2027 Event Agenda

In 2023, DTE embarked on a 5-year transformative journey to enhance grid reliability and operational efficiency through the implementation of Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration (FLISR) technology, covering all 3300 feeders across the service territory. Converging DPF is one of the instrumental components to ensure the effectiveness of FLISR.

 This abstract outlines DTE’s strategy and methodology for achieving sustained converging power flow across 3300+ feeders.

Methodology and Approach:

DPF analysis and sustainment were embedded as a workstream within the FLISR project. As a first step, DTE prioritized the sources and feeders and distributed them across 3 years based on the complexity of the circuits and tier ranking. This helped create a defined scope to begin the DPF analysis and troubleshooting.

The project team is segmented and structured in the logical flow of:

1) Root cause identification of non-converging DPF.

2) Data corrections to address the root causes.

3) Import of corrected data into ADMS.

4) Post-import validation of convergence.

Once converged, every source is actively monitored and troubleshot to sustain the achieved level of coverage. DPF analyzes inputs such as network topology, load allocation, and SCADA telemetry to compute the electrical state of the distribution system. It identifies calculated violations—such as voltage or loading limits—and generates event flags based on configured thresholds. The implementation involved enabling DPF in both real-time and study modes, using structured workflows to isolate and resolve convergence issues. Study mode was leveraged to simulate model changes and validate improvements without impacting live operations.

Based on DPF analysis, the following are the most common root causes identified to-date:

1) BaseKV discrepancies or inconsistencies in the specified or actual voltage levels.

2) Connecting a link clip before the current transformer .

3) Load/distribution transformer connected in Wye ground configuration while the upstream transformer has a secondary delta connection.

4) Reversed node 1 and 2 of an isolator.

5) Out-of-sync parameters such as voltage ratings and phase angles for the parallel sources.

6) Dropped load due to low voltage.

7) Line segment topology issues.

Value Proposition: This session will deliver actionable strategies and lessons learned that are directly applicable to other utilities facing similar challenges. By sharing DTE's journey, the presentation aims to spark discussions on different approaches to power flow convergence, encouraging the industry to address overlooked aspects and push beyond conventional solutions.