In announcing the project, Enedis stated the importance of security and reliability of the electrical supply, in a context of accelerating electrical uses from the upcoming Olympic games.

In Seine-Saint-Denis, the replacement of one of the transformers at the Bourget source substation will allow Enedis to strengthen the quality of power supply for several decades and anticipate the demographic and economic growth of the region that will test the system’s resiliency.

Arrived by convoy from Saint-Leu-d’Esserrent in Oise, the new transformer can accommodate almost a double amount of electrical power, from 40MVA to 70MVA. 

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The substation is set to become one of the most powerful in the Ile de France region that includes Paris and its surroundings, according to the DSO, and will secure the electricity supply for 52,000 customers.

The replacement of the transformer coincides with the calendar of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games as part of the event organiser’s goal to connect 100% of the sites to the electricity network, rather than using generators for their power supply.

Similarly, earlier this year, Enedis announced the rollout of electric terminals to connect event sites across France to the grid to minimise carbon footprint of the event.

According to the British tech startup, their HIT replaces the passive transformer with a real-time control node, regulating voltage and reactive power with millisecond-level precision by using magnetics.

This aims to stabilise power flows and give the grid operator a much-needed tool of active intervention.

IONATE claims that the transformer will be able to increase the grid’s tolerance for renewables and the amount of power it can carry while minimising wasted power on the way.

Ultimately, states the 2019-launched startup, they will gradually transform the network into a flexible smart grid, optimising power flows across the whole system.

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The project has already commenced with a design study and will continue with testing with EDP’s technical centre Labelec, before live deployment with E-REDES in Portugal and Spain, as well as in the Brazilian market with EDP.

Beyond the initial trial-phase, IONATE’s HITs are planned to stay in the grid as permanent assets and help its transition over the next years.

EDP’s collaboration with IONATE follows their participation in two key innovation programs: Free Electrons, the world’s largest innovation programme in the energy sector, co-led by EDP, and Energy Starter, EDP’s collaborative innovation programme, launched with the aim of attracting innovative and disruptive startups and scaleups capable in the energy sector.

Commenting on the collaboration was Luís Manuel, executive board member of EDP Innovation. He stated that, “In response to the imperative of accelerating the energy transition, EDP is actively engaged in transformative projects.

“The IONATE Hybrid Intelligent Transformer (HIT) has the potential to be a game-changer, replacing conventional passive transformers with state-of-the-art real-time control nodes. This strategic partnership not only fortifies grid stability and resilience but also aligns with EDP’s commitment to innovation and its unwavering dedication to shaping a smarter and more efficient energy landscape.”

IONATE founder & CEO Matthew Williams said that EDP’s “bet on early-stage innovation shows just how urgently the grid needs new technologies to deliver on our sustainable future.

“We are so proud to have them as our first customer. They have a clear vision driven by industry expertise, and they have been a fantastically supportive partner to work with over the years.”

In this article, we will look into the reasons behind the occurrence of high voltage in open secondary circuits and emphasize the associated safety risks.

Understanding open secondary circuit

When the secondary circuit of a CT is open, it means there is no load or external circuit connected to the secondary winding. In this state, the CT experiences a condition of no current flow in its secondary winding. Consequently, the secondary winding behaves as a primary winding, producing a high voltage across its terminals. This voltage is directly proportional to the primary current and the turns ratio of the CT.

Reason for high voltage

The high voltage in an open secondary circuit can be attributed to electromagnetic induction. Under normal operation, the primary winding of the CT carries the actual current, which produces a magnetic field that causes mutual induction in the secondary winding. This induction generates a voltage across the secondary winding proportional to the primary current. However, in an open circuit scenario, the absence of a load results in no current flowing through the secondary winding. As a result, the full induced voltage remains across the terminals of the open secondary circuit.

An example of the potential voltage generated in an open secondary circuit of a Current Instrument Transformer (CT) can provide a clearer understanding. Let’s consider a situation where a CT has a turns ratio of 1000:1 and is measuring a primary current of 100 A. In this scenario, the voltage induced in the secondary winding can be calculated by multiplying the primary current by the turns ratio.

