T&D-May 2011
T&D-May 2011
T&D-May 2011
1
0
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Years
C
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le
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t
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2009 S&C Electric Company 766-A0901
Conventional reclosers stress the circuit with fault
current every time they reclose into a fault. The results:
Avoidable damage to the windings of upstream transformers,
conductor splices, terminators, and connectors . . . shortening
their lives. Plus voltage sags on adjacent, unfaulted feeders.
But S&Cs IntelliRupter wont damage your system. Its
PulseClosing Technology performs a fast close-open operation
at just the right point on the voltage wave, putting a short, 5-ms
pulse of current on the line to test for the presence of faults.
IntelliRupter offers you:
A completely integrated package
including controls, communications,
power supply, and three-phase voltage
and current sensing. Eliminates cost,
clutter, and complexity. Controls are
line-powered, no VTs needed.
Easy up, easy on. All system
components are contained in the
IntelliRupter base for easy, single-
point-lift installation.
Simple conguration and operation
from the comfort of your vehicle,
using secure WiFi-based wireless
communication.
NEW! Available with IntelliTEAM SG
Automatic Restoration System. This self-healing
feeder reconguration system responds to system
disturbances and restores power to all the loads the
system can handle. With new features like Rapid Self-
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is faster and easier to use than ever before.
NEW! Now with single-phase tripping capability, plus
optional external power supply and ber-optic com-
munication.
S&Cs
IntelliRupter
PulseCloser
eliminates the
need to close into
a fault to test the line.
Current versus TimeConventional RecloserFault from Phase Wire to Grounded Neutral
Current versus TimeIntelliRupter PulseCloserFault from Phase Wire to Grounded Neutral
PulseClosing Technology tests for faults with
non-disruptive 5-millisecond current pulses.
With each reclosing, circuit is stressed by fault current.
Still not
convinced?
See an actual demo
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pulseclosing versus
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recloser
closing
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2009
AWARD WINNER
Answers for energy.
E
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SIPROTEC for over 100 years, a unique success story of
innovation and quality in protection technology.
Since the beginning of the twentieth century and the pioneering days of protection technology, customer
requirements have been in a continuous process of change. Siemens has consistently transformed these new
requirements into innovative products and solutions always working closely with our customers and always
one step ahead of the competition. Our strategy of innovation, combined with a total focus on our customers
and their benefits, has made Siemens the market leader. www.siemens.com/energy/siprotec2011
Is it possible to be a pioneer
from generation to generation?
May 2011 | www.tdworld.com 2
Vol. 63 No. 5
CONTENTS
C
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1
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36
40
50
56
66
74
PEVs in the Motor City
Detroit Edison examines adoption of PEV scenarios to determine
distribution system impacts.
By Haukur asgeirsson and Nick Carlson, Detroit Edison
Its Not Just Cutting Trees
Tree Line USA recognition is part of a comprehensive utility program
to engage customers in managing the community forest.
By robbie Beard and Keith r. Forry, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative;
Lisa randle, Pacic Gas and Electric Co.; and randy Gordon, Arbor Day
Foundation
Voltage Regulation Under Control
Norway installs the worlds rst magnetic voltage stabilizer
on rural 22-kV distribution feeders.
By Tormod Leistad, Eidsiva Nett A.S.
Web-Based Integration Streamlines Processes
Truckee-Donner PUD integrates disparate IT tools to provide
collective value.
By Ian Fitzgerald, Truckee-Donner Public Utility District
Building Reliability Into a High-Prole Area
Underground service and a truly self-healing distribution system
improves customer service within the automation zone.
By mark Kimbell, Murfreesboro Electric Department
Wood Pole Inspection Extends Service Life
Knowledge of pole condition is crucial for decision making
in managing distribution facilities.
By adriano Gabiatti and Pedro montani, AES Sul Distribuidora Gacha
de Energia S.A., and Flvio vidor, marcal Pires and Berenice a. Dedavid,
Pontical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul
Frankfurt to Host CIRED
The 21
st
International Conference and Exhibition on Electricity
Distribution will be held June 6-9.
By Gerry George, International Editor
56
36
40
Never Compromise
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May 2011 | www.tdworld.com 4
8
12
16
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24
26
80
88
84
87
Departments
GlobalVIEWPOINT
Another Egg Cracks. After years of outsourcing, manufacturing is making
its way back home. Individual states are working with global companies
to bring high-paying manufacturing jobs to the United States.
By Rick Bush, Editorial Director
BUSINESSDevelopments
BPA to Build New High-Voltage Power Line in Southeast Washington
Landes de Couesm Wind Farm Orders 11 Wind Turbines
SMARTGrid
JEA to Deploy Landis+Gyrs Gridstream Network to Support
Energy Conservation
EnerNOC to Deliver Energy-Efciency Applications to SCE Customers
TECHNOLOGYUpdates
Montana-Dakota Utilities Selects OSIs monarch Technology
for SCADA/EMS
EA Technology to Market Pnu Power Compressed Air Batteries
QuarterlyREPORT
The Future of the Smart Grid. Representatives from two of Utilimetrics
member companies, General Electric and Siemens, share their predictions
for the future of the smart grid world. By Joel Hoiland, Utilimetrics
CHARACTERSwithCharacter
Life Science. EPRI Senior Project Manager Doug Dorrs fascination with
problem solving, had simple beginnings his fth-grade science class.
By Cathy Swirbul, Contributing Writer
PRODUCTS&Services
Warning Solution for Less Critical Transformers
Epoxy Bushings
StraightTALK
The Trouble With Wind. Wind capacity has its pluses and minuses. We all
need to be careful lest we embrace the former while ignoring the latter.
By George C. Loehr, Management Consultant
In Every Issue
ClassiedADVERTISING
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CONTENTS
ABOUT OUR COVER:
Detroit Edison is putting
a charge into electric
vehicles.
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Quanta Services roots in the power industry run deep. For generations, Quanta has been the force behind the
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26 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
CHARACTERSwithCharacter
Life Science
Doug Dorr, EPRI
By Cathy Swirbul, Contributing Editor
D
oug Dorr leads a team of innovators at the Electric
Power Research Institute (EPRI) who devise inge-
nious solutions for power industry challenges, includ-
ing smart phone and smart device apps that solve a multitude
of problems. Dorrs fascination with problem solving, though,
had simple beginnings his fth-grade science class.
We had a class competition in which you could earn a gold
star based on the amount of research you did on a particular
topic, said Dorr, EPRI senior project manager. We raced to
see who could earn the most stars by the end of the year.
Growing up, I tried to gure out how many things I could
take apart with a pair of pliers and a screwdriver, Dorr said.
My dad had every tool available, and those tools were the best
toys. One of my favorite childhood gifts was a chemistry kit,
which I used to turn our rug purple. I dont think my mom
appreciated this.
His obsession with science and problem solving held con-
stant through his teen years, eventually propelling him to
study engineering at the Indiana Institute of Technology, in
Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S.
Dorr spent the rst ve years of his career at an uninter-
ruptible power supply test lab, where his team tore apart the
competitions product to determine how to make their compa-
nys product better. He noted wryly that a big draw of that job
was that the lab had a lightning simulator they used to blow up
things in spectacular ways. A few years later, EPRI asked Dorr
to lead its test facility in Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Dorrs interest in lightning continued at EPRI, where his
favorite projects have been testing lightning protection equip-
ment for power lines. You get to see smoke coming out of
things. Sometimes its pretty catastrophic how the equipment
fails, Dorr said. Its rewarding to create a design that starts
with failures and ends with a solution that is fairly bullet-
proof.
One lesson Dorr has learned in his teams experiments
is that jumping to conclusions is not a good idea. My team
went to a GE plant where they make tungsten lament for light
bulbs, Dorr said. They start with tungsten powder and make
a bar, then run it through processes that heat and stretch it.
Eventually, it becomes a long rod. By the time they get it to the
other end of the plant, that rod has become a spool of wire.
They are pulling it through and creating lament the size of
sewing thread.
It takes three days to wind a spool, and they have 200 ma-
chines doing the winding, Dorr said. Every time the lights
blinked, the machines shut down, the spools continued to spin
and the lament snapped. I was certain we could x the prob-
lem with a power conditioner, but the machine wouldnt even
run with the power conditioner on it. It started oscillating and
snapping the wire even without a power variation. We were
down to the last 10 minutes before we had to leave. One of my
technicians walked over to a machine that had a portable dis-
turbance generator hooked to it to simulate a voltage drop. He
took a screwdriver and held the wire down at the place where
it was coming off the roller and going onto the spool. Then he
dropped the voltage. It snapped his arm up but didnt break
the lament.
We ended up adding a $40 spring roller at that spot that
acted as a mechanical shock absorber, rather than using a
$3,000 power conditioner. It xed the problem and saved that
company $500,000 annually. I learned that you should never
assume anything.
Dorr nds his work stimulating but also enjoys inspiring his
teams creativity. Each team member is very innovative and
has a strong skill set in two to three specic areas. My job is to
keep them focused on those areas, Dorr said. For example,
we have a couple of guys who can build any kind of circuit you
want, but they dont enjoy documenting or presenting it. So
you try to bring together the entire group on a project to get
all the strengths that you need for the project. I always tell my
team that no one is as smart as all of us together.
He also keeps his diverse team members focused on one
goal that they establish as a group. One of their objectives is to
bring technology to the eld so that no one in North America
is seriously injured or killed by an energized object this year.
To stimulate creative thinking, EPRIs Knoxville facility has
Tech Thursdays in which everyone learns about one interest-
ing EPRI project over lunch. Its amazing how many e-mails
we get after Tech Thursday from people who either attended
or listened remotely, Dorr said. They have an idea for a new
project or to enhance what we are already doing.
Whats next for Dorr? His team is working on a robot that
can be sent down smoking manholes to diagnose power line
problems. This is going to be fun because everyone can con-
tribute, from the crews who work in manholes to our engineers
who will create an iPad platform to control the robot.
Robots, smoking manholes and iPad platforms things
that would delight any fth-grade boy in a science class.
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28 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
Detroit Edisons electric
overhead line truck, 1915
Model T electric taxi
accumulated more than
46,000 miles in two years
Electric AMC Pacer wagon
Subaru electric van
Limited deployment
of electric Volkswagen Rabbit
A Park & Charge system
used credit cards to track usage
Ford hybrid SUV
Chevrolet Volt
1915 1960s 1970s 1980s 2009 2010
PEVs in the
Detroit Edison examines adoption of PEV scenarios
to determine distribution system impacts.
By Haukur Asgeirsson and Nick Carlson, Detroit Edison
A
bout 100 years ago, Henry Ford left Detroit Edi-
son to start his own car company, said DTE
Energy Chairman Tony Earley to attendees of the
Edison Foundations Powering the People con-
ference held March 3, 2011. And while he had a very success-
ful automotive career, he also set off a revolution in the way
we travel, where we live and how our nation has grown over
the past century, said Earley. Today, we are again welcom-
ing seismic change in transportation. And that change is the
world of electric cars and trucks. Electric power will trans-
form transportation. Its already happening!
