Smarter fault location, isolation, and service restoration using integrated distribution management systems and distribution automation

Electric utilities are steadily increasing the quantity of intelligent field devices deployed on distribution feeders to improve service reliability and optimize grid efficiency and capacity. As the individual capabilities of the field devices expands, there is a corresponding increase in data flow and two-way communications exchange between field devices and the central control system. While there is potential for the system operators to be overwhelmed by this data storm, this also presents an opportunity to enhance the overall situational awareness by pre-processing this data and presenting useful information to the operators. This paper will describe the benefits of enhanced data integration between Alstom Grid´s Integrated DMS (IDMS) platform and S&C Electric Company´s IntelliTeam range of automated feeder switches and field interrupting devices for enhanced grid operational capabilities and end-use consumer satisfaction. The growth in distributed energy resources (DER) will drive requirements to provide enhanced dynamic field protection settings from the control room based on current and future system performance, and this seamless integration will enable real-time control room visualization and settings of intelligent devices in the field to enhance operator usability and situation awareness.