Voltage = Primary current x Turns ratio
Voltage = 100 A x 1000
Voltage = 100,000 V

Therefore, in this example, the voltage in the open secondary circuit can reach a staggering 100 kV. This showcases the significance of the safety risks associated with open secondary circuits and the critical importance of implementing proper precautions to prevent such high voltages from occurring.

Safety risks and hazards

The presence of high voltage in an open secondary circuit poses significant safety risks. First and foremost, it represents an electrocution hazard to anyone in close proximity to the open circuit terminals. The exposed high voltage can potentially cause severe electric shocks, leading to injuries or even fatalities.

Additionally, the insulation materials used in CTs are designed to withstand normal operating voltages but may not be capable of handling the excessively high voltages present during open circuit conditions. This can lead to insulation breakdown, resulting in arc flashes or electrical insulation failure. The resulting equipment damage and system downtime can have substantial financial implications.

Mitigating the risks

To prevent the potential hazards associated with open secondary circuits in CTs, it is essential to ensure that the secondary winding is never left open. This means either connecting a suitable load/resistor across the terminals or shorting the terminals together (known as short-circuiting). By providing a closed circuit for the secondary winding, the induced voltage is dissipated safely, minimizing the associated risks.

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Takeaway

Leaving the secondary circuit of Current Instrument Transformers (CTs) open can lead to the generation of dangerously high voltages. Understanding the reasons behind this occurrence and the associated safety risks is crucial for electrical professionals.
By ensuring the secondary circuit is always properly connected or shorted, the potential hazards can be effectively mitigated, protecting both personnel and equipment from harm.

Regarding the question about ICTs (Insulating Current Transformers) in our test benches, it should be noted that these ICTs have a turns ratio of 1:1, resulting in an expected voltage of 120 V. However, these ICTs are equipped with protection mechanisms to address potential issues, such as shortening an open secondary circuit. This feature becomes particularly useful when certain test positions with meters are left unpopulated by the operator.

Following a tendering process last year to deliver these strategic investment schemes and unlock over 122MW of additional capacity, SSEN has appointed the Freedom Group of Companies Ltd – which provides facilities and power engineering services – as design and build contractor. 

Andy Huthwaite, director of large capital delivery for SSEN Distribution said: “With feasibility design nearing completion, we will continue to work together on the detailed design and construction phases that will follow, with a view to all 12 projects being completed by July 2024.

“As part of the £41 million project package that will help our customers to adopt low carbon technologies, such as electric vehicles (EVs), heat pumps and solar panels, SSEN is also installing around 1,000 low voltage monitors at key points across our north and south distribution network areas.

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SSEN’s 12 green recovery projects include:

• A £2.7 million ($3.2 million) investment in the network near Kirkwall in Orkney, to upgrade 16km of overhead power lines that are fed from Kirkwall Primary substation, creating 7.3MW of additional network capacity in the local area. Alongside enabling growth of EVs and heat pumps, the investment will support the development of the UK’s first low carbon aviation test centre at Kirkwall Airport, which will conduct electric flight trials.
  
• In the Western Isles, £2 million ($2.4 million) of prioritised investment will replace the existing transformer at Clachan Primary substation in North Uist with two, upgraded transformers, increasing the capacity of the network serving around 1,300 homes and businesses on the islands. This investment will support the future connection of an electric ferry route and ensure the network is ready for the increased uptake of EVs.
  
• In Dundee, £3 million ($3.6 million) of strategic investment will see the replacement of two transformers and 0.3km of underground cable at Constable Street Substation, unlocking 12.8MW of green growth in the city, supporting EV charging for electric buses, emergency service EV fleet and accessible charging for the general public.
  
• In Thurso, £2.8 million ($3.4 million) of green recovery investment to replace transformers in Ormlie and Mount Pleasant will create 12MW of additional capacity to support the town’s journey to net zero. The investment will support projects to transform EV charging provision at several locations.
  
• In Dorset, SSEN is investing £2.2 million ($2.6 million) to create 7.2MW of extra capacity for low carbon technologies. The investment will replace 2km of fluid cable, and 0.8km of solid cable. This creates the potential for new EV charging sites and capacity for local residents’ net zero ambitions.
  
