 7A • Copake, NY 12516 • Tel.: (518) 329-3275 • Fax: (518) 329-3271 • E-Mail: [email protected] • Web: www.hvinc.com
ISO 9001 : 2008
VLF & DC Output | Sheath Testing | Cable Burning | Tan Delta Diagnostics
28 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
BackupSystems
significantly contributed to the Hurricane Irene restoration
efforts. In this case, the AMR/OMS application provided the
means not only to cancel 2,300 single customer events con-
firmed to have power, but it also was used to cancel more than
350 primary events that either had been restored previously or
were incorrectly predicted as a primary events. Furthermore,
the application users were able to escalate nearly 700 jobs from
a single customer event to a primary event. The differentia-
tion is significant because each benefit represents the different
classes of first responders, energy technicians and linemen.
The overall impact of these results has been valued at
nearly $10 million, primarily driven by the estimated two-day
reduction in the storm-restoration efforts. This is a dramatic
increase over the original benefit projections from 2003.
Smart AnalyticsThe various smart solutions PECO implemented have en-
abled the utility to generate a tremendous amount of data to
document and self-assess its actions and responses.
Following a major event such as Hurricane Irene, PECO
routinely self-assesses its performance and the event outcome.
Data and smart analytics have enhanced this process greatly.
For example, the utility uses the outage and restoration mes-
sages from the AMR system to validate and confirm the re-
ported restoration times and to ensure accurate reporting on
the reliability indices, including system average interruption
frequency index (SAIFI) and CAIDI. PECO uses a similar tool
daily to ensure all reporting is accurate. To perform much
of the analytics work, the utility uses internally developed re-
ports or the DataRaker meter data analysis system.
Other notable metrics PECO has developed include the
ability to monitor distribution system transformer loading by
using daily usage from each connected meter. Such analysis
has identified both overused and underused transformers.
The metering data also has been demonstrated to create the
means to identify incorrect meter-to-transformer relation-
ships in the distribution system connectivity model. A com-
plete and accurate connectivity model is paramount to suc-
cessful outage restoration, such as PECO’s experience with
Hurricane Irene.
Next-Generation SystemsThese applications and solutions are just a sample of what
is yet to come as the present generation of systems is replaced
with state-of-the art solutions. PECO is currently in the pro-
cess of implementing the next generation of technology. The
utility is replacing 600,000 AMR meters with advanced meter-
ing infrastructure (AMI) meters and the associated systems
to manage the data and ensure accurate billing. PECO has
selected the Sensus FlexNet system for its AMI platform, along
with the Oracle MDMS, Aclara ADM system and DataRaker
analytics systems.
The systemwide storm-restoration efforts are represented by this crew working on putting a distribution line back together after Irene.
29www.tdworld.com | February 2012
backupSystems
Applications include data analytics, a meter data manage-
ments system and a meter asset management system. The new
meters also will bring new voltage monitoring and reporting
capabilities as well as introduce service disconnect switches
to PECO. These are expected to have a positive impact on
PECO’s future storm-restoration efforts.
The introduction of a four-tiered communications plat-
form was designed to deliver reliable high-performance ser-
vices in the most secure manner. The first tier consists of a
SONET-based fiber-optic communications network servicing
PECO’s major substations and facilities. Tier two is a hybrid of
WiMAX wireless broadband communications and traditional
microwave communications links. This system operates as an
extension of the fiber backbone reaching to facilities where
the fiber network was not justified. Tier three is the traditional
AMI network, which reaches from the individual meter and
distribution automation endpoints to common collection
points served by tiers one and two. Finally, tier four represents
communication from the AMI meter to inside the customer
premise, offering consumption values, price signals and sup-
port for automatic control of customer devices.
A new distribution management system and geographic
information system will act as a foundation for many future
enhancements and programs. New distribution automation
solutions, in addition to continuing the distribution reclos-
er installation program, will convert 300 existing reclosers
to communicate through the smart grid communications
network.
A closed-loop conservation voltage reduction pilot will em-
ploy voltage data from AMI meters as an input to the conserva-
tion voltage reduction application in the distribution manage-
ment system. Numerous substation improvements, including
phasor measurement unit installations, Internet protocol en-
ablement of the SCADA systems and digital relaying upgrades,
will be made at multiple locations.
PECO is actively deploying these state-of-the-art solutions,
with many elements already on-line and in service or on the
verge of deployment. In most cases, all will be deployed by the
first half of 2013. It should be noted that, during the design
and construction phases of this project, PECO’s management
team has challenged the project teams to maintain the cur-
rent benefit levels and to achieve even greater performance
and benefit. The team has accepted this challenge and is ac-
tively delivering accordingly.
The Benefits of SmartPECO’s efforts in leveraging and deploying smart technol-
ogy during the past decade has positively resulted in improved
network performance and operability, which translates into
fewer and shorter power interruptions and, ultimately, greater
customer satisfaction. PECO has learned from each system
“test” and will be even more prepared for its next encounter
with unpredictable weather.
Glenn A. Pritchard ([email protected]) is the
technology lead for PECO’s smart grid/smart meter project. He
has been with PECO for the past 20 years and is a registered
professional engineer in Pennsylvania. He has authored numer-
ous publications and often presents at events across the utility
industry. Pritchard is a registered professional engineer.
PECO Systems -MDMS, CIS, OMS, etc.
PECO Systems - SCADA, DMS Faulted circuit
indicator
Recloser Tier 1Fiber
Tier 2wireless
Tier 3AMI
Tier 4HAN
Substation RTU
<or>
This diagram shows PECO’s smart grid elements, their relationships and the communications infrastructure.
Companies mentioned:Aclara www.aclaratech.com
DataRaker www.dataraker.com
Intergraph www.intergraph.com
Landis+Gyr/Cellnet www.landisgyr.com
Oracle www.oracle.com
PECO www.peco.com
Sensus www.sensus.com
30 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
COMMUNICATIONSSystems
Storms with strong winds often cause transmission
tower failures and transmission line outages in the
area of Brazil where Eletrobras FURNAS is respon-
sible for the generation and transmission system. In
these situations, the utility immediately conducts a detailed
investigation of an event and initiates an emergency plan that,
among other activities, mobilizes maintenance, engineering
and support staff to the site of the failure.
The natural environment is usually harsh, complicating
restoration logistics. The complexity of the logistics makes
communication among the staff all the more vital. However,
better telecommunications infrastructure was needed in the
service territory to be able to transport fi eld staff and deploy
adequate and effi cient support services, including materials,
to repair transmission lines and restore service in a reasonable
amount of time.
Transmission System PerformanceFrom 1970 to 2010, 84 incidents in the Eletrobras FURNAS
service territory were linked to storms and strong winds that
caused the destruction of 218 towers. The average restoration
Brazil AcceleratesEmergency Response Eletrobras FURNAS develops a telecommunications mobile unit to deal with transmission line outages.By Alexandre Pinhel, Ricardo Medeiros and José Motta, Eletrobras FURNAS
time of an incident was about seven days. The incidents oc-
curred in locations that were both diffi cult to reach and in
hostile environments. The utility did not upgrade the design
specifi cations for its towers because of the high cost, but main-
tenance procedures were continuously improved.
Where and when available, very-high-frequency (VHF) ra-
dios and cell phones were the only forms of communication
the fi eld staff used at a time when no standard communica-
tions network was established. It was concluded the infrastruc-
ture available for communication was not consistent with the
criticality of electricity service.
Another limitation diagnosed was the diffi culty of the VHF
system to ensure the privacy of communication, which is a deli-
cate issue when it comes to coordinating the work or inspec-
tions involving senior management. Even in situations when a
cell phone was available, there was a high cost of connection
to long distance service.
The main driver for establishing a satisfactory communica-
tions system was a change in the industry’s regulation whereby
utilities are subject to severe fi nancial penalties imposed for
incidents that make the transmission system unavailable. This
new regulation led to the cre-
ation of several process im-
provements that reduced the
average time for transmission
line restoration as a result of
improved communication.
Technical SolutionThe maintenance en-
gineering department of
Eletrobras FURNAS identi-
fi ed the severe constraints of
the existing communications
resources when tower failures
occurred and then developed
an integrated voice and data
system called the telecom-
munications mobile unit
(TMU).
The solution consists of This map indicates the location of the Electrobras FURNAS system and the extent of the transmission system as well as transmission tower failures during the last 40 years.
South AmericaInterstate bordersTransmission lines - FURNAS - 750 kVTransmission lines - FURNAS - 600 kV CCTransmission lines - FURNAS - 500 kVTransmission lines - FURNAS - 345 kVTransmission lines - FURNAS - 230 kVTransmission lines - FURNAS - 138 kVTransmission lines - FURNAS - 25 kVSubstation - FURNASSubstation - Other companiesPower plant - FURNASTransmission line tower failure sites, from 1970 to 2010
31www.tdworld.com | February 2012
COMMUNICATIONSSystems
a container equipped with climate control and a reliable in-
frastructure able to provide telecommunications to the sur-
rounding area of a work site. The TMU can access the public
switched telephone network, the Internet, the corporate te-
lephony system of Eletrobras FURNAS, the utility’s intranet,
and the applications of the utility’s mainframe, in addition to
providing telephone communication among local users.
Equipment
The voice and data system is equipped to provide wireless
communication capability, including full mobility to users.
Once installed at the position of a local emergency, all com-
munication is carried to Eletrobras FURNAS’ central offi ce in
Rio de Janeiro through a single satellite data link. This simpli-
fi cation was made feasible by the adoption of Voice over IP.
Site of a transmission line tower failure in a plain location. Site of a transmission line tower failure in a rugged location.
32 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
communicationsSystems
Users including security personnel and supervisory staff
may have specific extensions. Important visitors who need to be
contacted also can have extensions. The design of the system is
scalable and the resources can be expanded, if necessary.
The equipment for voice and data has no
special design features and can be found on
the open market. The transmission equip-
ment, by being more specific, is rented in
conjunction with the satellite link, making
the project independent of proprietary tech-
nology solutions. The contract currently in
place includes an antenna with an automatic
positioning feature that simplifies the task
of activating the TMU. As a contingency
mechanism for this system, there also is an
antenna with manual positioning features.
Transportation and PositioningFor logistical purposes, the TMU is based
in Minas Gerais, in the southeast region of
Brazil, but can be moved to the site of a
tower failure incident immediately after the
triggering of the emergency plan to provide
communication services to the field teams.
The TMU is quite compact and does not
present any transportation and positioning
difficulties, even on irregular ground. Within certain limits, it
is not necessary to level the surface.
The energy infrastructure is extremely reliable, ensuring
high availability of voice, data and transmission equipment.
The automatic satellite antenna is mounted on the roof of the TMU container. The manual positioning backup antenna is also shown.
www.selinc.com | +1.509.332.1890
Learn more about the full line of SEL fault indicators and sensors at www.selinc.com/overhead.
AR-OH
AR360
WSO
Improve Fault-Finding Effi ciencyWith the SEL AutoRANGER® Line of Fault Indicators
SEL overhead AutoRANGERs reduce engineering time, inventory, and misapplica-
tions by automatically selecting trip values based on load current.
The AR360—Overhead AutoRANGER provides 360-degree visibility with
superbright fl ashing LEDs. The WSO—Wireless Sensor for Overhead Lines is a
distribution automation sensor that logs data, reports feeder information, and
detects and reports faults.
AutoRANGERs install easily with a single hot stick and track self-clearing faults
with distinct fault indications. Inrush restraint provides coordinated integration
with automatic reclosing schemes.
33www.tdworld.com | February 2012
communicationsSystems
Router
Accesspoint
Telecommunications mobile unit
Hub
WirelessPABX
Eletrobras FURNASRio de Janeiro, Brazil(main office)
Intranet
Public Switched Telephone Network
Corporatetelephony
CorporatePABX
UPS
256/256 kbps or384/256 kbps or512/256 kbps
Antenna
Eight voicechannels
Modem
Satellite hub
Diesel generator
Internet
Router
FirewallVPN
FirewallVPN
VPN
WiFiVoIP
Eight voicechannels
The refrigeration is achieved by the use of common air condi-
tioning equipment.
Data SecurityOnce activated, the TMU provides access to enterprise ap-
plications through a wireless network, which could have the
potential to cause a failure in data security. This issue is re-
solved by several measures, including the use of �rewalls, au-
thenticated login (IEEE standard 802.1X), encrypted access to
both voice and data (IEEE standard 802.11i), and connection
through a virtual private network. Thus, access made from the
TMU has the same security as the rest of the utility.
Financial SolutionAll the satellite operators consulted in Brazil refused to ac-
cept an on-demand rental agreement that presupposes pay-
ment is only levied for days the system is used. Cited was an
insuf�cient economic return or lack of technical conditions to
ensure the band was available as and when requested. These
companies required a rental fee based on continuous use of
the link, which negated the economic viability of the project.
At this point, the budgeted annual estimated costs varied be-
tween US$95,000 and $145,000.
Extensive consultation convinced one satellite operator
(Vodanet — the Brazilian branch of the U.S.-based STM
Group) that the brand name Eletrobras FURNAS was highly
valuable and the use of the system would bring a good return
to the supplier’s image, creating new business opportunities
in the Brazilian electricity sector. Finally, economic feasibility
was achieved by means of a franchising operation at a pre-
�xed rate that varies on a daily basis.
Following this model, Eletrobras FURNAS pays the con-
tractor for 30 days of use per annum regardless of effective
use. If the annual use exceeds 30 days, the extra days are paid
separately by considering the daily value to compose the total
contract price. Thus, Eletrobras FURNAS was able to stipu-
late the �xed value (30 days per year) with the surplus pre-
contracted days, avoiding abusive prices. The negotiated cost
is about $21,000 per annum, with an extra-day cost �xed at
about $450.
The telecommunications mobile unit system capabilities is delineated in this diagram.
34 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
communicationsSystems
failure. The replacement of transmission equip-
ment is covered by warranty.
Depending on the magnitude of the event,
the media may be interested in attending the sys-
tem incident. In such cases, the TMU can serve as
a marketing vehicle for the utility by demonstrat-
ing the use of technological resources in incident
reporting.
In spite of all the telecommunications fea-
tures embedded in the project that make it in-
teresting, the realization of this project was only
made possible as a result of extended and diffi-
cult negotiations with several companies, giving
the utility the chance to enhance its knowledge
of the technical details of the contracted activ-
ity. The work undertaken to convince contrac-
tors about the indirect benefits of working with
Eletrobras FURNAS were convincing, leading to successful ne-
gotiations. In the long term, the contractual innovations may
eventually prove to be more important than the technical in-
novations.
Since the implementation of the TMU in 2010, there have
been only two emergency situations, so there is insufficient ex-
perience to evaluate the reduction in the time taken to restore
the system.
Alexandre Pinhel Soares ([email protected]) qualified in
electronic engineering at the Federal University of Rio de Janei-
ro and joined Eletrobras FURNAS in 1994. Following positions
in maintenance engineering and telecommunications, Soares
is now working in the utility’s electric and electronic equipment
department. Soares has authored a book on electrostatics and
has written articles on computer science, meteorology, space
geophysics, telecommunications and management.
Ricardo Medeiros ([email protected]) graduated with
a BSEE degree from the University of Campinas and a mas-
ter’s degree from the University Estadual Paulista. In 1977, he
joined General Electric of Brazil SA, working on quality control.
Medeiros joined Eletrobras FURNAS in 1981 and is currently
manager of the superintendent of maintenance engineering.
José Antonio Paula Motta ([email protected]) was
awarded a BSEE degree by the Catholic University of Rio de
Janeiro and joined Eletrobras FURNAS in 1974. Following
responsibilities for telecommunication, supervision, control and
automation, Motta was appointed manager of the utility’s elec-
tric and electronic equipment department. Motta now coordi-
nates the development and maintenance solutions for various
areas of the utility’s activities.
Companies mentioned:Eletrobras FURNAS www.furnas.com.br
STM Group www.stmi.com
Vodanet www.vodanet-telecom.com
The equipment used for voice services and data does not
have special features and is easily found on the market. The
transmission equipment is speci�c and has been rented in con-
junction with the satellite link. This strategy creates a project
that is independent of proprietary technologies, as only the
automated antenna is extra and was purchased for $24,000.
The actual use in the �eld showed the band originally
de�ned in the project, 256 kbps for download, was too slow
for some communication demands. As a result, the supplier
agreed to increase this bandwidth to 384 kbps or 512 kbps,
depending on the demand detected during use. In practice, if
the upload bandwidth is not required, it will remain constant
at 256 kbps.
A crews positions the TMU. The automatic antenna is covered by a metal shield.
By including the transmission equipment in the rental of the satellite
link, Eletrobras FURNAS avoided the acquisition cost, and the project
became totally independent of the telecommunications companies.
Keeping Everything in PerspectiveIn addition to the expansion of communications facili-
ties, the project can provide increased reliability of the VHF
system, which is fundamental and will be used as the energy
infrastructure has been designed to also include such equip-
ment. By including the transmission equipment in the rental
of the satellite link, Eletrobras FURNAS avoided the acquisi-
tion cost, and the project became totally independent of the
telecommunications companies. This gives the utility the op-
portunity to modify the project depending on the cost and
quality required.
As the utility is already contracted for 30 days usage of the
system, if not employed, the TMU can serve as a laboratory to
investigate the quality of the satellite link, especially on issues
relating to ionospheric interference. The use of commercial
equipment common to the functions of voice, data, power and
cooling ensures ease of the restoration of services in case of
36 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
DISTRIBUTIONDesign
Technology DeliversMillisecond RestorationA&N Electric Cooperative’s high-speed, decentralized feeder automation system isolates faults, transfers sources and restores service in less than 500 msec.By Kelvin Pettit, A&N Electric Cooperative
The A&N Electric Cooperative serves Accomack and
Northampton counties on the Virginia Eastern
Shore, a narrow 75-mile (121-km) peninsula sur-
rounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay.
Because of its seaward geography, the Eastern Shore is bat-
tered by frequent thunderstorms, tropical disturbances, hur-
ricanes, fl ooding and, to a lesser extent, tornadoes and heavy,
wet snowfall. These adverse weather conditions, along with
numerous automobile crashes into pole lines, have negatively
impacted A&N’s operations over the years.
A&N’s service area consists of vast rural areas broken up
by small communities and is bisected by U.S. Route 13, a
major highway connecting southern Virginia with Maryland
and Delaware by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. The
cooperative serves its Northampton county members — which
includes homes, schools, small businesses, government cen-
ters and Shore Memorial Hospital — with a 20-mile (32-km),
25/14.4-kV distribution feeder energized at both ends by sub-
stations located at Exmore and Bayview. For the most part, the
feeder right-of-way alternates along busy U.S. 13 and a work-
ing railway, and also runs alongside some residential streets in
Nassawadox.