Electric utilities are committed to making electric trans-
portation a success, Earley continued. Electrifying our
transportation system will create new, high-quality jobs and
help reduce our countrys dependence on oil imports. And
its good news for the environment.
It is well known and certain that plug-in electric vehicles
(PEVs) are entering the market. However, it is uncertain
where and to what degree they will be adopted.
Where and When Will It Happen?
Only through accurate predictions can a utility properly
Automotive History
DTE Energy/Detroit Edison is centered in Detroit, Michigan, U.S the Motor City. So it is only tting that Detroit Edison should be
studying market adoption of plug-in electric vehicles and their effects on the utility distribution system.
29 www.tdworld.com | May 2011
e Motor City
analyze the coming situation and take the steps necessary to
prepare for PEVs. With support from the Michigan Public
Service Commission, DTE Energy has studied the effects
of PEVs on its distribution network. For this analysis, DTE
Energy asked Electrical Distribution Design to create an ap-
plication to aid in the analysis of the effects of various PEV
adoption levels in the Distributed Engineering Workstation
(DEW).
The new application uses a Monte Carlo simulation to ran-
domly place PEVs as a function of customer class at
locations on the circuit being studied. The
simulation uses time-varying charging patterns to predict
feeder load characteristics as a result of the new PEV loads,
along with primary and secondary overloads and voltage
problems that result from the PEV charging.
Since PEV technology is new to the mass market, informa-
tion on how consumers will use PEVs is not available. Thus,
the PEV application allows the user to assume expected pat-
terns on how consumers will charge PEVs.
distributionManagement
In the application, PEVs are assumed to be charged at the
secondary voltage level of circuit distribution transformers as
a function of customer billing class. It was assumed the bat-
tery is fully discharged when PEV charging occurs once a day.
There are two likely voltages for charging: 120 V and 240 V.
Both voltage levels are available for study.
In the analysis, customer loads are estimated from aver-
aged hourly supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)
measurements, hourly customer kilowatt-hour (kWh) load
data and monthly kWh load data processed by load research
statistics to create hourly loading estimates for each customer.
The PEV load, or other distributed electric resource, is then
added to the specic customers load estimate.
The application uses a PEV adoption rate as well as an an-
nual growth rate that can extend years into the future. By ap-
plying a Monte Carlo simulation to the census data and relat-
ing travel time to miles traveled, a probability distribution of
people arriving home from work was obtained. The program
assumes the PEV owner will initiate recharging upon arriv-
ing home. The analysis reports both primary and secondary
problems for both overloads and low voltages resulting from
the PEV additions.
Using the PEV adoption application, effects of 5% to 30%
PEV adoption rates were studied in both on-peak and off-peak
1
2
a
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10
15
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25
30
Arrival time
C
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e
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s
(
%
)
Distribution of home arrival times.
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
5 10 15 20 25 30
T
o
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r
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t
i
o
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t
r
a
n
s
f
o
r
m
e
r
s
(
%
)
PEV adoption rate (%)
4.8-kV overloads
4.8-kV low voltages
13.2-kV overloads
13.2-kV low voltages
Uncontrolled charging of 4.8 kV versus 13.2 kV.
31 www.tdworld.com | May 2011
DISTRIBUTIONManagement
scenarios. These scenarios were conducted under the follow-
ing worst-case assumptions:
PEV charging occurred on the day of peak kWh con-
sumption in 2009 for each distribution feeder analyzed.
Batteries were fully depleted at charging start time and
continued charging until full.
In on-peak studies, PEV charging start times were distrib-
uted among customer arrival times at home after work.
In off-peak studies, all PEVs began charging at the same
time.
The 109 distribution feeders chosen for DEW analysis are
fed from heavily loaded substations in expected early adopter
areas of Detroit Edisons service area serving 106,993 custom-
ers fed from 11,368 distribution transformers.
Modeling the Impacts of PEVs
Since EVs have never been present on a mass scale, con-
sideration must be given to a number of items regarding the
initial takeoff of this technology.
Although todays PEVs are being designed to allow plug-
ging in to a standard 120-V home electrical outlet, a 240-V op-
tion has the ability to cut the charging time in half. This could
mean saving anywhere from 4 hours to 8 hours, depending
on the PEVs battery capacity. The faster option will undoubt-
Residential electric service availability for at-home EV charging. Results show distribution impacts of off-peak 240-V charging.
120-V
service
76%
240-V
service
1%
120-V and 240-V
service 13%
No electric service 8%
Dont know 2%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
7
p
.
m
.
8
p
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m
.
9
p
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m
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1
0
p
.
m
.
1
1
p
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m
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1
2
a
.
m
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1
a
.
m
.
D
i
s
t
r
i
b
u
t
i
o
n
t
r
a
n
s
f
o
r
m
e
r
s
(
%
)
Charging start time
Overloaded transformers
Low voltages
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32 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
DISTRIBUTIONManagement
edly be more desirable; therefore, residential and commercial
electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) installation will be
required for a smooth transition. Such installations, depend-
ing on the age and status of home electrical panels, also could
require an upgrade to this panel.
EVSE installation is already underway, in support of elec-
tric vehicles (EVs) that entered service in late 2010. Only 14%
of customers currently have 240-V access.
Distribution System Effects
The two main objectives of the electrical system impact
studies are to understand various PEV adoption scenarios and
to nd charging start times to mitigate these effects.
The greatest impact on the grid in Michigan generally oc-
curs during the summer when high ambient temperatures are
>90F (>32C) along with high humidity. The effects of 5%
to 30% PEV adoption rates were studied
for both on-peak and off-peak scenarios.
Based on when workers arrive home, the
uncontrolled charging study determined
that overload and low-voltage issues were
signicantly greater on the 4.8-kV sys-
tems than the 13.2-kV systems. The ef-
fects of level two (240-V) charging at low
PEV adoption rates are minimal. Thus,
from the system-level view, no signicant
problems due to the assumed PEV adoption are expected.
However, problems due to clustering of PEVs on individual
transformers are expected.
The analysis showed that transformer overloads peak
around 8 p.m. and begin to decrease drastically after 11 p.m.
Problems caused by localized residential PEV adoption can
be signicantly reduced by charging during off-peak hours
beginning after 11 p.m. This was the basis for implementing
a new EV time-of-use rate (approved by the Michigan Public
Service Commission in August 2010) with the off-peak rate
starting at 11 p.m. Off-peak pricing can save customers up to
40% on their annual PEV charging costs and defer distribu-
tion infrastructure upgrades.
The bottom line is the Detroit Edison electric distribution
system is able to handle the increased load from the initial
eet of PEV adoption with little investment in infrastructure
upgrades. Off-peak vehicle charging (af-
ter 11 p.m.) can reduce costs and defer
investments in distribution infrastruc-
ture upgrades while still allowing vehicles
to receive a full charge by morning. It is
also possible that incentivizing custom-
ers to charge during off-peak hours can
be done with time-of-use pricing.
System Perspective
The distribution system modeling
study has provided valuable insight into
the impact EVs will have on the electric
utilitys distribution system. Since the
growth and adoption of EVs is expected
to be relatively slow in the coming years,
the anticipated impact EVs will have on
the electric distribution system will be
minimal. However, there is potential that
a high concentration of these vehicles in
certain areas may cause local transform-
er overloads and low voltages even in the
near term.
The study conrms that major in-
frastructure problems for electric utili-
ties can be mitigated if charging can be
controlled (managed) during periods
of peak demand. Incentivizing custom-
ers to charge during off-peak hours not
only minimizes potential power-quality-
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vegetationManagement
Its Not Just Cutting Trees
Tree Line USA recognition is part of a
comprehensive utility program to engage
customers in managing the community forest.
By Robbie Beard and Keith R. Forry, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative;
Lisa Randle, Pacic Gas and Electric Co.; and Randy gordon, Arbor Day Foundation
D
ealing with vegetation management issues is a chal-
lenge every utility faces. Much of the time, dealing
with such issues requires many work hours, causes
tons of complaints and raises stress levels for every-
one in the utility as well as for customers. It can be one big
headache. But the good news is it does not have to be. In cases
of managing the utilitys portion of the community forest,
prevention is indeed the best medicine.
The best way to avoid crisis situations is to devise a compre-
hensive, detailed plan for dealing with all kinds of vegetation
management issues that includes educating and engaging the
local community, one aspect of the Tree Line USA program of
the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National
Association of State Foresters. In the long run, the utility will
be better off and customers will appreciate it.
Reaching Out to the Community
Pacic Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) is exploring a new
style of community outreach to improve communication with
its customers. In April, PG&Es vegetation management staff
along with staff from various other departments attended a
two-day training session hosted by the Public Conversations
Project of Watertown, Massachusetts, U.S. The training offers
guidance to individuals, organizations and communities to
constructively address and understand conicts related to veg-
etation management projects.
The new style of community outreach will assist PG&E
in maintaining customer satisfaction and in meeting the
publics expectations of high reliability. The utility also will
benet from increased communication within its internal
cross-functional teams.
Given the right tree in the right place, the coexistence of trees and distribution lines can be a beautiful thing.
37 www.tdworld.com | May 2011
VEGETATIONManagement
Another area of PG&Es outreach
focus is assisting cities within its service
area by creating customized city tree
guides. Each guide will contain a list of
trees that have been approved by a city
as well as PG&Es Right Tree, Right Place
guidelines for planting near transmis-
sion and distribution lines. PG&E will
develop tree guides for each city within
its service area that is participating in
Tree City USA a program of the
Arbor Day Foundation that encourages
better care of the nations community
forests by awarding recognition to cit-
ies and towns that meet basic standards
of a good tree-care plan.
PG&E embraces opportunities that
boost communications and outreach
efforts about avoiding tree and power line conict. Finding
creative and collaborative ways to partner with cities and com-
munities will build on the joint Arbor Day events PG&E holds
as a Tree Line USA utility.
Caring for Trees
There was a time not so long ago that Rappahannock Elec-
tric Cooperative (REC) took a different approach to manag-
ing vegetation issues. Managers used to take an if-it-is-not-
broken, do-not-x-it approach to vegetation issues but not
any longer. The focus has shifted from managing member
complaints to managing the trees impacting power lines.
Instead of taking a ground-to-sky pruning approach, REC
does what is best for the trees. All work done by RECs vegeta-
tion management crews is directed by a certied arborist, and
the cooperative spends considerable time talking to its mem-
Members of PG&Es vegetation management and electric operations departments demonstrate
the power of blue during Arbor Day activities at the Willow Creek Head Start preschool in
Willow Creek, California.
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38 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
vegetationManagement
bers about the benets of having a sound tree-management
program in place.
REC rst sought the approval of its customers by engaging
the communities it serves across 22 counties. The cooperative
takes time to explain the specics of what it is doing in relation
to its trees and providing reliable service.
