Improving System Reliability with Automated Feeder Switching — The Real Deal!
Paper Session
Session Moderator: ML Chan, Executive Advisor, Quanta Technology, LLC

Tuesday, March 23, 1:00 p.m.
Automating feeder switching is widely practiced in the industry. This session highlights the practical and cost effective approaches of several utilities to show that adding remote monitoring and control capabilities, whether to overhead or underground lines, to shorten service restoration time is the real deal!

Alabama Power’s Automatic Network Reconfiguration Scheme for Underground 35kV Loops
Author(s):

• Jason Handley, Senior Engineer, Alabama Power Company
• Harry Hirz, Applications Engineering Manager, Thomas & Betts
• Mike Collum, Senior Application Engineer, Schweitzer Engineering Labs

KCP&L 34-kV Distribution Automation Evolution Story
Author(s):

• Carl Goeckeler, Consulting Engineer, Kansas City Power & Light Company
• Steve Goeckeler, Senior Engineer, Kansas City Power & Light Company

Remote Controlled Distribution Switches for DA
Author(s):

• Jack Cernuska, Senior Engineer, PPL Electric Utilities

Designing Distribution Management Systems for Smart Grid Strategy
Paper Session
Session Moderator: Anil Pahwa, Professor, Kansas State University

Tuesday, March 23, 3:00 p.m.
Many utilities are planning procurement of Distribution Management Systems as part of their smart grid strategy. Since distribution management systems are advancing rapidly, it is crucial for the utility planners to get a good grasp of the latest technology. Presenters of this session will discuss their experiences in designing and implementing distribution management system at three utilities. Topics will include advanced approaches for real-time monitoring and control of distribution systems for fault detection and restoration, optimized voltage control, peak load management and other applications.

BC Hydro’s Distribution Management System Architecture Vision
Author(s):

• Vidya Vankayala, Chief IT Architect, BC Hydro
• Tom Helmer, Solution Architect, Enspiria Solutions, Inc.

Building a Distribution Management System
Author(s):

• Michael Johnson, Project Manager – Smart Grid/DSDR, Progress Energy Carolinas

Distribution State Estimation: A Fundamental Requirement for the Smart Grid
Author(s):

• Roy Hoffman, DMS Product Manager, SNC Lavalin Energy Control Systems
• Serge Lefebvre, Rese archer, Project Leader, Hydro Quebec, IREQ
• Jacques Prevost, Researcher, Hydro Quebec, IREQ

Smart Grid Devices — Ensuring Hardware and Software Quality and Reliability
Panel Session

Wednesday, March 24, 9:30 a.m.
Many utilities are preparing to deploy thousands or tens of thousands of smart grid controls, sensors, meters and other devices. While well established industry standards have guided utility selection and approval of electromechanical apparatus, such standards have not adequately addressed the electronic and software designs of controls and sensors. Risk management and due diligence dictate that the utility evaluate electronic and software designs of smart grid devices to some degree. This session provides both utility and manufacturer insights to smart grid device design evaluation and managing deployed devices. Two utilities present their experiences and insights to smart grid device design evaluation, acceptance testing, deployment experience, and software/firmware maintenance. Also a leading feeder automation equipment manufacturer presents internal quality engineering practices related to electronic and software/firmware designs and device integration. Lastly, a utility summarizes related industry standards and possible technical evaluation criteria that can be used in the procurement process. The panel session will also cover industry collaboration activities and opportunities which can help utilities ensure quality and reliability of smart grid devices.