• In Oxfordshire, SSEN will invest £7 million ($8.4 million) to enable Wheatley and Witney residents’ transition to low carbon technologies. The additional 28MW of capacity will also support the delivery of increased EV chargepoint availability at key motorway service areas. The works will include reinforcing transformers, over 10km of overhead line and 1km of underground cable.
  
• In Hampshire, three key sites will receive a combined £16m ($19.2 million) of investment to accelerate a green economic recovery.
  
• £9 million ($10.8 million) will be invested in preparing the infrastructure in Rownhams for EVs and low-carbon technologies. This will create 30MW of additional capacity, enabling delivery of EV charge hubs at critical points for the UK’s transport infrastructure.
  
• Over £3.6 million ($4.3 million) will be invested in North Baddesley to reinforce over 4.8km of overhead line and 100m of underground cable. This will create 12.8MW of extra capacity enabling local residents to switch to low carbon technologies.
  
• SSEN will invest £2.9 million ($3.5 million) in Bishops Waltham, creating over 5.5MW of capacity by reinforcing critical network infrastructure. This will support a rapid uptake in low-carbon technologies and accelerating a green economic recovery in the Hampshire town.

The project package is a result of collaboration with energy regulator Ofgem and electricity network operators to explore how early investment in the distribution network could drive green economic growth and deploy low-carbon projects.

An extensive public call for evidence in 2021, involving submissions from local authorities, developers and community groups resulted in the 12 programmes that received approval from Ofgem.

The distribution network operator and Freedom expect to move into the detailed design and construction phase for all 12 projects during January 2023.

The aim of the DOEs proposal is to improve grid resiliency, lower utility bills and reduce domestic carbon-dioxide emissions. If adopted within DOE’s proposed timeframe, the new rule will come into effect in 2027.  

“The Biden-Harris Administration continues to use every means available to reduce America’s carbon footprint while strengthening our security posture and lowering energy costs,” said US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.

“Efficient distribution transformers enhance the resilience of our nation’s energy grid and make it possible to deliver affordable electrical power to consumers in every corner of America. By modernising their energy-conservation standards, we’re ensuring that this critical component of our electricity system operates as efficiently and inexpensively as possible.” 

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Transforming the transformer

Current US efficiency standards apply to liquid-immersed, low voltage dry-type and medium voltage dry-type distribution transformers. DOE’s proposed rule would amend the energy conservation standards for all three categories. 

DOE estimates that the proposed standards, if finalised, would reduce US CO2 emissions by 340 million metric tons over the next 30 years — an amount roughly equal to the annual emissions of 90 coal-fired power plants. DOE also expects the proposed rule to generate over 10 quads of energy savings and approximately $15 billion in savings to the nation from 30 years of shipments.

Additionally, as the supply of traditional, grain-oriented steel tightens, DOE is focused on diversifying domestic steel production where capacity can be expanded, such as in the production of amorphous steel used in advanced transformers.

In support of these efforts, DOE is also finalising the implementation guidance for the distribution transformer and extended product system rebate programmes established by the Energy Act of 2020 and funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

This rebate programme encourages the replacement of energy-inefficient distribution transformers and extended product systems with more-efficient replacements. 

Grid2030 was a multi-year open collaborative initiative supported by EIT Innoenergy and Red Eléctrica and promoted by Elewit.

The three companies defined different challenges in innovation to find solutions to the problems of the electrical system as more renewables start to come online. These solutions include improving the system’s efficiency and flexibility, promoting the integration of renewables and optimising the performance and accessibility of assets in the transmission grid.

Entrepreneurs and innovators from public and private organisations, universities, research centres and European businesses participated in the development of the three projects.

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The three projects include:

• Flexible Smart Transformer:
  An initiative of Red Eléctrica, Efacec (Portugal), and Circe (Spain). Grids need more flexibility and components with new functionality in the present energy transition. This project presents a modular prototype that uses power electronics and a transformer with magnetic coupling through a dielectric medium rather than a closed ferrite core and high-frequency switching. The combination of each module’s strong isolation capacity will enable the control of voltage levels and grid stability, which will increase the grids’ sustainability and efficiency.
  