Protecting Hospital and CommunityShore Memorial in Nassawadox is the area’s only hospital;
therefore, it is critically important to the Eastern Shore. To
minimize the facility’s need for backup power, A&N proposed
to install an automated high-speed source-transfer system on
the Northampton feeder to reduce outages
that, at times, approached one hour due to
the need to physically isolate faults and trans-
fer substation resources.
To best serve the interests of the communi-
ty, in addition to increasing the speed, the new
system also had to offer maximum economy,
reliability, upgradeability and sustainability,
and benefi t as many members as possible. Spe-
cifi cally, A&N determined the system should
meet several requirements:● High-speed automation to minimize the
impact of outages ● Scalability to target specifi c problems
over time in order of importance● Upgradeability to meet future needs with
minimal outlay● Simplifi ed system design and deployment
using off-the-shelf components● Unattended operation through the appli-
cation of decentralized automation● Increased system longevity through the
use of modern industry standardsAtop A&N’s 200-ft communications tower at Exmore, a rigger attaches the second of two WiMAX base stations and related antennas to the structure.
37www.tdworld.com | February 2012
distributionDesign
lRapid source-transfer capability
l Flexibility to work with existing switchgear
l Multiple human-machine interfaces (HMIs) for manual
feeder control and quick assessment of feeder status from cen-
tral and outlying points.
After surveying the available technology, A&N approached
Siemens Energy, which had recently announced a high-speed
feeder automation product — the Siemens SDFA-DC Distri-
bution Feeder Automation System — that would reduce Fault
Location, Isolation and Service Restoration (FLISR) time to
less than half a second. The new offering met all of A&N’s
operational requirements, most importantly with respect to
operating speed, which was rapid enough to avoid activating
backup power at the hospital.
High-Speed FLISRTraditional fault detection employs overcurrent methods
to uncover line problems. While effective, this approach is
sluggish, resulting in long restoration times. To achieve high
operating speeds, this approach uses a novel means of fault
detection wherein each sectionalizing device in the feeder is
equipped with a smart relay and sensor that continuously sup-
plies line current data to the relay in each adjacent section.
When a problem occurs along the feeder, the relay in each
affected section receives information about the disturbance
and compares it to the line current conditions in the adjacent
sections. If a comparison indicates a fault condition, the affect-
ed relay issues a notification to all other relays in the system,
thus identifying and isolating the fault. Using this approach,
problems can be detected in less than 100 msec, which is suf-
ficiently fast to permit the location of a fault before the protec-
tion and switchgear have time to disconnect the source from
the faulted load.
Fault isolation, source transfer and service restoration tasks
are performed according to simple sequential switching logic
programmed into each relay using the Siemens DIGSI soft-
ware tool. Thus, the system has flexibility to execute desired
A relay engineer uses the automation and control relay to check circuit breaker operation at Kellam substation.
38 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
distributionDesign
sequences based on central or systemwide operating modes,
fault information and feeder status. Elapsed time to complete
isolation and restoration steps is typically around 400 msec.
Component and Site SelectionTo maximize availability, A&N elected to section the feeder
into four protection zones using reclosers. An off-the-shelf-
type SDR recloser from Siemens, which comes equipped with a
recloser controller, and an automation controller were placed
at each recloser site. To control the substation circuit breakers,
protect the feeder and provide a secondary system of HMIs, a
control and automation relay was installed at each substation.
Section lengths were apportioned according to load densi-
ty and criticality. The section supplying the hospital measures
0.5 mile (0.8 km), while the others measure at 5 miles or 10
miles (8 km or 16 km) depending on local load characteristics.
Because portions of the feeder run along a working railway
with limited access, accessibility dictated the exact siting of the
reclosers. To maintain access for line crews, the reclosers and
related relay cabinets were attached to poles situated near the
highway and a grade crossing.
Even though the automation system is fully capable of
stand-alone operation, A&N chose to outfit the installation
with both outlying and central HMIs. The automation system
and feeder can be fully supervised, monitored and controlled
— including operating breakers and reclosers, transferring
sources, isolating line sections, locating faults, recognizing
equipment lockouts and identifying hot line tags — from either
the substations or control center. To ease operational tasks,
A&N elected to deploy a Siemens’ PC-based SICAM operator
interface at the latter. This point-and-click HMI features an
interactive feeder model diagram and color-coded dashboard
to simplify operations and enable at-at-glance analysis of feed-
er and automation system status.
Dispatcher Laura Thornes monitors distribution feeder status at the Tasley control center.
Exmoreoffice/
base station
Bayviewsubstation/
base station
P1 P3
Existing switch
ControlcenterHMI
PoE
Breaker 21
7SR22
Breaker
P2 P4 P5
Interconnections Legend:
Metallic Ethernet Wireless EthernetBroadband Serial DNP3 Distribution feeder
1.2
6 m
iles
3.3
4 m
iles
3.8
3 m
iles
8.9
5 m
iles
9.7
3 m
iles
PoE PoE PoE PoE
PoE PoE
Existing switch
Network data bus
Tasleycontrol center Base stations
WiN7237-5
Kellamsubstation
base stationWiN7237-5
2240-30
4.54 miles
recloserRogers Dr.
recloserFranktown Rd.
0.53 miles
5.14 miles
recloserMachipongo
Manual sect. switch
Ckt 2201Ckt 2240
9.95 miles
39141/60791 39052/60647
37803/58190
P2 subscriberunit (SS2)WiN5237-5
P3 subscriberunit (SS3)WiN5237-5
P1 subscriberunit (SS1)WiN5237-5
7SJ64automationcontroller/
switchRS910-HI
Critical loadhospital
switchRS900G-48
switchRS900G-HI
Reclosercontroller
7SR22Reclosercontroller
7SR22Reclosercontroller
7SJ80Automationcontroller
7SJ80 7SJ80 7SJ64Automation
controller/HMI
switchRS910-48
switchRS910-48
switchRMC40-48
P4subscriber
WiN5237-5unit (SS4)
P4 subscriber unit (SS5)WiN5237-5
(BS1, BS2)
N.C.
PoEswitchRS910-48
with one eachMT-404067/ND
antenna
(BS3) with oneMT-404067/ND
antenna
Automationcontroller
Automationcontroller
HMI
System interconnection diagram.
39www.tdworld.com | February 2012
distributionDesign
To prevent hazardous feeder operating condi-
tions, critical system functions are interlocked to
block conflicting or potentially dangerous com-
mands automatically. Hot line tags can only be
applied and released at the breaker and recloser
relays. When a tag or equipment lockout is in
place, the automation system is disabled automati-
cally to prevent unwanted switching operations.
However, the remaining untagged and unaffect-
ed switching devices will continue to operate in a
stand-alone mode to maintain feeder protection
and control.
Design and InstallationAlthough the installation was based on a stan-
dard Siemens protection and control scheme,
the added automation made it the first of its type
for the company. To test the concept, a working
mock-up of the feeder, including all relays, break-
ers, reclosers, HMIs and communications devices,
was configured, tested, analyzed and modified in
Siemens’ smart grid laboratory in Wendell, North
Carolina, U.S.
A&N personnel conducted factory acceptance
and performance tests at the laboratory to ensure
all protection and automation sequences functioned accord-
ing to plan. However, in spite of the testing, with no actual
field experience on which to draw, project engineers could
not promise the system would function exactly as intended.
In fact, they fully expected changes and adjustments would
be necessary to achieve desired operation once the equipment
was actually installed and operating.
The feeder’s load and physical characteristics presented sev-
eral design challenges for the project engineers. In addition to
typical load variations, the service area’s seasonal ebb and flow
in population results in wide demand swings. The high source
impedance and extended length of the feeder create very low
fault currents that complicate coordination, especially among
fuses and upstream transformers. Wide variations in feeder
topology created by the automation itself also had to be taken
into account. These factors made coordination difficult, time-
consuming and expensive.
To reduce system costs and construction time, A&N de-
cided to interconnect the control relays using high-speed
3.65-GHz SHF WiMAX Ethernet links employing the Inter-
national Electrotechnical Commission 61850 protocol and
generic object-oriented substation event messaging. However,
the 20-mile end-to-end system length made network planning
difficult. To achieve reliable communications, A&N mounted
three high-power RuggedCom WiN7237-5 base stations and
related beam antennas on existing 200-ft (61-m) and 300-ft
(91-m) radio towers to communicate with pole-mounted, di-
rectional RuggedCom WiN5237-5 subscriber units. Because
the entire service area is relatively flat, there were no unusual
propagation concerns outside of typical rural land obstruc-
tions such as old-growth trees.
Linemen install subscriber units and a recloser at Machipongo, Virginia.
The control center is located in Tasley, 15 miles (24 km)
from the feeder. Fortunately, A&N recently had recently in-
stalled a broadband fiber system to interconnect its major fa-
cilities, which presented a convenient way to link the automa-
tion system with the control center. RuggedCom RS900-series
Ethernet switches were specified to handle Ethernet switching
and interface tasks throughout the communications network.
The automation system and reclosers were installed and in-
terconnected by A&N line crews with assistance from Stellar
Communication Systems and Rock Creek Line Construction.
Test and CommissioningAlthough personnel checked base station and subscriber
unit performance before delivery, under actual field conditions
A&N experienced difficulty in achieving reliable WiMAX link
performance. With the assistance of Siemens and RuggedCom
engineers, A&N personnel were able to achieve acceptable re-
sults by trimming obstructive trees to afford a better propaga-
tion path for the wireless signals, adjusting the attitude and
elevation of the subscriber units, and altering base station and
subscriber unit transmission power, bandwidth and frequency
settings on a largely trial-and-error basis. To increase the el-
evation of two subscriber units, A&N installed a 50-ft (15-m)
pole and a pair of mast extensions for mounting the units.
The WiMAX links were tested using the system’s simulation
mode wherein the switching functionality of the circuit break-
ers and reclosers is replaced by RS flip-flops. This allows the
system to function normally up to the relay trip contacts, thus
permitting in-depth analyses of system performance without
operating any switching devices.
Once reliable links were established, A&N personnel were
40 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
distributionDesign
able to test actual recloser operations without interrupting
service through the use of in-line bypass switches installed at
each recloser. Following successful testing, the bypass switches
were opened, placing the reclosers in circuit. The feeder’s
open point was then shifted using the control center HMI to
check the system’s reconfiguration and source-transfer func-
tions. With this successfully accomplished, the system automa-
tion was activated to await an actual event to fully prove the
system.
System PerformanceWithin weeks of commissioning the system, a wave of se-
vere electrical storms hit the Eastern Shore. During one such
storm, project engineers at the control center were using simu-
lation to analyze system performance when lightning struck
the feeder near the Kellam substation. The engineers saw the
fault notification appear on the model diagram and then ob-
served the system as it reconfigured the feeder to isolate the
faulted section and transfer the remaining viable zones to the
Bayview substation.
In another particularly severe storm, the automation sys-
tem failed because of a loss of communication. Using SICAM’s
extensive GPS time-stamped event-recording capabilities,
A&N and Siemens engineers determined the feeder had sus-
tained multiple lightning strikes, several of which knocked out
the communications system along with other A&N plants. Be-
cause SICAM automatically uploads the fault data recorded
by any affected relays, in-depth study of system performance
is possible using the Siemens software-based SIGRA analysis
tool. In the end, lightning damaged a relay communications
card, a subscriber unit, an Ethernet switch and two power-
over-Ethernet supplies interconnected to a base station and a
subscriber unit. The latter units were subsequently returned to
RuggedCom for repair.
Following repairs and the installation of diode-based surge
protectors from Transtector Systems on all wireless-equipment
Ethernet lines, it remains to be seen whether or not lightning
strikes will continue to be a problem for the communications
equipment. Given the severity of electrical storms in the area,
further measures could be necessary to resolve the problem.
Going ForwardProject engineers will continue to monitor feeder and au-
tomation system performance, and make adjustments and
improvements as data becomes available from additional op-
erational events. The system’s simulation mode and SIGRA
analysis tools will be employed as effective and convenient
means of testing and analyzing feeder operations and ideas
for improvement. Any system configurations and settings de-
veloped as a result of the improvement process will continue
to be recorded and entered into a database to facilitate future
system design and commissioning.
As a cooperative, A&N Electric must focus on its member
needs and work for the sustainable development of the commu-
nity. The installation of this automated high-speed FLISR sys-
tem is one way A&N demonstrates its commitment to the ideals
of providing better, more reliable electric service for all.
Kelvin Pettit ([email protected]) joined A&N Electric Coop-
erative in January 1972. Pettit’s 40-year career in the electric
distribution industry began with the completion of the lineman
apprentice program offered to returning Vietnam veterans. Cur-
rently, as vice president of system reliability, he is responsible
for providing the cooperative’s 35,000 members on the Virginia
Eastern Shore with the most reliable electric service possible.
His commitment to the use of leading-edge technology led to
the development of software-driven maintenance programs for
A&N’s substations and line equipment. He led the team that
was responsible for the deployment of A&N’s first auto power
restoration system in 1995.
Companies mentioned:A&N Electric Cooperative www.anec.com
Rock Creek Line Construction
www.rockcreeklineconstruction.com
RuggedCom www.ruggedcom.com
Siemens Energy www.energy.siemens.com
Stellar Communication Systems www.stellartowers.com
Transtector Systems
www.protectiongroup.com/transtectorAn A&N construction lineman conducts WiMAX link tests with a sub-scriber unit at Machipongo.
A relay engineer programs the recloser controller at Machipongo.
If you need substation work, look no further. Pike has the experience and know-how – 65 years worth, as a matter of fact. So whether it’s working with
traditional power substations up to 500kV, merchant wind farm collection systems or modernizing existing
facilities, we know what it takes to get the job done – all while understanding the importance of deadlines,
budget and safety.
42 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
systemManagement
Seeing is BelievingThe California ISO uses geospatial visualization and real-time analytics to optimize the power grid.By James mcIntosh, California Independent System Operator
For a U.S. state that represents the world’s eighth-larg-
est economy, keeping the lights on in California is
no small job. That is why the California Independent
System Operator Corp. (ISO) wanted a big and bold
solution to address a host of challenges driven by the massive
scale and diversity of the power grid under its charge.
From the deployment of new smart grid technologies such
as smart meters that add increasing amounts of digital infor-
mation about the grid, to the state’s frequent wildfires and
aggressive timetable for bringing renewable power sources
online, the organization needs to capture and interpret a
growing avalanche of data. Today, an 80-ft by 6.5-ft (24.3-m
by 2-m) video-display wall in a state-of-the-art control center
and innovative visual geospatial software are the embodiment
of the ISO’s groundbreaking vision for real-time data analysis
and decision making.
Big Power Equals Big Data The California ISO manages electricity flow for 80% of the
state’s power grid, delivering 289 million MWh annually to
about 35 million consumers over 25,000 circuit miles (40,234
circuit km) of power lines. The ISO allocates space on trans-
mission lines, tracks fires and other conditions that might af-
fect the availability of power, and works to maximize reliability
and cost-effectively match supply with demand. To keep up
these responsibilities and catch any anomalies on the grid, the
ISO’s operators must analyze volumes of data from multiple
inputs, including sensors, weather feeds, satellite imagery and
more.
The ISO also is a major participant in California’s ambi-
tious agenda for addressing climate change. The state’s goal
is to generate 33% of its power from renewable sources by
2020. As part of this agenda, the ISO is rapidly developing
wind and solar facilities, along with other alternative power
sources. Currently, out of a total installed capacity of about
58,000 MW of power in California, approximately 8,000 MW
are green power, with thousands of additional megawatts of
renewable resources on the way. The need to balance the use
A section of the video display wall at the California Independent System Operator’s control center in Folsom, California.
Answers for infrastructure.
Siemens has a tradition of setting the highest stan-
dards in the field of energy automation. Drawing on
unique experience from the world’s largest installed
system base, Siemens makes its unparalleled expertise
available with its solutions from the ENEAS (Efficient
Network and Energy Automation Systems) range.
Another yardstick of excellence in energy automation,
these system solutions also comprise a number of
specially designed support concepts for maintaining
the value of energy automation systems and optimiz-
ing them throughout their entire life cycle.
Flexible modules covering consulting, training, sup-
port, asset maintenance, retrofit, and also financing
make possible the adaptation to individual customer
needs and ensure optimum system availability.
ENEAS solutions for life cycle management pave the
way for fast, safe, flexible, and profitable operation of
energy automation systems. They safeguard the long-
term value of investments and help prepare for future
requirements.
www.siemens.com/eneas
E5
00
01
-E7
20
-F3
37
-X-4
A0
0
Long-term value retention in energy automation
Siemens ENEAS solutions for life cycle management
44 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
SYSTEMManagement
of intermittent and highly
variable renewable energy
while ensuring the stability of
the electric grid compounds
the challenges the ISO faces.
Every Second CountsIn the past, California
ISO operators viewed data in
traditional tabular formats.
But, with the growing volume
of data and the complexities
of correlating the data from
multiple sources, it became
increasingly diffi cult for oper-
ators to spot trends and anom-
alies, and respond quickly to
changing conditions. In crisis
situations, where every sec-
ond counts, operators cannot
afford to either spend time weeding through pages of data to
fi nd valuable information or miss critical red fl ags entirely.
In addition, each discipline within the ISO had its own
independent software systems and processes, making collabo-
ration and synchronization of information diffi cult, time-
consuming and prone to misunderstandings and delays.
Finally, as the ISO ramped up its commitment to renewable
energy sources to meet California’s mandates, the volume and
complexity of data continued to escalate. The grid operators,
who needed to anticipate and react to weather changes and
other factors that impact things like solar and wind produc-
tion, were challenged to keep up.
Prompted by these issues, the Cali-
fornia ISO wanted to fi nd a way to ef-
fi ciently integrate, analyze and act on
all the many sources of incoming data
so its operators could make better and
faster decisions based on real-time,
actionable information.
Intelligence That Can Be Seen The California ISO embarked on
a project to modernize its control cen-
ters, get a handle on exponential data
growth and maintain the reliability of
the power grid in the face of a growing
demand for renewable energy.
To confront the issues and prepare
for ever-increasing demands on the
grid, the ISO implemented multidi-
mensional geospatial displays that uni-
fy data from diverse sources, giving op-
erators at-a-glance insight into multiple
aspects and behaviors of California’s
grid. Using situational intelligence so-
lutions from Space-Time Insight, the
ISO’s visual analytics system integrates
data from pre-existing real-time sys-
tems and historical databases, overlays
it with external feeds such as weather
and wind speed, and presents the in-
formation in intuitive visual displays so
This is a screen shot displaying the instantaneous location, relative size and fuel types that make up the California electric supply at a given point in time.
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Fundamental Change7KLV�IXQGDPHQWDO�FKDQJH�LQ�KRZ�WR�WKLQN�RI�SRZHU�UHTXLUHV�D�VLJQL¿FDQW�FKDQJH�
in how power distribution grids are designed and how they are operated. The
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absorb power generation from small local power producers and handle new
power consumption patterns.
