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Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has announced plans to use near real-time smart meter data to detect and respond to power cuts.
The company said the information will not only help to restore power supplies quicker in the moment but also inform investment decisions to improve long-term network performance.
The distribution network operator is currently alerted to power cuts through monitoring of its 106,000 substations and 130,000km of overhead lines and underground cables, as well as customers phoning dedicated call centre staff on the 105 number.
Smart meters will be used to bolster this system by providing alerts as soon as there is an outage. These alerts will be automatically cross-checked to see if they correspond to an existing issue or planned supply interruption. If not, they will be forwarded to staff, helping engineers to identify the location of the fault and formulate a response.
The meters will also provide alerts when power supplies are restored following a repair and further updates on network performance to assist the detection of nested or secondary interruptions. Furthermore, they will allow the company to carry out supply status checks to help customers establish whether a power problem is internal to their property.
SSEN smart meter programme and performance manager Paul Fitzgerald said: “SSEN is strongly committed to continually driving improvements in service delivery to the households, businesses and communities we serve. The transition to a smarter electricity system that makes use of smart meter alerts is key to supporting that commitment.
“Alerts sent directly from smart meters will help us to reduce the duration of interruptions by providing information to aid location and confirm exactly which customers are off supply. Alerts will also confirm when all supplies have been restored in near real-time. Remotely checking the supply status of an individual or group of properties improves our response to power outages and service to customers”
Staff responsible for interacting with customers and dispatching engineers have received training to use the information provided by smart meters. The new approach is initially being rolled out across SSEN’s license area in southern England before being extended to the north of Scotland.
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