Comprehensive Asset Performance Management from Schneider Electric reduces capex & opex for T&D utilities

Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure TM Grid offers unprecedented management of millions of assets across grid infrastructures. Comprehensive solution enables predictive maintenance and longer asset life

Rueil-Malmaison (France), October 3, 2017 – Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, will showcase its Asset Performance Management (APM) capabilities at European Utility Week, 3-5 October, Amsterdam. At the event, Schneider will present how existing EcoStruxureTM Grid solutions will fully meet the APM needs of transmission and distribution utilities, through partners. As such electrical utilities gain significantly greater control of escalating operational costs.

Electrical utilities under pressure

Electrical utilities are experiencing unprecedented disruption, driven by decentralization of production due to rapid growth of renewable energy installations on outdated infrastructures. Consequently, they must ensure network stability and increase their understanding of the real-time condition of critical assets. They are also under pressure from regulators to control costs, requiring new investment strategies to optimize life expectancy of electrical equipment while implementing more efficient maintenance operations.

Jérome de Parscau, SVP Energy Digital Solutions & Strategy at Schneider Electric, said: “The combination of complexity and cost pressure is driving the need for utilities to integrate operational technology across their grids that can help them move from a reactive maintenance strategy, to a fully predictive and preventative maintenance model.”

EcoStruxure Grid integrates Asset Performance Management

Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Grid solution can now offer unprecedented management of millions of assets across grid infrastructures, by extending its expertise through the partnership, with IPS Company Group, recognized for its specialized Asset Performance Management solution for electric power systems. This combination of asset performance management software portfolios addresses the growing demands of transmission and distribution utilities. As such, EcoStruxure Substation Operation will enhance its condition, risk and reliability-centered maintenance capabilities at the substation level, while fully integrating with utility enterprise solutions. This embedded-intelligence provides a means to diagnose the health of critical equipment and avoid unnecessary maintenance or downtime.

IPS-SYSTEMS™ adds the world’s largest proven technical library relating to new and legacy assets, to EcoStruxure Grid, enabling high-performance configuration, rapid deployment and ease-of-use. Schneider Electric’s improved EcoStruxure Grid architecture will deliver immediate benefits to its utility customers. Predictive maintenance will reduce the number of outages, for which utilities are penalized, while optimized investment strategies and longer asset life will reduce capital expenditure.

Jérome de Parscau, added: By combining our know-how in deploying IoT equipment on electrical utilities’ assets, and our new partnership with IPS Company Group, we can retrofit old equipment to become smart, as well as providing a whole range of new connected equipment. Schneider Electric’s strategy is to continue finding synergies outside the company that can help its customers control costs while supporting their digital transformation in a rapidly-changing energy landscape”

There are many forces that effect the bulk electrical system, such as storms, fires, earthquakes, as well as man-made hazards such as construction and vehicle accidents, in addition to equipment failure due to age, manufacture defects, or operational errors.

With all this potential for failure, how can the bulk electrical system provide safe and reliable energy to vital systems and customers? Organizations such as NERC oversee the power grid and provide industry wide regulatory control and standards that are key to providing reliable governance over utility operations.

IPS-SYSTEMS™ can provide reliable processes to coordinate and maintain the bulk electric system with settings creation, maintenance, and testing of the protection system. NERC PRC-005, specifically deals with relays on the bulk electrical system. With IPS, identifying these assets as PRC-005 applicable allows you to know exactly which assets fall under these regulations.

Though IPS-BPM™ (Business Process Management) and IPS-SWM™ (Settings Workflow Management), you can track multiple step processes, containing an array of modules to complete with a group of employees responsible for the project. With IPS you can attach modifications to each step and project, managing complex multi-step workflows containing dozens of transitions and states. By following the workflow each state will launch the appropriate module in IPS allowing the user to maximize efficiency by placing them back in the workflow after each interaction.
IPS-SYSTEMS™, though the Safe Load Calculation module group, allows custom definitions of safe load criteria and evaluation/calculation of the loadability. PRC-023 states that the protective relay settings should not limit transmission load, not interfere with a system operator’s ability to take remedial action to protect system reliability.

The system operator should be able to reliably detect all fault and conditions and protect the electrical network from these faults. Using IPS-Safe Load Calculation™ module group you can define and calculate the maximum amount of electrical current (in AMPS or MVA) the conductor or device can safely carry. This helps you track asset data and relay settings that may interfere/conflict with your safe load parameters.

The purpose of PRC-026-1 is to ensure load-responsive protective relays do not trip during stable power swings. IPS-Calculation Studio™ supports this effort through calculations such as the angular stability constraint, as well as through IPS-Business Process Management™ for tracking and monitoring remedial action schemes or correction action plans. IPS-Load Shedding Manager™ can be used to identify elements forming the boundary of an island based on the under-frequency load shedding design. Additionally, IPS works with applications such as CAPE to display the results of disturbance simulations.

IPS-SYSTEMS™ provide reliable processes to coordinate and maintain the bulk electric system with settings creation, maintenance, and testing of the protection system. Though customizable reports, providing clear evidence of compliance, the flexibility of IPS allows users to identify, coordinate, track, and report compliance efforts.

IPS – Global Group is continuously monitoring all aspects of the Covid-19 situation and taking measures to protect its employees whilst continuing to support customers. The health, safety and well-being of our employees is always our highest priority and we also consider it our duty to act responsibly and do our part to protect society.

We’re doing everything we can to maintain our activities in the course of its normal business operations.

Selected measures already implemented:

Hygiene
We’re keeping our employees up to date with the latest guidance. Our employees are aware of the need for social distancing and we are regularly reminding them about additional precautions and hygiene measures. Hand sanitizers have been provided for each individual employee in all locations.

Travel
Due to travel ban in IPS – Global Group, all meetings and trainings have been replaced by teleconferences or similar options.

Mobile work
Over 90% of our IPS – Global Group employees are now working from home until further notice. Remote tools and technology allow for many to do this with minimal disruption. Our support employees are continuing to work in the office with additional health and safety precautions in place.

Operations
IPS – Global Group has taken actions to ensure business continuity and operational plans for each of its locations, as well as the continuity of support for our customers and partners. It’s our intention to continue business operations as usual, with additional precautions while serving the needs of our customers, partners, and communities. We’re working together with our employees to help keep them safe and are following the advice and precautions set out by the public health office of each country where IPS – Global Group is operating.

Flexible working
IPS – Global Group already operates a flexible time working policy, but with school closures and other potential demands on those that are caring for relatives, there is additional pressure. We’re working with our managers to support our employees through this. We aim to be as flexible as we can, whilst at the same time supporting our customers through these challenges.

Official information available from national and international organizations and public authorities across IPS – Global Group locations:

– Australia
– Croatia
– Germany
– Serbia
– Slovenia
– UAE
– USA
– WHO

As your trusted partner and software vendor, we want to assure you of our commitment to maintaining continuity of the products and services that you need from us.

We are talking regularly with our customers, suppliers and employees as the situation progresses and are reviewing business and operational plans daily. If you have further questions or require additional information, please reach out to your usual IPS contact.