AEP’s gridSMART®

Grid Management Interoperability

Unlocks Additional Utility Benefits
Presentation to
DISTRIBUTECH Conference & Exhibition
January 26, 2012
Paul Thomas – American Electric Power
Randy Cough – GE Digital Energy

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 AEP System Overview

• 5.3 Million customers

• 11 States
• 39,000 MW Generation

• 38,953 miles Transmission

• 212,781 miles Distribution
• 6006 Distribution Circuits
• 3240 D Transformer Windings
AEP Distribution System Operational Strategy

Transforming from single source distribution circuits to an interconnected grid with

multiple sources, real time visualization, resiliency, automation, and control.
Optimizing Distribution with SMART Circuits
1. Two way communication amongst devices with central control
center visibility and automated outage recovery
a. Industry experience has yielded a 30% reliability improvement
b. Permits remote equipment switching without truck roll

2. Equipment sensors that provide real time condition/status

a. Avoid equipment overloads
b. Proactively identify potential failures
c. Enhances power quality monitoring
d. Supports diagnostic & monitoring of equipment to support asset
renewal programs

3. Integrated back office systems to provide remote and automated

data collection, analysis, visualization and action

4. Asset Management analytical tools:

a. Preventive Equipment “Asset Health Index”
b. Supports asset investment planning to optimize power transformer
and other equipment replacements
c. Enables condition-based maintenance programs

5. Preventive Automated Fault Anticipation & Location

6. Two way power flow support – easy integration of distributed

renewable generation
 AEP Ohio gridSMART Deployment System Overview

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AEP Ohio gridSMART Demonstration - CES

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 AEP Ohio gridSMART Deployment Update

• Volt VAR Optimization

– 11 GE CVVC circuits constructed and operating
– 6 AdaptiVolt VVO circuits constructed and operating
– 5 stations, 140 devices (caps, regs, voltage sensors)

• Circuit Reconfiguration (aka CR, DA or DA CR)

– 16 stations, 600 devices (caps, regs, reclosers, breakers)
– 70 out of 70 circuits point to point tested
– 69 out of 70 circuits system acceptance tested
– 69 out of 70 circuits commissioned and in service

• Community Energy Storage

– AEP Ohio had 15 of 80 CES units installed and functioning
late last year
– 56 customers have signed up for a unit on their property
PSO gridSMART – System Overview
 AEP PSO gridSMART Deployment Update

• Volt VAR Optimization

– 11 Cooper IVVC circuits constructed
– 3 stations, 95 devices (caps, regs, LTC’s, voltage
sensors)
– 11 circuits point to point tested by Q2 2012
– 11 circuits system acceptance tested Q2 2012
– 11 circuits commissioned and in service Q2 2012

• Circuit Reconfiguration (aka CR, DA or DA CR)

– 3 stations and 13 circuits
– 52 devices (switches and breakers)
– 11 circuits point to point tested by Q1 2012
– 11 circuits system acceptance tested by Q1 2012
– 11 circuits commissioned and in service by Q1 2012
 Utility Volt VAR Optimization (VVO)

Technology and infrastructure upgrades integrated into the

electric distribution system to optimize voltage levels.
– Utilizes communications, computerized intelligence, and end of line voltage
monitoring to control voltage regulators and capacitors on the distribution grid
– Typically a 1% reduction in demand and energy consumption for a 1% voltage
reduction
– A 3% voltage reduction should achieve a 3% demand and energy reduction
– Power factors near unity minimize losses and relieve transmission congestion

Benefits
• Immediate, highly predictable impacts.
• 2-4% reduction in demand and energy requirements.
• Lessens need for incremental infrastructure spending.
• Helps to lower emissions (S02, NOx, Hg, CO2).
• Avoids traditional EE/DR challenges such as cross-subsidization.
 Volt VAR Optimization Architecture

Volt VAR Controllers

Mesh Master
EOL Monitors

Mesh Network
Line
Regulators

Line
Capacitors
Fiber
or Mesh

DMS - GENe

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 Distribution Automation Circuit Reconfiguration

Technology and infrastructure upgrades integrated into the

electric distribution system to optimize customer reliability.
– Utilizes communications, computerized intelligence, and sensors to
control reclosers, switches and breakers on the distribution grid

– Reliability improvements of 30% to 50% can be achieved through

automation

– Additional reliability and operational efficiencies will be gained through

DSCADA (DMS) monitoring and control

– Proactive knowledge of system and operation center action will

improve customer experience
 Distribution Automation Circuit Reconfiguration
High Level Operational Benefits to Date

• Planned and emergency circuit switching time and labor reduced by 2hrs X 20+

• Ice Storm: 1188 of 1190 (99.8%)customers restored in 56 seconds, second fault 15

minutes later 388 (33%) customers remained in service. Avoided CMI = 437,249
minutes or SAIDI reduction of .59 minutes for CSP

• Pole Fire: 3695 of 4499 (82%) customers restored in 160 seconds, Avoided CMI =
306,685 minutes or SAIDI reduction of .41 minutes for CSP

