SmartMap leverages data from electric meters in near real-time to monitor the health of an electric distribution network. Because SmartMap maintains network relationships and contains load flow analytics it can leverage data from electric meters to simulate an electric distribution network in near real time. By combining meter data with other existing field devices, SmartMap can, besides reporting on the state and health of the network, run a load flow simulation through a network engineering/connectivity model to locate root cause of a power outage and predict network overload before executing a switching operation. Many utilities use SmartMap as an integrated solution for asset management, engineering, outage management and network operations.
With SmartMap utilities can:
- View the state of the entire network, down to distribution transformers and service points
- Monitor load and voltage at feeders, distribution transformers and consumer meters
- Automatically record load and voltage history on a graph for immediate reference
- Receive an email alert when load or voltage exceeds a threshold
- Detect network events, such as under voltage, over voltage and power outages
- Determine the likely cause and its location on a map
- Isolate the event and communicate resolution to your stakeholders on a map
- Substantiate decisions with historical evidence
- Define boundaries or high lows. When these boundaries are crossed an alarm is trigger and a text and/or email is sent to the defined stakeholders.
- The ability to analyze the following, and issue alerts via email and/or text, in near real-time:
- Power Outage
- Under/Over Voltage
- Transformer Load
- Network Loss
With SmartMap utilities can run detailed engineering analysis including:
- Load Flow
- Short Circuit
- Arc Flash
- Protection Coordination
- Phase Balancing
- Capacitor Optimization
- Open Point Optimization
With SmartMap, utilities can perform the following network operation tasks:
- Simulate the state of the entire electric distribution network, from feeders right down to distribution transformers and service points
- Calculate current and voltage at feeders, laterals, distribution transformers based on load data from smart meters
- Draw temporary changes to their electric distribution network, such as additional loads and/or distributed generation, and run load flow simulation on-the-fly.
- Automatically record load and voltage history on a graph for immediate reference
- Utilize rich analytics to analyze past outages, assess network reliability and automatically generate a reliability indices report.
- Receive an email alert when load or voltage exceeds a threshold
- Detect network events, such as under voltage, over voltage and power outages
- Determine the root cause and its location on a map
- Isolate the event and simulate network load before executing a switching operation
- Communicate resolution to your stakeholders on a map
- Substantiate decisions with historical evidence
- By combining meter data with network simulation, an electric utility can eliminate the guesswork before executing a switching operation for the following network operation scenarios:
- Power Restoration
- Temporary Connection
- Emergency Load Transfer
Many utilities use SmartMap to satisfy their Outage and Restoration Management requirements and don’t feel the need to incur the additional effort and cost to acquire a separate OMS application.
Upon receiving as little as one outage message, either from a smart meter or a phone call, SmartMap will begin to trace the outage both upstream and downstream of the service point in question. It will do this by “pinging” (or verifying the status of) service points on the same network as the identified service point. Once the extent of the outage is verified, SmartMap identify options for minimizing the extent of the outage by evaluating alternative options for rerouting power and/or exercising protection devices. Real-time mode gives users a near real time view of the loading and voltages in the system. These values are calculated using historical meter load data and real-time data from devices such as line sensors, RTUs and SCADA devices.
SmartMap will evaluate alternative restoration strategies and provide a list of alternatives and their impacts. Switching options are made available to the SmartMAP users in a list prioritized based on system performance under each configuration.
Because SmartMap can be run near real time and runs on alternative platforms including those utilized by field personnel, these analytics can be conducted by crews in the field. This both insures that the best restoration strategies will be implemented and that a restoration implementation does not result in “islanding” and service points being out of service when the crew leaves.
While performing network analysis due to an outage, SmartMap can also gathering data on the causes of outages. Assets can be managed to minimize outages and operating costs.
SmartMap also keeps track of system performance including, user defined, momentary outages as well as the duration and extent of actual outages. As a result, SmartMap can also produce reliability indices outage reports.