Examining the evolution of outage management systems
BY GERALD GRAY & JOHN SIMMINS, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Once again, a major storm event, in this case Hurricane Sandy, has brought increased attention to a utility’s capability to respond to and mitigate damage to its infrastructure. With all of the investment that the utility industry has seen in infrastructure over the last few years, with major projects and the U.S. Department of Energy matching funds,...
Why technologies are important to grid modernization BY MANI VADARI, Modern Grid Solutions Electricity is one of the cornerstones of our economy. A modern electric grid is critical for our economic and national security. The National Academy of Engineering has called the North American power grid...
Applying limited resources to critical, aging infrastructure BY MASSOUD AMIN, IEEE Smart Grid, University of Minnesota The Smart Grid’s contributions to improving electric utilities’ means of monitoring the condition of assets, providing enhanced situational awareness, and faster...
Using technology to improve response and recovery BY TOM BERGER, Mutualink The electric utility industry has an outstanding performance record of providing reliable power to public agencies, private enterprises, and the general public for over 100 years. However, when outages occur due to...
Standards are just the beginning BY RICK GEIGER, Cisco Systems The aging electrical infrastructure and utility industry is undergoing its greatest transition in a generation. Grid modernization is already having a significant impact on how the energy industry operates. As with the adoption of any...
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...
As the global demand for renewable energy intensifies, wind farms are emerging as pivotal players in the transition to sustainable power sources. In 2023, the wind industry added a remarkable 117 gigawatts (GW) of global capacity, underscoring its growing significance in the energy landscape....
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 evolving landscape of power grid management, integrating advanced sensor technologies in intelligent transformers and substations is revolutionizing monitoring and control. These sensors provide real-time data collection and analysis, significantly improving asset management and fault...
The evolving demands of modern power grids necessitate the adoption of advanced technologies that can provide enhanced efficiency, reliability, and flexibility. Smart transformers are at the forefront of this technological revolution, offering a range of capabilities that significantly improve the...
In a significant shift, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has decided to abandon its transmission incentives policy, particularly the construction work in progress (CWIP) incentives. This decision marks a pivotal change in how transmission projects are financed and regulated,...
