Utility Automation & Engineering T&D articles from November 2006

Utility Automation & Engineering T&D archives from November 2006

Don't believe the hype.(FROM THE EDITOR)
November 1, 2006... Newspaper writers and editorial columnists are into the doom-and-gloom thing. We tend to be a "glass half empty" bunch. That's what sells papers. Here is a sampling of headlines from across the country written in the wake of NERC's most recent...

Eye on Europe: E.ON bids and battles to gobble up Endesa.(NEWS)
November 1, 2006... German powerhouse E.ON has been eyeing Spanish electricity group Endesa for months, but a series of cash and government detours has kept it from completing the transaction. Most recently, in late September, the German giant raised its offer...

Eye on Europe: Siemens honored for substation automation.(NEWS)(Frost & Sullivan Technology Leadership)(Siemens Power Corp.)
November 1, 2006... The 2006 Frost & Sullivan Technology Leadership Award in the field of substation automation was presented to Siemens Power T & D (PTD) for commissioning the world's first substation control system based on IEC 61850--the new "high objective"...

Projects of the year nomination deadline approaching.(NEWS)
November 1, 2006... With a deadline of Nov. 30, 2006, nominations for the annual Utility Automation & Engineering T & D Projects of the Year Awards are now being sought. The winners will be announced and the awards given out at the DistribuTECH 2007 Conference and...

United Illuminating Co. celebrates GIS project milestone.(NEWS)(geographic information systems)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... The United Illuminating Company (UI) broke ground on the Singer Substation 345-kV gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) project. The Singer Substation will become the largest 345-kV GIS installation in the United States and Canada, according to United...

OSI joining SCADA Test Bed program.(NEWS)(Open Systems International )
November 1, 2006... Open Systems International (OSI) is participating in the U.S. Department of Energy's National SCADA Test Bed program. The program, jointly operated by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Sandia National Laboratories, performs extensive cyber...

NERC issues first reliability assessment as the ERO.(NEWS)(North American Electric Reliability Council )
November 1, 2006... The adequacy of North America's electricity system will decline unless changes are made soon, Rick Sergel, president and CEO of the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) announced in October, in conjunction with the release of...

Financing for independent electricity transmission acquisition goes through.(NEWS)
November 1, 2006... ITC Holdings Corp. has completed its acquisition of Michigan Electric Transmission Company LLC (METC), creating the largest independent electricity transmission company in the United States (based on transmission load served and according to...

Electric meter-tampering thief convicted.(NEWS)(fraudlent meter tampering case)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... An "energy consultant" who offered to help lower Philadelphia-based PECO customers' bills by between 25 percent and 50 percent was recently convicted in federal court, sentenced to three years in jail and fined $50,000. "Meter tampering is...

Utilities Spur M & A in advanced metering.(Energy Policy Act of 2005)(Colorado Springs Utilities)(Pacific Gas and Electric Co.)(San Diego Gas & Electric Co.)(advanced metering infrastructure )
November 1, 2006... The wait and see approach of the past is over. Utilities are broadly embracing advanced metering technologies/infrastructure (AMI), emboldened by the success of pilot programs and high-profile installations. The attraction is simple: AMI offers...

Building the substation of the future.(electric substations design standards for future)
November 1, 2006... The electric power industry is changing and the design of substations is changing right along with it. Driven by more strict reliability requirements, as well as significant technology developments, a new concept for the substation of the...

Substation networks that promote automation.
November 1, 2006... A good substation network invites rather than inhibits growth in automation. Effective network strategies make each successive substation automation project easier to implement, building on an evolutionary plan and avoiding self-imposed...

Implementing the future today in Naperville, Illinois.(electric substation construction)
November 1, 2006... Taking the initiative to move future technology into the present, the city of Naperville in 2005 began implementing the first IEC 61850 substation while many U.S. utilities were still reviewing and familiarizing themselves with the new...

Examining the nuts and bolts of substation construction.(Interview)
November 1, 2006... In October, Utility Automation & Engineering T & D spoke with Pete Ivey, vice president of Southern Company Transmission Design and Construction, about the when, where, why and how of new substations in their region. Southern Company...

Why electronic maps are essential to electric operations.
November 1, 2006... Electronic maps are not only a replacement for the paper maps seen at most distribution control centers; more importantly, they represent the beginning of a transformation in the roles and responsibilities of system operators. They can be...

Autodialer augments DNP3 at BC Hydro.(GETTING EQUIPPED)(BC Hydro and Power Authority)
November 1, 2006... At BC Hydro there is a strong desire to add visibility of the distribution system into the control center. Since adopting DNP3 (Distributed Network Protocol version 3) in 1998, the utility has been adding DNP3-capable devices into its...

Infrared camera.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2006... The high-definition 640 x 480 detector in FLIR Systems' new ThermaCAM P640 thermal imaging camera delivers 307,200 pixels vs. 76,800 in an IR camera with a 320 x 240 detector. The P640 is packed with advanced, yet user-friendly features to help...

UtiliNet[R] Series III radio from Cellnet.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2006... The Cellnet[R] UtiliNet[R] Series III mesh radio boasts an increased baud rate, to 9,600/19,200 bps, which, coupled with several firmware changes, has quadrupled the effective data throughput of the radio over the Series II. [ILLUSTRATION...

Custom Console System.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2006... The Matrix Custom Console System from Winsted can be configured to meet every performance and equipment need while enhancing the operator's comfort level. Ergonomic display mounts can be configured to allow a see-over height for large...

Insulation and continuity testers.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2006... Megger introduces a family of eight insulation testers. The units conform to IEC1010-2 for Category IV 600V applications. The instruments feature Megger's patented dual digital and analog are displays. The new MIT400 Series offer test voltages...

Transformer fluid.(NEW PRODUCTS)(Envirotemp FR3 fluid )
November 1, 2006... Manufactured from edible seed oils, Envirotemp FR3 fluid is a bio-based dielectric coolant for use in transformers and other electrical equipment. The insulating fluid offers many benefits including increased fire and environmental safety and...

Arrester.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2006... The new Ohio Brass (Hubbell Power Systems) Type SVN arrester offers extremely high energy capability for 69kV-500kV voltages. It boasts a silicone rubber housing, high mechanical strength, 65 kA pressure relief capability and the same proven...

Software application.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2006... The newest version of Intergraph's G/Technology integrates geofacilities management with operational support and service delivery applications. G/Technology 9.3.3 provides compatibility with previous versions, enabling customers to benefit from...

Calendar.(meetings of electric utilities)(Calendar)
November 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 NOVEMBER 13 Credit and...

Substation automation's future is now.(SMART GRID PERSPECTIVES)
November 1, 2006... Earlier this year, I presented evidence that substation automation and other smart grid sectors were reaching a "tipping point." I cited drivers such as NERC's new reliability regulations; the increasing use of renewables and distributed...