• Outage 3: 2582 of 2965 (87%) customers restored in 72 seconds, Avoided CMI =

214,306 minutes or SAIDI reduction of .29 minutes for CSP

• Transmission outage: 1150 of 1150 (100%) were restored in 155 seconds, Avoided CMI
= 95,450 minutes or SAIDI reduction of .13 minutes for CSP

• Outage 5: 825 of 1420 (58%) customers restored in 137 seconds, Avoided CMI =
68,475 minutes or SAIDI reduction of .09 minutes for CSP
 Distribution Automation Circuit Reconfiguration

High Level Operational Benefits to Date

• CSP SAIDI total reduction of 1.51 minutes for the 5 outages

• Average restoration time is 116 seconds for the 5 outages

• 9440 of 11224 (84%) customers were restored in an average of 116

seconds for the 5 outages (first outage only)
 Circuit Reconfiguration Architecture

CR Controllers

Mesh Master
Sensors

Mesh Network
Line
Regulators

Breaker Control Line

Capacitors
Fiber
or Mesh

Reclosers
DMS - GENe or Switches

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CR and VVO Interoperability
 Distribution Operations Center (DOC)
Distribution Management System Outage Management System
DSCADA (OMS)

CYBER SECURITY FIREWALL

Real Time

BACKHAUL COMMUNICATIONS
Real Time
and
Historical
Data Equipment
Distributed Fault Distribution Monitoring AMI
Energy Locating Automation and Meters
Resources Diagnostics

gridManagement Analytics
 Multiple Control Interoperability

Enterprise Systems
CIS GIS AMI
(Customer) (Asset) Head-end

History DWM
OMS Archives (Work)
(Outage)

D-SCADA CES MDM T-SCADA

Management (Meter)

Backhaul (Fiber and other)

Regional VV DA CES D-SCADA T-SCADA

(Station) Controller Controller Controller RTU RTU

Mesh Network (DNP)

Feeder Capacitor Recloser CES Revenue

Devices Regulator Switch Unit Meter
HAN (Zigbee / HomePlug)

Customer HVAC Water Customer PEV Smart

Devices Thermostat Heater Display Charger
Scope- 10-941, OMS/DMS 1.0 - Scope
Integrated Distribution Operations Platform
GIS
• Manages network asset information in a
geographical context
• Provides current and future view of
network Interoperable DMS-OMS-GIS
OMS • Integrated work flow
• “Predicts” and manages outages based
on customer calls, smart meters and • Coordinated network model
SCADA
• Service-based data
• Manages work flow for dispatching
operations interface
• Interfaces to many utility systems
• Common OMS-DMS UI
DMS
• Manages real-time network operations • Standardized interfaces to
• Provides advanced analytics other utility systems
• Proposes planned and emergency
switching
 Integrated Distribution Operations Platform

This platform leverages a common network model and integrated applications to further
streamline business process and provide accurate, timely information to all personnel

Common Dispatcher Interface

Use Cases:
DMS - GENe OMS - PowerOn • Network Updates
• Network Validation
Switch
Load Flow
Management
FDIR Trouble Call
Management
Crew
Management
• Manage Changes
• Manage Advanced Apps
Distributed
State
Estimation
Resource IVVC
Outage
Management
Switch
Management • OMS / DMS real time
Control
model sync
• Circuit re-configuration
• Planned Switching
GIS – Electric Office Visualize

Plan, Design, Construct Common Engineering,

As-
As-built, Inspect, Network Model Historical, Planning
Analysis Analysis

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 Interoperability Lessons Learned
• Installing CR or VVO in an area is a “simple” deployment ☺

• Deploying CR and VVO (and others) in the same area created

unrecognized challenges:
 VVO designed and constructed first before CR in sub optimal footprint
 Initial VVO applications required stable topology
 Today interoperability between CR/VVO means VVO is turned off prior to
allowing CR to change topology
 Next step CR/VVO interoperability will allow for VVO to remain on even
when CR changes topology – VVO system dependent

• Testing, configuring and commissioning devices and automation

schemes is much more time consuming and complicated than stand
alone devices

• When communications or controls fail, automation must allow the

field equipment to return to local control
 Interoperability Lessons Learned
• Interoperability means that two vendors CR automation schemes
should be able to talk and reconfigure circuits with shared tie points:
 We have not demonstrated this yet
 Has this been demonstrated by anyone yet?

• Operating CR, VVO and DSCADA (DMS) helps to identify, trouble

shoot and proactively correct:
 Miscoordination between overcurrent devices
 Multiple tapping regulators
 Faulty capacitor banks or switches
 Failing regulator contacts, shorting coils, motors, etc.
 Misc. failing equipment and tree contacts
 Communication issues
 And last but not least; identify equipment ghosts that have been there all
along and work with vendors to improve their equipment firmware,
software and processes.
 DOE Project Enhancements

This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy under Award Number DE-OE0000193."

Disclaimer: "This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government.
Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express
or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information,
apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference
herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does
not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any
agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United
States Government or any agency thereof.

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 Questions?
Paul Thomas – AEP – prthomas@aep.com
Randy Cough – GE – randy.cough@ge.com