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The U.S. Department of Energy has designated Dynamic Line Rating technology, offered by Nexans through its subsidiary The Valley Group, as a key Smart Grid T&D Infrastructure Metric in its Smart Grid System Report. This report is generated as a result of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and is prepared by the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.
Dynamic Line Rating technology is one of eight identified Smart Grid T&D infrastructure metrics in Section 3.6.3, Delivery Infrastructure. Specifically, the report identifies Dynamic Line Ratings as a way to “improve the ability to respond resiliently and adapt to system events.” The report encourages an “increase in the penetration of dynamic line ratings” as a way to know the “status of the deployment” of the smart grid.
The report continues, saying “The deployment of dynamic line rating technology is also expected to increase asset utilization and operating efficiency” (page vii), one of the six recognized characteristics of the smart grid. Specifically, “A smart grid applies the latest technologies to optimize the use of its assets. For example, optimized capacity can be attainable with dynamic [line] ratings, which allow assets to be used at greater loads by continuously sensing and rating their capacities” (page 10).
In “Challenges to Smart Grid Deployments,” the report acknowledges the importance of “ensuring interoperability of smart-grid standards.” Nexans’ Dynamic Line Rating technology offers the advantage of full interoperability and will continue to evolve according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Interoperability Standards Development Road Map. In addition to helping the transmission grid operate more efficiently in real time, reliable Dynamic Line Ratings are also recognized as a way for the smart grid to operate “resiliently to disturbances, attacks, and natural disasters” (page 11).
The Valley Group has been closely involved in and has been a contributor to numerous industry activities related to the evolution of the Smart Grid. Recent participation has included a presentation and a panel discussion on Grid Reliability at the Grid Week 2009 Conference. In addition, Nexans is actively participating in the North American Synchro Phasor Initiative (NASPI), is represented on North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) Smart Grid Task Force, and is supporting NIST Smart Grid Standards development efforts.
“We are very happy that The Department of Energy has recognized Dynamic Line Ratings as an important component of the T&D Smart Grid framework” says Sandy Aivaliotis, Senior Vice President of The Valley Group, a Nexans Company. “Wide deployment of reliable Dynamic Line Ratings will help optimize asset utilization of today’s transmission grid and also enhance overall Wide Area Situational Awareness whose primary goal is to help render the transmission grid of tomorrow more reliable. This recognition,” continued Aivaliotis, “is key for our technology.”
Link to complete report: http://www.oe.energy.gov/DocumentsandMedia/SGSRMain_090707_lowres.pdf
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