PowerSense The answer is ‘Reusable Power Distribution’; and PowerSense has the
VROXWLRQ�WR�GLJLWDOL]H�H[LVWLQJ�LQIUDVWUXFWXUH�E\�XVLQJ�FXWWLQJ�HGJH�WHFKQRORJ\��
transforming their ageing power grids into state of the art smart grids. The
digitalization of the existing power equipment allows the power companies
to prepare for a new power distribution future with more alternative energy
sources as well as different load patterns from electrical vehicles.
The DISCOS®�6\VWHP�IURP�3RZHU6HQVH�LV�D�PRGXODU�DQG�UHWUR¿WWDEOH�V\VWHP�IRU�VXSHUYLVLRQ�RI�WKH�SRZHU�GLVWULEXWLRQ�QHWZRUN��
The system is based on optical sensor technology with a 2-way communication technology. Using the DISCOS®�6\VWHP��\RX�ZLOO�EH�
able to get control over your grid and make it smart!
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Reusable Power Distribution Ageing assets and a greater array of renewable energy sources are pushing power distribution companies to digitalize their infrastructure through smart grid technology.
sensethepower.com
46 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
systemManagement
grid operators can take immediate action, when needed.
The California ISO first deployed situational intelligence
to see and respond to wildfires burning close to electric trans-
mission lines. Using Space-Time Insight’s Crisis Intelligence
solution, the ISO was able to combine information on fires
with wind speed and trajectory data, and overlay it on a map
of the transmission system. Rather than having to compare
all these separate sources of information manually, operators
now are able to get a unified view of what is happening so they
can quickly identify lines at risk. This enables the ISO to stay
ahead of fast-moving crisis situations and work proactively
with local utilities to develop action and contingency plans.
Based on the success of this deployment, the ISO extended
its use of situational intelligence to the wholesale electricity
market with Space-Time Insight’s Market Intelligence solution.
This system allows the ISO to visualize and act more efficiently
on market prices across 4,500 locations on the grid and use
the information feed to make
decisions about where to source
the most cost-effective energy.
Most recently, the California
ISO implemented Space-Time
Insight’s Renewables Intelli-
gence solution. With it, the ISO
can integrate data related to all
of the different renewable ener-
gy generation sources — includ-
ing conventional hydroelectric,
solar and wind — and view their
varying real-time outputs and
external impacts in any number
of configurations. For example,
one display combines weather
feeds and cloud cover data with
infrared solar imagery to show
the impact of clouds and weath-
er patterns on solar generators.
Another display shows wind
speed contours, allowing opera-
tors to see pockets of fast-moving
air approaching the wind gen-
eration fleets. This is helpful in
California where forecasting can
be difficult because of different
geographies and microclimates.
Using situational intelligence,
dispatchers now have the abil-
ity to assess, in real time, cur-
rent conditions — such as how
unexpected storms, cloud cover
and wind speed might impact
solar fields and wind farms —
so they can make appropriate
adjustments to optimize the use
of renewable power. In addition,
the ISO can better leverage the
data to stay within defined limits on the circuit path, which
prevents damage to the power system infrastructure and helps
to avoid millions of dollars in potential fines.
The Big PictureThe California ISO has incorporated each of the Space-
Time Insight applications into a video wall that fronts its new
control center. The video displays contain multiple layers of
information that can be digested quickly, focusing on the
availability and capacity of power plants, voltage stability, re-
newables forecasting, congestion management and grid reli-
ability. While individual operators also have access to relevant
information at their desktops, the 10 visualization screens on
the video wall deliver a big-picture view of the entire system,
ensuring optimal information sharing, as well as trend and
anomaly detection.
For example, the video wall displays a rolling 24-hour view
A continuous chart of the renewables composition and contribution to electricity supply in California during a 24-hour period in August 2011.
Displays such as this one help California ISO operators take full advantage of fast-moving air approaching wind-generation fleets.
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48 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
systemManagement
lar analytics. By combining external data sources with internal
data, polling the grid in millisecond intervals and presenting
the results in an intuitive geospatial visual display, the ISO gets
a far clearer and more actionable picture of all the informa-
tion available.
The difference between the older one-line diagram displays
and the new situational intelligence solutions is like compar-
ing an X-ray with an MRI. The ISO operators now only need to
look up at the display wall to get a sense of what is happening
on the grid.
James McIntosh ([email protected]) is director and
executive operations advisor of the California ISO, where he is
responsible for solving the operational challenges of renew-
able resource integration. He also is involved with creating
renewable interconnection standards to meet grid-reliability
requirements. McIntosh oversaw the design of the critical asset
wing of the new ISO control center and brought on-line the first
renewables dispatch desk in the United States. In helping to cre-
ate what may be the most modern control center in the world,
he sought to develop situational intelligence screens that would
equip operators with tools integral to maintaining reliability as
California achieves its renewable energy goals.
Companies mentioned:California ISO www.caiso.com
Space-Time Insight www.spacetimeinsight.com
A full shot of the video-display wall at the ISO and some of the individual workstations.
of the energy produced by the basic renewables groups. Color-
coding indicates the usage levels of different energy sources.
A dip in solar output is clearly visible during the night period,
and the wind output reflects the variances in wind speed.
One part of the display shows what small hydropower facilities
(capable of producing up to 30 MW) are producing. Biomass,
biogas and geothermal sources also are illustrated. By study-
ing a 24-hour history and comparing the weather pattern for
that period with the forecast for the next 24 hours, California
ISO generation dispatchers can make more-accurate predic-
tions about changing patterns and adjust their setpoints out to
the generators. Alerts warn operators of potential problems.
The success of these new visualization capabilities is mea-
sured by how reliable the system is, how effectively renewables
are being integrated into the system and how quickly opera-
tors can respond to potential risks. Today, the ISO operators
are more productive despite a far more complex environment.
The ISO also is better able to avoid blackouts and disruptions
in supply, as well as increase the renewables level on the grid
while maintaining reliability, which is the ultimate goal.
From X-Ray to MRIThe beauty of California ISO’s situational intelligence
system is it makes very complex data much easier to under-
stand. There is much less need for operators to search through
spreadsheets or comb through pages of text documents to
make correlations or identify critical information. While the
macro view of all the data is extremely valuable, operators can
still dig into the details and perform multiple levels of granu-
2
www.ieeet-d.org
Dear Power and Energy Professional:
It is our pleasure to invite you to experience the 2012 IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition from May 7-10,
2012 in Orlando, Florida. As in past events this one will draw attendance from power and energy professionals from all over the world. We are pleased to have the support of two host utilities, Progress Energy and OUC (Orlando Utilities Commission) a municipal utility, owned by the citizens of Orlando. The 2012 conference and exposition will seek to surpass past events both in terms of size, attendance and dynamism. As with our previous events we expect to provide information and networking experience that will pique the interest of all our attendees. As an attendee you should come prepared for a riveting, thought-provoking and memorable experience. This conference and exposition, as it has in the past, will deliver the most up-to-date and signifi-cant technical information for power and energy professionals and it will also provide opportunities for industry leaders, managers, operating pro-fessionals, academics and government officials to exchange ideas on technological trends and best practices. Speakers representing the industry will present and discuss the latest topics in contemporary and prospective issues focusing on strategies, experiences and techniques in the evolving power and energy industry. The Smart Grid, cyber security, cap and trade, renewable energy sources, energy storage, improvements in transmission and distribution reliability, power quality and end-user electrical system design and operation are just a few topics that are being talked about and discussed throughout the worldwide electric utility industry. The conference and exposition will address all of these topics and more. When you attend this conference you will be awed as to the exhibition area and the number of vendors exhibiting the latest and greatest products and services available in the industry today. To complement your knowledge-building exper-
ience, attendees are invited to get on board any of the technical tours that will visit some of the most advanced technological sites and facilities. Register now for tours as space is limited and reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis. The 2012 IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition kicks off with our Open Reception on Monday, May 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel with a Celebration of Fabulous Florida in the Fifties. As with all of the T and D events we’ve planned several networking and social events, including our Opening Reception on Monday evening, a Networking Reception on Wednesday beginning at 4:30 p.m. and a closing Reception at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday. In the upcoming weeks and months, our website (www.ieeet-d.org) will serve as an important source of information for all conference-related matters. Visit it often. Here you will find instructions for registration and housing as well as important information regarding Super Sessions, Technical Tours, panel and paper sessions, networking opportunities and social events. The Orlando Local Organizing Committee
Organized and designed to provide the international power-delivery
community with the information and detail necessary to manage
technology and business solutions now and in the decades ahead.
MAKING INNOVATION WORK FOR TOMORROW
www.ieeet-d.org
�
Aaron Staley, Co-Chair Ray Desouza, Co-ChairJerry Murhpy, Technical Tours / Florida PDHs Bobbi Johns, Adminstrative Support Al Medina, VIP and GiftsMorteza Talebi, Collegiate Representative Victor Basantes, Collegiate Representative Shreeharsh Mallick, Collegiate Representative Kristy Baksh, Women and Minorities in EngineeringChris LaRussa, Women and Minorities in Engineering Shay Bahramirad, Women and Minorities in Engineering Melvin Philpot, Women and Minorities in EngineeringCarl J Turner, Volunteers Chair Brian Wilson, Volunteers Chair Chris Gowder, Local Committee MemberJeff Kipfinger, Local Committee MemberSophia O’Keefe, Local Committee MemberDebbie Hall, Collegiate RepresentativeDavid Touvell, Collegiate Representative
2012 Local Organizing Committee
Tommy Mayne, Executive Chairman Ernst Camn, Technical Program Co-Chair Mitch Bradt, Technical Program Co-ChairEd Myers, Finance Co-ChairGary Rehor, Finance Co-ChairBarry LeCerf, Marketing ConsultantBarbara Powell, Operations Consultant Shawn Boon, Exhibits and ExhibitorsMary Novack, Web Site Coordinator Gail Sparks-Riegel, Operations Consultant Nancy Needel, Housing Operations
2012 IEEE PES T&D Staff
A WORLD CLASS EVENT FOR THE
POWER-DELIVERY PROFESSIONAL
Experience the most valuable conference in the industry. The tradition of the IEEE PES T and D Conference is to present the information and
detail necessary that you will need to manage tech-nology and business solutions in the years ahead. The 2012 Conference will be no exception. It will present the future of the industry through an out-standing compilation of technical and business ses-sions, special presentations and exhibit displays. Industry experts and recognized authorities will be sharing their expertise and impressions of the chang-es and challenges that lie ahead. This Conference is set to focus on the major technology areas of the new power and energy envi-ronment, including:O�The smart grid with communications and cyber security developments.O�Integration of renewable energy sources.O�Programs to reduce emissions, promote more en-ergy efficient energy use and improve environmental quality.O�Energy storage systems for wind integration and power system peak shaving.O�Improvements in transmission system reliability to prevent blackouts and voltage collapse. O� Improvements in distribution system reliability through enhanced design and operation. O�Improvements in power quality through enhanced distribution system and end-user electrical system design and operation.
O�The emerging application of gas insulated substa-tion (GIS), gas insulated transmission line (GIL) and mixed technology switchgear (MTS). Providing attendees with information about practical solutions-oriented topics is the goal of the Conference. The technical program will be the most comprehensive of its kind and designed to provide attendees with a fully-educational environment in which they can earn Continuing Education Units and Professional Development Hour certificates. As an attendee you will gain authoritative insight and analysis into the issues you now face as a power and energy professional. The IEEE PES 2012 event is an intensive learning experience and an ideal op-portunity to build valuable relationships with your colleagues and experts from around the world who are interested in improving your base of knowledge.
4
www.ieeet-d.org
Monday, May 7 8:00 am – 5:00 pm International Visitors Center Open8:00 am – 5:00 pm Tutorials (Purchased Ticket Required) 8:30 am – 4:30 pm Technical Tours
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Opening Reception, Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel (Badge Required)
Tuesday, May 8 7:00 am – 5:00 pm International Vistors Center Open8:00 am – 10:00 am Opening Session10:00 am – 5:00 pm Exposition Open12:30 pm – 3:30 pm Technical Tours12:30 pm – 5:00pm Ethics/Florida Laws and Rules
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Technical Sessions
Wednesday, May 9 7:00 am – 5:00 pm International Visitors Center Open8:00 am – 5:30 pm Smart Grid Day at T and D8:00 am – 5:00 pm Technical Sessions 8:00 am – 12:30 pm Ethics/Florida Laws and Rules 10:00 am – 12:00 noon Super Session I8:30 am – 4:00 pm Technical Tours9:00 am – 11:00 am Student Job Fair9:30 am – 5:00 pm Info Sesions10:00 am – 6:00 pm Exposition Open11:30 am – 1:00 pm Collegiate/GOLD/Industry Luncheon (Ticket Required)1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Super Session II1:30 pm - 3:30 pm Student Job Fair4:30 pm – 6:00 pm Networking Reception in Exhibit Halls5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Poster Session Reception (Conference Registration Required)
Thursday, May 107:00 am – 2:00 pm International Visitors Center Open7:30 am – 2:30 pm Technical Tours8:00 am – 3:30 pm Technical Sessions 9:30 am – 2:00 pm Info Sesions10:00 am – 3:00 pm Exposition Open10:00 am – 12:00 noon Super Session III
2:30 pm – 4:00 pm Closing Reception
2012 IEEE PES T AND D CONFERENCE AND
EXPOSITION SCHEDULE-AT-A-GLANCE
Updates to this schedule of events can be viewed at www.ieeet-d.org. Please watch for the complete technical program to be issued within 45 days.
Advance Registration
If you are interested in attending the 2012 IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Expo-sition you can access the web site now at www.ieeet-d.org. Click on “Registration,” and complete the form and pay by credit card. Advance Registration not only saves money but time. Registration badges are required to board con-ference shuttle buses and to attend the Conference Opening Reception.
On Site Registration Hours
On site registration will be located in Hall C Lobby at the Orange County Convention Center West.
Sunday May 6, 12 noon – 4:00 pm (Exhibitors Only)Monday May 7, 7:00 am – 5:00 pmTuesday May 8, 7:00 am – 5:00 pmWednesday May 9, 7:00 am – 5:00 pmThursday May 10, 7:00 am – 10:00 am
Hotel Information
A list of the Orlando hotels taking reservations for the 2012 IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Confer-ence and Exposition can be viewed now. We urge you to make housing reservations online at www.ieeet-d.org. Click on “Housing”.
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Opening Conference Reception Celebrate the Fabulous Fifties!
Monday, May 7, 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel
Celebrate Fabulous Florida in the Fifties at Monday evening’s Opening Reception at Orlando’s Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel. You will be carried back to the swinging Miami scene and through the swamps of the Everglades. Experience the music, foods, high life and low country culture in the most entertaining ways you can imagine. Watch for clues coming to all registered attendees building the anticipation of a night to remember at the 2012 IEEE PES T and D Conference. Shuttle buses will take you to and from your hotel. Registration badge is required.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW!
SMART GRID DAY at T and D
WEDNESDAY MAY 9, 2012
IEEE Power & Energy Society is committed to pro-viding leadership for Smart Grid by facilitating standards development, educational offerings, peer-
reviewed publications and events to advance technical development and implementation. A complete Smart Grid program is planned at this year’s 2012 T and D event to highlight lessons and identify opportunities as experts reflect upon the most recent Smart Grid devel-opments.
8:00 am–8:30 am Smart Grid Day Opening
8:30 am–10:00 am Smart Grid Standards:
Developments and Gaps
10:45 am–12:00 noon Lessons Learned from Smart
Grid Deployments
1:00 pm–3:00 pm Connecting with the Community
3:15–5:15 pm The Future of the Smart Grid–
Technology, Policy, Standards
and Consumer Behavior
5:15 pm Wrap up of Smart Grid Day
Super Sessions Wednesday & Thursday
SS01: Addressing the Ageing Transmission and Distribution InfrastructureWednesday May 910:00 am–12:00 noonChair/Moderator: TBD
Session Summary: Investment in transmission and dis-tribution infrastructure has regularly been cited as a critical need. Included in the assessment is the require-ment to upgrade or replace ageing systems, which of-ten presents unique challenges. What are utilities do-ing about this? How are they justifying the significant financial investment on these projects and programs? The session will review transmission and distribution projects undertaken by some utilities, examine how
funding challenges were met, share examples of lever-aging technology to enhance existing capacity and gain efficiency, and discuss the risk of increased regulatory oversight in this area.
SS02: Integration of RenewablesWednesday May 91:00 pm–3:00 pmChair/Moderator: Mitch Bradt, PE, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Session Summary: The installation of solar and wind energy in the grid has presented the opportunity to en-hance energy diversity and independence while at the same time, creating challenges to engineers as to inte-grating it into the existing grid. As utilities and develop-ers strive to install generating capacity to meet customer demand and state mandates and goals, many others have risen to the challenge of accommodating these new, variable generation sources. The panel session will pro-vide a broad view on the integration topic with timely presentations related to reliability, economics, technol-ogy and case studies.
SS03: Microgrids, Islanding and Distributed Generation Thursday May 1010:00 am–12:00 noon Chair/Moderator: Carl J. Turner, PE, SAIC Energy Environment and Infrastructure
Session Summary: State and Federal legislation and in-creased residential and commercial customer interest in renewable resources, energy reliability, and sustainabili-ty continue to put pressure on utilities to allow a greater penetration of distributed generation into their systems. Investigation continues into the possibilities of employ-ing microgrids and dynamic islanding concepts to po-tentially increase system reliability, threatening to exact a paradigm shift in the way distribution systems are operated, maintained, and constructed. Engineers are left with the challenges of meeting these demands with infrastructure that was not designed for such a purpose. Development of technical standards of practice and contractual/market related standards as well as deploy-
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ment of greater numbers of intelligent electronic devices on utility distribution systems continue to aid engineers, but are works in progress. Utilities are left with the deci-sion on how far to go with significant changes in poli-cies and practices while staying in position to deal with future market and technology developments.
Special Course–Ethics/Florida Laws & RulesThe 2012 IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Con-ference and Exposition is offering this course as two, four-hour sessions which has been tentatively planned for Tuesday afternoon May 8 and Wednesday morning May 9. This course is verified by the Florida Engineering Society for the necessary requirements for Professional Engineers in the State of Florida. The vast majority of other states accept this as the ethics requirementsfor Professional Engineer.
Conference TutorialsAn in-depth examination of topics important to power and energy professionals. (Special paid registration re-quired. Lunch provided for full day tutorials.)