Healthy Trees Extend Pruning Cycles
The results have been remarkable. By focusing on the health
of trees, REC changed its pruning cycle from a three-year to a
ve-year rotation. Instead of going from hot spot to hot spot,
REC was able to extend its regular pruning cycle, which saved
time and money in the long run. REC also invests time and
money to educate members of the communities it serves about
the benets of strategically planting trees to help lower energy
Many utilities take advantage of Arbor Day to help their communities
plant trees in needed areas.
costs and ensure safe, reliable, uninterrupted power.
REC provides funds and educational tools to encourage its
members to plant the right trees in the right places. For ex-
ample, REC suggests its customers plant large deciduous trees
south of the house but away from overhead power lines, use
low-growing trees and shrubs within the utilitys rights-of-way
and place evergreen screens on the edge of the rights-of-way
rather than directly under the conductors.
Engaging Future Homeowners and Tree Planters
REC also reaches out to local schools for its Arbor Day cel-
ebrations to engage a younger audience. During the past nine
years, the utility has engaged hundreds of students and has
planted over 60 trees at schools and parks across its service
territory. REC uses these events to support the environment,
local urban forests, its customers and their neighborhoods.
One of the rst steps was for REC to receive Tree Line USA
recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation. Tree Line USA is
a validation of best-management practices in all aspects of the
line-clearance program. Proper pruning practices allow the
extension of the maintenance cycle while minimizing dam-
age to retained trees. The improved health of trees adjacent
to lines enhances service reliability while providing all the
benets of a healthy suburban forest to the community. Being
recognized as a Tree Line USA utility speaks to the fact that an
outside organization recognizes the good work being done.
Tree Line USA Encourages Best-Care Practices
Tree Line USA is about so much more than vegetation
management. It is a holistic approach to managing Americas
vast urban forests, educating and engaging the public about
planting the right tree in the right place, and training utility
workers in best tree-care practices to protect and care for a
communitys vital asset its trees.
Community involvement always has been a core value at
REC and participation in the Tree Line USA program has en-
couraged additional outlets for these efforts. The new Tree
Line USA requirements for an energy conservation compo-
nent integrates nicely with corporate goals of providing mem-
bers with ways to reduce their energy consumption. Public
education efforts through the Arbor Day programs, print pub-
lications and website should provide members with the knowl-
edge to select the proper tree for the location, enhancing the
urban forest throughout the REC territory.
Communities benet when utility providers meet Tree Line
USA requirements. Proper tree care provides many benets:
39 www.tdworld.com | May 2011
vegetationManagement
l Helps reduce energy costs to consumers when trees are
planted for energy conservation
l Reduces the heat island effect by cooling paved areas in
larger cities and towns
l Increases reliable service of power because properly
pruned and maintained trees are less likely to down lines dur-
ing severe weather
l Provides for healthier and more abundant urban forests.
Trees are an important part of urban landscapes in every
region of the United States from an environmental and eco-
nomic standpoint. Trees not only help clean the air and wa-
ter sources, the shade they provide helps reduce peak energy
usage and conserve energy. Utility providers who follow Tree
Line USA standards are setting a good example about the im-
portance of recognizing the need to take care of a valuable
community resource like trees.
Tree Line USA Benets
Last year, more than 140 utilities, including PG&E and
REC, received Tree Line USA recognition from the Arbor
Day Foundation. These providers experienced the benets of
being a Tree Line USA utility, including lower line-clearance
costs that result from best pruning practices, improved rights-
of-way management by engaging the community in right-tree-
right-place planting practices, lower peak energy demand
through an increased urban tree canopy, and increased reli-
ability of service by following best tree-care practices.
A key component of Tree Line USA is tree planting and
education. The program encourages utilities to participate in
community tree plantings and outreach opportunities and to
have an education program designed to add to a communitys
tree canopy and teach customers about the benets of proper
tree planting, placement and pruning.
This year, Tree Line USA utilities service customers living
in 45 states plus the District of Columbia. More than 78 mil-
lion Americans benet when their electric utilities by in-
vesting in trees contribute to healthier urban forests and
provide safe, reliable and efcient service.
Robert W. Beard (rbeard@myrec.coop) is the Culpeper district
manager for Rappahannock Electric Cooperative. He began
working at REC during summers in college, and after graduating
from the University of Virginia, he became a full-time employee.
Keith R. Forry (kforry@myrec.coop) has been the corporate
arborist for Rappahannock Electric Cooperative since 2001.
Brooke Wallace, a second-grade student at Valencia Elementary
School in Aptos, California, creates her version of a power line-friendly
tree from PG&Es A Selection and Planting Guide to Small Trees Near
Distribution Lines brochure.
Previously, he was vice president of vegetation management
services for Environmental Consultants Inc. Forry is a certied
arborist, utility specialist, and a member of the Utility Arborist
Association and International Society of Arboriculture. He holds
a BS degree in biochemistry from Penn State University and a
MS degree in forest science from Oregon State University.
Lisa Randle (lara@pge.com) is the Vegetation Management
Public Outreach program manager for Pacic Gas and Electric.
Through the work of the vegetation management department,
the National Arbor Day Foundation has recognized PG&E as a
national leader in tree care every year since 1995.
Randy Gordon (rgordon@arborday.org) is programs manager
with the Arbor Day Foundation and works with the Tree City
USA and Tree Line USA recognition program, and the Partners
in Community Forestry program and conference. Gordon works
closely with utility foresters, municipal arborists, nonprot tree-
planting groups and state and federal forestry agencies in the
promotion of healthy community tree management.
Companies mentioned:
Arbor Day Foundation www.arborday.org
Pacic Gas and Electric Co. www.pge.com
Public Conversations Project of Watertown, Massachusetts
www.publicconversations.org
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative www.myrec.coop
40 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
PROTECTION&Control
Voltage Regulation
Under Control
Norway installs the worlds rst magnetic voltage
stabilizer on rural 22-kV distribution feeders.
By Tormod Leistad, Eidsiva Nett A.S.
I
n the municipality of Trysil, near the Swedish border,
Norwegian distribution network operator Eidsiva Nett
has experienced a reduction in the number of residen-
tial customers. However, at the same time, it has seen a
signicant increase in the number of vacation homes and
activity centers. These changes have resulted in a large uc-
tuating power demand during weekends and reduced energy
consumption during the remainder of the week.
The distribution network supplies customers in large rural
areas through long radial 22-kV overhead lines, many of which
have small cross-section conductors, thus creating voltage-
quality problems. The increasing expectations of its custom-
ers prompted Eidsiva Nett to seek a cost-effective alternative
solution to resolve these voltage uctuations.
The utilitys demographic changes have increased the peak
load on the network but reduced the total energy consump-
tion and, consequently, revenues. As the area grows even more
popular as a leisure destination, Eidsiva Nett may have an op-
portunity in the future to reinforce its distribution network.
In the meantime, the utility had to solve the problem of volt-
age uctuations on an overhead distribution line that extends
some 52 km (32 miles) at minimum cost.
The problem of voltage uctuations is familiar, and in spite
of constantly investing in the distribution network, it is dif-
cult to foresee and make provisions for unexpected changes
in power consumption, even though the overall demand for
energy continues to increase. The problem is made worse as
utility investment decisions are based on asset life spans of
40 to 50 years. Therefore, it is prudent sometimes to seek
quick-x solutions that will not delay larger projects or invest-
ments targeted to supply customers with a high-quality and
reliable source of electrical energy.
Solution Development
Initially, the utility considered the possibility of installing
series- or parallel-connected capacitors, but design studies
conrmed this would not produce the required voltage in-
crease. Also, the capacitor would need dynamic tapping to
prevent potential resonance problems. As the recorded load
variations were relatively frequent, Eidsiva Nett decided not to
install a transformer with an on-load
tap changer because of the burden
and wear imposed on the tap changer.
Therefore, for this remote overhead
line, the utility decided to adopt an
install-and-forget solution.
Eidsiva Nett discussed the need
for a new solution with Magtech A.S.,
a Norwegian technology company
that designed and produced a voltage
regulator for use on the low-voltage
(230-V) network in 2004. The re-
search and development project to
produce a 22-kV voltage regulator was
supported by a consortium compris-
ing the Research Council of Norway,
Magtech, Norsk Trafo Service and the
distribution network operators Skag-
erak Nett A.S., Haugaland Kraft and
Eidsiva Nett. The goal was to demon-
strate a solution that could continu-
Trysil
kmmune,
Ljordalen
The map shows the location of Eidsiva Nett in Norway, where long rural feeders have experi-
enced voltage-uctuation issues.
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42 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
protection&Control
ously correct voltage uctuations within a few seconds. In the
future, this characteristic probably will be necessary to follow
frequent and fast voltage swells caused by distributed genera-
tions or sags caused by e-mobility applications such as electric
vehicle charging.
Additionally, another feature requested by the consortium
was to design equipment that offered a minimum of 20 years
of maintenance-free operation. The project was known as volt-
age stabilization for a weak 12-kV to 24-kV network with dis-
tributed generation.
The existing 22-kV overhead line to Trysil offered a good
opportunity to test the rst solution, even though there was no
distributed generation connected to the network. This circuit
had a need for fast voltage correction, and the solution would
prove cost-effective if it could offer stable voltage without the
need for future equipment maintenance.
System analysis studies conrmed the optimum position
for the voltage regulator was some 30 km (19 miles) from the
66/22-kV source substation. This location would provide for
voltage maintenance within statutory limits for the remaining
The 22-kV voltage regulator in Magtechs laboratory.
Termination on the 22-kV overhead line.
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44 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
protection&Control
22 km (14 miles) of the circuit.
The voltage regulator, developed by Magtech, was posi-
tioned in the rural community of Ljoerdalen. Although the
22-kV line has been in commission for many years, the existing
condition indicated it was not at its end of life and had ade-
quate thermal capacity. As the downstream power demand was
600 kW, a 1-MW voltage regulator was developed to have some
spare thermal capacity.
Design and Installation
The Magtech-designed voltage regulator includes auto
transformers and controllable inductors employing cross-
magnetization technology. The regulator was designed
with three single-phase units to provide the improved ex-
ibility required for testing and commissioning. Also, it eases
the problem of transportation to the site. With the regulator
mounted in a ground-mounted cabin, the consortium decid-
Christian Hartmann and Joergen Stensberg of Eidsiva Nett commission
the voltage regulator.
The regulator was installed in a ground-mounted enclosure with a
communication link to allow remote monitoring.
S
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8
3
1
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45 www.tdworld.com | May 2011
protection&Control
ed a communication system should be installed to establish
a link to the control center so the behavior and signal status
could be monitored. As this voltage regulator was installed for
testing on the 22-kV network, three pole-mounted air-break
switch disconnectors were installed adjacent to the voltage
regulator to give the required exibility to disconnect, by-
pass and ground the unit for measurements and maintenance
purposes.
