With 1,000 Smart Cable Guard systems implemented in its power grid, Dutch Distribution System Operator Alliander has confirmed its commitment to safeguarding the reliability of the power grid in the Netherlands.
Smart Cable Guard is DNV GL’s online monitoring tool, which uses sensors to monitor and locate weak spots, intermittent faults and partial discharges in power cables, detecting and preventing faults and avoiding disruptive power outages.
Since May 2017, Alliander has been installing Smart Cable Guard across its medium voltage cable network. With DNV GL providing the hardware, support, monitoring services and analysis of the data from these sensors. Alliander has confirmed that it is hoping to have the cumulative number of 1,400 systems deployed this year. The grid operator is committed to running a reliable energy supply and therefore embraces innovations required for the digitization of its networks and supporting customers as the energy market goes through a transition to clean, renewable energy sources.
As the energy sector is evolving, the power grid is exposed to a new range of challenges caused by the decentralization and variability of energy generation, the influx of renewable energy, digitization of the grid and many others. To ensure the grid reliability of modern power networks is future-proof for the evolving challenges, Smart Cable Guard allows grid operators to continuously monitor their network and detect risks early on.
“Securing the reliability of power grids is becoming an increasingly urgent challenge with the aging of underground power cables and the changing use of these cables. New digital opportunities for managing our networks allow us to quickly detect and even prevent faults, make more targeted investments in the networks and offer customers the data they need to make easier energy choices. The need for network upgrades can be limited in this way,” says Denny Harmsen, senior innovation consultant at ALLIANDER.
“Efficient monitoring of infrastructure such as cables is vital to ensure power grids are better prepared to deal with the dynamic impact of our changing energy landscape. Using Smart Cable Guard allows system operators to digitalize their operations and manage their power networks proactively rather than reactively. Doing so results in 25% fewer failures compared to traditional monitoring solutions, thereby helping the system operators to improve both societal and financial outcomes from their operations,” says Prajeev Rasiah, executive vice president, Northern Europe, Middle East and Africa at DNV GL.