• Reduced Inertia Transient Stability Enhancement:
  Developed by experts from the Supergrid Institute (France), the IMDEA Energy Institute (Spain), and Red Eléctrica, the project’s goal was to increase the electrical system’s flexibility in an environment where non-manageable energies are widely used. As tools for system operation, the project specifically created new stability resources and integrated controls to optimise the behaviour of HVDC-VSC links and storage systems.
  
• Enigma:
  A project between Red Eléctrica and Spanish businesses HI Iberia, Ingelectus, and Prysma, the project saw training for Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents to manage the energy that new renewable plants supply to the grid. The agents learned to respond to potential eventualities while keeping the frequency within the required margins using a single-node grid simulator and reinforcement learning techniques. The findings indicate a different approach to controlling these plants from a disruptive standpoint.

A total of €1.6 million ($1.7 million) was invested in the three projects within the framework of the programme, which had been running for four years.

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As such, claims Nobles, consumers and utilities alike are missing out on the untapped potential that opens up when holistic analytics is given the spotlight.

By Yusuf Latief

How can predictive data enable utilities to improve energy savings?

Utilities typically have plenty of energy and it’s during peak hours or when they have commercial industrial loads, that they become concerned.

By monitoring assets, energy consumption can be more readily controlled. This can extend over the sag and swell voltages on the circuit to see if there’s a circuit issue. Momentary outages caused by reclosers can be quickly detected and resolved. Alerts can be set to detect a power failure, or if there’s a part of the fixture that’s been burned out.

With all this information at hand, the utility can then promptly get to work. These issues need to be addressed without waiting for customers to call and complain. Quicker, proactive reactions mean that maintenance costs can be surgically targeted.

From a utility standpoint, that’s what they’re looking to do. However, for the data that comes from monitoring distribution transformers, it’s a different story. The grid is only smart in places. And this is a bit of the fallacy that tags along when we talk about the ubiquitous smart grid.

Inside the substation, no doubt, it’s smart. Utilities usually have switches and regulators for different assets. But they’re disparate and there are very few. Across the miles and miles of the grid vast parts go unmonitored.

There’s a need for cost-effective, scalable monitoring solutions across distribution transformers. Not station transformers inside the substation that are already smart, but rather the millions of distribution transformers. They’re not monitored. And real time data on asset health is needed.

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What level of insight can be gained by monitoring asset health?

Today the grid is far less resilient than it was 20 years ago. The grid was not designed for edge-attached technologies and distributed energy resources. It was not designed for a preponderance of electric vehicle plugins. And it was not designed for an extensive feed of rooftop solar or generation at the edge.

Secondly, the grid has been sectionalised. In order to reduce the number of people affected by any one outage, feeders and laterals have been chopped up into pieces so that if there’s an outage the affected area is much smaller and the number of moving parts is much greater.

Maintenance and refurbishment of grid assets have not kept up with the ageing of the grid. For LADWP (Los Angeles Department of Water and Power), they did a study and found out that over a quarter of their utility poles were over 60 years old. This means that transformers, poles and other assets well beyond their design life are still in use.

The increasing number of environmental challenges – ice storms, wind storms, hurricanes, extremely hot weather, extremely cold weather – all seem to be accelerating. When that environmental challenge factor is added to an ageing grid there are many elements beyond their design life compounding the grid’s complexity.

And with the challenges of devices at the edge being back fed, there’s a hot mess. In this type of situation, there’s incredible need to monitor parts of the grid that have never before been looked at. But while there’s a lot of work in predictive analytics, the analytics is only as good as the data fed being fed back.

If the only data fed is that from the substation or from the meter, and utilities are trying to infer what’s happening in the part of the grid between those two extremes, then the predictive analytics will be fairly thin.

But with real time data from devices in that gap, and this does focus on distribution transformers, the analytics would be much more accurate because it’s being fed with more real time data about what’s going on between the substation and the meter.

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How do you see the grid edge evolving?

Imagine that a utility has 100,000 distribution transformers.

Maybe five or 10% are critical for monitoring: whether the critical loads, the ‘hard to get to’, the ‘out in the middle of nowhere’, the loads that are near waterways etc. Imagine now that we have solutions that can monitor those assets and by feeding the data back we can get alarms.