The Magtech development team responsible for the design
and construction of the voltage regulator assisted Eidsiva Nett
staff with installing and commissioning the unit, and establish-
ing the remote control communication link with the control
center. The worlds rst tailored-design
magnetic voltage regulator (magnetic
voltage stabilizer) for a high-voltage
network was commissioned at Ljoer-
dalen in Trysil in December 2009.
The unit was commissioned initially
in the bypass mode and then made op-
erational through the air-break switch
disconnectors activating the regulation.
This automated regulator can be oper-
ated locally by pushing a single button
or from the control center located in
the town of Elverum.
The unit has operated as required,
delivering corrected voltage during the
decades coldest winter, so the design
principles, based on Magtechs world-
wide patented technology, have been
proven. As this test version includes
additional monitoring equipment, the
unit will be simplied when designed
for mass production. The positioning
of the voltage regulator, with respect
to the line length and circuit loading,
is regarded as important and critical to
ensure the required voltage improve-
ments are realized.
Future Development
and Applications
At present, a large number of small
hydropower plants in Norway are
planned and many already are installed
in mountainous areas and along the
steep Norwegian coastline, as farmers
and landowners take the opportunity
to use small rivers and streams to add
income to their traditional earnings.
This business opportunity is being driv-
en by increased electricity tariffs and
the demand for new green power that
receives economic support.
Often, the energy produced ex-
ceeds, by a signicant margin, the en-
ergy consumption in the area; this can result in the existing
overhead line, originally built for local consumption, having
voltages in excess of the statutory maximum. The generation,
which is linked to water ow rates, is not constant, so this form
of distributed generation can have a signicant impact on the
network voltage levels.
Investment in distributed generation is the responsibility
of the power producer, and the installation of voltage control
equipment at the point of interconnection often forms a major
component of the total cost of small power plants. Similarly, it
is difcult for distribution utilities to decide on the thermal
loading of new overhead lines in the absence of information
46 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
PROTECTION&Control
on the timing and capacity of new distributed generation con-
nections. Looking further into the future, the demand for
green power will result in distributed generation in the form
of photovoltaic and wind power installations.
It is of benet for distribution utilities to defer to invest-
ment decisions on network reinforcement by considering the
installation of high-voltage regulators. This practice will help
more micro and mini power plants to be protable, encourag-
ing the growth of all forms of distributed generation based on
green energy technologies. Thus, creating a cost-efcient dis-
tribution network having minimum interconnection costs will
help to establish and increase societys use of green
energy, thereby creating a smart grid.
The 22-kV voltage regulator will now be further
evaluated and, together with system investigations,
provide the basis for future system solutions and
products that will contribute to making the grid
smarter, controlling the costs incurred by network
operators, developers of distributed generation and
customers.
Collaborative R&D Consortiums
The research, development and installation of
the 22-kV voltage regulator is the result of collab-
orative efforts by the Research Council of Norway,
Magtech, Norsk Trafo Service and the distribution
network operators, Skagerak, Haugaland Kraft and Eidsiva
Nett. It often proves extremely difcult for manufacturers to
secure access to operational grid systems and distribution net-
works to install and test new equipment in view of the cost of
resources and risks to customer supplies.
The development of this new equipment serves to illustrate
the benets of collaborative research and development con-
sortiums. They increasingly are required to meet the challeng-
es electric utilities face as they struggle to improve the quality
and reliability of customer supplies at a time when concerns
about global warming are increasing the use of distributed
The 22-kV network voltage before and after commissioning the voltage regulator.
22.0
21.5
21.0
20.5
Date (2009)
12/15-12/17 12/18 12/20 12/21 12/23-12/24
R
S
T
V
o
l
t
a
g
e
(
k
V
)
Before
installation
After installation
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48 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
protection&Control
Eidsiva Nett has taken steps to stabilize the voltage on its
extended overhead line networks by installing the worlds rst
magnetic voltage regulator for installation on a 22-kV distribu-
tion network.
Acknowledgement
The author wishes to acknowledge the support and tech-
nical information provided by the consortium partners, Karl
Borgerud and Christian Hartmann at Magtech AS, and the
staff from Eidsiva Nett, for their roles in the development and
installation of the 22-kV voltage regulator.
Tormod Leistad (tormod.leistad@eidsivaenergi.no) joined
Eidsiva Energy Co. in 1977. Initially, he was employed on the
construction of medium- and low-voltage distribution networks.
Since completing his technical studies in 1997, Leistad has been
a project engineer for the utility.
Ivan Nergaard of Eidsiva Nett pushes the button to energize the volt-
age regulator.
Companies mentioned:
Eidsiva Nett www.eidsivaenergi.no
Haugaland Kraft www.haugaland-kraft.no
Magtech AS www.magtech.no
Norsk Trafo Service www.norsktrafoservice.no
Research Council of Norway www.forskningsradet.no
Skagerak www.skagerakenergi.no
generation from renewable energy sources, creating real-time
active distribution networks.
The management of distribution networks will become
even more complex because of the connection of distributed
generation, even though automated management systems,
dynamic energy pricing or the switching of customers on or
off can be used to balance demand with production.
Inevitably, there will be voltage variations on distribution
networks, and several strategies and multiple solutions will be
required to solve these problems.
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50 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
MOBILEDispatch
Web-Based Integration
Streamlines Processes
Truckee-Donner PUD integrates disparate
IT tools to provide collective value.
By Ian Fitzgerald, Truckee-Donner Public Utility District
A
lthough electric utilities may delay, time will not.
Today, it is not about inventing new technologies;
instead, it is time for a utilitys individual informa-
tion technologies to be unied in a single system,
integrating each technologys unique capabilities. On their
own, many of todays technologies provide useful functions to
the business environment:
Business intelligent (BI) software can mine many types of
data storage and display meaningful data and charts in real-
time dynamic dashboards.
Business process management (BPM) software has the
ability to organize data workow, applying rules and roles that
dene how and when information moves through a cyclical
process.
Geographic information system (GIS) software is capable
of dening spatial relationships between people, places and
time using geoprocessing abilities to nd complex associa-
tions no other software has the means of recognizing.
Now it is possible to take service-oriented architecture
(SOA) software and integrate these widely disparate applica-
tions within a single Web-based environment. The result is a
valuable tool with a vast number of functions and abilities that
no consumer off-the-shelf enterprise resource planning soft-
ware can match.
California Electric Regulatory Compliance
Truckee-Donner, a public utility district located north of
Lake Tahoe, in Truckee, California, U.S., decided to think
outside the box when trying to tackle a complex business
requirement. Like all utilities in the state of California,
Truckee-Donner has an obligation to its ratepayers to operate
and maintain a safe electrical environment. This means that
every electrical facility must meet,
at a minimum, the construction
standards laid out by State General
Orders 95 and 128.
To accomplish this, Truckee-
Donner must perform yearly patrol
inspections of every facility (cur-
rently more than 12,000 and in-
creasing), detailed inspections every
ve years and intrusive inspections
of electric poles every 10 to 25 years.
For each and every facility, Truckee-
Donner is required to document
when an inspection is completed,
who completed the inspection and
what, if any, conditions were found
that need correction.
When conditions calling for cor-
rections are identied, the utility
must maintain a historical paper
trail, describing how long it took for
the condition to be corrected, who
corrected the condition and what
work functions were performed to
In addition to being serious work for linemen, recovery from signicant storms is a considerable
exercise for the supporting IT systems.
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VERIZONWIRELESS.COM/UTILITIES 1.800.VZW.4BIZ
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.
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52 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
mobileDispatch
Thin Client
BI
BPM
GIS
SOA
Easy access interface
Data organization
Graphic results
Workow logic
Auto-notications
Ticket management
Locations maps
Infrastructure details
Spatial analysis
Automated attribute
dened data transfer
between eld and ofce
facilitate the rectication. Utility staff must be able to access
this data accurately and at a moments notice.
Now imagine doing all of this with only 10 staff members,
part time. The staff also does all-new construction, outage-
management response, tree-trimming management and facil-
ity upgrades, among other duties a lot of work for such a
small amount of available resource.
Solution of Making Technology Work
In order to improve on its past work environment in which
the utility had one full-time employee manually documenting
every condition, in poorly accessible paper binders, Truckee-
Donner decided to let technology automate a majority of the
documentation, notication and reporting of every inspec-
tion. Knowing that no one software had the ability to ac-
complish everything the utility wanted to achieve, it turned
to merging individual technologies, bringing together a vast
number of abilities that can feed and
build on one another, making the tech-
nology sum truly more powerful than
any individual part.
Probably the most tedious and
time-consuming task of any inspection
program is the original documenta-
tion. For Truckee-Donner, this means
more than 12,000 facilities require pa-
perwork recording the who, what and
when every year. Instead of wasting
valuable resources on such a tiresome
task, the utility merged GIS, GPS and
SOA technologies, automating the re-
cord creation process.
Using GPS for vehicle location and
timestamps, GIS for facility location,
user login information and proximity
analysis to the vehicle, and SOA for au-
tomating the transfer of records to the
ofce enterprise database, Truckee-
Donner has facilitated the ability to
process more than 100 patrol inspec-
tion records per hour per user. In addition, facility crews are
spending more time inspecting facilities and much less time
entering data.
Now, as a vehicle passes within a congurable distance of
90 ft (27 m) of a utility pole or 25 ft (8 m) of a utility under-
ground structure, the system automatically assigns a passed
patrol inspection, containing the facility identication, date,
inspector name and status of no conditions identied to ev-
ery facility.
For facilities where conditions are found, the inspector se-
lects the faulty facility and changes the status to a priority-one
or priority-two condition-found status, allowing for correc-
tion work to be followed up in a timely manner. Previously,
inspected facilities were marked as completed and never auto-
matically documented a second time for the year, but could be
manually documented if required.
Sorting Through the Inspections
More than 100 records per inspector per hour is a lot of
records to sift through in a short amount of time. In past
eld documentation setups, this data often had to be ltered
through database tables, cryptic and unreadable to the un-
trained user. Truckee-Donner, again understanding the lim-
ited resources at its disposal for such a menial task, needed a
software interface that made deciphering the data quick, easy
and sensible. Enter technology like BI, BPM, GIS and thin-
client Web interfaces.
Using a well-known technology like a Web browser, Truck-
ee-Donner provided a software interface to the user that was
instantly recognizable and unintimidating. Running BI, BPM
and GIS engines behind the browser, the mined data is now
well organized and easily decipherable, whether in a graph,
table, map or report. Diving deeper into the data is as simple
GPS-enabled software automatically assigns a passed status for patrol inspections of facilities
that are within sight of a vehicle.
By combining technologies, each can bring a unique component.
53 www.tdworld.com | May 2011
mobileDispatch
as mouse clicking on a graph or table
entry.
