Distribution system failures account for 92% of all electric service interruptions in the U.S. according to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), who explained that electricity delivery in the U.S. depends on an aging and complex patchwork of power generation facilities, 600,000 miles of backbone transmission lines, 240,000 miles of which are considered high-voltage lines or ≥ 230 kV, and around 5.5 million miles of local distribution lines. What’s more, the infrastructure depends on aging assets––many well beyond their projected usable lifespan. 

The distribution grid carries an average voltage of 13kV and is one of the energy infrastructure’s weakest links. Stresses from increased interconnection of distributed energy resources (DER), electric vehicles (EV), the increased frequency of intense storms and extreme temperatures, and rapid population growth are pushing the grid to its limits and causing increases in faults and outages. Costs to consumers and businesses from these failures continue to rise. According to 2020 research, nationwide, residential and business customers will experience $85 billion (about $260 per person in the U.S.) in annual losses from unreliable electricity.  Utilities are under extreme pressure to effectively manage grid expansion, modernization, and safety while also meeting mandates for improved System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) scores.  

Overhead Line Sensors Deliver Grid Reliability and Reduce Costs 

Line sensors give utilities immediate and tangible reliability improvements by alerting operators about potential failures before they occur, pinpointing grid failures, and maximizing repair crew efficiency while reducing service restoration time for customers. Using intelligent line sensors on the grid, utilities can achieve impressive, money-saving results. A recent survey of customers worldwide found that by using line sensors, they achieved the following: 

• Feeder Restoration Customer Minutes Interrupted (CMI) reduction of 20% - 37% 
• Related Annual SAIDI reductions of 7% - 15%  
• Reduced SAIDI minutes, saving between $200k - $1m per minute of outage 

Accelerated Fault Resolution with CFCI 

Overhead line sensors, specifically Communicating Fault Circuit Indicators (CFCIs), provide a granular view of the grid, narrowing patrol areas and enabling crews to locate and focus on problem areas quickly. Sensors are a proven method to improve reliability, achieve better system average interruption duration index (SAIDI) scores, and reduce operations and maintenance (O&M) costs in four key areas.  

1. Accelerated Fault Response: 

• Faults are identified and addressed swiftly, minimizing downtime.      
• Precision fault pinpointing ensures targeted responses.  

2. Proactive Asset Condition Assessment:

• Potential failures are identified before they occur. 
• Timely maintenance prevents costly disruptions. 

3. Enhanced Situational Awareness:

• Risks from the surrounding environment are comprehensively assessed in real-time. 
• Operators can take proactive measures against potential grid issues. 

4. Dynamic Power Flow Optimization:

• Visibility into dynamic grid limits ensures efficient flow of electricity. 
• Optimal utilization and loading insights lead to enhanced grid performance.

Distribution System Fault Detection Enables Proactive Maintenance 

CFCI sensors can indicate and pinpoint potential problems before faults or outages occur. Mechanical events are indicated by monitoring vibration via the sensors, often indicating a root cause of faults and failures. While many faults or failures occur without the operator ever discovering the root cause, using CFCI operators can determine root causes effectively and mitigate repeat failures in the future. Future potential failures can also be indicated by tracking sensor readings over time to create a baseline. Anomalies to the baseline indicate potential problems from vegetation contact, high winds, line sag, and other sources of equipment failure. Real-time alerts and reports provide operators with insight into grid segments with high levels of anomalies and enable them to make informed maintenance decisions.  

CFCI sensors improve overall grid performance, reduce operations and maintenance costs, and minimize power interruptions for better overall reliability. Using sensors to monitor areas with a high probability of failure helps operations and planning teams focus on the most critical areas of grid management, improving efficiency. Finally, reliability and customer satisfaction improvements not only save money for the utility, but also reduce costs related to downtime for the customer.  

The use of CFCI sensors is a grid modernization initiative that provides increased reliability and reduces O&M costs quickly, improving overall ROI. CFCIs combined with analytics can balance long-term grid modernization goals with shorter-term cost improvements and reliability gains.  

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