6 Reasons to Choose Synchronous, Zero-Voltage Close Capacitor Switches
When the Silver Dollar City amusement park in Branson, MO installed the Outlaw Run, one of the world’s steepest wood roller coasters, the loads caused by the ride tested the capacitor bank that ensured stable power quality to the park. In the past, the oil-filled...
Grid Monitoring Platform Identifies Faults in Record Time and Reduces Carbon Footprint in the UK
Two innovation programs funded by the UK’s Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) -- the Network Innovation Allowance (NIA) and Low Carbon Networks Fund – are critical in that they support technology programs that help utilities improve their financial...
How the Smarter Enterprise Keeps Utility Customers Happy
The century-old business model of electric utilities today now must accommodate new technologies such as distributed energy resources and electric vehicles (EVs). More than 90 percent of respondents to the 2019 Utility Dive State of the Electric Utility survey, for...
Hidden Leaks? DC Water Helps Customers Find Them
People move into older homes because of their beauty and character, but they also expect to find hidden problems that need to be fixed. What they don’t expect is help from their local water utility in identifying those problems. That is exactly the situation one...
What You Need to Know about Smart Meters in the U.K
If you can say one thing about the United Kingdom’s smart metering program, it’s this: There’s no shortage of commitment. In fact, that seems to be a key difference between regulators in the U.K. and many of their counterparts in the U.S. Last November, Utility Dive...
Tame the Data Monster with Distribution Automation
As the grid becomes increasingly digitalized and decentralized, distribution automation become increasingly important to adjust changing loads, generation, and failure conditions in real time. Unfortunately, we are still a long way from this future says Zpryme...
Why Utilities Must Migrate from TDM to IP
Over decades, utilities have made huge investments in time-division multiplexing (TDM) infrastructures that use circuit switching to communicate with protective relaying and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems that protect substations and the...
Artificial intelligence Part 3: Real Grid-Operations Benefits
In Part 3 of our series on how utilities are using artificial intelligence, we look at how AI amplifies analytics for grid operations. Read Part 1 and Part 2. Analytics aren’t new to utility operations. Duke Energy saved some $130 million in avoided costs by using...
Why You Need Smart Grid Sensors During the Summer Peak
As the summer peak approaches in early August, utilities need to make sure they are ready to handle the increased load. Peak electricity demand refers to the time period when the most power is consumed throughout the entire electricity network system. It is...
4 Energy and Water Podcasts Utility Professionals Should Follow
t Podcasts have recently come to the fore because, well, people like listening to stories. And summertime is a good time to catch up on listening to podcasts and learning from stories about and for utilities. If you like podcasts, or just want to check some out, there...
Artificial Intelligence Part 2: Time to Get Smart with Customer Service
In Part 2 of our series on how utilities are using artificial intelligence, we look at how AI helps utilities elevate customer care. Read Part 1 here. Given the right hardware, a consumer can check who’s at the front door via a smartphone or click an email link to...
Have AMI? You’re Halfway to a Business Case for Smart Infrastructure and IoT
We didn’t transition away from film-based photography because we ran out of film, says author Tony Seba, well-regarded thought leader on market disruption. We switched over to digital photography because it had a more compelling business case. That’s exactly what’s...