Panel Moderator: Craig Befus, Team Lead - Distribution Standards, BC Hydro

Panelists:

• Grant Ringham, Standards Engineer, BC Hydro
• Dean Craig, Project Specialist Engineer, ENMAX Power Corporation
• Barry W. Dial, Product Engineering Director, S&C Electric Company
• Christian Breault, Engineer, Hydro Quebec
• Francois Soulard, Engineer, Hydro Quebec

Analysis, Benefits, Controls for VAR’s in Distribution Systems both Large and Small
Paper Session
Session Moderator: Jim Clemmer, Sr. Project Manager/Sr. Engineer, CH Guernsey & Company

Wednesday, March 24, 2:30 p.m.
Utilities have recently been searching for methods to add to their smart grid applications. We have also long had interest in using volt/VAR optimization to correct power factor at a local feeder and more recently the delivery of significant efficiency benefits. In this volt/VAR optimization session one will see analysis methods, discussion of benefits of voltage reduction to improve system efficiencies and also reduce load while capacitors are employed to sustain customer satisfaction. Some do this with local feeder controls while others implement a central control for system benefits. These benefits include performance and reliability for the utility system.

Detailed Analysis of Distribution System Voltage Reduction
Author(s):

• Kevin Schneider, Senior Research Engineer, Energy & Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
• Jason Fuller, Research Engineer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Joint Impact of Volt & VAR Control System (VVC) and Voltage Sags on End-User Equipment
Author(s):

• Francisc Zavoda, Research Eng., IREQ (HQ)
• Christian Perreault, Eng., Hydro-Quebec

The Functionalities and Benefits of a Two-Way Centralized Volt/VAR Control
Author(s):

• Guohui Yuan, Director of Product Management, CURRENT Group
• Brian Deaver, Vice President Product Management, CURRENT Group
• Robert (Skip) Davis, Director of CURRENT View, CURRENT Group
• Kelly Bloch, Manager, Distribution Planning, PSCO, Xcel Energy
• Tom Yohn, Consulting Engineer, Energy Services, Xcel Energy
• Rob Webb, Principal Area Engineer, PSCO, Xcel Energy
• Kerry McBee, Area Engineer, PSCO, Xcel Energy

How the Industry is Preparing to Assess and Manage the Impact of Electric Vehicles on the Power Distribution System
Panel Session
Session Moderator: Dean Mueller, Manager, Consumer Sales & Services, Omaha Public Power District

Thursday, March 25, 8:00 a.m.
Everyone is wondering how new electric vehicles will impact the grid. This panel of industry experts will discuss what the industry is doing to evaluate and prepare for the impacts of this vehicle technology on utility power distribution systems.

Panel Moderator: Julio Romero Aguero, Senior Advisor, Quanta Technology

Panelists:

• Aridam Maitra, Senior Project Manager, EPRI
• Haukur Asgeirssonh, Manager - Power Systems Technology, Detroit Edison Energy
• Carla Nelson, Senior Engineer, Nashville Electric Service
• Edward Kjaer, Director, Electric Transportation, Advanced Technology, Southern California Edison

Smart Data, Smart Testing and Smart Maintenance
Paper Session
Session Moderator: Carl Goeckeler, Consulting Engineer, Kansas City Power & Light Company

Thursday, March 25, 10:00 a.m.
Distribution Automation for the smart grid requires innovative yet practical and cost effective applications. This session will first feature a proven way to bring feeder data to the user by a cost effective feeder sensor. This is followed by a presentation of a progressive utility distribution automation test lab and finally details on the maintenance of distibution automation devices in service.

The Line-Post Sensor Opens the On-Ramp to the Smart Distribution Grid
Author(s):

• G. Larry Clark, Principal Engineer, Alabama Power Company

Distribution Automation Test Lab at OG&E
Author(s):

• Robert Williamson, Supervisor, System Meters & Lab, OG&E Electric Services
• Matthew Tiffee, Distribution Services Technician, OG&E Electric Services

Remote Maintenance at Hydro-Quebec Distribution
Author(s):

• Luc Tetreault, Engineer, Hydro-Quebec
• Stephane Brule, Technical Advisor, Hydro-Quebec

Conference Details

Advanced Metering
Customer Service and CIS
Demand Response and Energy Efficiency
Distribution Automation
Enterprise Information and Asset Management
Mobile and Geospatial Solutions
Renewables and the Grid
SCADA and Network Management
Substation Automation
T&D Engineering and Operations
Transmission
Water
Mega Session