Tetra Tech’s new tool lets power utilities see where distribution automation can make the greatest difference in outage response.
An unplanned outage, such as one caused by a transformer failure, may require the same repair time regardless of where it occurs, but its customer impact can be dramatically different. One fault may affect a small number of customers until repairs are complete. Another may interrupt a large section of a feeder, with some customers restored quickly through switching while others remain out of service. For utility planners, operations teams, engineers, and leaders, understanding these differences is essential to directing reliability investments where they can have the greatest impact.
Tetra Tech’s Distribution Automation Savings Calculator (DASC) helps utilities evaluate the potential consequences of equipment faults across the distribution system before those events occur.
Utility inputs
Define the network and restoration practices
Scenario comparison
Compare manual response, fault information, and full automation
Reliability impact
Estimate customer interruptions and potential reliability savings
Decision support
Guide asset priorities, automation investments, and restoration improvements
Our analysis uses the utility’s network model and service restoration practices to represent how faults are expected to affect customers and how service would be restored. The network model reflects the system’s feeder layout and all the devices that may be involved in restoring service. Restoration practices may include patrol dispatch and fault-location assumptions, whether crews patrol an entire feeder or only to the expected fault location, manual switching times, and typical equipment repair times. Working with the utility, we configure these inputs to reflect current operating practices or planned improvements.
DASC simulates and compares three outage response approaches: traditional manual response, manual switching with fault target information, and fully automated Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration (FLISR). The analysis models a fault at each eligible device location on a feeder and simulates the associated switching and restoration process under each response approach.
The results show the extent and length of customer interruptions associated with each response, creating a common basis for utilities to compare outage impacts across feeders and devices,
Tetra Tech’s DASC gives utilities a tool to zero in on where a fault would hurt customers most, how much automation could reduce that impact, and which types of outage response investments deserve attention.
With this system-wide view, utilities can determine where equipment failures would have significant consequences, prioritize investments in automation and asset renewal, and quantify the reliability value of existing and proposed distribution automation. DASC can also help utilities decide where it makes sense to invest more in automated restoration devices and where less-expensive fault identification is sufficient. These insights support more focused decisions on communications, controls, switching devices, maintenance, and operating practices.
Tetra Tech’s DASC helps utilities evaluate the potential consequences of equipment faults across the distribution system before those events occur.
Download the full white paper to explore the methodology, applications, and considerations for using outage response simulations to support reliability planning.
About the authors
Busayo Akinloye
Busayo Akinloye, P.Eng, is director of grid modernization & power systems engineering at Tetra Tech.
He has more than 15 years in consulting and utilities, specializing in grid operations, transmission planning, grid reliability, and asset analytics. He also has experience in transmission and distribution grid reliability analysis, including risk analysis, failure prediction, and forecasting. His work developing analytics products has garnered industry peer recognition, including a nomination by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI).
Kevin Wan
Kevin Wan is manager of utility management at Tetra Tech.
He has more than 11 years of experience in the electric utility industry. His expertise includes transmission and distribution operations planning, system control center support, distribution load modeling, reliability reporting, and engineering studies. On the distribution side, he performs radial and mesh network distribution studies that include contingency planning, outage feasibility, hosting capacity analysis, and electrification impact assessments.