POWER July 2022 - 27

SMART GRID AWARD
1. PPL Electric Utilities' use of the Fault Isolation
Service Restoration (FISR) module in GE
Digital's Advanced Distribution Management
Solution (ADMS) software helps the utility
identify fault locations quickly so line workers
can restore power to customers faster. Courtesy:
PPL Electric Utilities
outages since its deployment (Figure
1). It says customers today have 30%
fewer outages than they did 10 years
ago, and recent statistics are proving to
be even better. PPL Electric said in 2021
it reduced the total number of outages
by 34% compared to the average over
the past five years, a further testament
to the value of smart grid improvements.
A Long Road Worth Traveling
The multi-year smart grid execution
process involved many tasks, including
updating standards, developing and implementing
asset optimization schemes,
storm hardening, upgrading communications
infrastructure, deploying advanced
operations systems, and increasing the
penetration of devices in a priority system
that addressed largest impacts first.
Three-phase devices, mid circuits, and
at-the-tie locations were fundamental
considerations in the plan.
To maximize benefits from its investments,
PPL Electric focused on completing
the bulk of its annual smart grid work
before storm season each year. Furthermore,
because several steps are often
needed to accommodate installation,
commissioning, and configuration of
each device in the field, project managers
and planners worked hard to develop
innovative methods and streamlined processes
to reduce many tasks into a single
trip to the field. This led to improved
efficiency and reduced costs.
" The biggest challenge was updating
our infrastructure and getting all devices,
including legacy equipment such
as breakers and reclosers, to participate
in the scheme alongside the advanced
technology, " Jarrah said. In the end,
however, the benefits have extended
beyond simply minimizing unplanned
outages. " Installing the devices in a strategic
methodology allowed us to utilize
the new sectionalizing devices during
planned maintenance activities as well,
which expedited restorations and improved
process efficiency. "
PPL Electric's smart grid is also improvPOWER
POINTS
Winning Attributes
✔ PPL Electric Utilities' smart grid
upgrades have saved about 1.4
million customer outages since 2015.
✔ PPL Electric reduced the number of
outages in 2021 by 34% compared to
the average over the past five years.
✔ Innovative strategies implemented
by project managers and planners
streamlined processes to reduce
many tasks into a single trip to
the field, resulting in improved
efficiency and reduced costs.
ing data and analytics, bolstering other
reliability efforts. The data helps PPL Electric
make informed decisions about maintenance
and investments. Other benefits
include the ability to pinpoint issues, allowing
the dispatch of crews to exact
locations; a Distributed Energy Resource
Management System (DERMS) that can
monitor two-way power flow; and advanced
meters that enable customers to
see usage. PPL Electric is using its advanced
technology to build the grid of the
future, one that is likely unrecognizable to
utility workers of past generations. ■
-Aaron Larson is POWER's
executive editor.
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POWER July 2022

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