Fault Location, Isolation and Service Restoration -- Optimizing Field Operations for Utilities

Abstract

BC Hydro and Powertech have developed an outdoor integration and interoperability test yard for distributed automation technologies at Powertech Labs referred to as the Smart Utility Test Center (SUTC). The SUTC contains 25kV distribution power equipment, telecommunications, data collection and management systems interconnected with a commercial Distribution Management System (DMS). FLISR (Fault Location, Isolation and Service Restoration) is a Distribution Management System module to support implementation of self-healing smart grid networks. This paper will provide an overview of FLISR and its use in distribution operations as well as the practical aspects of implementing such a scheme in a utility. It also discuss how the DMS FLISR application is deployed and tested in the SUTC environment including the testing environment introduction, the fault simulation/generation methods, the various FLISR use cases, and the test results with the information to utilities to efficiently use existing equipment installed in the field in order to minimize the duration of the outages to improve SAIFI and SAIDI and customer satisfaction.