HD Supply Utilities, the largest electric utility distributor in North America, has partnered with N-Dimension Solutions Inc. to provide integrated hardware, software and service solutions specifically developed to meet the cyber security needs of electric utility companies. HD Supply Utilities will offer N-Dimension’s products and services that enable utility companies to protect their control and information systems from cyber attacks by computer hackers and cyber terrorists. HD Supply’s technology offerings include applications in the areas of smart meter deployment, as well as SCADA and substation environments.
HD Supply Utilities will also offer security consulting services in conjunction with N-Dimension Solutions.
“Cyber security is becoming a key component of our utility customers’ service reliability strategy and smart grid initiatives such as AMR and AMI deployments,” said Geff Smith, vice president at HD Supply Utilities. “This partnership is an example of HD Supply’s commitment to helping utilities address the real threat of cyber attacks and cyber terrorism.”
ABB to Automate 40 Con Edison Substations
ABB will work with Consolidated Edison Company of New York to retrofit 40 substations over a period of two years. The contract is valued at $4.5 million and covers engineering design, equipment, installation, commissioning and training.
ABB will supply 40 of its RTU 560 devices along with 72 MicroSCADA Pro workstations. The RTUs will replace existing units at Con Edison beginning this year. In addition to the equipment, Con Edison will receive a five-year warranty, local support and a migration plan for future upgrades.
“This is the largest single RTU and MicroSCADA Pro system order we’ve received from a domestic utility in North America,” noted Graham Herriman, director of marketing and sales support for ABB’s substation automation unit. “We are excited to play a major role in upgrading the power infrastructure of one of America’s most important systems.”
DistribuTECH, TransTECH Conference Programs Set
The DistribuTECH and TransTECH conference advisory committee met in late July to choose paper and panel sessions for the two conferences, which will convene concurrently Jan. 22-24, 2008, in Tampa, Fla.
 |
The conference and exhibition in Tampa will mark the 18th meeting of DistribuTECH and the first meeting of TransTECH, a new conference focused on transmission system issues that will be co-located with DistribuTECH. A registration to either DistribuTECH or TransTECH will allow attendees to attend conference sessions in either conference.
The combined conference will include sessions on distribution automation, substation automation, advanced metering infrastructure, asset management, demand response, SCADA, T&D reliability, water utility issues, and technologies specific to the transmission side of the business, such as FACTS, HVDC, phasor measurement, wide-area measurement and monitoring, wind integration and others.
To date, more than 200 exhibitors have signed up to display their wares on the DistribuTECH and TransTECH exhibit floor. Conference organizers expect more than 270 exhibitors will ultimately set up shop on the exhibit floor.
The DistribuTECH/TransTECH keynote session will have a theme of “Building the Smart Grid of Tomorrow Today” and will feature former Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham, President and COO of CenterPoint Energy Georgianna Nichols, and President and CEO of PNM Resources Jeff Sterba.
For complete information on either of the co-located conferences, visit www.distributech.com or www.transtech-conference.com.
ComEd, Comverge Introduce Load Guard
ComEd and Comverge have launched Load Guard Automated Price Response Service, a demand response program available to ComEd residential customers. The Load Guard service is designed for “set-and-forget” price responsive load control for individual ComEd residential real-time pricing participants who have central air conditioning units, Internet access to the www.theWattSpot.com energy management portal, and a ComEd Nature First control switch installed.
“Load Guard makes it easier for customers to respond to electricity price signals,” said Sharon Hillman, ComEd vice president of marketing and environmental programs. “Participants can see how electricity prices change by the hour, so they can adjust their usage habits-and save money on their electricity bills.”
The price level at which Load Guard will be activated is selected by program participants through www.theWattSpot.com, which monitors electricity prices continuously. When the selected price level is reached, Load Guard switches the participant’s central air conditioning unit into a conservation mode for the following two-hour period. Upon completion of a two-hour conservation period, if the current price remains above the desired level, then another conservation period will automatically follow.
Siemens to Supply Southern Company’s EMS
Southern Company has selected Siemen’s Spectrum Power 3 energy management system to monitor, control, and optimize the reliability of its transmission system consisting of more than 27,000 miles of transmission lines, 3,400 substations, and more than 300,000 acres of right of way.
Southern Company’s new energy management system (EMS) will replace systems at Georgia Power, Alabama Power, Mississippi Power, and Gulf Power, and a centralized power coordination center, all with emergency back-up sites.
“Siemens’ system met our needs, including the crucial security requirements necessary on a transmission system of our size and significance,” said Billy Ball, transmission planning and operations senior vice president. “[This system] provides Southern Company the ability to improve the services we provide to our customers and allows for future growth, at the same time maintaining the reliability of the electrical grid.”
TIDBIT:
The DOE is providing up to $21.7 million in funding for two American Superconductor Corp. high temperature superconductor (HTS) projects:
(1.) Commercially deploy an HTS power cable system in the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) power grid.
(2.) Develop and perform in-grid testing of a three-phase 115-kV fault current limiter (FCL) using the company’s 344 superconductors.
VELCO Selects OSI
Open Systems International Inc. has been awarded a comprehensive contract by Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO) of Rutland, Vt., for delivery of OSI’s next-generation Transmission Operations System/Energy Management System (EMS) technology.
 |
VELCO, as manager of VT TRANSCO, operates a transmission system consisting of more than 600 miles of transmission lines, including a 200-MW back-to-back HVDC converter. In addition to operating Vermont’s transmission system, the company also provides full SCADA master services for a Vermont distribution company. OSI’s new EMS system replaces an ABB EMS system installed in the late 1990s.
“I am confident, based on the extensive system testing VELCO performed, that this OSI system will provide the lowest total cost of ownership for VELCO’s required reliability and functionality,” said Wayne Mackenzie, VELCO process owner of network services and EMS.
TIDBIT:
Benton PUD has become the 300th user to select Telvent Miner & Miner’s ArcFM Solution, which they chose to manage workflows and distributed information. Benton PUD manages 36 substations, approximately 89 miles of 115-kV transmission line and 1,468 miles of distribution lines, and nearly 60 miles of fiber optic cables.
Elster Ships Millionth Smart Meter
Elster has shipped its millionth EnergyAxis System smart meter. The EnergyAxis System is an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) that uses two-way communications to manage installed devices and retrieve related metering information.
The milestone meter was shipped to Salt River Project (SRP), the third largest public power utility in the United States and the largest supplier of electricity and water to the greater Phoenix, Ariz., area.
“We are excited to be the recipient of Elster’s millionth EnergyAxis System smart meter,” remarked John Soethe, manager of revenue cycle services for SRP. “The EnergyAxis System has worked well for us, and we continue to deploy REX meters in areas of high customer turnover, areas of concern for employee safety, and for access issues.”
For more on AMI, see our special section, beginning on Page 10.
 |
null