The data itself provides tremendous insight. But it also provides a context. This data needs to be coupled with other data – when looking at voltages along all transformers on the same circuit, now circuit dynamics can be translated. Then one can look at a capacitor bank for circuit voltage regulators on that same circuit and see a full telemetry.

The data from these transformers or other devices by themselves has limited value. What’s going to happen is utilities are going to start seeing real time data from thousands of devices never before monitored.

But then the place of analytics comes into question. One can’t look at raw data, they need context around the data. That data needs to be coupled with data from other devices to create new software-defined alerts. New analytics that give circuit condition, not just asset condition. And this is going to be a huge data analytics lift for data scientists.

A lot of smaller utilities don’t have the manpower to really do that. They’re trying to operate the grid, but they don’t necessarily have the luxury of analysing the grid.

I think that vendors like our ourselves – they’re developing these new devices that can scale to get this data – also have to provide the context; the metadata. We have to help codify what we’re seeing so that utilities can do what they do best, which is make it operational.

The expansion, which comes as the company celebrates the facility’s 50th anniversary, highlights the rapid growth in demand from utilities and for newer applications like data centres, battery energy storage and solar and wind power generation.

“Hitachi Energy’s expansion in Jefferson City is an important development for the company and the State,” stated Governor Mike Parson. “As Hitachi Energy celebrates its 50th anniversary as a premier employer here in Central Missouri, we are pleased to see its ongoing support of the regional economy and commitment to bringing good-paying jobs to the community. We are happy to play a role in supporting that success.”

According to Hitachi, Jefferson City factory is one of the global tech company’s largest transformer manufacturing facilities, spanning an area of more than 600,000 square feet and hosting approximately 950 employees.

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The factory, which has been in operation since 1972, produces liquid-filled pad-mount and submersible distribution transformers for the electric grid, commercial buildings and industrial facilities.

Distribution transformers adjust and stabilise the voltage of electricity flowing between the grid and homes or businesses, ensuring an efficient, reliable power supply for millions across the region.

Hitachi Energy’s latest investments are intended to support the establishment of an additional production line for larger distribution transformers, which will address the unique specifications of renewable power generation and some of the most technically advanced data centres.

Steve McKinney, senior VP and head of Hitachi Energy’s transformer business in North America stated: “As electricity emerges as the backbone of our entire energy system, more and more sectors of the economy are depending on us to deliver reliable distribution transformers.

“As a result, we are seeing demand grow faster than most factories can support. As a commitment to our customers and accelerating the clean energy transition, we continue to invest aggressively to ensure that our Jefferson City location can help address that demand.”

As part of this modernisation effort in the US, investments have been made in automated equipment and changes in factory processes to reduce factory cycle times and improve on-time performance.

For the expansion, Hitachi used the Missouri Works programme, a tool that helps companies expand and retain workers by providing access to capital through withholdings or tax credits for job creation.

The TXpert Ecosystem can also enable virtual site management, contributing to increased grid reliability and quality of service.

This collaboration between Enel and Hitachi ABB Power Grids will start in Italy, where Enel distributes around 200TWh units of electricity to more than 30 million end-users. The pilot phase of the project will take place in Enel’s substation of Cortina D’Ampezzo using two 40 MVA TXpert digital power transformers. This will increase reliability of the electrical grid in the well-known mountain resort of Cortina, situated in the heart of the southern Alps in Veneto region of Northern Italy.

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Deploying service workers to regularly check transformer health is expensive and may not always be possible due to the harsh weather conditions, something made easier by the digital power transformers technology.

How are digital transformer technologies revolutionising the power industry?

Research published by CIGRÉ⁽¹⁾, a leading, global nonprofit organization in the field of high-voltage electricity, found the benefits of transformer monitoring has the potential to deliver 75% reduction in repair costs due to early detection, a 60% reduction in revenue loss due to unanticipated, problems or outages, a 50% reduction in risk of catastrophic failures and annual cost savings up to 2% of the price of a new transformer. 

“With [the technology] we will optimise the operations and maintenance of our transformers. We expect to improve reliability and reduce risk with consequent life extension of transformers, looking at the company targets of a more sustainable grid and better power quality,” said Flavio Mauri, from Enel’s Infrastructure and Networks division. “Together with Hitachi ABB Power Grids we will create value by deploying intelligent solutions for the main components of electricity networks”.

