DSO monitoring and management

The integration of decentralized generation of electricity, the anticipation of operating failures and securing of the power supply, giving the customer a greater choice of services by promoting their participation in grid optimization, the reduction of the environmental impact of the electrical system in its entirety and the optimization of necessary grid reinforcements are what DSOs face today.

In this new environment, the entire LV grid is only minimally monitored, if at all so real-time analysis of all the electrical flows in each grid circuit is necessary.

While consumers' smart metering and intelligent transmission energy management helps to overcome grid balancing issues, a smarter grid management requires solutions that offer real time accurate monitoring of all LV energy flows. This will enable a more comprehensive understanding of what is happening on the grid and will help DSOs develop a stronger knowledge of how to balance loads and generation on the LV grid.

This type of smart management will enable power utilities to get the best out of their business investments.

According to experts, there are two clear solutions for DSOs when looking to overcome these issues. The first one is the monitoring of secondary substations (transformer outcome and LV feeders) and the second is the development of cloud services to manage the LV grid. The connected products are substation monitoring equipment, connected to a digital platform. These solutions will involve the DSO entering the world of IOT, a necessity for tomorrow's utility.

Today's projects and proof of concepts demonstrate the impacts of IOT, testing new services and new uses to answer new needs which are expected to provide an added value for both the utility and customer. This orientation will change DSO's working methods for a new efficient best practice. "Digital services will play a new role for DSOs, which need to be widely deployed and DSOs will have to adopt such business model based on a new CAPEX/OPEX approach with higher performance and customer services."

IOT making the LV grid safer and more efficient

IEG is helping the DSOs with latest IOT solution, which has a major part to play, in creating a smarter LV grid.

These benefits are listed:

• IOT will enable the easy collection of all electric and relevant data and keep an eye on assets.
• LV grid overview and status with real time data and appropriate analysis on flow of energy.
• Accurate knowledge of loads and productions balance.
• Solutions analysis for decentralized productions.
• Optimized, scalable and flexible investments.
• Complete cloud solution without need of IT infrastructure and skills for DSO.
• Ease of use, an open platform and security of data.

IEG provides such type of monitoring and cloud solution in an innovative concept of MV & LV grid management, and helping to integrate all renewable energy, IOT technology and new working methods in one basin like GIS or other. We recommend trying this type of equipment because it doesn't recreate a new reality or a scheme or an infrastructure. It is very easy to use and creates a safer, more efficient grid requiring small investments but achieving quick results.

What is important in using such technology is the scalability of the solution and the better understanding of the network which will help DSO to take the right decisions, focused on the priorities, optimizing OPEX and CAPEX investments, adapted to DSO reality.