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Smart Metering T&D


Texas PUC Shelves $1B Grid Credit Mechanism

The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) has unanimously decided to shelve the proposed $1 billion Performance Credit Mechanism (PCM) for power generators, concluding that it would not deliver the anticipated grid reliability benefits. The PCM was conceived as a means to incentivize power...

Substation Automation T&D


The Digital Substation Vision: From Utopian Concept to Grid Backbone

A digital substation is a modernized electrical substation that replaces traditional analog equipment and copper wiring with digital signaling, intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), and fiber-optic communication. It enables real-time data exchange, advanced automation, and greater efficiency in...

Utility Automation & Monitoring T&D


Writing Smart Grid Requirements

Managing change with positive thinking to make the most of investments BY JOHN MCDONALD, IEEE Senior Member, GE Energy Management - Digital Energy The process of writing requirements for Smart Grid-related technology purchases may appear simple and straightforward. It is not. As the technology...

Energy Storage & Grid Integration


The End of the Road for Transmission Incentives

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,...

Distribution Automation


Moving Smart Grid to the Field

Ben Franklin famously said, “If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail”. This saying certainly holds true for Smart Grid deployments, which can cost utilities several hundred million dollars. Given these high stakes, effective planning is essential. Many North American electric utilities...

Asset Management & Maintenance


Critical Infrastructure Communications

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...

T&D Automation

Control Center Security

How utilities can protect bulk electric system control centers

BY ANDREW GINTER, Waterfall Security

While industry experts debate the likelihood of an attack against the power grid, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has already issued an alert that such threats are real and are on the rise. In fact, anything that is accessible directly or indirectly via the Internet is open to hacking, and the power grid is no exception.

Unfortunately, the...

T&D Automation Articles