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Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L) already possesses distribution automation (DA) “momentum” with past award-winning work with automated capacitors for volt and VAr control. Initial automation work used privately owned two-way radios configured in a fixed communications network. (Capacitor automation applications were enabled through the Cellnet fixed network infrastructure KCP&L had installed for metering automation.)
More recently, KCP&L also gained recognition for work to develop additional communications solutions using two-way cellular radio systems and web-based applications. Work done over the past 10 years now serves as a technical springboard to quickly launch new DA initiatives under KCP&L’s Comprehensive Energy Plan (CEP).
In June 2007, KCP&L received the Edison Electric Institute Award for this CEP, a program approved by Kansas and Missouri Regulatory Commissions and born out of the vision and nurturing of Mike Chesser, the CEO of Great Plains Energy, KCP&L’s parent company.
In 2004, Chesser launched a corporate-wide strategy development process, challenging the company to look ahead a decade and develop a strategic intent plan, a roadmap for the future. Industry experts, community representatives, customers and regulators were brought together in numerous workshops to exchange ideas and visions.
The DA section of the CEP included projects to deliver the following goals: - reduce customer outage minutes;
- reduce momentary power interruptions;
- improve safety;
- provide ways to reduce demand on peak;
- enhance two-way communications; and,
- evaluate new technologies.
KCP&L identified six DA projects that support this overall plan: - fault circuit indicators,
- underground network automation,
- relay automation,
- dynamic voltage control,
- 34-kV switching, and,
- rural power quality.
In this article, we’ll take a quick look at these projects under our “Integrated Circuit of the Future.”
KCP&L learned from experience the value of moving quickly and effectively from research to development to deployment to applications. Past success with capacitor automation and communications initiatives showed the importance of carefully choosing vendors with the ability to develop products and applications that would support the overall architecture and KCP&L DA vision. In some cases, this integration was enabled by finding and installing one piece of the overall puzzle at a time.
As a result, KCP&L decided to dedicate two in-service circuits to develop, test and demonstrate new technology. By integrating new technology into real-world circuits, the Integrated Circuit of the Future (ICF) project provides true proof of concept. The ICF project is a test-bed used prior to large scale deployment. Each component needs to successfully pass a series of practical and technical requirements and must support a strong business case. After meeting these requisites, the design is a candidate for system side deployment.
(Subsequent sections in this article will describe various technologies that were first successfully demonstrated on the ICF [see Figure 1]. This section will cover some more recent emerging products now being tested.)
KCP&L has teamed with several other leading electric utilities and S&C Electric to help develop a new class of device called a pulsecloser to interrupt and test for distribution line faults. Following a trip to clear a fault, this new device tests the line by a unique method called “pulse-closing” that reduces the damaging fault current by 98 percent compared to conventional reclosing. This technique will also reduce the amount of times the equipment will be subjected to fault currents. In addition, S&C is continuing development on their automatic reconfiguration scheme and developing other promising technology enhancements with advancements in radio system technologies.
KCP&L is testing various faulted circuit indicators that use radio communications to automatically report fault events. KCP&L targeted two levels of needs for communicating faulted circuit indicators. The basic level simply reports the faulted line section through a radio. The second level of faulted circuit technology in use on the ICF is targeted for troubleshooting. This radio has the ability to record current waveforms and the presence of voltage. The device also enables load logging through a wireless download.
KCP&L has continued working with Telemetric to develop new commercial cellular radio solutions for distribution automaton. KCP&L and Telemetric have worked together to prove a new digital control channel radio that will replace older analog versions previously deployed. This radio was integrated into a remote control capacitor monitor that senses and automatically reports high capacitor bank neutral current currents.
In addition, KCP&L assisted Telemetric with field testing and enhancing radio software using two-way General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) cellular technology and the public communications infrastructure. KCP&L continues to work with Telemetric to build powerful and flexible user interface solutions through a web-enabled platform.
Additional technology is under consideration and study for near term applications.
KCP&L had previously begun a project to automate secondary network protectors for three secondary grids and 24 spot networks. The goal of this project is to enhance safety, reduce outages, extend operating life of network protectors and reduce operating costs.
KCP&L installed ETI microprocessor network protector relays (MNPR) with DNP protocol in network protectors and provided a submersible grade wiring harness to connect an interface box that houses a Telemetric remote telemetry module (RTM) analog radio. As a result of successful development of the Telemetric GPRS RTM from the ICF, this newer radio is now replacing the analog solution. In addition, KCP&L worked with ETI to install additional sensors that integrated into the field solution.
Field crews use laptop computers with wireless data connections to remotely control protectors. Crews can switch open protectors and block relays before entering vaults and also remotely restore protectors to automatic operation. (Crews have embraced this technology because it enhances their safety.)
This project is almost completely deployed. KCP&L uses alarms and temperature sensors to proactively monitor secondary network systems and to monitor power quality using wireless monitors. There has not been a secondary network outage due to equipment malfunction since this technology has been deployed.
KCP&L metropolitan circuits are served from substations with reclosing relays with an optional “fuse saving” mode to open and close in an effort to prevent an outage from a blown primary fuse due to a temporary fault condition. This relay scheme was deployed and used to trade an extended outage on an overhead lateral for a momentary outage to all customers on that given circuit. Over the years, this practice became obsolete and unsatisfactory to KCP&L customers due to power quality needs for modern electronic loads.
This program includes wiring into the ground fault relay of the substation circuit breaker to enable and disable this feature by remote control. During fair weather days this fuse-saving feature is disabled to mitigate momentary power interruptions. During a storm, fuse-saving is employed by remotely enabling the quick-trip to reduce extended outages on primary laterals due to blown fuses caused by lightning and tree contact. This technology was installed and tested on the ICF.