A user can click on a ticket status
and bring up the number of tickets as-
signed to each user, then view tickets
assigned to individual users, access
the history of that ticket, map the loca-
tion and, nally, assign an outstanding
ticket to a utility crew as a work order.
The nal interface design provides the
maximum amount of data with a mini-
mum amount of effort and is only ac-
complished through the combined ef-
fort of multiple technologies running
behind the Web browser.
Managing the Work
As important as it is to have a simple,
clean and functional interface for of-
ce staff, it is equally important to have
a similarly well-designed interface for
eld personnel. Considering tens of thousands of inspections
are performed yearly, it is more than conceivable that hundreds
of those inspections will result in work orders assigned to eld
crews for rectication.
As a result, Truckee-Donner again applied the notion of
harnessing multiple technologies to simplify the task of its
crews in identifying tickets assigned to them, understanding
what state those tickets were in (priority one or two), show-
ing geographically where those tickets were located and mak-
ing vehicle-routing abilities available to minimize travel time
Field HV Withstand / Proof Tests with onsite
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220 kV. By using a High Voltage, Inc. VLF -200CMF ( 0 to
200 kV AC , .1 Hz Sinewave Hipot ) coupled with Power
Diagnostix GmbH ICM Flex PD/TD Measurement Systems,
useful diagnostic cable integrity evaluations can be made.
By using a VLF source instead of power frequency or
resonant technology, tremendous test equipment cost
savings and on-site labor savings are possible while obtaining crucial information on these critical
power delivery circuits. Cable loads up to 3.75 Microfarads can be tested utilizing one of three test
frequencies - .1 Hz., .05 Hz. and .02 Hz.
VLF PD & TD diagnostics can provide cable system infrastructure assessments in terms of quantitative
values for cable age related problems, installation damage, manufacturing defects, future reliability
indicators such as water tree assessments and future performance conclusions to make critical decisions
on replacement, rejuvenation or the need for new cable leg and splice segments.
HV/EHV Power Cables can now be
Field Tested on site with VLF PD & TD
Diagnostic test techniques
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Data mining with separate BI, BPM and GIS engines helps to organize and provide accessibility
to the data.
54 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
mobileDispatch
to those work orders.
One of the biggest benets
gained by merging multiple tech-
nologies together is how easy it is
to make changes after the project
begins. Because most of the technol-
ogy applied by Truckee-Donner is
congurable, without the need for
software coding, altering the pro-
gram by adding a process stage, re-
moving a retired employee or modi-
fying the information recorded on
a work order form takes under an
hour to develop and deploy.
Since it is inevitable that a proj-
ect will evolve after it begins, this
functionality was critical in the pro-
grams development. It also became
apparent how easy it would be to transcend a general order
inspection program to other business cases within the utility,
like vegetation management, meter replacement, leak identi-
cation and repair, and outage damage assessments, to name
a few.
Ready for the Questions
As hard as every utility tries to maintain and operate a safe
electrical system, inevitably there will be occasions when these
efforts are called into question. Be it something as minor as a
television breaking as a result of a power surge or as signicant
as a loss of life, not only having the ability to know the utility
has done everything in its ability to maintain a safe environ-
ment, but also being able to prove it is critical when questions
to that effect start getting asked.
Truckee-Donner ensured this was possible by combining
one-click data review and analysis of all inspections ever col-
lected within this program, using BPM and GIS for the histori-
cal record archiving of individual locations and a BI engine as
a front-end reporting tool. Be it a canned report showing the
number of conditions identied by facility equipment, deter-
mining the number of priority-one conditions discovered for
the month, or reviewing the entire inspection and rectica-
tion history of an individual facility location, the utility can
quickly and easily prove it is working to maintain a safe electri-
cal environment each and every year.
A Complete System
The resulting system Truckee-Donner implemented encom-
passes a complete cyclical workow that includes the ability
to document, review, manage and report every general order
condition and rectication in the life of a facility. Underneath
the hood, the program can be deemed vast and complex. This
might be true for most, but for an IT professional, the manage-
ment and conguration of the system is straightforward and
simple. The power of combining the technologies is in both
the ability to let the technologies automate much of the work
and, at the same time, provide a simple, easy and sensible in-
terface for non-technical users. It is these users that can make
or break a software systems success in a utility.
Truckee-Donners original perception was to take advan-
tage of differing technologies, unifying them into a system
that takes much of the mundane work out of the users hands
and moves it into high-tech automation. The result is a system
that has proven to do this and a whole lot more. It is no lon-
ger a viable option to spend tens of thousands of dollars for
software to sit on an island and be content to work within its
own abilities. Technology must learn to work together, each
combining its unique capacities, to complete a business envi-
ronment that is truly whole.
Acknowledgment
Truckee-Donner would like to thank TC Technology, Esri,
LogiXML, ProcessMaker and Oracle software for making a
vision a reality.
Ian Fitzgerald (IanFitzgerald@tdpud.org) is the GIS coordina-
tor for Truckee-Donner PUD. He holds a masters degree with
distinction from Manchester Metropolitan University and has
compiled 15 years experience consulting GIS/IT implementa-
tion projects for utilities worldwide. Fitzgerald has presided
on various international and U.S. national professional boards
of directors and has been honored for his efforts at Truckee-
Donner with the Geospatial Information Technology Association
(GITA) Excellence in GIS for Enterprise Electric Utility award, the
Esri Special Achievement in GIS award and the National Rural
Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Cooperative Innova-
tors award.
With BPM software, a workow can be customized for every business process imaginable.
Companies mentioned:
Esri www.esri.com
LogiXML www.logixml.com
Oracle www.oracle.com
ProcessMaker www.processmaker.com
TC Technology www.tctechnology.com
Focus on Medium Voltage
Ormazabal supports actively the
development of smart grids,
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energy distribution.
Ormazabal's energy management
star point node improves safety,
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* Communlcollons
* lelemonogemenl
Energy management star point node
Focus on Medium Voltage
www.ormazabal.com
Technological Park of Bizkaia, Builduing 104 48170 Zamudio (Bizkaia) Spain
To learn more about our products and solutions please visit us during CIRED 2011
56 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
undergroundFacilities
Building Reliability
Into a High-Prole Area
Underground service and a truly self-healing
distribution system improves customer service
within the automation zone.
By Mark Kimbell, Murfreesboro Electric Department
T
he growth of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, U.S., present-
ed the Murfreesboro Electric Department (MED)
with a unique opportunity. In 2005, the city con-
structed Medical Center Parkway, a 4-mile (6.4-km)
gateway from the interstate to the town center. In addition to
a new hospital with more than 200 beds, many new businesses
were attracted to this location. A new Embassy Suites Hotel
with a convention center was planned, and the area attracted
a 100-acre (40.5-hectare) mall along with many other medical
ofces, shopping venues and restaurants.
To enhance the community and area around Medical Cen-
ter Parkway, city leaders determined the area should be served
by underground facilities. The city installed duct banks for
MED to use to supply the area with electricity. The utility had
never installed underground feeders that served more than
400 A. To provide service to this area, multiple feeder circuits
capable of 800 A would be needed. The major questions were
what routes and cable size could be used to serve this new load
and what protection equipment should be used.
Service Deployment
MED decided to use parallel runs of Okonites Okoguard
ethylene-propylene-rubber 500-kcmil copper 15-kV primary
cable for the main feeders, each of which would supply ap-
proximately 800 A of capacity. In 2006, three feeders and two
substations were available to supply Medical Center Parkway.
The growth in this area dictated feeds from several different
substations. Four circuits now feed this area, with plans for
Medical Center Parkway provides a new gateway to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, attracting customers with high-reliability requirements.
57 www.tdworld.com | May 2011
UNDERGROUNDFacilities
The F4 tornado of April 10, 2009, presented many challenges for Murfreesboro Electric Department customers and staff. The automation zone
had a hard workout on this day, and there were some lessons to be learned.
three more circuits and a new substation.
Underground distribution protection is different than
overhead distribution protection. An outage on overhead
lines generally can be located by sight.
With underground lines, equipment
that isolates the problem to a smaller
area is used and sections are tested one
at a time. Fault detectors can help lo-
cate the fault, but unless sectionalizing
devices are in the line, underground
outages can take hours to locate. Auto-
mation helps the fault location process
by sectionalizing the line automatically,
greatly reducing outage time and not
impacting reliability index numbers.
MED then turned to the question of
protection. The utility found that below-
grade equipment at the 800-A to 900-A
range was not readily available; only a
few vendors were able to provide the re-
quired switching equipment. MED de-
cided on S&C Electric Co.s Vista equip-
ment, which is submersible and rated
for 900 A. Vaults manufactured by CDR
Systems Corp. were large enough to ac-
commodate Vista equipment with up
to six switches or fused sections. When
the lid tops are open, one can treat the
equipment as open air, eliminating the
need to provide forced air for conned
spaces. MED then decided to look at
the possibility of distribution automa-
tion for the Medical Center Parkway.
Automation Decisions
The decision to automate distribution is both hard and
easy. The quantitative justication is difcult, but the qualita-
58 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
UNDERGROUNDFacilities
tive improvements to customers and the community are signif-
icant. The challenge is cost justication. Since one automated,
padmounted switch can cost more than US$100,000, the chal-
lenge is not trivial. Lost revenue from a 30-minute outage of a
500-A primary circuit is about $100 to the utility. Clearly, this
is not the determining factor.
However, customer losses can be signicant. The cumula-
tive effect of a 30-minute outage that impacts 150 commercial
customers, each of whom loses only $100 in revenue during
the event, creates a community cost of $15,000. The actual lost
revenue cost is most likely much higher than this gure, which
makes cost justication for automation easier. Payback for that
$100,000 equipment is probably close to four to ve events.
Payback for an overhead switch can be one to two events.
The decision was made to begin automating the area
around the hospital. Once MED decided to install distribution
automation, an initial plan was made for ve Vista switchgear
locations along the Medical Center Parkway. The CDR vaults
were installed at critical locations and a Vista 642 (six bays,
Kirk
Jones
PITTS
East
MBoro
Primary
Church St.
Lynch
197 259
97
148
270
523
523 525
523 525
414
414
414
424
424
NO
NO
NO
112 MW @ 65C
SEL
SEL
SEL
ABB
ABB
Need controls for
5 breakers
10 switches
PRI 414 TM1
PRI 414 TM1
EM 934 TM5
PRI 424 TM1
EM 934 TM2
EM 934 TM4
EM 934 TM3
PRI 424 TM3
PRI 424 TM2
LYN 414 TM3
LYN 414 TM1
LYN 414 TM2
100 MW @ 65C
100 MW @ 65C
46-kV Automation System
(255) (256)
(253)
(252)
(250)
(251)
(260) (261)
(259)
(257)
(258)
(262)
(263)
(264)
(254)
(xxx) RTU #
934
EM 934 TM1
With much success with automation, Murfreesboro Electric Department plans to expand
the use of automation equipment to protect all of its customers from power outages. The
46-kV transmission loop is an ideal place to get great value for automation dollars.
four switches, two fault-interrupting bays)
and Vista 633 (six bays, three switches, three
fault-interrupting bays) were ordered.