TUT01C37.48.1 - A Guide for the Application, Operation and Coordination of High-Voltage Current-Limiting Fuses Monday, May 7, 8:00 am - 12:15 pm $125/$150
TUT02Wind Plant Collector System Grounding for Personal Safety Monday, May 7, 8:00 am - 12:15 pm $125/$150
TUT03Smart Grid 101- The Basics of Smart Grid Monday, May 7, 8:00 am - 12:15 pm $125/150
TUT04Smart Grid 201- A Deeper View of Smart Grid Monday, May 7, 1:00 pm - 5:15 pm $125/150
TUT05FACTS Controllers and Their Modeling Techniques Monday, May 7, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm $225/$250
TUT06Voltage-Sourced Converters Monday, May 7, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm $225/$250
TUT072012 NESC Major Changes and General Overview Monday, May 7, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm $225/$250
TUT08IEEE Tutorial on the Protection of Synchronous Gen-erators Monday, May 7, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm $225/$250
TUT09DNP3/IEEE 1815 Monday, May 7, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm $225/$250
TUT10Gas Insulated Substations and Lines Monday, May 7, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm $225/$250
TUT11Smart Grid 301–Security Tuesday, May 8, 1:00 pm - 5:15 pm $125/150
Education Tracks Education Track: Fundamentals of Electric Power Sys-tems for Engineers Eight sequential two-hour sessions will be taught by experienced power system educators. The purpose of the track is to provide refresher materials on the electri-cal engineering fundamentals of power systems for engineers. Watch for further details as instructors are announced.
ES01: Tuesday, May 8, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Phasor Analysis, Power Definitions, Single-Phase and Three-Phase Circuits
ES02: Tuesday, May 8, 3:10 pm - 5:10 pm Transformers, Per-Unit System, and Symmetrical Components
ES03: Wednesday, May 9 8:00 am - 10:00 am Loadflow
ES04: Wednesday, May 9, 10:10 am - 12:10 pm Short Circuit Calculations
ES05: Wednesday, May 9, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm System Protection
ES06: Wednesday, May 9, 3:10 pm - 5:10 pm Wind Power Plant Basics
ES07: Thursday, May 10, 8:00 am - 10:00 am Power Quality and Harmonics
ES08: Thursday, May 10, 10:10 am - 12:10 pm Hands on instruction by Relay Manufactures (GE, ABB, Siemens, and SEL)
Poster Session An important part of the IEEE PES Technical Program is the Poster Session, where papers from each represented committee and all topics will be presented. Authors will be on-hand for an open dialog with attendees. This year the posters will be presented during a recep-tion held in the Valencia Ballroom at the Orange County Convention Center on Wednesday May 9 at 4:30 pm– 7:00 pm. The Student Poster Contest will be co-located with the Poster Session. Student presenters will be available from 5:00 pm–7:00 pm to discuss their poster. Full Con-ference, student attendees, and Wednesday Technical Session registrants only are invited to this reception.
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Technical Panel SessionsTuesday-Thursday, May 8 - 10 (Ongoing)Technical panel sessions are scheduled each day of the Conference from Tuesday, May 8 to Thursday, May 10. Dozens of panel sessions have been organized by the various PES technical committees and will be chaired by recognized experts in the field. Full Conference badges are required for entrance to the panel sessions.
Plain Talk About the Electric Power IndustryCourses are Co-Located with the IEEE PES T&D Conference and ExpositionOrlando, FloridaMay 7-9, 2012 These courses for the power industry professional will help you to understand technical aspects of the elec-tric power industry, even if you do not have an engineer-ing background. You will gain insights into the concerns of engineers, the demands of regulators and consumer groups, and the factors and trends that impact the op-eration of today’s electric power systems. These courses are also appropriate for new engineers to the industry, or for engineers in other fields who are transitioning to the electric power industry.
Power System Basics–Understanding the Electric Util-ity Operation Inside and Out Monday, May 7, 2012 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Distribution System–Delivering Power to the Customer Tuesday, May 8, 2012 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Transmission System–The Interconnected Bulk Electric System Wednesday, May 9, 2012 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Each day begins at 7:30 am with continental breakfast and registration. These courses are eligible for CEU/PDH credit. Plain Talk registrants will be provided with a com-plimentary Exhibit Floor pass for Thursday, May 10th. The Exposition Floor includes hundreds of exhibitors from around the world displaying the latest products and services across a broad spectrum of technology cat-egories. O�Registration to the T and D Conference not Required. O�Early Bird Registration Ends April 9, 2012
Special Interest SessionsThese sessions are offered are focused on in depth issues that are both timely and have a high level of interest to attendees. Attendees should check online at the event web site www.ieeet-d.org for regular updates to this seg-ment of the technical program.
Continuing Education and Professional
DevelopmentAt the 2012 IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition you have an ideal opportu-nity to obtain Professional Development Hour (PDH)
certificates. You can earn the certificates by attending Panel, Paper and Educational tutorial sessions. The certificates will be useful for Registered Professional Engineers in states where continuing education is re-quired. Attendees may use these sessions for attaining and meeting their own personal or company develop-mental objectives.
Conference ProceedingsAll conference and panel sessions will be placed in the conference proceedings and provided to all full confer-ence registrants, free of charge. Additional copies will be available for a fee.
International Visitors CenterDuring the Conference and Exposition, international attendees are invited to visit the International Visitors Center. The International Visitors Center will be open beginning on Monday, May 7 at 8:00 am.
THE EXPOSITION – Orange County
Convention Center Halls B-DExperience the largest and most comprehensive exhibit area in the industry. (For a complete and up-to-date listing of exhibiting companies please go to the confer-ence web site.) In a changing working environment, it is imperative that suppliers understand and adapt to future needs. The hundreds of exhibiting companies who will be ex-hibiting are aware of these changes and through their commitment to the industry, they will be displaying the latest products and technologies available. All of the manufacturers will be poised to display their latest “state of the art” equipment for design and engineering, construction, installation, operation, pro-tection, and maintenance of the power system of the fu-ture. Among the products to be displayed are monitor-ing and testing equipment, system protection, including breakers and relays, communication and control, SCADA, EMS, distribution automation, demand-side management, AM/FM, GIS, GPS, customer informa-tion systems, meters, and metering devices, telecom-munication systems, computer hardware and software systems, substation equipment, transmission system equipment and engineering services, overhead distribu-tion equipment and services, underground distribution equipment and services, mechanical construction and maintenance and fleet management, station, auxiliary equipment, training systems and services, transform-ers, outdoor lighting, tools, rope and safety equipment, wire and cable, switchgear, consulting and contracting services.
Exhibitor Application ProcessFloor plans are on the web site at www.ieeet-d.org and are updated daily as booths are assigned.
Exhibitor Info SessionsTake advantage of this opportunity to meet face-to-face with manufacturers and exhibiting companies who can provide you with the solutions for your engineering,
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operations, maintenance and construction challenges. These sessions are an important part of the technical program and are held in meeting rooms at the Orange County Convention Center. Consult the final program for times and locations
Collegiate/GOLD Activities Offer an Opportunity to Connect with Experts in the IndustryA special Collegiate/GOLD/Industry Luncheon and reception is scheduled for Wednesday, May 9 between 11:30 am - 1:00 pm. Ticket is required. Undergraduate students, graduate students and Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) are invit-ed to join us for the Collegiate/GOLD program. Highlights of the program include a collegiate job fair, tours of the exhibit halls, and as mentioned above, a Collegiate/GOLD/Industry luncheon. Future engi-neers studying and preparing for careers in the electric power industry will have an opportunity to visit with experts in the industry, examine the products and tech-nologies in the exposition hall. Students will present papers they have prepared under the supervision of a sponsoring professor from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm in the Valencia Ballroom during the Poster Session Reception. The winner will be announced during the Closing Re-ception on Thursday.
Technical Tours in BriefState-of- the-Art Technologies at Work
Technical tours offer a close-up look at some of the most technologically advanced facilities in the world. The technical tour program has been arranged by the 2012 local organizing committee in coordination with the host utility. Reservations are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Please visit: www.ieeet-d.org. Click on Technical Tours for further information..
OUC Energy Control Center Cost: $25.00TOUR DATES/TIME: (Bus Departing Orange County Convention Center)(TT01) May 7th, 8:30 am - 10:30 am(TT05) May 8th, 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm(TT10) May 9th, 8:30 am - 10:30 am(TT14) May 10th, 8:30 am - 10:30 am
OUC Chilled Water Plant & SF6 Insulated Substation Cost:$ 25.00TOUR DATE/TIME: (TT15) May 10th, 8:30 am - 11:30 am
Progress Energy’s Transmission & Distribution (T&D) Training Center Cost: $25.00TOUR DATES/TIME: (TT11) May 9th, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm (TT16) May 10th, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Tampa Electric Company (TEC) Polk Power Station, Tampa FL
Cost: $35.00TOUR DATE/TIME(TT03) May 7th, 8:30 am - 1:30 pm
Cane Island Power Park Cost: $25.00TOUR DATES/TIME (tour not travel): (TT06) May 8th, 12:30 pm - 4:00 pm(TT12) May 9th, 12:30 pm - 4:00 pm
The International Center for Lightning Research and Testing (ICLRT) Cost: $40.00TOUR DATE/TIME: (TT13) May 10th, 7:30 AM - 2:30 pm
Curtis H. Stanton Energy Center Cost: $25.00 per personTOUR DATES/TIME: (TT02) May 7th, 8:30 am - 1:00 pm(TT09) May 9th, 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
Orange County Convention Center Solar PV Demon-stration Facility and Climate-Change Education Center Cost: $10.00TOUR DATES/TIME: (TT07) May 8th, 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm(TT08) May 8th, 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm(TT17) May 10th, 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Day-Trip to Florida Solar Center (Full Day) Cost: $40.00TOUR DATES/TIME: (TT04) May 7th, 8:30 AM - 4:30 pm
Networking Reception – Mark Your
Calendars!Wednesday, May 9, 4:30 pm - 6:00 pmExposition Halls B-DOrange County Convention Center
Our research shows that one of the most important as-pects of a conference for attendees is NETWORKING with vendors and fellow attendees. Our networking re-ception is designed to bring together national and inter-national product specialists, experts and industry lead-ers for a relaxing get-to-know-you event.
Closing Ceremony and ReceptionChicago, Illinois in 2014!!!
Join us on Thursday afternoon beginning at 2:30 - 4:00 pm as we celebrate the success of our 2012 Conference and Exposition in Orlando and enthusiastically look forward to 2014 for the next big celebration of inno-vation in the one of America’s best convention cities– Chicago, Illinois.
Life Line 48B | Field Applications 48D | Photovoltaic Panels 48F | Mobile Inspections 48J
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2012
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Field Study in Solar
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com48B
ElEctric Utility OpEratiOns
liFELine
l Born in Clarksville, Tennessee.
l Enjoys golfing, hunting and fishing.
l Describes himself as a man who loves his work and his family.
l Can’t live without his bucket truck or his crane.
l Inspired by his dad, who is a retired lineman and a Methodist
minister.
l Learned valuable life lessons from his uncle, Elvis Beller, who
showed him how to have a strong work ethic.
Early YearsMy dad encouraged me to join the trade. I remember do-
ing hard work growing up. Every weekend, I helped my dad to
top trees, pull hand lines, tie ropes, perform rigging and hand
tools to him.
I started as an apprentice lineman in 1996 for Tennessee
Valley Authority (TVA). We built power lines and switches
from Mississippi to Kentucky.
Day in the LifeMy typical day starts at 7 a.m. We have a teleconference,
and I meet with my crew and discuss our daily work schedule.
I then visit the office, load up on materials, head out to the job
site and perform a pre-job briefing.
Our crew is responsible for maintenance, and we operate
cranes, retire lines, run wire pullers and build pads. We also
change poles, run bulldozers, inspect power lines and check
the condition of our tools and grounds.
Crew CamaraderieI have a wonderful crew. The youngest member is 40 years
old, and the oldest is 55 years old. I have one guy who worked
all over the United States as a contractor and another who
retired from Fayetteville Utilities in Fayetteville, Tennessee,
and then came to work for TVA. Sometimes we golf together
after work, and it’s great that we get along so well. If you can’t
have fun at work, then it’s no use coming to work.
Safety LessonI watched four people die one day in Savannah, Tennessee,
during a stringing operation. We were using a helicopter to
pull in rope. I was sent to the other side of the river to unhook
the rope. My pole buddy climbed the pole to throw the rope
over a previously pulled in rope to get a buck out of it. As he
moved down the pole, the helicopter blades accidentally hit
the top of the pole. The first rotor blade hit the pole, and the
second split my friend in half. The helicopter then went down
to the ground, and it instantly killed three people, including
two pilots and a crew chief. A weighted rope narrowly missed
my foreman, who was talking on his radio.
I watched the entire thing from the other side of the river.
After it happened, I went back over there, and the emergency
responders were already on site. I couldn’t believe that I was
sitting elbow-to-elbow with my friend that morning, and then
all of a sudden, he was gone. That was Feb. 3, 1998, and it made
me realize that safety always needs to be first and foremost.
Memorable StormA tornado hit Jackson, Tennessee, back in 1998 when I was
a third-year apprentice. It caused massive devastation. The
towers were twisted, the wire was broken, and a tower was
crunched down into a ball with a chain-link fence wrapped
around it.
The tornado also tore through a subdivision and flattened
three-quarters of the homes. A power line ran through that
subdivision, and we had to go through and install new wire
and rebuild the line.
As we were working, we had to watch people sift through
their personal belongings and see what was left of their homes.
Because we had to restore power, we were out there walking
around and stepping over all of their things.
Plans for the FutureI’ve spent 15 years in the field. Time flies when you are hav-
ing fun. I enjoy the challenge of the work, and I try to learn
something new every day. That’s what draws me back and keeps
me in this trade from one day to the next. I was in my 30s when
I got started, so I’ll probably work out in the field until I’m
about 60, and then I’ll enjoy golfing, hunting and fishing.
I’ve seen so many people who have lived only six months
after their retirement. For example, we have one foreman who
is 75 and still working, and that won’t be me. I’d like to retire
early enough to enjoy life.
Foreman Roy Arms prepares to help the Murfreesboro line crew cut a de-energized line over Interstate 40 in Watertown, Tennessee.
Roy ArmsTennessee Valley Authority
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1643
pole. The problem with this work method, however, was that
it was very time-consuming. At times, field crews would spend
almost two days drilling a 6.5-ft hole in solid rock. To make it
even more challenging, the rock that the linemen had to drill
into was made of a form of silica in some areas. This rock is
extremely hard and is made of the same material that is used
to sharpen carbide bits.
One day, however, the utility noticed that a local telecom-
munications contractor was setting poles using a self-contained
machine with a down-the-hole hammer. The workers told the
utility’s crew that they could drill a hole in solid rock in 20 or
30 minutes. Discussions began within NAEC about how that
type of drill would drastically improve productivity of setting
poles in areas of solid rock. The company then made contact
with Workizer Work Products to discuss how such a hammer
could be configured to drill rock holes but also be mobile
enough to be taken off road into rough rights-of-way.
Months down the road, Workizer sold a configuration of
the hammer to a company that was sub-contracted to drill
holes on NAEC’s system. They then rented an air compressor
to run it. For about a year-and-a-half, the contractor worked
on parts of NAEC’s system. Therefore, the utility’s field crews
could see the drill in action.
When the contractor reached the area on NAEC’s system
with the hardest rock, the hammer had a hard time penetrat-
ing the rock. After discussions with Workizer, the hammer
was changed to an Atlas Copco USA hammer using a 900-cfm
air compressor. Using the Atlas Copco hammer, the contrac-
tor was able to create a hole in about 30 minutes after every-
thing was set up. This configuration was packaged and sold by
Workizer Work Products as the Drill Boss 2.
Modifying the MachineIn 2009, the utility decided to purchase a machine from
Dave Workizer, the owner of Workizer Work Products. Workiz-
er listened to the utility’s needs and then worked with his team
to make custom modifications to the Drill Boss 2.
The manufacturer added a shock absorber and an air swiv-
el to the top of the machine. In addition, NAEC wanted it to
have a smaller footprint as well as an on-board air compres-
sor. The utility had to share the machine across three separate
districts, so it didn’t want the air compressor to be dedicated
to just one machine, but rather have the ability to transfer the
drill between digger trucks.
Workizer Work Products sold the utility the hammer, the
compressor and the hosting components. The utility then
fieldApplications
electric Utility OperatiOns
By James Woody, North Arkansas Electric Cooperative
Crews Set Poles in Rocky Terrain
Drilling holes in solid rock used to be a time-con-
suming and labor-intensive process for Northern
Arkansas Electric Cooperative’s (NAEC’s) field
crews. Their service territory contains a significant
amount of rocky terrain, making it necessary for the crews to
rely on heavy machinery and explosives to get the job done.
For several decades, the workers had to drill pilot holes,
drop explosives into the holes and then use a rock auger with
bullet teeth to create a hole wide and deep enough for a new
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com48D
The linemen clamp the bit to the trailer.
down. Every once in a while, the linemen pull up the bit and
allow the air pressure to blow the fine shavings out of the
hole. They usually will drill about 6 or 12 inches, allow the air
pressure to clean out the hole and then drill another 6 inches.
Usually, it will take 30 to 40 minutes to drill a hole that is
6.5 ft deep.
Saving Time on Conductor ReplacementOver the last few years, NAEC has used the machine on
a variety of different jobs. However, in the last year, the com-
pany has dedicated the Drill Boss 2 to an ongoing conductor-
replacement project.
As part of this job, the workers inspect the system and then
designate areas where they need to replace conductor that was
damaged during the 2009 ice storm. They are also performing
many line upgrades by adding poles and lines, and rebuilding
old line sections with new conductor. The linemen are setting
some new poles and replacing others that are between 15 and
35 years old.
In 2011 alone, the workers drilled 150 holes in rock using
the Drill Boss 2. This year, the workers will continue to rely on
the machine. The project spans about 207 miles, and so far,
they have completed about 100 miles.
About 40% of the terrain consists of different types of rock
from limestone to sandstone to silica. The workers can use the
machine to drill through hard rock in about 40 minutes or
even faster on softer rock, which breaks up more easily.
After using the machine, the workers have a clean 18-inch
cylindrical hole in the rock. After setting the wood pole, the
linemen fill the hole with the fillings that are left over from
drilling. They then compact it with a tamper for a secure
installation.
Over the last few years, the machine has held up well. When
first purchased, the utility wasn’t sure how long the machine
would go before it would have to replace the bit. So far, work-
ers have had to sharpen the bit once, and soon they will have
to do it again. After that point, the utility most likely will need
to replace the bit.
Before the machine, the linemen were using a lot of explo-
sive material each year; now they hardly use any explosives.
As a result, they have saved production on the jobs tenfold.
Instead of taking 10 hours to do the job, it only takes an hour
or less. In turn, the machine has helped to improve productiv-
ity in the field significantly.
James Woody ([email protected]) is the operations manager
for North Arkansas Electric Cooperative in Salem, Arkansas.
Woody, who has been with the company for 13 years, oversees
the construction, operation and maintenance, fleet, dispatch-
ing and warehousing departments. Woody is a 1995 electrical
engineering graduate from the University of Arkansas.
ElEctric Utility OpEratiOns
packaged all of the parts together on a self-contained trailer.
The unit was received and began operation in January 2009.
