Western Underground

SDGE Smart Technology & Grid Hardening

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Topics

• Deployment of Overhead Radio Fault Indicators

• Deployment of Undergroud Radio Fault Indicators

• Hendrix/Steel Pole Installations

• Steel Poles In HFRA & Fiberglass Poles In Wetland Locations

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SDG&E Overview

• San Diego Gas & Electric® was founded in 1881, supplying 59 customers with gas for streetlights, homes and businesses in downtown San Diego (now the Gaslamp District).

• Today, SDG&E is a regulated, public utility providing safe and reliable energy services to 3.4 million customers through 1.4 million electric meters and 840,000 natural gas meters in San Diego and South Orange County.

• Customer mix is 89% residential and 11% commercial & industrial.

• SDG&E and Southern California Gas Company are a part of Sempra Energy, a Fortune 500 company.

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System Statistics – Electric Distribution

• Over 1000 Circuits; about 163,000 transformers, 4100 sq. miles

– 4 kV, 12 kV,

– About 70% Underground; almost 22,000 miles total

– Heavily automated at substation and circuit level, with over 1000 SCADA controlled devices, and over 75 SCADA substations

– Five year average SAIDI less than 60 minutes

– About 500 cable faults per year, 1800 outages total

– Over 160 MW distributed solar now, across 22,000 customers

– One of first major cities to rollout electric vehicles – 2K customers to date

– Six main operating districts with two satellites

– Coastal, inland, mountain, and desert environments

• SDG&E was first California IOU to file comprehensive Smart Grid Deployment plan to CPUC – June 2011

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Overhead Radio Fault Indicators

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Development of Radio Fault Indicators

• Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories provides most of our fault indicators

• On Ramp Wireless (ORW) worked with SEL to incorporate communications into an existing OH fault indicator

• Provided a working device which required testing

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WSO-11 FCI

Goal of Overhead Wireless Fault Indicator Project

• Deployed and tested 25 units for proof of concept – Using the ORW Network They worked

• Install 2800 units in 2012 – Required SDGE Installing 35 Access Points

• Our Goal is to install over 10,000 FCIs, combination of OH and UG, by 2017

• Sync with OMS/DMS for Operations

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Approach and Methodology

• Locations Picked

– Non-SCADA switches

– Non-SCADA circuits

– Replacing Non-Wireless Fault Indicators

– Grounding Banks

• Verify communication coverage at each location from OnRamp provided network coverage

• Future locations

– Solid blade fuses

– Key branches

– 12/4kV Step-downs

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Example Of Overhead FCI Deployment

• Rural Circuits with High Fire Danger

– Elevated fire condition policy: Completely patrol a line before reenergizing, after a circuit trip. We operate in this condition for almost half the year, covering much of the service territory

• Lack of vehicle access makes this process arduous, especially for distribution lines

– Thus automation to pin point the fault was a major driver

– In 2012 we began installing the production units of the SEL/ORW Overhead Wireless Faulted Circuit Indicator (FCI)

• System changes and firmware upgrades can be done remotely, which is very important with many units in the field

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1010101010

12kV Circuit Located in Extreme Fire Area

Many miles from substation

Fault

Last Communicating Device “Intellirupter”

Sub

ETS would have to patrol from here, possibly taking hours to restore the circuit

1111111111

Many miles from substation

Fault

ETS would have to begin his patrol here saving hours in circuit restoration

No fault LOC event

Shows Fault“Intellirupter”

12kV Circuit Located in Extreme Fire Area

Sub

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Installed WFIs on Distribution Circuit

WFI being installed with a “Shotgun”

WFI installed on “A”, “B”, & “C” Phases

Antenna

Underground Fault Indicators

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Goal of Underground Wireless Fault Indicator Project

• Having the FCI communicate in the overhead located 30+ feet above ground is much different than being able to communicate:

– From within a pad mounted structure

– From within an underground manhole or handhole

– From within an underground vault two stories below grade

• Thus it was necessary to pilot underground FCI’s in the various combinations

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DOE Underground FCI Pilot

• This project was sponsored by

– Department of Energy (DOE),

– On Ramp Wireless,

– Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

– SDG&E

• The first step was to install an ORW/SDGE Test Network for our underground pilot

