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Utility Automation & Monitoring T&D


ADVANCED ANALYTICS

Recent technological and economic events are poised to transform the electric utility industry. Described as “game changers” by industry thought-leaders, these “disruptive challenges” stem from a convergence of factors. 1 Distributed energy resources (DER) and demand-side management (DSM)...

Asset Management & Maintenance


Storm Hardening Utility Communications

Save money and increase reliability. BY JEFF GROSSHAUSER, Motorola Preparing for winter is more than just a seasonal ritual for utility providers. Electricity and gas must still power cities during violent snowstorms and extreme cold. Arguably, that power is never more needed than when extreme...

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...

Energy Storage & Grid Integration


DOE Prioritizes Baseload Generation

In a strategic move to tackle the growing electricity demand and bolster energy security, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), under Secretary Chris Wright, has announced plans to focus on expanding baseload and dispatchable power generation. This shift in priorities, outlined on January 5, 2025,...

Distribution Automation


4 Benefits of Distribution Automation in a Decentralized Energy World

When dozens of utilities received stimulus funds for distribution automation projects in 2009, solar was barely a gigawatt-scale market in the U.S. Sandy was simply a lead character in Grease, not a superstorm that would prompt cities and states to reassess the future-readiness of their...

Substation Automation T&D


Network Security

Protecting sensitive customer and utility data BY JOHN CHOWDHURY, Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. Smart meters, and the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) on which they depend, collect and transport vast amounts of data. While the data provides more precise energy billing, as well as...

T&D 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 have installed Smart Grid systems. Currently, 25 percent of U.S. electricity customers have smart meters, a key component of the Smart Grid. Some early deployments were rocky, but utilities have learned...

T&D Automation Articles