Utility Automation & Engineering T&D articles from May 2006

Utility Automation & Engineering T&D archives from May 2006

WiFi, WiMAX and Wi you should care.(FROM THE EDITOR)
May 1, 2006... I'm not an automation engineer, not a systems integrator, not an IT director. I doubt I'll ever be put in charge of implementing a SCADA system or assigned to oversee an AMR project. Put me in front of a rack of substation communications...

DistribuTECH 2007 opens call for papers.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... DistribuTECH 2006 visited beautiful Tampa, on Florida's sunny West coast from Feb. 7-9, 2006. While there, more than 4,000 utility engineers, executives, aggregators, consultants, researchers and other industry insiders gathered to debate...

UTC releases report on WiFi and WiMAX for utilities.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... The United Telecom Council (UTC) released a new report in March titled, "WiFi and WiMAX for Utilities: A Primer Update 2006," exploring ways in which the energy and related industries are beginning to use these technologies for primary and...

NERC files ERO application in the U.S., Canada.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... The North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) filed its application to become the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), in compliance with the Commission's "Final Rules...

ABB wins $65 million substation upgrade order.(ABB Asea Brown Boveri Ltd. signed by Anaheim Public Utilities)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... ABB has won a $65 million order to upgrade an existing 230-kV/69-kV substation, build a new 230/69-kV gas insulated switchgear substation, install a new transmission line between them and convert several miles of existing overhead power lines...

Sierra Pacific Power to update network model.(JCMB Technology Inc. signed)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... JCMB Technology Inc., a provider of software and services to electric, gas and water utilities, has been contracted by Sierra Pacific Power Company (SPPC) to consolidate, capture and collect data to update its existing distribution network data...

SDG & E updates plan for advanced meters.(San Diego Gas & Electric Co.)
May 1, 2006... San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG & E) filed an updated proposal for the installation of advanced meters for all of its customers by 2010. The updated plan calls for the replacement of SDG & E's electric customer meters with smart meters that will...

Utilities increase substation automation spending.
May 1, 2006... Newton-Evans Research estimates the current annual global spending for substation automation and integration programs at about $550 million to $600 million, with an overall potential market size of nearly $40 billion. According to the...

Smart Energy Alliance brings together industry leaders.
May 1, 2006... The Smart Energy Alliance is a collaboration of technology leaders--Capgemini, HP, Intel, GE, Cisco, and Oracle--who have combined forces to change the creation and deployment of solutions for power distribution operations. Each of these...

Cal ISO OKs three transmission projects.(California Independent System Operator Corp.)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The California Independent System Operator (California ISO) Board of Governors Operations Committee has approved three major improvements that will strengthen the transmission grid in northern California. The trio of transmission projects will...

Simple strategies to improve power reliability.
May 1, 2006... On average, 92 percent of all customer outages result from problems on the power distribution system, and these power interruptions are costly--both for customers and utilities. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] An unscheduled power outage costs...

Utility data communications: new and emerging wireless technologies.
May 1, 2006... Until a decade ago, the utility industry had very few communication technology options to choose from, and those that were available were usually limited to supporting one application. In the last few years, however, there has been an explosion...

FACTS check: an overview of the available technology.(Flexible AC Transmission Systems)
May 1, 2006... In theory, a transmission system can carry power up to its thermal loading limit, but in practice a number of other constraints come into play before that limit is reached. System stability, voltage fluctuations and loop flows all conspire to...

Integrating GIS and AMR to increase enterprise benefits.(geospatial information systems, automated meter reading)
May 1, 2006... Geospatial information systems (GIS) and automated meter reading (AMR) are two of a power distribution utility's largest IT investments, but most utilities plan, design, implement and integrate the two technologies into the utility enterprise...

PNM finds added value in circuit breaker monitoring.(Public Service Company of New Mexico )
May 1, 2006... Ernest Sanchez, PNM's manager of electric station services, needed a more efficient way to dispatch crews to maintain high-voltage circuit breakers throughout New Mexico. Too often, he dispatched crews on a non-routine basis to maintain the...

Utilities turning to vegetable oil-based transformer fluids.(Cooper Industries Inc. Cooper Power Systems)
May 1, 2006... Some parts of the Gulf Coast region may never be the same after the devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Flood waters destroyed electrical distribution equipment, along with most everything else, in several low-lying areas. To...

Dropout Recloser.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... S & C introduces the TripSaver Dropout Recloser for protecting overhead lateral circuits. Used in lieu of fuse cutouts, it improves system reliability by eliminating the permanent outages caused when lateral fuses respond to temporary faults....

Meter data communications.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... eMeter has extended the capabilities of its Power Information Platform by eMeter (PIPe), an advanced metering information system (AMIS), to include data from the Itron Fixed Network 2.0 system and BLP Technologies' paging network used for...

Security for serial data.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... Microwave Data Systems (MDS) has introduced the latest addition to its MDS Security Suite. MDS SCADAcrypt adds state-of-the-art encryption to a wireless SCADA network. It can be used for point-to-point or point-to-multipoint links, and it...

Reel jacks.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... Reel-O-Matic now offers a complete line of Simplex brand heavy-duty mechanical reel jacks, to broaden customer choice and more completely address specific requirements when selecting reel jacks. Four models with capacities to support reels up...

Note-taking software.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... PhatPad 3.0 is an award-winning notes organizer for Microsoft Windows-based devices, tablet and desktop PCs that allows users to draw pictures, write text, add voice notes and create animation on a virtual scratch pad. The new version of...

Stray voltage detector.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... HD Electric Co.'s new stray voltage detector is used to detect low stray voltage which may be present within electrically conductive sources. The detector operates by holding it with a bare or gloved hand, or by using the optional Extension...

Secure RTU.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... Open Systems International Inc. (OSI) has successfully completed the beta and market testing of Osiris, a secure Linux-based remote terminal unit and has started delivery of production units to customers. Designed for the electric power, gas...

AMR endpoint.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... Neptune Technology Group Inc. and Landis+Gyr Inc. have expanded the meter data collection choices available to utilities who implement Neptune's ARB Utility Management Systems. The Neptune R900 FOCUS endpoint combines Neptune's R900 module with...

Wireless transmitter.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... The Adalet Wireless DIN rail mount industrial wireless system is now available with a battery-powered transmitter option for applications with no available power source. The one-watt wireless transmitter offers a low-cost wireless option with...

Security monitoring.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... Southwest Microwave's Perimeter Security Manager is built for facilities seeking to integrate and manage several perimeter security devices at a single location or multiple sites. With Perimeter Security Manager, security professionals can...

Network analysis system.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... GE Energy has announced the availability of its Smallworld Analysis and Optimization 4 (A & O) product for the electric utility design market. An addition to GE Energy's Smallworld Engineering Management product line, A & O employs power flow...

Fiber-optic transceiver.(NEW PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2006... Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc. announces its newest fiber-optic transceiver, the SEL-2814. During faults or switching, when reliable communications are the most important, copper lines are exposed to electromagnetic interference....

Calendar.
May 1, 2006... DistribuTECH 2007: The utility industry's most comprehensive conference on automation, information technology and T & D engineering. Feb. 4-6, 2007. San Diego, CA//Phone: 918.832.9265//www.distributech.com MAY 16-17 Canadian Utilities...

What is a "smart grid?".(Column)
May 1, 2006... Editor's note: I recently asked Jesse Berst to join the UAE team as a monthly columnist. Jesse is the managing director of the GlobalSmartEnergy research consultancy (which publishes SmartGridNews.com) and one of the country's leading experts...