Distribution systems will face several key challenges over the next 10 years due to the electrification of heating and transportation, and the creation of new market structures. Alectra, a utility serving municipalities in Ontario, Canada, faces the added challenge of amalgamating five different service territories and a diverse set of systems across those territories.

The control room of the future must address several key challenges to manage the increasing complexity of modern energy systems. These challenges include the need for comprehensive system visibility in real-time and, soon, managing multi-directional power flows, and operating the grid dynamically close to its limits. Additionally, establishing and operating local markets for non-wires alternatives, enabling distributed energy resources to participate in multiple markets, and engaging in the dynamic management of elements beyond voltage and current, such as capacity, are critical objectives. By tackling these challenges, we aim to create a resilient, efficient, and future-ready control room that meets the evolving demands of the modern electricity grid.

As control rooms are expected to last 10-15 years, a future-proofed design is critical. At Alectra, we are systematically tackling the following key questions to ensure our control room meets the evolving demands of the energy landscape: 

• Establishing situational awareness in real-time
• Evaluating risk in operating markets
• Operational challenges and complexities
• Acceptable level of autonomous control
• Loci of control

Through these initiatives, Alectra is addressing current operational challenges and laying a robust foundation for the future. By integrating advanced technologies and innovative strategies, we are creating a control room that is resilient, adaptable, and capable of meeting the demands of an ever-evolving energy landscape.

During this session, the speaker will present the project plan and the stakeholder engagement required internally to get sign-off from the various teams on requirements and prepare for vendor selection and contract discussions.