MED also made plans to install ve over-
head S&C Scada-Mate switches and one pad-
mounted switch with motor operators in the
surrounding area. Five breakers at two dif-
ferent substations were equipped with S&C
Universal Interface Modules, which allowed
the breakers to communicate with the other
distribution automation switches and work
together to create automation zones of pro-
tection on the distribution system. All this
equipment included the S&C 5800 Series
Automatic Switch Control with IntelliTEAM II
Automatic Restoration System software. The
communications medium was Landis+Gyrs
spread-spectrum UtiliNet radios that hopped
communications from one radio to another.
Each switch location communicates with its
neighbors to form a mesh network, so each
switch knows what the next switch in the zone
is doing.
As new customers have been added to
the electric system in the Medical Center
Parkway area, MED has added to the auto-
mation system. Some of the locations along
Medical Center Parkway were preplanned,
but an automation system almost always has
a natural growth progression. The more area
that is covered, the easier it is to see where the
next piece of automated switchgear could be
placed.
Communications
Communications is a key part of distribu-
tion automation technology. MED has gone
through one complete change to newer, faster S&C SpeedNet
radios. These new radios help speed up communications,
which is important to the speed of response of the distribution
automation equipment. The utility is making plans to replace
some of the radios with Ethernet ber ports that will make
communications almost instantaneous. All the radios report
back to a head-end radio at MEDs Primary substation, con-
nected to MEDs main ofce with ber. In turn, this connec-
tion supplies information to a proxy server that collects all the
current switch data and reports it to an EFACEC Advanced
Control Systems supervisory control and data acquisition
(SCADA) system.
MED operations staff can observe, record and operate
all the automatic switches from the operations center in the
main ofce through the EFACEC Advanced Control Systems
SCADA system. Engineers or operations staff also can access
the equipment remotely using the conguration and diagnos-
tic software. This is a valuable engineering tool for mainte-
nance and troubleshooting.
Utility Division, Valmont Industries, Inc.
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Global Utility Division
60 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
undergroundFacilities
Murfreesboro Electric Department crews install a concrete manhole
on Medical Center Parkway for the main underground feeder with dual
runs of 15-kV ethylene-propylene-rubber 500-kcmil copper primary.
Lessons Learned
To date, there have been ve automation events where por-
tions of the distribution feeder had to be recongured to keep
the power on for customers. Two of the events occurred when
two separate tornadoes swept through the city. All of the events
to date have been weather related on the overhead distribu-
tion system. The largest automation event occurred in August
2010 when a violent lightning storm came through the city.
MEDs Primary and Blackman substations are the two cur-
rent substations that feed into the Medical Center Parkway
area. Primary substation has three breakers that feed into the
automation area and Blackman has one breaker that feeds
into the area. The August 2010 storm caused an event that
tripped the whole yard at Primary substation, including Ten-
nessee Valley Authoritys 161-kV switchyard. MED lost three
feeds into the automation area, the worst-case scenario. The
one circuit feeder that was left picked up almost 60% of the
circuits that were out in less than two minutes. The outage to
the substation was more than 45 minutes long.
The process worked as planned. As another section ener-
gized, the system kept up with how much new load was be-
ing added. When the Blackman feeder got to around 760 A,
the automatic switching stopped because no more capacity
was left. The automation logic looks at available spare capac-
ity when making restoration decisions, so the alternate feeder
will not overload. Without automation, this event would have
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CIREDConference
Frankfurt to Host CIRED
The 21
st
International Conference and Exhibition
on Electricity Distribution will be held June 6-9.
By Gerry George, International Editor
T
he 21
st
International Conference and Exhibition on
Electricity Distribution (CIRED 2011) will be held
in Frankfurt, the lively city in the heart of both
Germany and Europe.
CIRED 2011 will be staged in the Frankfurt Congress Cen-
ter (Messe Frankfurt), a central geographic location that of-
fers delegates and visitors easy international road, rail and air
connections via Frankfurt Airport. Delegates are guaranteed
a warm welcome in Germanys most international city, which
has the largest nancial centre on the continent and is home
to Germanys only true downtown skyline featuring attractive
high-rise architecture.
The city center offers a range of sightseeing opportuni-
ties, ranging from interesting historical buildings on one side
of the River Main and a collection of 13 museums devoted
to different works of art from classical paintings to modern
media on the opposite bank. In Frankfurt, delegates will en-
joy the hospitable atmosphere, the restaurants and shopping
opportunities.
CIRED 2011 will focus on all aspects of the electricity busi-
ness, covering every topic that continues to confront the indus-
trys professional staff. Therefore, the conference is structured
to address the global interest in the supply of sustainable en-
ergy from renewable resources and the need to establish smart
grids while addressing the industrys core activities of asset,
system and business management.
Senior representatives from electricity distribution com-
panies, regulators, consultants, universities, research centres
and major energy users are contributing to the technical
programme. All delegates will benet from this programme,
which will be presented based on the successful format that
CIRED organising committees continue to develop and
expand.
This years conference and exhibition is expected to attract
an international delegate attendance in excess of 1,200 travel-
ling from every corner of the globe. This international event
has a reputation for creating a relaxing atmosphere and envi-
ronment that encourages a freedom of information exchange
between the contributors and delegates. The technical exhibi-
tion will be sited adjacent to the conference halls, and once
again, it has attracted a record number of exhibitors who will
display the latest technologies, new products and services now
The Frankfurt Congress Center (Messe Frankfurt) is a unique location
for congresses. The multi-story venue includes ofce suites and is
directly connected to the Maritim Hotel.
Risk Transformed
High Voltage Testing Equipment
When it comes to making safe, dependable hot line tools and equipment, weve
satised tough customers from around the world. Throughout the United States and
abroad we remain focused on delivering tools that line crews can really trust.
770 Cook Road
Hastings, MI 49058-0218
phone: 269.945.9541
fax: 269.945.4623
email: hastings@hfgp.com
www.hfgphighvoltage.com
TLC Meter. Use the TLC Meter to test the condition
of your transformers. Prevent potential hazards and
outages caused by energizing transformers with
shorts or opens.
Hot Stick Tester. Detect the smallest imperfections
with one-handed ease using the OSHA approved portable
Hot Stick tester. This smaller and lighter compact unit
comes complete with verication test bar.
New! Voltage Detector. Hastings live tester
provides a technological breakthrough in non-contact
voltage detectors. Now linemen can get more reliable
detection on low voltage ranges.
76 May 2011 | www.tdworld.com
CIREDConference
available for distribution network applications. Delegates and
visitors will have the opportunity to see and discuss their tech-
nical requirements with the international exhibitors.
Conference Programme
The four-day conference begins on Monday, June 6 with a
series of six tutorials:
Smart distribution systems for a low-carbon energy future
IEC 61850 for distribution system basic concepts and
application guidelines
Regulation models for DNOs in Europe
Standardization activities regarding smart grid, electric
vehicles and charging stations
Medium- and low-voltage distribution feeder design using
probabilistic approaches to load and distributed generation
Trends in harmonics below and above 2 kHz.
This is followed by a three-day programme that includes six
special subject technical sessions, roundtable discussions, and
research and innovation forums led by invited speakers. Daily
interactive poster sessions are also scheduled.
The opening forum on Monday will include four keynote
presentations by speakers representing different sectors of the
industry:
Challenges in power grid business in Germany
German aspects of European energy regulation
E-Car: project, billing, charging, integration, technology
Tomorrows energy supply: local, sustainable intelligent
These presentations will be followed by a welcome recep-
tion in the exhibition hall.
Technical Programme
CIRED 2011 received a record number of paper abstracts
(1,317), from which the technical committee has selected 813
for presentation at the conference. Contributions for this con-
ference were received from potential authors from more than
50 countries, conrming CIREDs increasing international
reputation.
The six technical sessions extend over a three-day period,
each session being well managed to ensure the author contri-
butions on the selected papers allow sufcient time for del-
egate questions and answers. The following is a brief descrip-
tion of the sessions that will be presented:
Session 1 Network Components. This session covers all com-
ponents that comprise a distribution network, from power
transformers, switchgear, cables and joints, insulators and
metering. In addition to design changes, the introduction of
new materials, asset monitoring disciplines and the introduc-
tion of green technologies are included. Representatives from
manufacturers, utilities and research establishments have all
contributed to this session.
CIRED 2011 List of Exhibitors (Current as of April 19, 2011)
ABB Ltd.
A. Eberle GmbH & Co. KG
Alstom Grid GmbH
Altea B.V.
BAUR Prf- und Messtechnik GmbH
BCP Busarello + Cott + Partner Inc.
Belden Electronics GmbH
b2electronic GmbH
Cable Cure
CEDRAT
Cellpack GmbH
Cesi
Cisco Systems GmbH
Cooper Power Systems
CYME International T&D Inc.
Deba Components NV
DIgSILENT GmbH
Doble Lemke GmbH
DOW EUROPE GmbH
Dutch Power
EA Technology Ltd.
EFACEC
EFEN GmbH
EMG Elektro-Mechanik GmbH
Europoles GmbH & Co. KG
GE Digital Energy
Haefely Test AG / Hipotronics Inc.
HDD Handels- und Vertriebs GmbH
Hedrich Group
Helmut Mauell GmbH
Hexaformer
High Voltage Inc.
Horstmann GmbH
iGrid T&D
IPEC
IPS Intelligent Process Solutions GmbH
IPSA Power
KEMA
KEPCO Pavillion
Kelvatec Ltd.
Kingsine Electric Automation Co. Ltd.
Kocos Messtechnik AG
Locamation
Lumasense Technologies GmbH
Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen GmbH
Megger GmbH
Netcontrol
Neuhaus Telekommunikation GmbH
Noja Power
Nortech
OMICRON electronics GmbH
Ormazabal
Petra Solar
Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
PNU Power
PowerGrid International
Power Plus communications AG
PowerSense A/S
Protecta Ltd.
PSI AG
Qualitrolcorp
Relab Software
RT Measurement Technologies
RuggedCom
RWE Rhein-Ruhr Netzservice GmbH
S&C Electric Europe Ltd.
Schneider Electric
Schniewindt GmbH & Co. KG
Seba Dynatronic GmbH
SecuControl GmbH
SERGI France
SGC SwitchGear Co.
Siemens AG
Smarter Grid Solutions Ltd.
Sprecher Automation GmbH
Streamer Electric Inc.
STRI
Transmission & Distribution World
Tecnalia
TEKLA Corp.
Telvent
THE IET
Thytronic SpA
Vaisala
Vamp Ltd.
Vattenfall Europe Distribution
VDE e.V.