Customers are enjoying 63 percent reduction in momentary power interruptions since this program was deployed (see Figure 2). Substation reclosing relay automation is now deployed on 133 of KCP&L’s 203 metropolitan buses, and a program is in place to automate the remaining buses by 2010.
KCP&L executives desire DA as an additional tool to assist with demand side management (DSM) programs to reduce power demands on peak loading days.
KCP&L has had a 5 percent conservation voltage reduction option available since the mid 1970s. However, due to concerns for power quality, the 5 percent voltage reduction option has been reserved for emergency situations.
KCP&L DA engineers worked closely with substation engineers and the energy management system (EMS) group to develop a progressive solution for this project. RTUs equipped with DNP protocol were installed in KCP&L substations. Beckwith 2001C load tap changer controls were installed and integrated into the RTUs. The RTUs were configured to support DNP analog output and analog input points to allow engineers to configure bus regulation settings such as band center, voltage responses, and preconfigured voltage reduction values. Voltage reduction can be remotely configured and set for a unique value at each bus. Operators also have the ability to facilitate planned switching and remotely stabilize voltage during emergency conditions.
This concept was successfully demonstrated on the ICF during summer 2006. As a result of the successful testing, KCP&L executives accelerated full DVC deployment. By June 2007, 105 of 203 planned buses were deployed and ready for use for summer 2007. All metropolitan buses will be equipped with DVC by summer 2008.
This project now provides an important component to the overall KCP&L DSM strategy. In addition, the DNP speaking RTUs provide a technology platform for future substation technology applications.
KCP&L owns and operates a significant 34-kV sub-transmission system in rural districts. Due to the age of this infrastructure and the length of these circuits, the 34-to-12-kV substations serving customer load are subject to more frequent and longer outages than in KCP&L’s metropolitan areas. In addition, planned switching is costly due to the distance between switching points.
KCP&L has experienced equipment malfunctions operating existing manual gang operated switches on this system due to the age of the equipment and challenges to perform in-service maintenance on these switches.
To resolve these issues and improve reliability, KCP&L installed Cooper NOVA reclosers with a Form 6 control. Telemetric RTM GPRS radios are installed to bring information back to a website for KCP&L viewing and operating.
KCP&L worked with Cooper to provide various custom improvements in their control, including the ability to automatically change setting profiles based on power flow direction from planned switching.
KCP&L teamed with Telemetric to augment the Telemetric RTM software site survey capability for identifying the available rural carriers.
This project initially provides for remote control of the NOVA reclosers to quickly pinpoint and isolate fault locations and effect reconfiguration by KCP&L dispatchers. Near-term plans include control firmware enhancements to support automatic reconfiguration of these reclosers. KCP&L plans to use the Telemetric website to provide various value-added features to augment this reconfiguration to further refine the switching algorithm in a cost-effective manner.
This project is approximately 25 percent into deployment with complete rollout by 2009.
KCP&L rural substations are not currently equipped with any kind of telemetry. Therefore, dispatchers rely on customers to call in power outages and voltage issues.
KCP&L had previous experience using a Telemetric power quality monitor that reports voltage anomolies, power outages, and momentary power interruptions. KCP&L contracted with Telemetric to develop software for a power quality monitor that would also report voltage unbalance conditions automatically. This new feature was successfully developed and tested on the ICF.
KCP&L is now studying and planning for a deployment of these power quality monitors at strategic places on rural substations and distribution circuits. This will remove the blinders from the system operators and allow better visibility of system conditions.
In addition, KCP&L is looking at alternatives to bring alarms, digital inputs and analog inputs from these remote substations using two-way wireless technology.
Over the past 10 years, KCP&L has pursued DA for targeted programs. With the KCP&L Comprehensive Energy Plan, DA became an integral portion of the overall program that integrates various programs such as customer satisfaction, system efficiency, asset management, demand response and others. In addition, each two-way communicating smart device that is deployed on the KCP&L system provides a monitoring point to support the KCP&L intelligent grid.
The projects are being successfully deployed due to significant collaboration between substation, distribution, EMS and IT departments along with considerable executive support. The continued success of the projects is ensured by the way all the processes are integrated into the KCP&L business plan.
The approach of gaining support from the Kansas and Missouri Commissions along with support from KCP&L employees, customers, and community stakeholders has provided a unique and refreshing approach to consensus.
KCP&L has already experienced significant benefits from these six projects by looking for incremental use of technology to bring solutions to specific problems. KCP&L trusts the new technology and experience will enable additional progressive goals. Future plans are to feed data from KCP&L’s intelligent grid into a System State Optimizer to reduce losses, improve efficiency, optimize voltage and drive models for system planning. KCP&L is also looking for new ways DA can continue to support demand response programs through integrated and dispatched programs.
KCP&L hopes these new solutions will be of service to the overall utility industry to enable step function benefits. These benefits not only include new or refined technology applications, but also ways this technology can be used more economically.
KCP&L executives have already seen a successful “circuit of the future.” They are now striving for a world class “utility of the future.”
Carl R. Goeckeler, P.E., is the lead distribution automation engineer at KCP&L. He received his BSEE (power systems) at the University of Rolla, Missouri in 1975 and has 32 years experience with KCP&L in design and operations in transmission, substations, and distribution.
Over the past ten years, KCP&L has won four national awards for their DA projects including the 2007 Edison Electric Award for their Comprehensive Energy Program.
Utility Automation & Engineering T&D September, 2007
Author(s) :
Carl Goeckeler
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