Using the Machine in the FieldTo learn how to use the machine, field crews watched a
video and engaged in on-the-job training. They also followed
the written procedures and instructions provided by Workiz-
er. After the utility received the unit, Workizer Work Products
taught the NAEC linemen how to drill holes and maintain the
equipment properly.
NAEC owns one machine with a 17.5-inch bit on the end of
the hammer. To create a hole in rock, the linemen first attach
it on any standard digger truck and then use the digger truck
to lift the bit out of the cradle on the trailer. The linemen then
suspend the hammer on the side of the trailer, and a mechani-
cal clamp holds it in place. Then, while the hammer is held
on the side of the trailer, the linemen insert the auger shaft
into it, and pin it to the bit. They can then move the bit at that
point. A hose is stored on a reel attached to the trailer, and the
linemen can unreel the amount of hose necessary to match
the bit. The hammer and bit are then moved to the location
for drilling.
Usually while someone attaches the bit to the truck, anoth-
er person starts the air compressor and gets it warmed up and
running. After it is ready to go, then they can begin drilling.
The drill works off of air pressure and the weight of the bit
pressing against the ground. To use the machine, the linemen
pick the bit up, clamp it to the trailer, clamp the bit to the
truck and then begin drilling.
Once they get the hole started, then they can drill straight
Companies mentioned:Atlas Copco USA www.atlascopco.us
North Arkansas Electric Cooperative www.naeci.com
Workizer Work Products www.workizer.com
www.tdworld.com | February 2012 48E
The linemen blow debris out of the hole with air pressure at short intervals.
ElEctric Utility OpEratiOns
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com48F
Utility Embarks on Renewable Energy Project Georgia Power linemen install photovoltaic panels on poles as part of an 18-month research project.
By M. scott Gentry and James Dye, Georgia Power
Photovoltaic (PV) panels are soaking up the sun’s en-
ergy at the top of 50 distribution poles in Georgia.
Georgia Power’s linemen installed the solar panels
as part of an 18-month research project with the
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The organization
is studying how PV can affect the utility’s distribution system
in various climates and weather conditions. The purpose is
to determine the overall PV performance in Georgia and the
potential issues of high penetration of solar PV panels on the
distribution system.
In December 2010, Georgia Power linemen installed 50
solar panels across the state. They installed seven solar panels
on distribution circuits in six different cities, including Au-
gusta, Columbus, Jonesboro, Macon, Savannah and Valdosta.
The crews installed eight solar panels in Rome, Georgia. EPRI
and Georgia Power selected the sites based upon a variety of
environmental parameters, such as the cities’ temperature,
cloud cover and solar intensity.
Selecting Panel Locations Once Georgia Power identified the list of cities, the utility
then had to select certain distribution circuits based on a few
factors. Engineers working in the seven different cities chose
both the distribution circuits and pole locations for the pan-
els. In each city, they selected one distribution circuit based on
geographical diversity. The circuit had to be large enough in
order to gain an adequate sampling of the geographical area.
In each circuit, the engineers chose seven Georgia Power-
owned pole locations to house the solar panels. They used a
Solar Pathfinder to determine the pole locations that received
the most sunlight intensity and the
least amount of shading. The engi-
neers spaced the pole locations at least
1,000 ft apart, but not more than 1 mile
apart.
To avoid shading on the panel, they
took care to avoid any permanent ob-
stacles such as buildings, trees and
overhead lines. Shading reduces the
power output of the solar panel. They
also had to ensure that there was ad-
equate ground and pole clearance for
working space in the future. The engi-
neers selected pole locations to control
these hazards, but in some situations,
the linemen had to modify the pole be-
fore they could install the solar panel.
Installing the Pole-Top Solar Panels
Georgia Power’s distribution au-
tomation engineering team and line
crews worked together to install the Linemen install a photovoltaic panel on a distribution pole in Rome, Georgia.
ElEctric Utility OpEratiOns
www.tdworld.com | February 2012 48G
panels. The distribution automation engineering team con-
structed the solar panel assembly and trained the line crews
on installation procedures. The solar panel assembly includ-
ed the PV panel, pole-mount frame, monitoring equipment
and fused service disconnect. The Georgia Power line crews
installed the pole-top solar panels and will be responsible
for maintaining and troubleshooting the panels during the
18-month project.
The team used Canadian Solar Inc. PV panels, which mea-
sure 3 ft by 5 ft. These panels generate about 200 W of electric-
ity at maximum sunlight. For optimal sun coverage, the panels
were positioned to face south and were installed at a 30-degree
angle from the horizon.
The solar panels use PV cells to convert sunlight into elec-
tricity. As the sunlight strikes the PV cell, electrons are dis-
lodged, creating an electric current. Solar-produced energy
from these panels is not being stored. The energy is being
delivered directly to the distribution system
after being converted from direct current
(40 V DC) to alternating current (240 V AC)
using an Enphase Energy microinverter.
The linemen connected the solar panel
to a distribution transformer through the
secondary wires and a fused service discon-
nect. With the introduction of the solar pan-
el, the transformer’s demand is decreased,
thus reducing the power requirements for
the utility.
Whenever a utility adds distributed gen-
eration, such as solar panels, to the system,
the company must employ methods to pre-
vent the backfeeding of power during out-
age situations. This was Georgia Power’s
main safety concern and the microinverter
was the solution. If the utility’s power is lost,
the microinverter will automatically open
to separate the solar panel from the utility.
This eliminates the possibility of backfeed-
ing. The utility’s distribution circuit must
be energized for 5 minutes before the
microinverter will make the connection.
The microverter is supported on the pole by a pole-mount
frame manufactured by DCS Electronics. In addition to se-
curing the solar panel to the pole at the proper angle, the
frame also secures the monitoring box and the fused service
disconnect.
EPRI designed the equipment, which monitors electri-
cal, solar and environmental data at 1-second intervals. The
monitoring box contains the power meter, pyranometer,
thermistor and data logger. This monitoring equipment re-
quires 120-V AC power from the utility to operate. The
linemen installed a 120-V AC fused service disconnect for
protection.
The power meter is a two-way meter that monitors the cur-
rent, voltage and power output from the solar panel and input
from the utility. The pyranometer monitors the sun intensi-
ty. This data is compared to the output of the solar panel to
determine if it is operating properly. The thermistor monitors
the temperature of the solar panel’s surface. The pyranom-
eter and thermistor will help to determine the efficiency of the
solar panel. The data logger collects, stores and sends all this
data to EPRI using an AT&T cellular signal.
Once the solar panel assembly was completed, it weighed
about 90 lbs and required two people to lift it. The first chal-
lenge was to get the assembly up the pole safely. The pole-
mount frames included lifting bolts for the bucket trucks to
use to lift the solar panel assembly to make installation easier
and safer. The pole-mount frame was bolted to the pole and
secured with side supports. This eliminated twisting of the
panel assembly.
The most significant challenge was clearance. The solar
panels were installed below power and communication lines.
For safe working space, the panels were installed either 40
inches or 72 inches below the lowest communications attach-
A Georgia Power lineman assembles a solar panel at Georgia Power’s facility in Macon, Georgia.
A Georgia Power lineman uses a bucket truck to hoist the solar panel assembly using the lifting bolts.
ELECTRIC UTILITY OPERATIONS
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com48H
Georgia Power Studies Solar Panel Power Output
ment depending on the location of overhead wires. They re-
quired more clearance if wires were directly above the panels.
The solar panels must have a ground clearance of 11 ft over
walkways or 15 ft over roads.
All components of the solar panel assembly were grounded
together with a continuous grounding electrode and bonded
to the pole ground. Requiring two buckets trucks and at least
three linemen, the installation of one solar panel took about
three hours to complete.
Training Crews The distribution automation engineering team visited the
Georgia Power headquarters in each of the seven cities to train
the region personnel and line crews. The classroom-based
training included instruction on installation, use and trouble-
shooting procedures.
For better understanding, fi eld-based training included a
demonstrational solar panel training pole that was built on
the back of a trailer. This training pole included a fully opera-
tional solar panel showing all connections and required clear-
ances. The line crews particularly enjoyed this training pole
because it provided a visual representation.
All region personnel were excited to be included in the
project that was leading the company in the study of solar
panel technology.
Conducting Ongoing Research EPRI plans to monitor each of the panels for power output
Now that Georgia Power linemen have installed the solar
panels, EPRI and the utility are now studying the results. The
solar panel’s monitoring equipment collects data at 1-second
intervals.
Figure 1 shows power production over one day at 15-minute
averages.
Figure 2 shows power production for 10 minutes at 1-second
samples. As expected, the solar power production is the
highest around noon and early afternoon. The drops in power
production are most likely caused by shading of passing clouds.
Figure 3 displays the solar panel power output over a
geographical area. The top picture shows the distribution
circuit located in Rome, Georgia. The solar panel locations are
shown on the circuit with their corresponding power output. At
the time of the data, some panels were producing high power
output while others were lower. The most likely reason for the
differences in power output was cloud shading at the time
of data collection. The bottom image shows the actual solar
power output measurements for all locations with the average
highlighted.
ELECTRIC UTILITY OPERATIONS
www.tdworld.com | February 2012 48I
and sunlight input at 1-second intervals for 18 months. The
researchers will determine how much electricity each panel
generates and how well they perform under diverse weather
conditions.
EPRI is determining the ranges of overall PV performance
in Georgia and characteristics and comparing variable issues
such as passing clouds. So far, the researchers have discovered
that the panels tend to perform in areas that are cool and less
humid. In comparison, they don’t deliver as much power out-
put in cities with extreme heat and humidity.
After the study is completed, the panels will stay in place,
and Georgia Power will monitor the long-term results. By work-
ing together, the utility and EPRI hope to identify whether or
not the panels have an effect on the operation of the distribu-
tion system. They can then better understand the feasibility
for photovoltaics on a wide-scale basis.
Alabama Power, a sister company, also has begun to partici-
pate in the EPRI research project. The utility installed 49 solar
panels during 2011 across its service territory.
Georgia Power has been partnering with EPRI on renew-
able research projects for years, and by participating in this
study, the utility hopes to fi nd a way to feed clean, green elec-
tricity into its distribution system.
M. Scott Gentry ([email protected]) is the
distributed generation services project manager for Georgia
Power Co. He has been with the company for the last 15 years
Companies mentioned:AT&T www.att.com
Canadian Solar Inc. www.canadiansolar.com
DCS Electronics www.dcsfabshop.com
Electric Power Research Institute www.epri.com
Enphase Energy www.enphase.com
Georgia Power Co. www.georgiapower.com
Solar Pathfi nder www.solarpathfi nder.com
and works out of the Atlanta offi ce but travels statewide. He
has worked in region distribution engineering and has also
worked as a project manager in the unregulated distribution
business. He is responsible for managing the contracts for the
utility’s solar customers through the buy-back program and
ensuring that the customers get interconnected to the system
properly.
James Dye ([email protected]) is a distribution
automation test engineer for Georgia Power Co. who helped
to coordinate the photovoltaic installations in the fi eld. He has
been with the company for 10 years and works out of the Austell
offi ce. He worked as a region distribution engineer for eight
years in the Macon, Dublin and Smyrna areas. He has been in
the distribution automation department for the last two years
focusing on the smart grid for Georgia Power.
Pole & Tower Maintenance
• Pole Inspection & Treatment
• Pole Restoration & Upgrading
• Below-Grade Corrosion
Inspection & Repair
Field Surveys & Audits
• Network Inventory
• Joint-Use Attachment Survey
• Visual Code Violation, Reliability,
Safety Audit
Osmose knows PolesExperience • Commitment • Innovation
716.319.3423 • osmoseutilities.com • [email protected]
With more than 75 years of diverse experience as a foundation, Osmose
proudly serves America’s utilities as they manage aging infrastructure and
build tomorrow’s intelligent utility.
A Trusted Name in Utilities
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• Pole Loading & Clearance Analysis
• Pole Replacement Design
ElEctric Utility OpEratiOns
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com48J
Field Crews Capture Mobile Inspection DataSalt River Project equips field crews with the latest in computer technology to record the condition of assets.
By Floyd Hardin and Mark ledbetter, Salt River Project
The Salt River Project (SRP) ensures that its assets are
in top-performing condition by regularly inspecting
its electric distribution and transmission infrastruc-
ture. The Arizona utility’s field crews routinely con-
duct wood pole, steel pole, infrared, lighting and overhead
patrol inspections.
SRP currently uses a paper-based workflow for capturing
these inspection results, which presents several challenges.
Preventative maintenance (PM) inspectors redundantly cap-
ture inspection results — once on the paper inspection maps
and then again when they transfer that information into the
electronic database.
Inspection coordinators also spend a significant amount of
time preparing the inspection maps. They first combine sepa-
rate map layers and then shift overlapping objects and annota-
tion on the maps to make them legible once printed. They then
create work orders for a predefined geographic area, prepare
the associated maps showing SRP’s infrastructure within that
area and print these maps. PM inspectors receive the printed
maps, note inspection results with pen and colored markers,
and take photos of the equipment.
When they return back to the office from the field, they
transfer the inspection results into the Smallworld GIS data-
base. They also upload the digital photos manually, which
is time-consuming. Also, the photos are often not related to
the associated inspection result data or SRP’s GIS. After the
PM inspectors have completed these tasks, the inspection
coordinators create follow-up work orders for individual assets
that have failed the inspection and require follow-up repair or
replacement.
To overcome these challenges, SRP has embarked on a
project to move these inspection processes to a paperless
workflow. This eliminates the need to prepare and print paper
maps, and prevents the duplicate entry of inspection results.
The scope of the project is currently limited to SRP’s infrared
and overhead patrol inspections, but the utility plans to reuse
the new framework and processes for the remaining inspec-
tion types in the near future.
Deploying Technology
To make the process of gathering and retrieving data and
images more efficient, SRP invested in technology and stream-
lined its work procedures. The company has deployed CF30
and CF31 Panasonic rugged laptop computers to the field.
These laptops are mounted in the PM inspectors’ and trouble-
men’s work trucks using Gamber-Johnson mounts.
The company also developed a custom application for the
field computers using Microsoft Silverlight and the ESRI Arc-
GIS Server API for Silverlight.
The software development team is using an “agile” process
for designing the new solution. The agile process is based on
iterative, biweekly meetings between the development team
and key users to review what was completed over the previous
Ted Kuznia, an SRP distribution inspector, reviews a route of as-sets, which are part of an inspection order. SRP distribution inspector Ted Kuznia reviews a route of assets, which are part of an inspection order.
ElEctric Utility OpEratiOns
www.tdworld.com | February 2012 48K
two weeks and to prioritize work for the next two-
week cycle.
The processes capture user feedback after each
cycle so that developers can make adjustments as
needed. The “agile” processes are an alternative to
the rigid “waterfall” approach. The utility believes
that the agile processes have helped to design a
high-quality solution that meets user expectations
and fosters teamwork between the development
team and key users.
The custom application has several functional-
ities. First of all, it is map-based, allowing PM inspec-
tors to use the laptops to receive assigned work areas
and to capture inspection results. It will also auto-
mate the creation and management of follow-up re-
pair work orders and simplify processes that upload,
store and retrieve the associated digital photos.
The application’s user interface leverages the
touchscreen capabilities of the laptop. PM inspec-
tors can record results by touching big buttons that
appear on three screens. They can then capture the
asset type (pole, transformer, etc.), problem type, and recom-
mended action (repair, replace, etc.).
The application is integrated with the on-board GPS equip-
ment, so that the map “follows” the PM inspector to simplify
the capture of inspection results. As the technicians drive by
facilities, the embedded GPS system saves their track like a vir-
tual breadcrumb trail. SRP’s dispatchers can then pull up the
data by section to build a work order for the technicians. The
inspector simply clicks on the map and the current device to
open the inspection results screen for that asset.
The connected architecture also allows the inspectors to
access other corporate SRP data through the map-based appli-
cation, including high-quality aerial photography, entry codes
for gated communities and topography.
SRP deployed the computers to about 45 inspectors, trou-
bleshooters and superintendents. By the first quarter of this
year, SRP expects the system to be fully functional. The util-
ity is scheduling its final development activities for early 2012,
with a production deployment targeted for May 2012.
Wireless ConnectivityWhile out in the field, SRP’s field workforce can access the
corporate network wirelessly through Verizon. About 95%
of SRP’s service territory has adequate wireless connectivity.
In those areas that do not have wireless infrastructure, PM
inspectors can revert to paper-based recording of inspection
results.
All the ruggedized laptops are connected wirelessly through
Verizon’s wireless infrastructure to SRP’s corporate network.
The inspectors enter the results into an ESRI ArcGIS Server
Web application and store them in an Oracle database. This
platform provides geospatial support for the electric utility
asset management life cycle from planning and design through
replacement and refurbishing.
Any time a field technician performs a service connection
and completes the work order, it updates the geospatial net-
work by interfacing with the work and asset management sys-
tem. Ensuring that this data is both up-to-date and accurate
is paramount during the outage-restoration process, when dis-
patchers need to work with crews to restore power quickly.
In addition, the field technicians can use modeling tools to
support relocations, upgrades and installs. Through the new
circuit model, they can create virtual radial, ring and meshed
networks. They also can model and create templates for switch
cabinets, distribution panels, fuse boards and link boxes.
Predictive MaintenanceAs new assets are built through SRP’s service territory, the
technicians can ensure that they are built to the standards and
specifications. All of the PM inspectors and troublemen have
the same program and computers, which act like remote wire-
less units through a real-time connection.
All of the line trucks are equipped with the computers,
and all the construction, maintenance and operations teams
have the same computer and operations platform. The crews
use the computers for inspections and overhead safety patrols.
They can then document and capture data, and report it from
the work station in their vehicles. At the end of the day, the
system will send a redesigned diagram of the system to the
office. Then the next day, the office will send work orders out
to the field.
Through mobile technology, SRP technicians are able to
perform predictive maintenance rather than reactive mainte-
nance. For example, the field workforce can carefully record
the condition of all the assets. If a steel pole has rust spots,
then the technician can make a note of it electronically for
future maintenance or replacement.
If the utility has certain issues, then it will send technicians
on a special patrol. The company will then create a work order
for the technicians to patrol the line and document all of the
assets.
When looking over the assets, the technicians may find
SRP mounted ruggedized laptop computers in the inspectors’ vehicles so they can record mobile inspection data.
ElEctric Utility OpEratiOns
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com48L
broken crossarms, broken or cracked insulators, and leaking oil-filled transformers. Through thermal cameras, they also may determine that they need to replace the three-phase risers and capacitor banks because of their temperature.
Underground, they may discover rusted equipment and swollen elbows for underground cable. Through a visual in-spection, they can determine if an internal connection is com-ing loose, if there is a bad grounding or if some guy anchors are down.
Boosting ProductivityTo ensure quick and accurate recording of inspection re-
sults, SRP customized its application with drop-down screens for different users. The data that the users see depends on their specialty. For example, by logging in as either “overhead patrol” or “underground patrol,” the user will view a select drop-down screen. This limits the search and find, and speeds up the process.
