GRIDmaster

The overall product application suite for GRIDiant is called GRIDmaster. Utilities today utilize reliability metrics such as SAIDI, SAIFI and CAIDI to monitor the overall performance of the grid from a service reliability perspective. Utilities also use load measurements typically from load meters manually read periodically or automatically read through SCADA systems at the substation and circuit level to determine the overall health of the distribution system from a loading perspective. These load readings are then used to approximate load levels on equipment downstream from the substation out onto the distribution system. This methodology has been an accepted practice at utilities for decades due to the unavailability of more detailed knowledge about the loading of the distribution system. The result of this practice being an acceptance of higher levels of load losses (typically 7% or greater), the application of restraints or reduced load limits on equipment, (for example limiting a piece of cable to a loading level below its actual current carrying capability) and greater acceptance of premature failure of transformers, wire and other line equipment caused by unexpected overloading. With the advent of AMI technology, the utilities are now beginning to obtain more detailed loading information about their customers. This loading information can now be used to create more detailed and accurate load models of the distribution systems’ actual loading behaviors which will allow them to better utilize existing assets, right size future assets to be installed and reduce the operating costs of the system through a reduction in the previously accepted levels of losses.

The GRIDmaster suite of products takes advantage of the availability of additional load data from the implementation of AMI systems and provides the utility with the capability to understand how the system is actually loaded (in greater detail than was ever available before) and helps the utility understand the “stress” on various components of the distribution grid. With the additional information on loading now available, the GRIDmaster product also enables the utility to optimize its existing configuration and develop future system expansion plans utilizing a technology that not only factors in the relief on overloaded equipment and points on the system like traditional load analysis tools readily available, but also based upon the actual stress the system is under at each point, a concept unique to the GRIDmaster suite of products. The stress factor is calculated by the product based on conditions observed and also based on congestion analysis of the system. These conditions are rated for the entire system being measured and are given a point value (called the GRIDfactor) to determine their relative stress from one point to the next. It is a ten point range going from “-5 ve” to “+5 ve” where “0” indicates that the grid is perfectly balanced.

GRIDmaster was carefully designed with a set of release states to match its overall set of capabilities. The pyramid structure below illustrates this design. There are upper level applications – GRIDview, GRIDplan, GRIDops and GRIDassets – that bring tremendous value to any utility operation but they are all dependent on having the core GRIDfast engine installed and running its control and optimization routines. GRIDfast is used to provide the modeling function in the pyramid design.