High voltage breaker health assessment allows proactive maintenance

Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E), a subsidiary of Iberdrola USA, requires an extremely reliable infrastructure to provide electricity to more than 367,000 customers and gas to more than 303,000 customers. In addition, limited operation and maintenance budgets influence maintenance intervals, which, ultimately, affect overall asset reliability. Of particular importance is a cross-state 345-kV line connecting RG&E to New York Power Authority. To enhance the reliability of that transmission corridor, RG&E sought to equip its type PMI capacitor bank breakers with real-time remote condition monitoring. With the latest monitoring technology, RG&E was able to institute proactive, rather than reactive, maintenance practices. >> Learn how real-time wireless monitoring provided RG&E with decreased maintenance costs and increased reliability. 

Free public Wi-Fi courtesy of smart grid technology 

A hot topic is the smart grid-to-"smart city" technology migration, or the idea that networks deployed to support smart meters, distribution automation and other utility functions can also serve the general public. Santa Clara, California announced a milestone in making this concept a reality, offering free public Wi-Fi over the same network that runs its smart grid. Santa Clara's municipal utility, Silicon Valley Power and ABB Tropos Networks have started offering free Wi-Fi access over the utility's field area communications network built for electric and water smart meters. Santa Clara also plans to use the network to connect public safety agents, building and fire inspectors, parks and recreation workers and other city employees, at a lower cost -- and with more bandwidth -- than what they'd get out of cellular. >> Read more 

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Flash charge an electric bus in 15 seconds 

Imagine a mass public transportation system capable of transporting people around the city without producing any local emissions, without requiring overhead power lines, and without any lengthy stops to recharge. Now stop imagining, because a new charging system for electric buses could make that a reality in the near future, by "flash-charging" the onboard batteries in as little as 15 seconds. The new technology developed by ABB will be put into operation on a large capacity electric bus in Geneva, Switzerland, as part of a pilot project called Trolleybus Optimisation Système Alimentation (TOSA). >> Read more

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How to improve transformer protection

In transformer protection, turn-to-turn faults at the neutral points are typically difficult to detect. By using negative sequence quantities, these faults can be detected reliably and easily. Learn how to improve conventional transformer differential protection by using symmetrical components for fault discrimination. >> Read more

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What you can't see can still hurt you

Unplanned power outages are a significant expense and negatively impact resource planning, efficiency, and profitability for utilities. Many unplanned outages are caused by simple feeder cable failures. But advances in sensor technologies, innovative algorithms, and communications capabilities between the distribution system and control center are helping utilities predict failures before they occur. >> Read more

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