SRP also has boosted the efficiency of its field crews by auto-matically linking images to specific work orders. When they do a hot spot or visual find, the inspectors take digital and ther-mography photos, and upload the images to the database.
By clicking on the work order for a specific location, a tech-nician can bring up the digital photos or thermography im-ages. The map will also show highlight the area where there is a particular issue.
Before they had this system, a technician had to retrieve a particular picture number and then try to find the actual image. In some cases, the photos got lost and it took up to two weeks to find them.
In addition, the linemen often didn’t know what the issue was, so they would have to call the inspector. Now they know exactly what they are looking for, and they can zone in on a particular phase, elbow or hot spot. By viewing an asset, the user can see who inspected it and who it is assigned to for a data trail.
Now all of the photos are linked electronically and stored
in a database. As long as the technicians have the work order, they have all the photos on file, and the images are backed up on the corporate system.
Future GoalsThe utility is looking at all of its paper-based applications
and processes, and plans to one day eliminate them. In the next two years, SRP plans to make all of its data capture and recording electronic.
By taking on this project, SRP tried to reduce IT support costs, eliminate map prep, expedite the response to change requests and increase the lifespan of the application. Through real-time data capture, the utility strived to expedite repairs and improve system reliability. The digital photo integration also helped to simplify photo access. Finally, the enhanced reporting has improved planning and scheduling.
In the future, the company plans to focus on wood pole, lighting and vegetation management. In addition, it hopes to make the application available on portable devices such as tablet PCs and phones.
The future workflow will enable the utility to eliminate pa-per maps and map preparation activities. In addition, it will give a single-point, real-time data capture, integrate digital photos and automatically create a work order.
By streamlining the work flow, SRP’s linemen, troublemen and inspectors no longer have papers cluttering up their work trucks. In addition, they now know exactly what projects are assigned to them, and they access to images and documenta-tion to help them get the job done.
Floyd Hardin ([email protected]) is the manager of line asset management for the Salt River Project in Phoenix, Arizona. SRP is an electric and water utility located in central Arizona, servicing more than 950,000 electric customers in the metropolitan Phoenix area. He has been with the company for 27 years. His team is responsible for the pole management inspections, including visual thermography of SRP’s distribution line assets. In addition, he oversees rights-of-way for all voltage property issues, utility crossings and developments.
Mark Ledbetter ([email protected]) manages the GIS and CAD services division at Salt River Project. He was previously employed as a GIS analyst at SRP from 1985 through 1993, and as a GIS manager and applications director at the city of Scottsdale, Arizona, from 1993 through 2005. He has been in his current position at SRP since 2005.
Companies mentioned:ESRI www.esri.com
Gamber-Johnson www.gamber-johnson.comGE Digital Energy www.gedigitalenergy.com
Microsoft www.microsoft.comOracle www.oracle.com
Panasonic www.panasonic.comSalt River Project www.srpnet.com
Verizon www.verizon.com
This computer screen shows the category pick list of repair types for a particular asset type.
ElEctric Utility OpEratiOns
www.tdworld.com | February 2012 48M
Ameren Linemen Do the Electric SlideUtility saves time and money by sliding poles rather than setting new structures during a road construction project.
By Brian Bretsch, Ameren
When utilities relocate poles for road-expansion
projects, the linemen often replace all the
poles and hardware. During a recent project
in St. Louis, Missouri, however, a superinten-
dent saved his company more than $100,000 by using a new
work method.
Several municipalities were asking the utility to relocate
poles to accommodate road construction. For example, the
city of Maplewood, a suburb of St. Louis, contacted Ameren
Missouri about adding a turn lane to a major thoroughfare.
Sliding PolesNormally, the linemen set new poles because of multiple
obstructions in the ground. However, several of the poles had
to be relocated only 3 ft to 7 ft, so Superintendent John Bea-
ver instructed the linemen to slide many of the poles slated
for relocation, which saved both time and material.
In four different locations, the linemen dug a trench be-
hind the poles and then dragged the poles over 3 ft or 4 ft.
They then picked the poles up slightly and used a steel winch
to drag them to the new locations. They also added slack to
the lines to give them leeway, said Jeremy Pour, the overhead
repairman who oversaw the job.
In a few instances, they had to replace existing poles with
taller ones. For many of the poles, however, they were able to
slide them over rather than setting new structures and trans-
ferring everything over to them.
Cutting CostsAfter battling several storms and restoration efforts, a
chance to work on something out of the ordinary was wel-
comed at Geraldine District. In fact, many of the crew mem-
bers asked to be on the job that day.
Pour said that Ameren had never slid the poles before at
the Geraldine District, and he had only done it twice during
his career. By sliding the poles, he not only saved time, but
he also saved money on the cost of material as well as the ex-
pense of transferring over the wire and equipment.
John Luth, manager of the Archview division, said the crews
set six new poles along Manchester Road, but saving nearly
$100,000 in sliding the other four existing poles was important
when the company is watching its budget.
“Stewardship is one of our values and part of that is to
do the job the best way possible,” Luth said. “The approach
we used, to slide several of the poles over, saved us a lot of
money and time. Most importantly, we were able to do the job
safely.”
Brian Bretsch ([email protected]) is a communications
consultant for Ameren in St. Louis, Missouri.
Geraldine District coworkers Shannon Fields, Clayton Gill, Caleb Kinne, Corey Lanier, Doug Lopinot, Cory Meier, Jeremy Pour and Russell Hurston slid four existing poles on this job site in Maple-wood, Missouri, to save the company nearly $100,000.
PRODUCTS&Services
ELECTRIC UTILITY OPERATIONS
Fault-Finding/Cable LengthMeasurement TDR
T3 Innovation introduces the new Snap Shot fault-fi nding/cable length measurement TDR (time domain refl ectometry). The product detects, locates and identifi es fault conditions such as opens, shorts and arc faults on energized cable of all types up to 3,000 ft in length.
Made in America with American technology, Snap Shot’s large backlit LCD display clearly shows lengths in feet and/or meters with an accuracy of better than 1% for pinpointing any fault or condition. Dual internal memory allows users to store cable
parameters for easy reference, while a built-in tone generator with multiple tone capability
traces found faults.In addition to precise location of faults, Snap Shot uses an
advanced form of spread-spectrum TDR that allows its use over energized cables. It allows attached working data lines, electrical cable runs and live coax systems to be measured for run lengths and to see if there are any existing electrical faults while the cable is in use and under power.
Additional Snap Shot features and specifi cations include auto power-off and four different tones. It also calibrates any cable NVP value. T3 Innovation | www.t3innovation.com
Continuous Safety Monitor Instrument
Delta Computer Systems Inc. announces the SNT-02 Step and Touch (SNT) safety monitoring instrument for enhancing the safety of transmission line crews. The new SNT-02 kit includes fi eld accessories and comes in a rugged enclosure for easy transport.
The SNT-02 addresses the safety issue of SNT potential. Step potential is the voltage difference between a person’s feet resulting from current fl owing through the earth away from a transmission tower. Touch potential is the voltage difference between the ground and an energized object that a person comes into contact with.
As transmission line corridors become increasingly crowded, grounded lines more frequently pick up dangerous voltages via inductive coupling. Monitoring and alarming the resulting SNT potential is critical for line crew safety. The SNT-02 instrument is designed and manufactured specifi cally for this type of transmission line monitoring and alarming.
De-energized lines that are connected to a tower act as large antennas and can create dangerous conditions if the tower ground is faulty. The SNT-02 continuously monitors for SNT potential, improving job site safety. Delta Computer Systems Inc. | stepandtouch.com
Truck Quit Flag
Utility fi eld crews can alert passersby of a stranded utility worker on a malfunctioned bucket truck with William Frick & Co.’s Truck Quit Flags.
The work zone orange fl ags also feature refl ective strips at the top and bottom. Constructed of heavy-duty vinyl material, the tested fl ags are built for extreme durability and effectiveness in the fi eld. The materials and inks are UV-stable and will not fade. The fl ags can be easily attached and secured along the side of any bucket with a Velcro strap or use grommets for a user’s own attachment. William Frick & Co. | www.fricknet.com
Auto-Ranging Voltage Indicator
Hubbell Power Systems unveils an instrument that makes hot-line voltage testing easier. Its electronics eliminate the need for a selector switch. The automatic-ranging function quickly displays the approximate line-to-line voltage class. It provides an easy, reliable means for the operator to determine if a line is de-energized, energized at full-system voltage or carrying less than normal system voltage from any source or induced charged from an adjacent live circuit.
The tester attaches to an Epoxiglas insulating universal handle of appropriate length to maintain proper OSHA working clearances. A single push button activates the instrument, then a single light indicates either power on (by glowing solid) or low battery (by blinking). With a good battery condition, the instrument performs a confi rming self test by illuminating each of the six indicator lights in series while emitting an alternating audible signal. Then the probe can be brought into contact with the conductor.
It automatically begins detecting at about 100 V and holds the display of one of these phase-to-phase voltage classes: 600 V, 4 kV, 15 kV, 25 kV, 35 kV, 69 kV, 115 kV, 161 kV, 230 kV, 345 kV or 500 kV. The audible signal begins as a slow beeping that becomes faster as the reading is increased. When not in use, the unit’s sleep mode conserves the battery.Hubbell Power Systems | www.hubbellpowersystems.com
Troubleshooting Training System
Global Training Solutions Inc. announces the availability of the Troubleshooting Simulation Skills Training Series. This simulation-based troubleshooting training system develops skills for troubleshooting all types of electrical circuits and equipment effectively and effi ciently. From basic electrical circuits to control and motor circuits, the series teaches a
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com48N
ELECTRIC UTILITY OPERATIONS
Power Line Cleaning System
The Federal Aviation Administration has granted an STC for Simplex Aerospace’s new high-pressure power line insulator and windmill cleaning system for the Eurocopter AS350 and 355 helicopter series. The STC (number SR02207SE issued on 12-15-2011) is the newest product in the company’s 65-year history of innovation.
The Aerial Cleaning System represents the third generation of aerial cleaning equipment delivering superior performance and value to power utility providers and helicopter operators.
Routine cleaning of power line insulators enhances power transmission and generation. The Aerial Cleaning System uses a 180-gal water tank mounted beneath the belly of the aircraft signifi cantly increasing operating times between refi lls. The nozzled boom extends past the rotor tips, providing extended washing distance permitting operators to clean hard to reach insulator strings. The power-assisted operator control reduces operator fatigue, facilitating safer and longer operating days. Simplex | www.simplexmfg.com
LED Light Units
LEDs are now available on all-terrain, portable LENTRY Scene Lighting Systems by Ventry Solutions Inc.
Portable LENTRY units combine Honda super-quiet series generators with extendable, all-terrain legs and telescoping lights. Each LED light used on a LENTRY System telescope is 120 V, generates 20,000 lumens of light, draws only 2 A and uses 240 W of power. Each LED lamp head is comprised of 60 ultra-bright white LEDs, 48 for fl ood lighting and 12 focused spot lights. The lens helps direct fl ood lighting onto the work area and simultaneously a spotlight beam into the distance. Multiple telescoping LEDs are available on a single portable LENTRY Light System with a choice of height, standard or extra tall “XT.” LENTRY Systems stand 3.5 ft to 9 ft tall, with legs and lights that retract.
These rugged units illuminate any scene, on-road and off, helping fi rst responders be safe and effi cient no matter the terrain.Ventry Solutions Inc. | www.ventry.com
proven troubleshooting process, providing hands-on training on a range of realistic electrical simulations. The series has just been expanded to include PLC Circuits Simulation Training.
The Troubleshooting Skills Series includes Electrical Circuits, Control Circuits, Motor Circuits, Industrial Controls and PLC Circuits. The hands-on learning modules teach valuable troubleshooting safety and strategies, and let users practice their techniques. Practice circuit simulations allow users to learn and practice new methods and techniques. Realistic circuit simulation environments help to develop and test troubleshooting skills. The program features more than 100 challenging faults to solve and offers printable resources such as circuit diagrams, fl owcharts and worksheets.
The system also gives detailed feedback on a user’s troubleshooting process and comprehensive evaluation of his or her troubleshooting skills. The experience of an expert troubleshooter is applied on sample faults. Users can get a printable certifi cate of completion. In addition, a company can advantage of instructor resources to help integrate the software into a course. Global Training Solutions | www.globaltrainingsolutions.ca
Power Distribution Tool
The Multi-Use Technical Tool (M.U.T.T.) by Utility Safety Technologies was designed for the power distribution industry’s unique environment. Used for rigging, hoisting, rescue, fall protection and other applications, the device is intended to be placed in key locations on a utility pole to increase lineworker safety and effi ciency.
The M.U.T.T. installs easily on existing 5/8-inch and 3/4-inch bolts, and replaces the existing washer by design. On new poles, the anchor can be specifi ed at predetermined locations. The M.U.T.T.’s non-intrusive, low-profi le composition meets OSHA, CSA and ANSI.
Utility Safety Technologies | www.utiityanchor.com
Tool Bags
Klein Tools has introduced a new line of Tradesman Pro tool bags for fi eld professionals. The Organizer Tool Pouch features 16 pockets for better tool storage, an orange interior
for easy tool visibility, and tough, durable, rubber feet that protect from the elements.
The pouch also features a 1680d ballistic weave for durability and a shoulder strap and handle for easy carrying.
The 10-inch Organizer Tote has 40 pockets and a removable zipper bag, which is designed to fi t the compartment underneath. Klein Tools also offers an 8-inch tote, which has 20 pockets as well as an Organizer Backpack, which has 39 pockets of tool storage. The wide opening of
the backpack fi ts power drills, meters and fl ashlights. The tough, durable, molded
bottom protects from the elements, and the large front pocket fi ts fi sh tapes. Klein Tools also has introduced two new Organizer Electrician’s BagsKlein Tools | www.kleintools.com
www.tdworld.com | February 2012 48O
ElEctric Utility OpEratiOns
PartingsHOt
Photograph by Jayne Graham, HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Cooperative
ElEctric Utility OpEratiOns
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com48P
A snowstorm blew across the southern end of
HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Cooperative’s service territory
on Nov. 30, 2011. Journeymen linemen Mark Goodman,
Brad Parkhouse, Kyle Balderson (from left, on the ground)
and Chris Teachout (in the bucket) worked to replace a line
brought down by the heavy snow in Eagle, Michigan.
LEARN MORE TODAY:
EMAIL: Scott Olson at [email protected]
CLICK: powereng.com/substations1
TO THE TUNE OF
IEC 61850.
POWER Engineers is shaping the
future of substation automation
under the leadership of Scott
Olson. Protection and control
systems are quickly evolving,
and POWER is equipped
to help clients plan and
build the fi nely tuned
substations of tomorrow.
Scott Olson –
Senior Project Manager
POWER Engineers T&D Smart Grid
POWER ENGINEERS. WIRED TO DO IT ALL.
50 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
SubStationFacilities
Transformer Fire IsolatedTightly packed Las Vegas Strip substation experiences a dramatic transformer fire, but high-tech firewalls protect nearby equipment.By Gordon Smith, NV Energy
The ever-increasing energy demands of the Las Vegas
Strip needed a power boost in 2009. Enter the
230/138/12-kV Sinatra substation, which was de-
signed and placed into a tiny pie-shaped site between
the Interstate 15 freeway and Las Vegas’ newest, mixed-use
resort property known at the time as Project CityCenter.
This unique substation, which includes extensive gas-insu-
lated switching (GIS) equipment, normally would have used
approximately 5 acres (2 hectares) of land for a compact gas-
insulated design. A more common open-air substation layout
would have required 10 acres (4 hectares) or more of land.
However, such space was just not available near the Strip.
The 230/138-kV autotransformer tucked between the two ceramic panel firewalls before the fire.
Aerial view of the entire Sinatra substation showing the location of the fire.
These images were captured by the Sinatra substation’s security camera. The first frame is a normal view and appears to be black and white, the second frame is the initial transformer explosion (note the flying debris), and the third is of the transformer engulfed in red-tinged flames.
51www.tdworld.com | February 2012
substationFacilities
In fact, the entire substation sits on a mere 1.6 acres (0.6 hect-
ares) that was available to tie into the transmission and distri-
bution lines and serve nearby casino operations such as the
Monte Carlo Resort, New York-New York Hotel & Casino and
CityCenter Las Vegas.
For those curious about the load requirements of such
properties, the original load forecast for CityCenter — which
currently includes the Aria, Mandarin Oriental, Vdara Hotel
& Spa and Crystals shopping, dining and entertainment cen-
ter — was more than 100 MW.
The ChallengeConsidering the size of the transformer needed to meet
the related Las Vegas Strip loads, NV Energy’s substation en-
gineering team normally would have at least 30 ft (9 m) of
separation between a transformer and other sub-
station equipment. Because such space was not
available, the team reviewed various options and
scenarios to help mitigate the remote possibil-
ity of a transformer fire and to ensure, if a fire
occurred, it would not damage expensive GIS
equipment nearby.
The team initially looked at conventional stat-
ic firewalls. However, the site was so compact the
substation design team did not think there would
be enough room for a crane to be deployed to
remove or maintain the transformer unit with a
conventional static firewall in place. This caused
them to look for other options, including the use
of removable firewalls.
The Preparation The team looked at multiple alternatives and,
through this process, discovered a composite,
sectional and removable wall offered the nec-
essary safety protections and competitive pricing with more
traditional concrete firewalls. The substation designers speci-
fied two Intelli-Firewalls from Composite Support & Solutions
Inc. These two walls — which measured 41 ft wide by 28 ft
tall (12 m by 9 m) and 58 ft wide by 28 ft tall (18 m by 9 m) —
were designed to withstand a hydrocarbon fire for up to four
hours.
The modular panels were relatively lightweight at 320 lb
(145 kg) each, and easy to maneuver and install. Each hollow
panel used a heat-resistant surface similar to what has been
used on NASA space shuttle tiles. In the case of the tight-spaced
Sinatra substation, the panels also offered the flexibility of
easy removal and reassembly, should NV Energy find it neces-
sary to replace or maintain the large 230/138-kv autotrans-
former. In fact, a single wall can be assembled or disassembled
Front and side views of the burned unit with the tertiary structure beside it, although all the equipment on this structure was destroyed, NV Energy was able to repaint and put the steel structure back in service.
The undamaged 230-kV GIS equipment was protected by the firewalls.
52 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
SubStationFacilities
in less than a day, which can minimize power outages.
In the end, the substation team discovered the Intelli-
Firewalls presented a smaller profile than a conventional
barrier. To orchestrate all the equipment within a very narrow
1.6-acre site, the smaller profile was extremely helpful.
Once installed, no one knew exactly how they would serve
in a dramatic prolonged fire, but designers and engineers
were pleased to have the necessary precautionary measures in
place, just in case. No one would have guessed the planning,
selection and installation of new heat-resistant walls would be
put to the test less than two years later.