– This required installing Access Points (AP’s) in four areas

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DOE Underground FCI/Transformer Pilot

• The next step was to locate underground switches within ½ mile radius of each Access Point

– The SEL FCI’s for switches are self powered (8301D) –first generation

• In each area we have deployed three FCI’s

• We tested, and continue to test the SEL 8301D FCI’s

• The goal is to test communications as well as data accuracy

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DOE Underground FCI/Transformer Pilot – Cont’d

• Fall of 2012, SEL developed a new and improved underground FCI - 8301A

– The 8301A FCI was equipped with two antennas which offer increased propagation range using diversity scheme

– Part II of the pilot was to increase our installation radius from the AP of ½ mile, to ¾ mile for the FCI’s

– We installed ten more FCI (8301A) second generation units

• Again the goal is to measure communications reliability and data accuracy

• The next slide will show a coverage map and some of the results, followed by pictures of our installations

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© On-Ramp Wireless, Inc. All rights reserved. 18

Century Park Coverage Map

SDGE Summary June 28, 2012 – January 3, 2013

• 10 Schweitzer Engineering Labs Underground 8301D FCIs

– Reporting every 24 hours

• 10 Schweitzer Engineering Labs Underground 8301A FCIs

– Reporting every 6 hours

– Installed mid November

• 11 Padmounts, 3 Manholes, 5 Vaults, & 1 Handhole

• SDU Reliability: 99.7%*

– 414599 SDUs expected

– 413341 SDUs received

* The reliability was 99.9% if we factored out one problem switch

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SDGE Summary Slide – Asset Type

Received Expected Percent

Manhole 857 862 99.4%

Padmount 386840 388012 99.7%Vault 25417 25492 99.7%

Handhole 227 233 97.4%

Received Expected Percent

All 413341 414599 99.7%

Excluding Thornmint TIQ 389988 390528 99.9%

8301D

(within .5 mile radius)410106 411294 99.7%

8301A

(within .75 mile radius)3235 3305 97.9%

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Radio Ranger Installed On PME 10 Switch

SEL Sensing Coils

8301D Radio Ranger/Internal Battery With ORW Radio

ORW Remote Single Antenna

Compartment 1

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Radio Ranger Installed On A PME 10 Switch

8301A Radio Ranger

Two Antenna’s

SEL Sensing Coils

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Radio Ranger Installed On PME 10 Compartments 3 & 4

Compartment 4Compartment 3

SEL Sensing CoilsSensing Cables Route Under the Switch To The Radio Ranger Located In Compartment 1 23

Four-Way Gas Switch

SEL Sensing Coils

8301D Radio Ranger

Single Antenna

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Four-Way Gas Switch

Antenna

8301D Radio Ranger With ORW

SEL Sensing Coils

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Handhole Mounted 8301A Radio Ranger

Hinged Aluminum Lid

Two Antenna’s: Signal Must Propagate Through Aluminum Lid

8301A Radio Ranger

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Vault Mounted Four Way Gas Switch – Vaults Are Dry

8301A Radio Ranger Mounted On Vault Wall

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Same Vault Mounted Switch With 8301A Radio Ranger – Vaults are Dry

Vault Cover, Cast Iron Lid

Two Antenna’s Signal Must Propagate Through Cast iron Lid/Concrete

8301A Radio Ranger

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Manhole Mounted – 8301D Radio Ranger Fault Indicator – Manholes Subject To Submersion

8301D Radio Ranger Mounted On Wall Of Manhole

Single Antenna Mounted In The Neck Of The Manhole, Signal must propagate through cast iron lid/concrete

Coaxial Cable

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SEL Sensing Coils On G&W Oil Switch

Radio Ranger Installed On A 4 Way Oil Switch – Subject To Submersion

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Preparation To Install Radio Ranger Fault Indicators In A Manhole

Pumper Truck

Traffic Control

However Once Installed We May Not Need To Open The Manhole31

SDGE Future Plans For Underground FCI’s

• We have been pleased with the results

• We are working with SEL on several product improvements• Pressure sensor for measuring water depth in manholes• Better load accuracy from the pick-up coils

• SEL plans to have those improvements completed this year

• SDGE plans to install 100 units in 2013

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Hendrix Spacer Cable System

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Hendrix Overhead Construction

• Hendrix Spacer Cable System is used world wide in areas that are• Heavily wooded • Have significant wind, ice and snow• Used in Australia in high fire prone area

• Our first application using Hendrix was on Palomar Mountain. We used Hendrix Tree Wire on conventional crossarms for this heavily wooded area.

