A closer look at animal-caused outages at substations
BY BILL REICHARD, TransGard Systems
Every year, squirrels, raccoons, snakes, and other climbing animals cause substation outages across North America. According to a 2010 University of Minnesota study, the resulting estimated cost to electric utilities is between $15 million and $18 million per year. However, when commercial entities and consumer frustration are taken into consideration, the overall cost of these outages to electric utilities can cost the...
High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology revolutionizes long-distance power transmission, offering improved efficiency and reliability over traditional alternating current (AC) systems. This article explores the latest developments and applications of HVDC substations, providing a technical...
Reliable and secure communication infrastructure is essential to the safe and efficient operation of the modern power grid. As utilities transition to digital substations, integrate distributed energy resources (DERs), and deploy real-time monitoring systems, the need for robust, scalable grid...
Solving common mistakes in communications cabling for electrical utilities BY FRANK KODITEK, Belden Inc. In the energy industry, there are numerous types of cables in use for a wide variety of applications, from transporting high-voltage current for miles to providing power and data connectivity...
One of the important trends in design of new overhead lines over the past 20 years has been development of structures and designs that are less obtrusive and more pleasing visually. Much the same process has also been going on at substations. For example, even 25 years ago, efforts had already been...
From Hardwiring to Data Networking The modernization of substations is as much a communications revolution as a protection one. For decades, copper conductors carried analog signals from instrument transformers to relays and controls. Each new circuit meant more wiring, more panels, and more room...
Reliable and secure communication infrastructure is essential to the safe and efficient operation of the modern power grid. As utilities transition to digital substations, integrate distributed energy resources (DERs), and deploy real-time monitoring systems, the need for robust, scalable grid...
A Smart substation digitizes protection and control, enabling utilities to detect faults faster, manage DER volatility, and reduce outage risk. The payoff depends on architecture, cybersecurity, and edge analytics, not just new relays. The shift toward smart substations is inseparable from broader...
A coalition of large energy consumers and ratepayer advocates has filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), urging the agency to prohibit transmission owners from independently planning "local" transmission projects exceeding 100 kilovolts (kV). The coalition argues...
In the rapidly evolving landscape of power grid management, digital twin technology is emerging as a game-changer for substations. By creating virtual replicas of physical assets, digital twins bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds, enabling enhanced operational efficiency and...
The increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters are placing unprecedented strain on the world's electricity networks, with severe implications for global energy security. According to a recent Bloomberg report, the effects of climate change are pushing many electricity grids to...
