Knowledge is Power

The transition to DSO for energy network operators offers exciting opportunities – but it presents some daunting challenges, too.

Tomorrow’s Low Voltage distribution networks will look very different from today’s. Traditionally regarded as the ‘last mile’ by network operators, the LV network will become steadily more complex, dynamic and tough to manage over the next few years. We’ll see a dramatic change in load patterns as more electric vehicle owners plug in for an overnight top-up. Today’s consumers can scarcely cope with a 30-minute power cut that stops them boiling the kettle or watching TV. And they certainly won’t tolerate a serious supply outage that prevents them from using their EV to get in to work the next day.

This picture’s set to get even more complex with the rise in consumer-driven distributed generation from solar PV systems. And in this unprecedentedly challenging landscape, the LV network suddenly becomes the new ‘first mile’ that operators must focus on to ensure a consistently positive experience for their customers.

In a world where the one constant is quality and reliability of supply to end users, dependable intelligent LV fault location becomes even more critical for networks as they make the bold transition to DSO. And that’s where data and automation become increasingly vital tools to successfully manage complexity, reduce supply interruptions and minimise customer minutes lost.

At Kelvatek our world-leading range of network management and LV fault location solutions allows operators to manage and monitor faults on their network with far greater efficiency and intelligence while reducing operational costs and improving performance.

But that’s only part of the story. To support operators as they prepare for the successful transition to DSO, our uniquely powerful SAPIENT platform takes an intelligent approach to network analytics and management. Harnessing the latest advances in AI and machine learning, SAPIENT actively monitors and analyses real-time fault data and other relevant information from LV devices on thousands of circuits every day. These deep insights enable operations teams to pinpoint transient faults in real time with unprecedented accuracy and speed, allowing rapid intervention and repair before they become permanent.

With intelligent devices universally deployed across the UK network, SAPIENT is constantly becoming smarter as we develop exciting new capabilities for the platform to help our customers manage and maintain their networks more efficiently. Knowledge, as they say, is power. And by giving a total picture of the networks performance in real time, SAPIENT allows operators to proactively address the ‘first mile’ challenges and opportunities of DSO transition with unprecedented strategic insight.

Kevin Gleeson,

Product Manager, Kelvatek