• After the fact, we learned that the Hendrix Spacer Cable System was over three times as strong, and much more reliable than open wire installations

• Thus, SDGE worked with Hendrix to modify their products to be applicable to California’s G.O. 95 requirements

• 18” phase to phase• 9” phase to ground

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Hendrix Installations At SDGE

• Hendrix modified their brackets, and spacers to comply with California requirements

• Tangent Bracket, “C” Bracket, “E” Bracket, & GO 95 Spacer

• Our first spacer application was installed at our Skills Training Center

• The next two spacer cable applications were in heavily treed areas• All the above jobs, and all future Hendrix jobs will be installed on steel

poles for strength and added fire protection

• The advantage of the spacer cable system is:• Traditional ACSR wire has a breaking strength of ~4000#’s• Hendrix Spacer System relies on a messenger cable with breaking

strength of ~17,000 #’s• The conductors are insulated thus if a tree branch falls across the

messenger and conductors there is no fault, and in most cases the system stays in tact

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Hendrix Termination Bracket & Polymer Deadend with Hendrix Preforms

GO95 Spacers

Hendrix Tangent Bracket With GO95 Spacer

Skills Training Center Level Ground

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Steel Pole with Hendrix Tangent Support Bracket & G095 Spacer

GO95 Spacers installed approximately 30 feet apart

Skills Training Center – Level Ground

Palomar Mountain Heavy Tree Area With Snow and Ice Palomar Mountain Heavy Tree Area With Snow and Ice In The Winter – Line Changes 600’ Elevation in a little In The Winter – Line Changes 600’ Elevation in a little over 2500’ Horizontallyover 2500’ Horizontally

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Palomar Mountain Heavy Tree Area With Snow and Ice In Palomar Mountain Heavy Tree Area With Snow and Ice In The WinterThe Winter

Tangent Construction

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Palomar Mountain Hendrix Construction With Transformer

“C” Bracket with Messenger Deadended

Cutouts on Alumaform Arms

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Looking North Down The Hill

Palomar Mountain Hendrix Construction Steep Slope

“C” Bracket With Messenger Deadended For Steep Slope

Swivel GO 95 Spacers For Steep Slope Construction

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Steel Poles In HFRA & Fiberglass Poles In Wetland Locations

Steel Poles In HFRA & Fiberglass Poles In Wetland Locations

• Over the last few years we have installed over 4,000 Steel Poles in back country locations

• Our poles are manufactured by Valmont, with equipment and climbing holes in a “knock-out” configuration

• Our poles are direct buried with treated “butts” of an epoxy compound called “Corrocoat”

• We have “RIV Grounds” installed at each equipment level including communications and at the “butt” for the ground rod connection

• We use galvanized poles in urban locations, and use weathering steel in back country locations including the national forest

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Steel Poles In HFRA & Fiberglass Poles In Wetland/Back-lot Locations – Cont’d

• We have also started using fiberglass poles in wetland and back lot locations, and have installed approximately 40 poles to date

• We are using RS Structure Fiberglass poles• The poles come “nested”

• Advantage for back lot locations is that they can be hand carried into those locations and “ginned” into place

• For wet land locations the poles can be pre-assembled or assembled on site

• We often install these poles using “sono tubes”• We order the poles pre-drilled with climbing holes• Grounds etc. are extended internally inside of the poles

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First Fiberglass Poles Set In SDGE Service Territory

Existing Two Pole Structure in this Marsh land location had rotted out

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Marshy Area Required Placing Sono Tubes For Installation

Two Pole Fiberglass Structure

First Fiberglass Poles Set In SDGE Service Territory