As per another recent CIGRE report ⁽²⁾, the top three locations of faults in transformers are windings, tap-changers and bushings. It is said that the technology deployed can mitigate all of these and in the future will enable the customer to implement remote and advanced services which can provide virtual site management and life assessments. 

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The 7,200 100kVA three-phase distribution transformers were acquired in a single bidding process for simultaneous supply for reasons of economy and efficiency. It was considered that a single supplier would be unable to deliver the total number in a timely manner.

The total project investment is PYG85.7 billion (US$12.2 million), which is funded out of ANDE’s budget. The three suppliers are Trafosur which will provide 3,600 units, Transformadores Paraguayos which will supply 2,160 units and Consortium Arapoty Transformadores which is to supply 1,440 units.

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“The new transformers will allow us to increase the availability of power in the Paraguayan distribution system in order to accompany the growth in demand for electricity at the national level,” said ANDE chief Félix Sosa at the announcement.

During 2019 ANDE installed 4,045 new transformers and aims to install a further 4,500 units during 2020, of which about three-quarters are now in place, according to a statement.

The previous annual installation rate was about 2,600 units. The aim is to accelerate the installation with a target of 21,000 new transformers over the next three years.

The statement notes that the three suppliers are part of the national industry and that the tender award supports the further social and economic development of the industry.

“The award is good news for the industry and for the country,” said Gustavo Volpe, president of the Paraguayan Industrial Union. “It will improve the electricity service, which is strategic for the development of the country.”

ANDE is Paraguay’s national electricity utility with responsibility for generation, transmission and distribution.

The project to be completed by the end of 2022 is focussed on the digitalisation of the network and the creation of conditions for the integration of distributed resources.

Three functional areas of the business will be addressed, an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), upgrading of the distribution network and automation of the medium voltage network.

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The implementation of the AMI is proposed to improve metering, billing and loss management. To that end, 24,000 customers’ meters will be exchanged with advanced meters and summation meters will be installed into 6,125 transformer substations.

On the distribution network, 449 transformers will be exchanged with more efficient alternatives to lower the technical losses. On the medium voltage network, 670 remotely controllable devices will be installed to improve the reliability of supply and enable the wider integration of renewables.

The project cost of HRK176.8 million is 85% co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund.

HEP ODS plans to invest an additional HRK52 million to provide a total smart grid investment of HRK230 million ($35.9 million). The project encompasses the medium voltage network and users on the distribution network in five out of HEP ODS’s 21 distribution areas, Elektra Zagreb, Elektroslavonija Osijek, Elektrodalmacija Split, Elektra Zadar and Elektrojug Dubrovnik.

Frane Barbarić, president of HEP’s Management Board, said: “We in HEP are ready to be the bearer of the Croatian energy transition towards a low carbon society, which we have confirmed through successful launch of the renewable development scenario.

“An important element of that scenario is a reliable, modern, effective and flexible system of electricity distribution based on the concept of smart grids.”

Four research organizations from Portugal and the US are collaborating to develop a platform focussed on the digital transformation of a power transformer’s lifecycle.

The platform, based on the concept of the ‘digital twin’, will create a digital replica or ‘twin’ of the full lifecycle of the transformer from preliminary design through operation and maintenance to product updating.

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The project is a first for a power transformer. It is expected to contribute to the economic and environmental sustainability of the production and operation of these devices.

“Since it is a virtual and complete model of the physical system, the digital twin of the power transformer will enable innovative management and development models in the engineering, manufacturing and role of power transformers,” explains António Lucas Soares, coordinator of INESC TEC’s Centre for Enterprise Systems Engineering (CESE), one of the research partners.

The project ‘Transformer 4.0 – Digital Revolution of Power Transformers’ is a flagship of the MIT Portugal partnership between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Portuguese research institutions and government. In addition to INESC TEC, other partners in Transformer 4.0 are EFACEC and the Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI).

The platform will incorporate a set of tools based on operational research techniques, artificial intelligence and information management. These should enable the acquisition and management of new knowledge on the lifecycle of power transformers.

The project will also explore digital production/3D printing of some of the components of power transformers.

