Tollgrade Communications, Inc. has announced the availability of the latest version of its LightHouse Sensor Management System (SMS) software with predictive grid analytics. The software works with the inductively powered medium voltage smart grid sensors that provide visibility throughout the distribution network. By providing four layers of analytical processing, the software accurately detects and classifies faults that cause outages in real-time for example, permanent faults on main feeders and blown fuses on laterals. This enables utilities to pinpoint the outage location and perform restoration faster because they know more about the fault and what equipment is required to repair it. For example, in two very large deployments in North America, the solution is detecting blown fuses on laterals 20 to 30 minutes before customers call to report the outage. All events are linked to map-view displays that make it easy for utilities to pinpoint the locations of problems for quick response and resolution.
“We need a paradigm shift in the way we think about the grid to successfully improve reliability. With Tollgrade LightHouse sensors, we can affordably inject intelligence where we need it the most – the distribution grid where most faults that cause outages occur,” said Edward H. Kennedy, President and CEO, Tollgrade Communications, Inc. “By having a library of fault events, outage detection and load planning data all in one software package, utilities can have the intelligence they need to restore outages faster today, and one day predict future problems before they cause outages on the distribution network.”
“Our increasingly digital economy is driving higher and higher reliability requirements for the electric grid. It’s imperative that we make the necessary grid modernization upgrades required to ensure a safe and reliable supply of energy,” said Becky Harrison, CEO Gridwise Alliance. “Improving situational awareness and grid intelligence are essential components of these grid modernization upgrades and are required to strengthen this nation’s electric grid for the demands of the 21st century.”
Unlike other offerings Tollgrade’s Lighthouse inductively powered Medium Voltage Sensors can increase the situational awareness throughout the distribution network and are offered as a single, affordable integrated solution including analytics, communications and a bundled five year data plan is included with one of their cellular sensor models.