Yucoya Energy Safety GmbH
Zenergy Power
77 www.tdworld.com | May 2011
CIREDConference
Session 2 Power Quality and EMC. Power quality in terms of
system reliability, low voltage, icker, frequency variations and
waveform distortion will be the focus of this session. Papers
covering subjects including safety issues, intelligent substa-
tions, power line communications and the integration of wind
farms also will be featured in this session.
Session 3 Operation, Control and Protection. The operation,
control and system protection used on distribution networks
has attracted the largest number of selected contributions.
Smart grids, distributed generation, system reliability, protec-
tion, network monitoring and control are the topics likely to
dominate the discussion in this session.
Session 4 Distributed Energy Resources
and Efcient Utilisation of Electricity. Distrib-
uted generation in the form of wind power,
micro-CHP plants, photovoltaic and en-
ergy/heat storage systems and their impact
on existing distribution networks will be
featured in this session. Delegates opting to
attend this session will have the opportunity
to benet from more information on smart
grids and the smart metering technology
that are now the subject of pilot studies in
many utilities.
Session 5 Planning and System Develop-
ment. All aspects related to short- and long-
term development of high-voltage and low-
voltage networks to meet the changing and
challenging demands placed on distribu-
tion networks will be presented. Investment
strategies for aging networks, optimisation
of system losses and planning for active dis-
tribution networks are included for a discus-
sion in a session, which is dominated by con-
tributions from distribution utilities
Session 6 Distribution Business and Impact
of Regulation. The role of electricity distribu-
tion companies continues to evolve as it de-
velops into a marketplace for consumers and
small-scale power producers. Issues relating
to regulation and the changes being intro-
duced take into consideration distributed
generation, smart grids and smart metering
are among the topics scheduled for discus-
sion in this session. Therefore, delegates
attending this session will have the oppor-
tunity to share experience and benet from
the papers presented on current and future
developments.
Roundtable and Research
and Innovation Discussions
The 16 roundtable discussions have be-
come a popular and well-supported feature
of this event. Linked to the main technical
sessions, a panel of eminent speakers pres-
ent the topics, which then generate a lively two-way debate
with the delegates in attendance. The planned six research
and innovation forums are staged in a similar manner, but the
content is linked to the new technologies under development
that will serve the industry in the future.
Poster Sessions
The poster sessions at CIRED offer delegates the opportu-
nity to meet and discuss the content of the technical presenta-
tions with the contributing authors. The CIRED organising
committee has taken a refreshing and proactive approach to
these sessions by implementing guided interactive tours of the
BURNDY
developed
and manufactured
transmission connectors
for the original grid.
Now we are leading the
way for 21st-century
transmission lines.
ACSS and ACCC
2
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.
s dedication to knowledge, innovation and
service has helped FWT to develop a reputation as strong
as the products we manufacture. With the current demands
for a smarter and more efficient grid, FWT has expanded
our catalogue of products to include SCADA poles to meet
the unique requirements for monitoring and controlling your
utility system. Our extensive selection of transmission,
distribution and substation structures are custom-designed
and engineered to suit any application.
Let FWT be the solid foundation your next
project is built upon. Call us today or visit our
website and experience how...
E S T A B L I S H E D 1 9 5 9
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True Strength Lies in our Reputation.
May 2011 | www.tdworld.com 80
Products&Services
Warning Solution for Less Critical Transformers
GE announces the Intellix GLA 100, a cost-effective transformer warning solution
using dissolved gas-in-oil analysis, specically tailored for monitoring less critical
transformers. With the Intellix GLA 100, utilities, operators and industrial users can
extend their transformer monitoring strategy to include a broader range of transformer
assets, further decreasing the chance of unplanned outages and improving network
reliability.
The Intellix GLA 100 is a compact, lightweight device installed on a 1-inch (25-mm)
valve. It continually monitors the key fault gas and triggers an alarm when a preset gas
level is reached. Two levels of alarms can be set with outputs in the form of colored
light indicators at the transformer and SPDT relays through to control rooms. Alarm
levels can be set or changed without the need of a computer or interfacing software,
and the device comes ready to use with default settings.
GE | www.ge.com
RFID Equipped Tools
Lincoln Hoist, the originator
of the lever ratchet winch hoist
or come-along, is introducing
improved models that include RFID
tags, serialization and more visible
markings.
Regular inspection by a qualied
person is one of the best ways to
prevent accidents with this or most
other tools used for lifting or pulling heavy loads. RFID tags help reduce the paperwork
burden of performing and maintaining inspection records. Lincoln Hoists newest
improvement embeds a small 8-mm (0.3-inch) RFID chip directly into the main hoist
housing to facilitate the task.
In addition, Lincoln Hoist has reached an agreement with Infochip Systems to
provide free inspection, certication and tracking software.
Lincoln Hoist | www.lincolnhoist.com
Thermal Imaging Technology
Utility Risk Management Corp. introduces Thermal Direct, a thermal imaging
technology capable of enhancing the reliability and efciency of the electric grid.
The technology precisely measures conductor temperatures, enabling utilities
to: improve system reliability and capacity; enhance the security of transmission
assets; demonstrate compliance with applicable regulatory requirements; and reduce
mitigation costs associated with compliance by as much as $2 billion over a period of
three years. In recent testing conrmed by Electric Power Research Institute sensors,
Thermal Directs accuracy presented a 95% condence level, with residual error of only
3.75F (2.09C).
Utility Risk Management Corp. | utilityrisk.com
Epoxy Bushings
Electro Composites Bushings
by Hubbell Power Systems protect
waterways from oil spilling by
transformers or breakers in the event of
a bushing failure. These solid dielectric
capacitor (SDC) epoxy bushings are 100%
oil-free.
Electro Composites specializes in
high-voltage solid dielectric epoxy
capacitance-graded bushings, offering
solutions for applications up to 170 kV, as
well as a variety of insulators and custom-
moulded parts.
Hubbell Power Systems | www.hubbellpowersystems.com
Conned-Space
Video Inspection
Zistos manufactures a submersible,
self-illuminated color zoom camera to
safely inspect vaults and conduits from
above ground while displaying the video
on a tripod-mounted 5-inch (127-mm)
weatherproof LCD monitor. The optional
thermal camera allows the operator to
remotely articulate the pole and switch
between a thermal imager and self-
illuminated B&W video camera.
Zistos | www.zistos.com
Microgrid System
Controller
Encorp, LLC announces the launch of
its Microgrid System Controller, which
connects separate generator sets with
such inverter-based renewable sources
as photovoltaics, fuel cells, advanced
energy-storage devices, and wind and
micro turbines to create an onsite energy
system. The system controller can
interconnect the combined generation
source to the utility grid or operate in
island mode.
The new Encorp offering is based
on the companys Gold Box and
related software technology offerings.
The Microgrid System Controller can
be congured and modied for any
combination of power generators in
smaller applications, such as ofce
buildings, laboratories and apartment
buildings.
The Microgrid System Controller
can be customized for a variety
of applications, including peak
shaving/sharing, demand response,
cogeneration, full-load generator
testing (using the grid) and prime-power
generation.
The heart of the control system is the
Encorp Generator Power Controller, or
Gold Box. With over 1,000 MW under
the control of these devices around the
world, end users, speciers and installers
are assured that critical loads will be
protected from unintended power loss
due to control failure.
Encorp, LLC | www.encorp.com
Check out the latest news and information related to
Vegetation Management with Transmission & Distribution
Worlds Vegetation Management Resource Center, sponsored
by DuPont Land Management. Inside this resource center youll
be able easily nd content related to Vegetation Management
Programs, Reliability and Safety, Tools and Technologies,
Regulations and Standards, and the Environment.
In addition, you can receive updates sent directly to your inbox
with Vegetation Management Insights, a monthly newsletter
from the editors of T&D World, covering the latest Vegetation
Management information and news. Visit us online today to
learn more!
Find Vegetation Management Content in One Easy Location
http://tdworld.com/vegetationmanagement
May 2011 | www.tdworld.com 82
sensethepower.com
The world needs to rethink power...
With new energy sources the power companies
are facing new challenges in their power
distributions grids - new energy sources will be
applied and the need for control and supervision
of the grids is a necessity.
PowerSense can help the power distribution
companies to be ready for the future with our
DISCOS
solution.
...SmartGrid is a reality
The DISCOS
System, you will be able to get control over your grid and make it smart!
For further information, please visit www.sensethepower.com or send an e-mail to
sales@sensethepower.com.
PowerSense participates in CIRED 2011 Conference and Exhibition
in Frankfurt, Germany 6-9 June - visit us on booth A 150
High-Voltage
Insulation Diagnostics
Featuring rugged yet lightweight
construction and designed to work
reliably in high-interference areas like
substation switchyards, Meggers
DELTA4000 series 12-kV insulation
diagnostic system offers time-saving,
fully automatic power factor/tan delta
and tip-up testing. Also provided are
facilities for manual measurements
where the operator has full control to set
the test parameters for special testing
requirements.
Accurate and dependable intelligent
temperature correction, based on the
actual condition of the test object, can
be applied to results using a patented
technique that works with data acquired
from a separate dielectric frequency-
response test.
Meggers DELTA4000 series test
sets offer comprehensive facilities for
assessing the condition of electrical
insulation in all types of high-voltage
equipment, including transformers,
bushings, circuit breakers, cables,
lightning arrestors and rotating
machinery. They also can be used for
measuring the excitation current of
transformer windings.
To ensure accurate results are
obtained even when the instrument is
powered from a supply with poor voltage
and frequency stability, the test sets
generate their own test voltage, which is
independent of supply quality. A further
benet of this approach is that it allows
the test voltage to be varied in frequency
from 1 Hz to 500 Hz.
DELTA4000 series measure quantities
include voltage, current, power loss, tan
delta, power factor and capacitance. Test
results are stored in the unit and can be
sent directly to a printer via USB.
Megger | www.megger.com
Products&Services
Crimping and Cutting Tools
BURNDY introduces its lithium-ion (Li-ion) line of PATRIOT
battery actuated crimping and cutting tools. By
incorporating Li-ion technology, the company has
enhanced electronics and rened hydraulic systems,
advancing the PATRIOT line of crimping and cutting
tools for performance, speed and reliability.
The advantages of the new 18-V 3.0 Ah Li-ion
technology over Ni-Cd and Ni-MH are no memory
effects, no self discharge, no conditioning required and a
longer battery life 2.5 times more charge/discharge cycles
than traditional Ni-Cd batteries and provides 430% more
lifetime work. The charge time is only 30 minutes, twice as fast
as Ni-Cd, and the battery weights 40% less than Ni-MH batteries.
