Distribution Equipment and Planning

Distribution Equipment and Planning

Description

The objective of the Distribution Equipment and Planning program is to provide guidance to Utilities to assist with making informed asset management decisions through collaboration with other members and pooling of resources to facilitate initiatives in areas beyond the current knowledge of the participants.

The mission of the group is to share current practices and processes regarding the management of distribution assets including planning, purchasing, installing, commissioning, operating and maintaining and disposal of assets. The goal of the program is to realize value from distribution assets by balancing costs, opportunities and risks against the desired performance of assets to achieve near- and long-term utility objectives.

Focus Areas:

  • Improving Reliability of Distribution Equipment & Systems
  • Maintenance & Assessment of Distribution Assets
  • Technology & Equipment Impacting the Grid
  • Power Distribution Planning
    Training

    Kinectrics’ Arcpro Software Demo

    Feb 13, 2025 • Webex
    Thank you for your participation in the Empowering Utilities for Arc Flash Safety Workshop! As a follow up of the event,  Kinectrics will provide a demonstration of their “Arcpro Software” on Thursday, February 13th at 12 PM ET. More information can be found below. Event Overview:Kinectrics has been a leading provider of arc flash testing and analysis services for standards organizations and corporations across North America since the 1990s. While primarily established as a consulting firm, one of its notable achievements – though unintended – has been the development and commercialization of the Arcpro software. Today, this industry-renowned electrical safety tool is trusted by tens of thousands of safety professionals and engineers worldwide.Kinectrics’ Arcpro software is a tool designed to calculate thermal energy emitted from electric arcs.  Distinctive in its approach, Arcpro utilizes advanced arc modeling and thermodynamic equations in an iterative process to determine the radiated incident energy, rather than relying on empirically derived formulas. Additionally, Kinectrics has amassed thousands of data points over decades of testing to validate the accuracy and reliability of Arcpro’s results.  Recognized by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Arcpro is particularly valued for its accuracy in high-voltage applications as well as single-phase low-voltage scenarios.Kinectrics is also set to launch a mobile version of its Arcpro software. Designed with field personnel in mind, the mobile platform aims to provide rapid incident energy estimations for newly installed equipment or assets not previously assessed during comprehensive arc flash studies. This enhanced accessibility ensures that workers can promptly select the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), reinforcing on-site safety and compliance.
    Webinar

    AI Grid Analytics using Enhanced Multi-Sense Line Sensors for such Applications as: Dynamic Line Ratings, Fault Location, Distributed Energy Resource Impact and Vegetation Management

    Feb 25, 2025 • Virtual - Webex
    Webinar Description:EGM’s Meta-Alert AI analytics software system and Multi-Sense Enhanced Line Sensors provide electric utilities with applications like Accurate Fault Detection and Location, Dynamic Line Ratings, Asset Health Monitoring and Vegetation Encroachment.Partnering with National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), EGM is advancing Accurate Fault Detection and Location (AFLD) to provide utilities momentary and sustained fault locations.  This application helps utilities reduce SAIDI metrics by as much as 15%, which can be worth $50k-$500k per SAIDI minute.  With this application the utility has the ability to detect and locate sustained and momentary faults.  Momentary faults are leading indicators of sustained outages.  Early detection of and elimination of momentary faults will increase grid reliability and can help prevent wildfires due to vegetation encroachment. Improved reliability also makes the grid more resilient which means during major events the grid is less likely to experience long duration outages.  Public safety is also improved by cutting power to high impedance faults that may pose a problem locating the source of the outage.EGM’s Dynamic Line Ratings (DLR) application and Asset Health Monitoring (AHM) provide visibility into the overall health of the electric transmission grid and the performance of the conductors, to keep the grid optimized.  DLR provides real-time conductor thermal measurements, two-week conductor capacity forecasts, ensures grid safety and reliability, accelerates interconnection of DERs, and reduces transmission congestion and curtailments.  Asset Health Monitoring (AHM) informs the utility of the conductor’s sag and line safety clearances. It can alert the utility when lines are slapping or galloping and can be correlated with weather and wind speeds to help the utility predict what may then become a sustained outage.Webinar Takeaways:Reducing SAIDI and SAIFI through fault analysis and preventative maintenanceImproving public safety and helping prevent wildfires through early fault detection and analysisImplementing DLR can optimize grid performance by providing real-time capacity, reducing congestion and curtailments, and accelerating DER interconnections.Presenter Bios:Ismael Mendoza, Principal EngineerPower Systems Engineering CenterNational Renewable Energy LaboratoryIsmael Mendoza received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado. Currently, Mr. Mendoza is a Principal Engineer in the Power Systems Engineering Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA. His research focuses on controller hardware-in-the-loop and power hardware-in-the-loop experiments for the evaluation of advance grid controls for energy management, system resilience, and interoperability in distribution and microgrid networks.Jim Lynch, Director of SalesElectrical Grid Monitoring IncJim is a seasoned business development professional with a proven track record of success. With over 25 years of experience in sales of advanced software solutions, big data applications, machine learning, and process optimization, he has consistently driven results across diverse industries.  Over the past decade, he has focused on delivering innovative solutions to electric utilities, helping them transition their analytic applications to the cloud and enabling them to supply safe and reliable power at the lowest possible cost.Jim brings extensive expertise in new business development, alliance management, and sales leadership. He has played a pivotal role in the growth and success of multiple organizations, helping four start-up software companies achieve acquisitions and one successfully go public. Most recently, he has been leading sales and marketing efforts at Electrical Grid Monitoring.  Jim holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree from Southern Illinois University, showcasing his strong academic foundation and commitment to professional excellence.