“A more precise lifecycle management, through the smart monitoring of the service condition, preventive maintenance and evaluation of the equipment’s ageing, will contribute not only to significantly improve the engineering processes of transformers, but also to reach new business models,” continues Soares.

The implementation of digital twins of power devices is expected to become increasingly important in the ongoing digitization and development of the smart grid. Applications include optimization of operations and maintenance and new product development.

Transformer 4.0 is funded by the European Regional Development Fund, North Portugal Regional Operational Programme and Portugal’s Foundation for Science and Technology. The expected duration is 36 months, starting in July 2020.

Simcoa Operations’ main concern was traces of gas observed in the unit’s oil, indicating that something was wrong.

According to oil test results, the transformer had experienced discharges of high energy and electrical arcing. The initial hypothesis was that the issue is related to the tap-changer, a critical component in a transformer and that it might need immediate maintenance.

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Using ABB’s inspection robot service TXplore, Simcoa Operations has managed to save four days of production downtime and 50% inspection costs.

ABB’s inspection of the transformer was a critical activity for Simcoa Operations, both in terms of ensuring minimal shutdown of the transformer and enabling the issues to be identified quickly and safely. They had only one day shut down for this inspection as opposed to five or more days. They were happy that TXplore did not find any faults in their transformer but even happier to see that they avoided an extended and costly shutdown.

Simcoa Operations originally planned to have the inspection using the traditional method of personnel entering the confined space of the transformer,  that requires first the lengthy process of draining out the oil and then adding breathable air. It would also put an incredible amount of strain on the other transformer to handle the additional power load. This approach could take up to five days working around the clock and comes with safety concerns and limitations to which areas of the internals are visible to the human eye.

The TXplore is able to capture all internal areas and faults of the transformer using its onboard camera and LED lighting system. It was able to swim through tight areas and investigate and document all internal areas of the transformer.

The photos and videos taken during the inspection were streamed live and viewed together by ABB’s transformer engineers and Simcoa Operations. It provided the data and evidence needed to make decisions for the next steps. Their tap-changer was operating fine and determined not to be the issue. On the same day that the unit was disconnected from the network, ABB concluded that the transformer could be energized and put back into service.

The investment funds the design, manufacturing, provision and testing of some 990 Cast Resin Distribution transformers with LV Smart Meters.

The contract has been awarded to various leading international transformer manufacturers.

The project falls under efforts by the utility to expand its energy distribution network and provide its services according to the highest international levels of efficiency, reliability, and availability.

The transformers will be supplied through to July 2019 to increase the capacity, efficiency, and reliability of the electricity distribution network in Dubai

DEWA says the project will ensure a continuous and stable supply of power to all customers.

“DEWA continues to implement vital development projects in line with its vision, which is aligned with federal and local strategies. These include the UAE Vision 2021, the National Agenda, the UAE Centennial 2071, Dubai Plan 2021, and the Smart Dubai initiative,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

“We have made significant achievements and excelled in our efficiency, sustainability, and optimal management of infrastructure investments, and smart network operations. In all our operations, we focus on availability, reliability, and efficiency in our electricity and water services,” added Al Tayer.

Network Waitaki Limited (NWL) will implement Itron’s distribution transformer monitoring (DTM) solution to provide better quality of service to 13,000 customers through access to real-time data regarding the operations of transformers.

Additionally, NWL will use Itron’s cloud-based Software-as-a-service applications to operate the DTM solution.

Tod Trotman, planning and asset manager at the utility firm, said: “With Itron’s solution, we will be able to increase our network awareness, especially at the low voltage level, improve outage management and harness detailed asset analysis.

“The solution will give us the ability to optimise our capital investments and improve system reliability, so we can increase customer satisfaction and take advantage of our transformer assets.”

However, the utility will continue using a SCADA system to access operational data of grid assets within its high voltage network, which is comprised of 2,000 km of power lines.

The DTM will help the utility to quickly identify or avoid outages on the low-voltage system, improve maintenance and extend the lifetime of transformer assets, calculate transformer load and collect and store data.

The decision to implement the DTM at full scale follows a successful pilot which was started in 2016. The pilot included installation of eight DTM units.