Using your AMI/MDMS Data

Most all utilities are either evaluating or implementing AMI solutions as a first step in their smart grid implementation, realizing that the implementation of AMI will bring about new rate programs for customers and new intelligence to customers on energy usage. In the back of every utility person’s mind is how the use of AMI data will lead to significant benefits to the Energy Delivery organization, beyond the elimination of manual meter reading, meter related control and billing functions. Meter manufacturers today are demonstrating how their MDMS systems (meter data management system) can handle the streams of data coming from the meters and how they can feed this data into TLM (transformer load management) systems to generate usage patterns on transformers to help determine the health of the transformer assets. One of the major values of GRIDmaster is it’s ability to take all the data on meter information from the MDMS system and generate both individual transformer loading information as well as system loading information where GRIDmaster merges the load data from the meters and the MDMS system with the physical connectivity of the GIS system which contains the system configuration. From this combination of data, the utility gains near real-time knowledge of the system’s operation (ie loading on individual pole top and padmounted distribution transformers as well as individual wire and cable line segments). This information can be very useful to the utility as it monitors the operation of the grid and takes possible action (either immediate to relieve a condition which may result in a failure and a customer outage or future planned action which can be scheduled into normal workload). This added information about the operation of the distribution grid will be a valuable tool to the utility and a necessary step in the evolution to a true smart grid and GRIDmaster can provide this path for the utility.