How Smart Grid Devices Will Impact Electric Utility Distribution Operations Control Centers

Electric utility distribution systems looked and operated much the same for decades.  That was until relatively recently, when consumers, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders began to demand more in terms of power quality, service reliability, consideration of environmental issues, and cost savings.  As a result, electric utilities, equipment manufacturers, and software companies have been developing and implementing advanced technology systems on the distribution system to satisfy sophisticated consumers, demanding regulators, and cost-conscious stakeholders.  While these technological advances are welcomed, utility companies must take actions to ensure that their distribution operations control centers can take advantage what they offer.  These actions should include addressing how these new technologies will impact system management, data security, change management, knowledge management, and training.

 

Distribution operations control centers have historically relied primarily upon manual processes to monitor and manage the distribution system in a safe and reliable manner.  Issuance of paper tickets generated by customer service representatives provided notification to system operators of an outage or power quality issue on the distribution system.  Distribution system loads were monitored through the analysis of paper charts and graphs that were retrieved manually by field personnel. Switching was accomplished through manual processes that often relied upon dated customer load trends and “tribal knowledge” of the distribution system.  Status of disconnects and field devices such as reclosers, regulators and capacitor banks had to be operated, checked and verified in the field by dispatching field personnel, who were in turn tracked by magnetic boards or crudely developed crew tracking sheets or rosters.  The system operator was a manual integrator of information and processes.  Some of these manual tasks include:

• Analyzing and verifying outages;

• Locating and predicting the operable device (customer service, transformer, lateral fuse, recloser etc.);

• Dispatching of first responder to the outage location;

• Maintaining communications with first responders, and providing additional information as needed (police/fire calls, customer observations, re-prediction of operable device);

• Developing a restoration switching plan;

• Creating a zone of protection for repair crews;

• Updating call center personnel;

• Restoring the distribution system to the normal configuration after repairs; and

• Completing logging and/or interruption reporting requirements.

In contrast, today’s smart grid solutions can give the system operator a wealth of real-time reliable system data regarding customer outages, customer loading trends, device status and equipment condition monitoring.  These solutions include integrated volt/VAR control devices; fault locate, isolation and service restoration devices; substation automation devices; and intelligent electronic devices that can be installed throughout a distribution system, working in concert with operational systems such as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, distribution management systems (DMS) and outage management systems (OMS)

 

These systems needs to be managed and the data usable to the system operator or the data will become discounted or worse yet, misused by the system operator.  Therefore, it is imperative a number of areas be reconsidered to make the transition to a smart grid a smooth one and to ensure continued safe operation of the distribution system.  Implementation of a smart grid will impact data management, change management and knowledge management processes, and staff must be trained to use new devices.

 

Data management systems receive and store data, and allow for access and presentation of data.  It can be very difficult and time consuming to analyze data from multiple sources such as SCADA, OMS, DMS, proprietary databases, applications or websites, then correlate the data and act on it in a timely and effective manner. Information technology and software engineering personnel must design and configure the operating systems to meet the data management needs of the distribution system operator.  Often, access and presentation of data is configured to meet the needs of casual users, such as engineers, asset management personnel, and other support functions.   These casual users typically analyze data during non-system events during times when prompt decision-making is not critical to the overall security of the distribution system and safety of field personnel. System operators do not usually have the luxury of time to mine the data, correlate it, analyze it, and then take action. 

 

Ergonomics has been employed for many years in the nuclear power generation industry.  The proper presentation of data, measurements, and alarms is critical for the nuclear reactor operator to understand what is occurring in the many systems at the plant.  For the distribution system operator, like the nuclear plant operator, data must be easy to access (click of a mouse button or key), succinct (open/close, low/high limits etc.) and presented in a manner that a trained system operator can glean at a glance and determine what actions should be taken. 

 

Similar to a nuclear power plant which has many integrated systems working together to generate power, the distribution system, in the very near future, will be made up of many smart grid components and solutions all working together to deliver reliable, quality power to consumers.  In today’s distribution operations control center environment, software solutions are needed to help automate correlation and analysis in order to operate the system in a safe and reliable manner.  These software solutions should enable the operator to quickly perform complex calculations, filter and route data to applicable end users, organize and present data in a usable format, and ultimately enhance the decision making process.  At a minimum, solutions should be able to provide the system operator with the following:

• Quickly verify and predict the location of an outage;

• Create recommended switching plans;

• Automatically update customer information systems,

• Integrate with multiple systems and information sources;

• Ensure the common formatting of data;

• Automate routine tasks such as data logging and create interruption reports;

• Automate power quality calls and outages to first responders; and

• Provide real-time updates on the configuration of the distribution system.

Pilot projects are often initiated to test interfaces and systems, and prove smart grid devices. These pilot projects are a golden opportunity to develop change management strategies, knowledge management and training materials, new processes and procedures, and get buy-in from stakeholders.  Change management and knowledge management elements are critical to consider. If these elements are overlooked, utilities risk not being able to fully realize capabilities of a smart grid solution. 

 

As the smart grid becomes reality, how a system operator monitors and operates the distribution system will shift, creating a new paradigm.  For example, in the not so distant past, when a distribution circuit opened automatically due to a faulted condition, the system operator would send a first responder to patrol the circuit while the operator looked for key customer calls with information, which at times could be misleading.  In parallel, the first responder would be patrol the circuit and check the status of manual fault indicators on the circuit.  Once the cause of the fault was identified, the first responder would isolate the fault by opening and then closing manual disconnects to restore customer service. 

 

Today, given that same scenario, with a smart grid, the system operator and first responder would first identify what components on the circuit needed troubleshooting.  Are there intelligent reclosers or sectionalizers on the circuit? What are their statuses (open, close, manual or automatic mode)?  Is the un-faulted section of the circuit being back fed from an alternate source?  What are the wireless fault indicators showing?  Is there distributed generation on the circuit?  In parallel, the distribution system operator would be gathering and analyzing data from SCADA, DMS, and OMS to aide in the troubleshooting and eventual restoration of the circuit. 

 

In conclusion, many processes will be forever changed with the coming of smart grid solutions applied to the distribution system.  By addressing change management, knowledge management and training proactively, the full benefits of a smart grid can be realized.  In addition, distribution system operators will have the knowledge and tools to operate the system in a safe and reliable manner.

Distribution Operations Processes Impacted by a Smart Grid 

Distribution System Monitoring and Control	Crew Assignments	Outage Analysis
Trouble Call Management	First Responder Dispatch	Equipment Monitoring and Diagnostics
Voltage Regulation	Power Quality Management	Interruption Reporting
Planned and Emergency Switching	Fault Locating	Storm Restoration

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