BURNDY | www.BURNDY.com
May 2011 | www.tdworld.com 84
SUSAN SCHAEFER
p: 484 478 0154 f: 913 967 6417 susan.schaefer@penton.com
For more information about classied
advertising, please contact:
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Marketing Opportunities
Production Specications
Salesperson Information
2011 Media Kit
2011 Rates
Editorial Calendar
JobZone
A vital source of industry
information with
breaking news and feature
archives from the
pages of Transmission &
Distribution World
is just one click away!
www.tdworld.comm | May 2011 85
SOFTWARE HELP WANTED
System Protection O&M Supervisor
PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, an electric
generation and transmission cooperative serving
Alabama and Northwest Florida, is seeking a System
Protection O&M Supervisor for the Headquarters
Ofce in Andalusia, Alabama. The purpose of this
position is to supervise the functions and activities
related to the operation, maintenance, construction,
installation, and commissioning of protective
relaying equipment at all transmission, distribution,
and generation facilities on the PowerSouth system;
provide direct supervision of system protection
technicians, oversight and direction of maintenance
program, management of construction projects,
and administration of section budget; and provide
engineering support and technical expertise for all
activities and functions of the System Protection
O&M Section. This position requires a bachelors
degree in Electrical Engineering and eight or more
years (seven years with a PE license) in one or
more areas of protective relaying or a minimum
of ve years directly related experience in the
operation, maintenance, testing, installation, and
commissioning of protective relaying systems;
solid technical understanding of protective relaying
concepts with extensive knowledge of protective
relaying principles applications, and methods for
transmission, distribution and generation systems;
ability to work cooperatively with others and to
supervise both exempt and non-exempt personnel;
strong oral and written communication skills; and
organizational skills and abilities. Employment is
subject to a negative drug test, background check,
and completion of a comprehensive application
for employment. PowerSouth Energy Cooperative
offers a competitive salary and comprehensive
benets program. Interested persons who meet
the above qualications should send a resume
including salary requirements to:
PowerSouth Energy Cooperative
Human Resources Department
Position: System Protection O&M Supervisor
P. O. Box 550
Andalusia, AL 36420
AN EEO/AAP EMPLOYER
May 2011 | www.tdworld.com 86
Search for products...
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product information and new technologies for the power
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RECRUITING
Midwestern, Mid-Atlantic,
New England, Eastern Canada:
Stephen M. Lach
13723 Carolina Lane
Orland Park, IL 60462
Phone: 708-460-5925 Fax: 913-514-9017
E-mail: steve.lach@penton.com
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: dx@bellsouth.net
Southwest:
Gary Lindenberger
7007 Winding Walk Drive, Suite 100
Houston, TX 77095
Phone: 281-855-0470 Fax: 281-855-4219
E-mail: gl@lindenassoc.com
West/Western Canada:
Ron Sweeney
303 Johnston Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903
Phone: 415-499-9095 Fax: 415-499-9096
E-mail: wnjsr@comcast.net
Craig Zehntner
15981 Yarnell Street, Suite 230
Los Angeles, CA 91342
Phone: 818-403-6379 Fax: 818-403-6436
E-mail: wnjla@aol.com
Western/Eastern Europe:
Richard Woolley
P.O. Box 250
Banbury, OXON, OX16 5YJ UK
Phone: 44-1295-278-407
Fax: 44-1295-278-408
E-mail: richardwoolley@btclick.com
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: pbi2010@gol.com
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:stormybj@kornet.net
Classied Sales:
Susan Schaefer
870 Wyndom Terrace
Secane, PA 19018
Phone: 484-478-0154
Fax: 913-514-6417
E-mail: susan.schaefer@penton.com
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Dow Wire & Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 www.dowinside.com
DuPont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 www.countondupont.com
EDM International Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 www.edmlink.com
Engineering Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 www.sterlingpadlocks.com
FWT Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 www.fwtinc.com
GE Digital Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 www.gedigitalenergy.com
Hastings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 www.hfgphighvoltage.com
High Voltage Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 www.hvinc.com
Hubbell Power Systems Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 www.hubbellpowersystems.com
*Hubbell Power Systems Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72g www.hubbellpowersystems.com
Hughes Brothers Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 www.hughesbros.com
Huskie Tools Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 www.huskietools.com
Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 www.hyundai-elec.com
IEEE/Sustainable Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 www.mc.manuscriptcentral.com
Institution of Engineering & Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 www.theiet.org/rtdn
*Intec Services Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72n www.intecservicesinc.com
ISA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A 35 www.isatest.com
Itron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 www.itron.com
Krenz & Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38-39 www.krenzvent.com
LumaSense Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 www.lunasenseinc.com
MacLean Power Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 www.apex@macleanpower.com
McWane Poles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 www.mcwanepoles.com
Mears Group Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 www.mears.net
Merrick & Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 www.merrick.com
Michels Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 www.michels.us
NEN Power LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 www.nenpower.com
Nesco Sales & Rentals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 www.nescosales.com
NLMCC/NECA-IBEW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 www.thequalityconnection.org
Nordic Fiberglass Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 www.nordicberglass.com
*Novatech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17a www.novatechweb.com
Omicron Electronics Corp. USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A 27 www.omicronusa.com
Ormazabal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 www.ormazabal.com
*Osmose Utilities Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72i www.osmoseutilities.com
Petra Solar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 www.petrasolar.com
Power Engineers Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 www.powereng.com
PowerSense A/S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 www.sensethepower.com
Quanta Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 www.quantaservices.com
Rainbow Technology Corp.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 www.rainbowtech.net
S&C Electric Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC www.sandc.com
*S&C Electric Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17b www.sandc.com
SAIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 www.saic.com
Schweitzer Engineering Labs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 www.selinc.com
Sediver Canada Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 www.seves.com
*Sherman & Reilly Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72b www.sherman-reilly.com
*Siemens AG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1b www.siemens.com
*Siemens Energy Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1a www.siemens.com
*TDCompare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72k www.tdcompare.com
TDW Vegetation Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . t 81 www.tdworld.com/vegetationmanagement
*Thomas & Betts Corp./Meyer Steel Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33a www.tnb.com
Time Mfg. Co./Versalift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 www.versalift.com
Underground Devices Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 www.udevices.com
URMC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 www.utilityrisk.com
*Utilicon Solutions Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72e www.utiliconltd.com
*Valmont/Newmark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . k 59a/b www.valmont-newmark.com
Verizon Wireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 www.verizonwireless.com
Zistos Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 www.zistos.com
May 2011 | www.tdworld.com 88
StraightTalk
Then theres the unpredictability of wind output, or what I
call its lack of dispatchability. A few years ago, I did an infor-
mal survey of operating managers I know in various parts of
the country. I asked each of them how much wind penetration
they thought their system could handle, given winds lack of
dispatchability. Independently, their answers all fell within a
20% to 25% range.
It wont be practical to move wind generation long distances
over the grid, either. Thats because of winds low availability,
as discussed above, coupled with the increased incremental
IR losses incurred for transfers. Again, without energy stor-
age, wind capacity will not be economic over long distances.
Those who are promoting massive transmission construction
to accommodate remote and widely dispersed wind resources
have a totally different agenda. As I said above, 1,000 MW
spread over hundreds or thousands of miles would have the
same 11% availability as 1,000 MW in one location.
Following the variations in wind output will be another
problem. The amount of generation that control areas (a.k.a.
balancing authorities) now devote to regulation following
the ever-changing load in my opinion, will be inadequate to
follow the ever-changing output of the wind turbines and the
load. This is critical, of course, as any load/generation imbal-
ance on the grid causes changes in grid frequency and even
minor deviations from 60 Hz can be disastrous.
About a year ago I visited the smart grid lab of a major man-
ufacturer. My impression after listening to and talking with
the researchers was that a lot of people are planning to use
what amounts to high-speed load management through smart
grid chips in appliances to perform regulation function, and
thereby keep load and generation in balance and thus main-
tain 60 Hz. I think its highly questionable whether customers
will tolerate this for very long. But there may be a more fun-
damental problem: I doubt that smart grid technology will be
able to act quickly enough to effectively regulate the system.
If Im right, blackouts are inevitable.
Like most things, wind capacity has its pluses and minuses.
We all need to be careful lest we embrace the former while ig-
noring the latter and wind up with a shipload of tribbles
and no Klingon vessel by which to transport them.
By George C. loehr, Management Consultant
The Trouble With Wind
M
any of you will remember the original Star Trek epi-
sode, The Trouble With Tribbles. The Enterprise
is transporting grain to a planet with the unlikely
name of Shermans Planet, which is in dispute between the
Federation and the Klingon Empire. But Kirk et al discover
their ship has been invaded by thousands of cute, furry, purr-
ing little critters called tribbles. They do no harm, except they
eat voraciously and reproduce prodigiously. Theyre so cute
that no one has the heart to do them any harm, but pretty
soon, theyve eaten all the grain and threaten to take over the
ship. (Without going into plot details, Kirk and crew escape
this predicament when Scotty, ever the resourceful engineer,
beams the tribbles from the Enterprise onto a Klingon ship.)
Wind turbines are a little like tribbles. Theyre appealing,
they can displace kilowatt-hours from carbon generators,
and they seem to do no harm; but they consume prodigious
amounts of money, and theyre reproducing all over the coun-
tryside. Everybody seems to think theyre wonderful, but are
they going to contribute anything to our energy requirements?
And, if they do, what are the downsides, if any?
Unfortunately, whatever wind turbines can do to reduce
carbon emissions, wind capacity is not the silver bullet that
will solve all our future electric supply needs. First, theres the
concept that wind generation can eliminate other sources; this
can be explicitly rebutted by the fact that it has a very low prob-
ability of being available during peak load periods.
For example, an independent study done for New York state
in 2004 found that wind capacity has only a 10% to 11% prob-
ability of being available during summer peak hours (2 p.m.
to 5 p.m.). And geographical diversity doesnt change that a
bit 1,000 MW spread over hundreds (or thousands) of miles
would have the same 11% availability as 1,000 MW in a single
location. Thats not from a study, thats the laws of probability.
Perhaps more important, the more wind capacity an area
has, the higher its Installed Reserve Requirement must be. To
quantify this, I extrapolated sensitivity ndings from a recent
Loss of Load Expectation (LOLE) study, which used the 11%
noted above. I discovered that, for every 1,000 MW of wind
capacity, installed reserves would have to be increased by 80%
(800 MW) to maintain the same one day in 10 years LOLE.
Putting that another way, to displace 500 MW of thermal ca-
pacity, youd need 2,500 MW of wind capacity.
The only way around this problem is major energy storage,
but of course that would greatly increase the cost and could
have environmental impacts of its own.
George C. Loehr (gloehr@eLucem.com), the former executive
director of a Regional Reliability Council, works as a consultant
and expert witness, serves on several industry boards, teaches,
writes and lectures on power system planning and reliability.
Game Changers Webinar Lineup
Feb. 24 Phasor Measurement Units
March 23 Large Battery Storage
April 20 Smart Metering/AMI
May 25 Distribution Optimization
(Volt/VAR Control)
June 23 Asset Optimization
(Monitoring and Diagnostics)
July 27 Workforce and Engineering
Design Optimization (GIS)
Aug. 24 Smart Grid Telecom
Sept. 21 Software Giants and the
Home Area Network
Oct. 19 Distributed Energy Resources
Nov. 16-17 Symposium in Atlanta
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
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