The Fire
At 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, May 15, 2011, an explosion and
fire occurred at the Sinatra substation. As a result of the fire,
numerous pieces of the bushings flew off the large 230/138-kV
autotransformer and became embedded in the firewalls. Fu-
eled by the transformer’s mineral oil, the fire quickly engulfed
the entire transformer. Observers from nearby hotels and the
interstate saw flames shoot into the dark sky, which some es-
timated to be as high as 80 ft (24 m). The incident made na-
tional news.
The Las Vegas fire department and NV Energy crews re-
sponded quickly, but it took approximately 90 minutes for the
fire to burn itself out. Fortunately, no one was injured. Thanks
to a carefully coordinated effort between NV Energy’s trans-
mission and distribution operations, as well as crews on site,
the major distribution feeders were reenergized within a few
hours. Later that Sunday morning, all customers were back in
service.
In spite of the initial explosion and sustained oil-fed fire,
both firewalls that bookended the autotransformer were re-
markably intact. More importantly, the GIS equipment locat-
ed behind the firewalls was protected from the heat and explo-
sion. It was not damaged and remained available for service.
The autotransformer was a total loss, naturally.
This event illustrates the modular firewall system worked
well and literally acted as the last line of defense. It prevented
a very expensive and lengthy substation rebuilding effort.
The Fix
The exploding porcelain bushings damaged several of the
firewall panels. In fact, one side of the wall was penetrated
and, in some cases, the shards became embedded in the fire-
wall panels. Because the panels are fabricated with a hollow
space inside, this posed no risk to the structural integrity and
they performed as designed.
Fortunately, the majority of the panels were not penetrat-
ed, and they were tap-tested to determine their structural in-
tegrity. This testing is possible because the Intelli-Firewall is
built with hollow “web-core” sandwich panels. A tap hammer
— in the hand of an experienced operator — is an effective
and simple way to determine the integrity of each panel. This
test process, which does not require disassembly, can be done
relatively quickly.
In spite of the fierce and prolonged fire on both sides
of the autotransformer, only 12 panels had to be replaced.
Additionally, several of the vertical beam covers were damaged
in the fire and had to be replaced. Again, this was done rela-
tively quickly and did not require any additional maintenance,
restoration or replacement of the structural beams.
NV Energy maintenance crews completed the whole op-
The firewall is restored and none the worse for having lived up to its design function.
53www.tdworld.com | February 2012
substationFacilities
eration of removing and replacing the damaged panels and
bringing the firewalls back into service in only a few days. In
short, crews removed the damaged firewall sections and beam
covers, replaced them and repainted the protective walls.
They removed the burnt transformer. The intense heat from
the transformer fire had resulted in the spalling and flaking
of the concrete foundation, which had exposed the reinforc-
ing bars in some places. Because of that severe damage, a new
foundation was constructed and a replacement transformer
was set into place. A spare 230/138-kV autotransformer was on
hand, and NV Energy returned the substation to full service
in just four months.
The Quantifiable HazardA risk of a transformer explosion and related fire is quanti-
fiable. Specifically, IEEE Standard 979 survey notes a probabil-
ity of a fire for a 500-kV transformer at 0.0009 fires per year.
This is equivalent to one occurrence in every 1,111 unit-years.
At first blush, this remarkably low probability can give a false
sense of security. However, if one applies this probability to a
utility fleet of 100 transformers, operating for an average of
35 years, it is extrapolated there will be 3.15 fire events (0.0009
× 100 × 35), or one transformer fire every 11 years. Put an-
other way, this means a substation engineer or
manager would likely experience an average of
three transformer fires during a career. And,
transformer fires do happen, as NV Energy
discovered with this two-year-old substation.
The LessonThe Las Vegas Strip revelers who witnessed
the Sinatra substation fire last May likely gave
no thought to the impact or potential impact of
such a dramatic substation fire. It is a tribute to
electricity-providing utilities that they are taken
for granted and their reliability is so strong.
Unfortunately, other substations throughout
the world have experienced similar dramatic
fires with much more destructive results and
lengthy service interruptions. As Queen Eliza-
beth II once said, “With the benefit of historical
hindsight, we can see all things which we would
wish had been done differently or not at all.”
Thanks to thoughtful engineering, plan-
ning and a product that lived up to its billing,
NV Energy’s Sinatra substation foresight was just
as strong as its hindsight.
AcknowledgementThe author appreciates the cooperation, advice and sup-
port of Dr. Clem Hiel, president of Composite Support & Solu-
tions, in the preparation of this article.
Gordon Smith ([email protected]) has worked for
NV Energy since 1997, providing civil engineering support
to the power systems engineering department. Smith has
been involved in the design and construction of more than 50
substation projects ranging from 69 kV to 500 kV. He holds a
BSCE degree from the University of New Mexico and has been
a practicing registered professional engineer for 20 years.
Editor’s note: To see video footage of the May 15, 2011, Sinatra
substation fire, go to http://videos.tdworld.com/video/Fire-
behind-Monte-Carlo-51511.
Companies mentioned:Composite Support & Solutions www.Intellifirewall.com
NV Energy www.nvenergy.com
Aerial view of the Sinatra substation looking toward the strip.
54 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
PARTNERSHIPOutsourcing
Customers Take to e-BillsWith electronic billing, customers make more on-time payments and fewer contact center calls.By George Roach, Con Edison
For utility customers, receiv-
ing and paying monthly
household bills is a part
of life. As the source of
the recurring bill, utilities have a
signifi cant opportunity to enhance
their brand by meeting customers’
demand for clear and easy bill man-
agement and payment. More and
more utilities have satisfi ed the needs
of customers by enabling them to re-
ceive and pay bills online, and customers
have embraced online payment as a way to pay
bills quickly and easily. While utilities have convinced many
customers to pay their bills online, they have been challenged
to convert a high percentage of customers from paper to elec-
tronic bills, or e-bills. To justify investing in promoting e-bill-
ing and reaching new e-bill customers, utilities are taking a
deeper look into the value of e-bills beyond pure cost savings.
Con Edison, which provides electric service to
approximately 3.3 million customers and gas ser-
vice to approximately 1.1 million customers in New
York City and Westchester County, New York, U.S.,
has long invested in technology to improve the cus-
tomer experience and enable customers to view and
pay bills online through multiple channels such as
electronic billing. To help determine the return
on investment of its technology
and green incentive programs,
the utility wanted to measure
the value of e-bill users to its busi-
ness. The utility sought to quantify the value of its
e-billing service from Fiserv beyond the cost savings associ-
ated with mailing and processing fewer paper bills, so it hired
AccuData to perform a study.
e-Bill ResultsCon Edison’s ongoing “Go Green with e-Bills” campaign, a
multichannel customer educational campaign that
emphasizes the environmental benefi ts of e-bills,
provides an incentive for customers to activate e-
bills. For new customers who sign up for paperless
billing (e-bills), the utility donates to a nonprofi t
tree-planting initiative, such as the New York Resto-
ration Project, the MillionTreesNYC campaign and
the Friends of Westchester Parks Inc.
In the fi rst seven months after Con Edison
launched its green campaign, e-bill enrollment in-
creased by more than 50% compared to the prior
comparable period. The utility has been able to
sustain considerable growth over the past four years,
with an 82% increase in the average number of new
e-bill enrollments per month since starting the
campaign.
Impact Beyond Cost SavingsThe Con Edison study showed that offering elec-
tronic bills, through online banking or the utility’s
website, leads to enhanced cash fl ow and reduced
customer care costs. Through the research, the util-
ity wanted to discover what other benefi ts e-bills pro-
vide outside of the obvious of helping the environ-
ment and reducing postage and other expenses. The
Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison Inc., one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $13 billion in annual rev-enues and $36 billion in assets. The regulated utility provides electric service to approximately 3.3 million customers and gas service to approximately 1.1 million customers in New York City and Westchester County. The utility also provides steam service in parts of Manhattan.
55www.tdworld.com | February 2012
partnershipOutsourcing
study used data from more than 2 million customer records
and looked at the correlation between the actual bill delivery
method and factors including customer care calls, Internet
inquiries, self-service usage and rate of arrears.
A common goal for utilities is to reduce the number of
billing-related customer service calls and drive customers to
the less costly online channels. According to the Con Edison
study, customers receiving electronic bills from their bank
were 64% less likely to call a live customer service representa-
tive each month than those receiving paper bills. Those re-
ceiving electronic bills from the biller were 39% less likely to
call a representative than those receiving paper. Customers re-
ceiving e-bills from a bank made 1.57 online self-service visits
to Con Edison’s website, compared with 1.37 visits for those
getting bills directly from the website.
Timely Payments Con Edison found that customers receiving e-bills through
online banking and on the utility’s website were 22% and 6%
more likely, respectively, to make on-time payments compared
with paper bill recipients. Banking sites offer due-date remind-
ers, which may help customers pay their bills on time. By en-
abling customers to receive and pay their bills online at their
bank or credit union, Con Edison has been able to reduce its
days’ sales outstanding metric for this customer segment. The
bottom line for Con Edison and other utilities: Offer a vari-
ety of methods for customers to receive and pay bills to satisfy
their preferences.
Recognizing that it serves one of the most diverse popu-
lations in the United States, Con Edison wanted to ensure it
was satisfying the unique billing and payment preferences of
a wide variety of customer segments. To help make this deter-
mination, the utility analyzed and segmented its customers by
billing and payment channel using Equifax SuperNiche and
Claritas Prizm Clusters and Demographic Intelligence. The
In May 2007, Con Edison launched “Go Green with e-Bills,” a multi-channel marketing campaign that emphasizes the environmental benefits of e-bills and provides an incentive for its customers to activate e-bills. For every e-bill activated, Con Edison donates $1 to a nonprofit tree-planting initiative, such as the New York Restoration Project, the MillionTreesNYC campaign and Friends of Westchester Parks Inc. The utility is also helping entertainer Bette Midler’s New York Restoration Project and the New York City Parks Department to plant 5,000 trees paid for by its flagship e-Bill trees program.
56 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
partnershipOutsourcing
have found the most cost-effective way to do this is by incorpo-
rating both the biller-direct and bank channels. By enabling
customers to receive their bills at their preferred bill-payment
domain — bank, credit union or biller site — utility billers
can increase customer satisfaction, enhance brand image and
entice more customers to abandon their paper bills.
e-Bill Success Con Edison has made a considerable investment in pro-
moting the benefits of e-bills and driving e-bill adoption. For
utilities, it is not only important to stay in tune with customers’
needs, but also to understand how needs vary by customer seg-
ment and not exclusively by channel. The Con Edison study
showed that offering electronic bills, through online banking
or the utility’s website, leads to enhanced cash flow and re-
duced customer care costs, all the while optimizing their bill-
ing and payment offerings to help them meet the needs of all
customers.
George Roach ([email protected]) was the central credit
and collections administrator of electronic billing and payment
programs at Con Edison when he retired in December 2011. In
1995, he developed the utility’s various biller-direct electronic
payment programs, which expanded in 2007 to include direct
responsibility for administering Con Ed’s electronic billing pro-
gram. Roach is a member of the National Automated Clearing
House Association’s Council for Electronic Billing and Payment,
and in 2009, he was selected by NACHA as the recipient of their
George Mitchell System Excellence Award, the premier annual
electronic billing and payments award. Roach also represents
Con Edison as an original member of the NACHA-formulated
PayItGreen alliance.
0
2
4
6
8
10
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
Paper bill24 million
Bank e-bill14,000
ConEd.com e-bill 98,000
Paper bill Bank e-bill ConEd.com e-bill
Number of monthly customer calls
Perc
ent
of
cust
om
ers
who
cal
led
liv
e c
ust
om
er
serv
ice p
er
mo
nth
Ave
rag
e n
um
ber
of
uniq
ue
Co
nE
d.c
om
reg
iste
red
se
lf-s
erv
ice v
isit
s p
er
mo
nth
8.8
5.5
3.20.71
1.57
1.37
Source: Con Edison e-bill study: Measuring the Impact of E-bill or Critical Customer Success Factors (Fiserv Inc. 2011).
Type of bill
Customers participating in the e-bill program call customer service less and are more likely to visit the ConEd.com website.
results indicated customers who use different billing and pay-
ment channels have distinct characteristics. When using valu-
able segmentation customer information, utilities can more
easily identify and target those customer groups who have a
higher propensity to act on an e-bill. Knowing this informa-
tion can help the utility to develop customized messaging and
promotions for those customer groups.
Customers view billing and payment interactions as an
extension of a utility’s brand. It is important for utilities to
provide customers the option to view and pay bills where and
how they want. On the e-billing front, utilities like Con Edison
Companies mentioned:AccuData www.accudata.com
Claritas www.claritas.com
Con Edison www.coned.com
Equifax www.equifax.com
Fiserv Inc. www.fiserv.com
To make it easy to do business with the utility, Con Edison has en-abled customers to view and pay bills online through multiple chan-nels since 2001 and has established itself as a leader in e-bill mar-keting. In fact, Con Edison was one of the first billers to implement an ongoing environmental marketing promotion tied to its e-bill service.
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February 2012 | www.tdworld.com58
PRODUCTS&Services
Distribution Circuit Breaker
Siemens Infrastructure & Cities’ Low and Medium Voltage division announces the release of the new type SDV7-MA distribution circuit breaker that provides a magnetic-actuator operator as an alternative to the established stored-energy operator in the type SDV7 outdoor vacuum circuit breaker family.
The type SDV7-MA circuit breaker uses a monostable magnetic-actuator design, which provides advances over the bistable design, with faster opening times and signifi cantly less force required to manually trip the circuit breaker.
The design of the type SDV7 features signifi cant reduction in enclosure size and, consequently, in the overall footprint. The type SDV7 product line encompasses the voltage groups: 15.5 kV and 27.6 kV. Each group is specifi cally designed to optimize space and material for the voltage class while retaining common features across the entire product line.Siemens | www.energy.siemens.com
Integrated Layered Intelligence Solution
S&C Electric Co. and Alstom Grid announce an integrated solution combining S&C’s IntelliTeam SG Automatic Restoration System and Alstom Grid’s e-terradistribution Integrated Distribution Management System (IDMS). This new solution is the outcome of joint research and development to support smart distribution through layered intelligence.
The integrated solution combines rapid, real-time response to system conditions using S&C’s distributed intelligence technology with regional area control from Alstom’s enterprise-level applications. It enables control room operators to access complete fi eld data from S&C’s IntelliTeam SG through Alstom’s IDMS. The integrated approach also offers a single user interface for enhanced situational awareness to support the growing infl ux of data as smart grid deployments continue to expand.S&C Electric Co. | www.sandc.comAlstom Grid | www.grid.alstom.com
Metering Testing Tool
The CMControl, the fl exible front panel control for the OMICRON CMC test sets, now provides a completely new test tool for meter testing. With this tool, CMControl users now have the possibility to test not only various power system protection devices but also electricity meters on-site in an easy and cost-effi cient way.
The functionality of the CMControl meter testing tool includes the calibration of the Wh and Varh measurements, each in both load directions. Depending on the CMC test set used, the calibration of meters up to an accuracy class of 0.2 is possible. Start-up and no-load checks can be performed to assess the proper function of electromechanical meters.
All newly ordered CMControl devices will be delivered with the meter testing functionality at no extra cost. Users of existing devices can download a free software upgrade from the customer area of the OMICRON website. The new software version includes the meter testing tool and other additional enhancements.
The CMControl is characterized by particular easy handling and well thought-out functionality. It provides different specialized test tools that guide the user through a test in a step-by-step sequence. The device’s intuitive touchscreen user interface allows users to obtain reliable results in a very short time.Omicron | www.omicron.at
Wide-Area Monitoring System
GE Energy announces the release of a wide-area monitoring solution designed to improve the way utilities monitor and analyze power over a large geographic area. GE is offering a new secure, high-capacity phasor data concentrator, Multilin P30, along with enhanced phasor measurement units (PMUs) to provide faster, more accurate information for better decision making while reducing ownership costs through easy integration and deployment.
A utility’s wide-area monitoring system and dynamic disturbance analysis capabilities are key to ensuring power system disturbances on the grid don’t become wide-spread outages. With the enhanced solution, operators can make faster, more informed decisions and improve post-event analysis. Utilities also can reduce infrastructure installation and operation costs by more than 40% by simultaneously reporting synchrophasors for protection and metering applications from a single PMU.
Designed to natively support and adhere to the latest standards, the monitoring solution allows utilities to seamlessly deploy dynamic disturbance recording systems.
With built-in advanced security features, including role-based access control, secure fi rmware upgrades and encrypted data transmission, utilities are able to integrate these devices into their existing NERC-CIP environments.GE Energy | www.gedigitalenergy.com
Corona Camera
Ofi l has developed the UVollé range of compact bi-spectral cameras that can detect corona and arcing during regular daytime working hours and under natural illumination conditions.
Based upon observations and experience, there are three categories of factors that lead to corona discharge in metal-clad switchgears: geometric, spatial and contamination. Unattended corona discharge leads to imminent fl ashovers causing enormous damage and endangering personnel.
Corona by nature creates only small amount of heat that IR cameras cannot spot, and therefore corona cameras are needed. UVollé cameras provide information in real time of the existing partial-discharge processes and assist mapping the critical locations of the assets that need attention. UVollé cameras are compact, handheld and allow fl exible accesses to narrow and hard to get areas.Ofi l | www.ofi lsystems.com
www.tdworld.com | February 2012 59
Products&Services
Welding End Prep Tools
Esco Tool is offering a full line of cutter blades and locking cutter heads for its welding end prep tools that can bevel, face and bore simultaneously, while improving weld surfaces.
Esco MILLHOG Cutter Blades feature a radical chip breaker that gets under the material and directs heat away from the pipe or tube to produce a thick chip without cutting oils and extends long blade life.
Developed for its line MILLHOG welding end prep tools, these blades mount into the EscoLock wedge-lock cutter head where they are rigidly held to bevel, face and bore, including multiple angles for heavy wall pipe.
Ideally suited for stainless steels, P-91 and other hard materials, Esco MILLHOG Cutter Blades are made from T-15 tool steel and are TiN coated or available with a hard lube coating. Blades are available with any angle of prep from 37.5 degrees to 10 degrees and compound bevels. Esco Tool | www.escotool.com
Advanced Metering System
Cooper Controls is offering net zero-energy building (ZEB) developers a complete energy monitoring solution through its new Venergy Advanced Metering System. The comprehensive solution provides complete energy monitoring for all electric and nonelectrical load types, including lighting, HVAC, plug loads, photovoltaic, water and gas, amongst others. The solution enables schools, commercial and government facilities, and other organizations to save energy and money; demonstrate and drive energy-usage behavior; ensure optimal building performance; and meet LEED and other energy codes.
The Venergy Advanced Metering System comprises four elements that together provide facility managers and building owners with real-time energy-usage information to effectively optimize building performance. Used in several applications, Cooper Controls has extensive experience with the Venergy Advanced Metering System.
The Venergy system uses revenue-grade Accu-CT high-accuracy split-core current transformers to provide the current inputs to the Cooper Controls Advanced Power Meter (APM) multifunction networked energy meter. The Cooper Controls APM then captures power-consumption data, including true RMS power, energy and demand metering. The line-powered metering device, which may be installed in a load center or junction box, enables individual or multiphase measurement of voltage, current, power factor, reactive power/energy and line frequency without any additional power supply required.
The Venergy Data Acquisition Server shares metered data from the APM with a hosted cloud computing server that manipulates and stores data. The Venergy system’s Web-based application and dashboard provide easy remote access — on virtually any networked computer or device — to real-time energy-consumption data through an intuitive graphical user interface. Requiring little or no training, the interface serves as an information source for both technical and nontechnical staff.
A Venergy mobile app is also now available from the iTunes App Store allowing users to view real-time energy consumption of their building on an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.Cooper Controls www.coopercontrol.com
Battery-Free Underground Vault and Switch Monitor
GridSense has developed a maintenance-free and batteryless underground vault and switch monitor for a U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored project. This self-powered system will allow utilities to cost-effectively monitor dead-front transformers, underground feeders and any other areas of the grid where alternating-current power supply is not available.
A major California utility sought a cost-effective method for collecting actionable intelligence from hard-to-reach dead front or underground assets. To meet the need, GridSense engineered its new current transformer (CT) power supply for the TransformerIQ transformer monitoring solution. The new power supply draws parasitically from insulated cables, thus allowing TransformerIQ to monitor hard-to-reach distribution circuits without an additional potential transformer or a maintenance-dependent battery.
This solution can increase network reliability with always-on monitoring for previously unmonitored assets. Unlike battery-powered monitors that power-up only to signal a fault, the new power supply provides continuous data. Previously, customers wouldn't know if a battery-powered monitor had failed until a fault had occurred that monitor didn't recognize. However, the GridSense CT power supply provides a steady stream of information from TransformerIQ; customers always know there is a monitoring solution at work.
The batteryless power supply is designed for easy retrofit on assets from padmount switches to submerged applications. It can also power demanding mesh radios as well as other communications devices to wirelessly transmit TransformerIQ data to the control center.GridSense | www.gridsense.com
Power Systems Wall Map
MAPSearch offers a full-color wall map of North American power systems. It features a comprehensive look at North American transmission lines, shaded by voltage category, and existing and proposed power plants, greater than 50 MW, sized by capacity, colored by fuel type and shown by utility or non-utility status. It also includes service territories of investor-owned utilities and provides a detailed data table of power plants, with operating utilities table.MAPSearch www.mapsearch.com
February 2012 | www.tdworld.com60
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Distribution World is just one click away!
Asset & Resource Management Solution
Logica introduces ARM Express, its
new Asset & Resource Management (ARM) solution. ARM Express is designed to target operational effi ciencies within the asset and work management area for small and medium-sized electric, gas and water utilities. The solution leverages preconfi gured best practice business processes to accelerate implementation timelines and reduce cost.
Logica has gained signifi cant knowledge of best practice business processes over the past 20 years. Typically, EAM projects require a signifi cant design effort to build business processes from the ground up, followed by an extensive product confi guration effort. By using Logica’s preconfi gured ARM Express solution, clients can immediately focus effort on the areas that are unique to their business environment. This ensures that any modifi cations to the best practices are associated with demonstrable business benefi ts.
ARM Express can be deployed in a modular phased approach and provides all the business benefi ts associated with Logica’s enterprise ARM product suite, including improved asset management, work management, resource scheduling and enterprise mobile management.Logica www.logica.us
Distribution Automation Solution
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc. (SEL) releases its complete distribution automation solution: DNA (distribution network automation). The DNA system is designed to pinpoint faults, optimize volt/VAR control, detect downed conductors, and automatically sectionalize and reconfi gure distribution circuits to restore service as quickly as possible after a fault.
The DNA system is a scalable, fl exible solution applied with either centralized or distributed control. It implements fault location, isolation and service restoration (FLISR) to reduce the number of customers impacted by a fault. DNA also improves voltage management and power factor by controlling various line devices.
SEL’s new technologies and innovations, such as load characterization, synchrophasors and high-impedance fault detection, take distribution automation to another level. They allow utilities to make more intelligent decisions that increase effi cient system operation. DNA uses new distribution fault location software and faulted circuit indicators to accurately pinpoint faults, which reduces outage times.
DNA is a secure, robust solution that allows utilities to maximize the potential of relays and controls on their systems, which signifi cantly improves reliability and power quality. SEL also offers complete turnkey engineering services to assist utilities with DNA implementation.Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc. | www.selinc.com
Polyphase Meters
Tantalus announces the commercial availability of the factory-integrated, TUNet-compatible Itron SENTINEL C&I meter, newly equipped with Tantalus communication modules. The TUNet-enabled SENTINEL meter will allow utilities to immediately provide real-time interval data, advanced demand measurements, real-time power-quality monitoring and fl exible demand-reset capabilities to their high-use C&I customers. This expanded functionality positions the utility to offer a greater level of customer support while simultaneously enabling C&I customers to manage costs and complex pricing schedules more quickly and effectively.Tantalus | www.tantalus.com Itron | www.itron.com
61www.tdworld.com | February 2012
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
etap.comDownload a Free Demo
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System Engineering
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Power Management Systems
• Predictive Simulation
• Distribution Management System
• Switching Management & Optimization
• Intelligent Load Shedding
• Load Forecasting
• Energy Accounting & Scheduling
• Geographic Information System Map
• Automatic Generation Control
• Substation Automation
Renewable Energy Solutions
• Solar Photovoltaic Array
• Wind Turbine Generator
Network Analysis
• Arc Flash
• Short Circuit
• Load Flow
• Load Analyzer
• Motor Acceleration
• Harmonics
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• User-Defined Model
• Parameter Estimation
• Panel Systems
Cable Systems
• Cable Ampacity & Sizing
• Cable Pulling
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Protective Devices
• Device Coordination
• Sequence of Operation
• Relay Test Set Interface
• Automatic Zone Detection
DC Systems
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New Major Release
HELP WANTED
Midwest Energy, Inc., an electric and natural
gas utility, that serves 49,000 electric
customers in Central and Northwest Kansas has
the following job openings. The positions are
located in Hays, Kansas.
Substation & Protection Engineer – This
position is responsible for providing coordinated
design and project management services
related to the development and construction
of transmission substations and transmission
protection systems in accordance with
company, national and regional standards.
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from
an ABET-accredited university with an emphasis
in power system-related studies is required.
Communications & Relay Manager - Is
responsible for providing technical and
organization direction to the communications
and relay technicians. Position is responsible
for the installation, operation and
maintenance of Midwest ‘s SCADA, electronic
communications, and protective relaying
equipment so as to maximize the safe, reliable
and efficient use of electric power and energy.
Communications & Relay Technician – This
position is responsible for providing the
installation, operation and maintenance of
Midwest’s protective relaying, electronic
communications, and supervisory control
equipment. Applicants should have proven
experience and skills in the testing,
maintenance and support of at least two of
the following areas: (a) digital and electro-
mechanical protective relay equipment
for electric generation, transmission and
distribution systems, (b) RF and digital
communications systems and (c) Supervisory
Control (SCADA) systems.
To view job postings and apply please visit
www.mwenergy.com
Need Help?
Need A Job?
Contact Lisa–
TOLL FREE 877-386-1091
Se Habla Español
www.lineal.comElectromechanical • Electronic
Electrical Service & Systems Specialists
LISA LINEAL: RecruitingLINEAL Services
Call or send confidential resume to
MORE THAN 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE!
62 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
Tri-State G & T has a job opening for a Senior Manager,
Transmission Engineering and Construction, based at
Westminster, CO. To view job posting and apply please
visit www.tristategt.org
Senior Manager
Transmission Engineering
and Construction
help wanted
Directs apprentices, skilled and semi-skilled workers in
a variety of duties by installing, testing, troubleshooting,
and performing maintenance on relays, relay schemes,
and control circuits throughout the transmission,
generation, and distribution system.
Preferences: Must have a valid driver’s license,
Protective relay distribution and transmission,
Protective relay in generation, Protective relay 5 years
+ exp, Electric utility exp, Install & maintenance of
relay equipment, Frequent travel is required, Computer
skills. High school diploma with five or more years of
relay work exp as a Relay Journeyman or Technician.
Relay Technician Certification or Relay Journeyman
License is required.
To apply go to www.pnm.com/careers and read a
full job description, register, upload a resume and
answer all posting questions. Deadline is no later than
March 18, 2012.
PNM is an EEO/AA employer. Women, minorities,
disabled individuals and veterans are encouraged to
apply.
Journeyman RelayJob ID #2201Albuquerque, NM
SuSan Schaefer
p: 484 478 0154 • f: 913 967 6417 • [email protected]
For more information about classified advertising, please contact:
software
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EasyPower automates everything:• One-line creation and templates • Full document set drawings• NEC code design • Arc flash calculations and analysis• Protective device coordination • IEEE-1584 & NFPA 70E compliance• ANSI and IEC solution standards • Seamless CAD output
Explore more online and download a free demo copy at www.easypower.com/demo
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Midwestern, Mid-Atlantic,New England, Eastern Canada:Stephen M. Lach13723 Carolina LaneOrland Park, IL 60462Phone: 708-460-5925 Fax: 913-514-9017 E-mail: [email protected]
Southeastern, Mid-Atlantic, New England: Douglas J. Fix 590 Hickory Flat Road Alpharetta, GA 30004 Phone: 770-740-2078 Fax: 770-740-1889 E-mail: [email protected] Southwest: Gary Lindenberger 7007 Winding Walk Drive, Suite 100 Houston, TX 77095 Phone: 281-855-0470 Fax: 281-855-4219 E-mail: [email protected] West/Western Canada: Ron Sweeney 303 Johnston Drive San Rafael, CA 94903 Phone: 415-499-9095 Fax: 415-499-9096E-mail: [email protected]
Craig Zehntner 15981 Yarnell Street, Suite 230Los Angeles, CA 91342Phone: 818-403-6379 Fax: 818-403-6436 E-mail: [email protected]
Western/Eastern Europe: Richard Woolley P.O. Box 250Banbury, OXON, OX16 5YJ UKPhone: 44-1295-278-407Fax: 44-1295-278-408 E-mail: [email protected]
Asia: Hazel Li InterAct Media & Marketing66 Tannery Lane#04-01 Sindo Ind BuildingSingapore 347805Phone: 65-6728-2396 Fax: 65-6562-3375 E-mail:[email protected] Japan: Yoshinori Ikeda Akutagawa Bldg., 7-7, Nihonbashi Kabutocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0026, Japan Phone: 81-3-3661-6138 Fax: 81-3-3661-6139 E-mail: [email protected] Korea: Y.B. Jeon Storm Associates Inc. 4F. Deok Woo Building 292-7, Sung-san dong, Ma-po ku, Seoul, Korea Phone: 82-2-755-3774 Fax: 82-2-755-3776 E-mail:[email protected] Classified Sales: Susan Schaefer 870 Wyndom Terrace Secane, PA 19018 Phone: 484-478-0154 Fax: 913-514-6417 E-mail: [email protected]
Advertiser Page # Website
*Denotes ads appearing in only certain geographic areas.
Transmission & Distribution World (ISSN 1087-0849) is published once monthly by Penton Media Inc., 9800 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, Kansas
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Transmission & Distribution World, P.O. Box 2100, Skokie, Illinois 60076-7800 U.S.
63www.tdworld.com | February 2012
AETCO/Asplundh Tree Expert Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC www.99aetco.com
Black & Veatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 www.bv.com
Burns & McDonnell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBC www.burnsmcd.com
Doble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 www.doble.com
Fluke Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 www.fluke.com
GE Digital Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 www.gedigitalenergy.com
High Voltage Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 www.hvinc.com
Hubbell Power Systems Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 www.hubbellpowersystems.com
Hubbell Power Systems Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48c www.hubbellpowersystems.com
Huskie Tools Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 www.huskietools.com
IEEE/PES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IEEE1-8 www.ieeet-d.org
Jyoti Americas, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35a www.jyotiamericas.com
Krenz & Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52-53 www.krenzvent.com
Mears Group Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 www.mears.net
Nesco Sales & Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 www.nescosales.com
New South Equipment Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 www.newsouthmat.com
NLMCC/NECA-IBEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 www.thequalityconnection.org
Nordic Fiberglass Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 www.nordicfiberglass.com
Omicron Electronics Corp. USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 www.omicronusa.com
Osmose Utilities Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48i www.osmoseutilities.com
Parkline Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 www.parkline.com
Penton / Wright’s Reprints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 www.wrightsmedia.com
Pike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 www.pike.com
Pike Energy Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 www.pike.com
Power Engineers Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 www.powereng.com
PowerSense A/S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 www.sensethepower.com
Quanta Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 www.quantaservices.com
S&C Electric Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC www.sandc.com
S&C Electric Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35b www.sandc.com
Schweitzer Engineering Labs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 www.selinc.com
Sensorlink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 www.sensorlink.com
Siemens AG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 www.siemens.com
Siemens Energy Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 www.usa.siemens.com
TDCompare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 www.tdcompare.com
Trachte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 www.trachteusa.com
Underground Devices Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 www.udevices.com
URMC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 www.utilityrisk.com
64 February 2012 | www.tdworld.com
StraightTalk
By Jeremy Mahowald, Cass County Electric Cooperative
EPA Rules Hurt Business
Cass County Electric Cooperative (CCEC), an electric
cooperative providing power to Fargo, North Dakota,
U.S., and the surrounding region, has been building
its demand management program for more than 30 years.
With nearly one-third of all accounts involved in the program,
CCEC can clip 50 MW, or about one-third of its summer peak.
The winter capability of CCEC’s program is even stronger, with
the ability to drop 104 MW, or nearly half of its winter peak.
CCEC has worked hard with its members to implement a
broad array of controllable loads. These include residential,
agricultural, commercial and industrial demand management
applications ranging from water heaters, dual heating systems,
irrigation and grain site controls, cycled air conditioning and
backup generators. In 2010, participating members saved
nearly US$12 million in power costs in exchange for their abil-
ity to reduce system peaks. These programs have eliminated
or greatly reduced the need for expensive gas peaking plants,
high-price market power during peak conditions or plant out-
ages, and transmission line loading constraints.
In October 2005, a catastrophic blizzard damaged and in-
terrupted much of the eastern North Dakota transmission sys-
tem. CCEC’s load management system was integral to provid-
ing immediate relief after a state of emergency was declared
by North Dakota’s governor and MISO to reduce system loads.
More than 50% of CCEC’s system load was dropped, which
helped prevent rolling blackouts if not a total grid collapse.
About 150 standby diesel and natural gas generators make
up almost 25% of CCEC’s load management program capabil-
ity, offering nearly instant load relief during critical economic
or constrained grid conditions. These generators are located
at commercial businesses and industrial facilities, ranging
from gas stations to hospitals to shopping centers. Last year,
generators were used for 27 hours during critical winter and
summer peaks, reducing system load by about 70 MW. Mem-
ber savings in exchange for this interruptible capability is usu-
ally 30% or more versus firm rates. CCEC further enhanced
the generator component of its load management program by
developing an innovative and award-winning rate structure
that reduced generator run time by 80%. This was achieved
by creating dynamic intermediate pricing available for shoul-
der peaks (versus critical and emergency peaks). The program
continues to be a great success.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently
revised the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air
Pollutants (NESHAP) rules for compression ignition and
spark ignition stationary Reciprocating Internal Combustion
Engines (RICE). The revised RICE NESHAP rules are dis-
criminatory to almost every diesel engine used primarily for
emergency standby power and occasionally for peak shaving to
manage electric load, such as in CCEC’s program.
These rules will prohibit the use of these emergency units
for peak-shaving programs beginning in May 2013 unless they
are modified with expensive emissions-reduction technology,
continuous emissions monitoring and complex reports to the
EPA. The rules do provide up to 100 hours of non-emergency
operation per year for any purpose except peak shaving or
load management. The additional cost associated with these
requirements will make it economically unaffordable to use
these engines for peak-shaving programs.
These limited-use engines would easily fall within the
100 hours allowed in the rule for non-emergency operation,
yet are specifically prohibited from being used for any load
management or peak shaving unless modified. The National
Rural Electric Cooperative Association requested that EPA
reconsider the exclusion of peak shaving under the 100-hour
exemption. The EPA is expected to issue its final response to
the request for reconsideration by the first part of 2012.
The EPA has been asked to remove the prohibition on
these engines for peak-shaving and demand-reduction pur-
poses. The result would be no more run-time than is already
provided for in the rule with no measurable public health
risk or environmental harm. On Dec. 9, 2011, North Dakota
Congressman Rick Berg introduced H.R. 3616, the Genera-
tor Regulatory Relief Act. This bill would exempt all existing
RICE regulated under NESHAP that are used for emergency
and peak shaving.
Generators located at commercial and industrial facili-
ties throughout the country can increase the integrity of our
nation’s grid through load management and save millions in
power costs. The revised EPA rules are prohibitively expensive
and impractical, and could eradicate the benefit of electric
load management. These rules, if left as proposed, will fur-
ther tax businesses already struggling in this economy. The
proposed exclusion of peak shaving in the EPA rule is unaf-
fordable and provides no health benefits of any substance for
our nation.
Jeremy Mahowald ([email protected]) is the manager of
energy management and conservation for Cass County Electric
Cooperative in Fargo, North Dakota, U.S.
2012 Game Changers Lineup
January: Sustainable Substations
February: Thermal Measurements on Lines
March: 3-D Design
April: Distributed Solar
May: Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Charging Stations
June: Grid Analytics
July: Smart Grid Communications
August: Enterprise Data Management
September: Standards and Interoperability
October: Marine Renewables
November: High-Voltage Direct Current
.
TECHNOLOGIES, STRATEGIES AND BIG IDEAS THAT ARE RESHAPING OUR WORLD
E n g i n e e r i n g , A r c h i t e c t u r e , C o n s t r u c t i o n , E n v i r o n m e n t a l a n d C o n s u l t i n g S o l u t i o n s
GAME CHANGERS 2.0
Burns & McDonnell and GE, in partnership with Transmission & Distribution
World, are hosting a series of webinars in 2012 exploring innovative
technologies and ideas that are changing how power is delivered and used.
Join Burns & McDonnell, GE and American Transmission Co. on Feb. 28
as they introduce an online discussion exploring how remote sensing
technology and proprietary analytics software can help utilities improve
accuracy in thermal measurements on transmission lines. Technology
applications such as these will be game changers for utilities looking to
improve every aspect of operations.
GAME CHANGERS: Innovation Brought to Life
www.burnsmcd.com/td
Sponsored by Burns & McDonnell and GE
