Harnessing new energy sources will not only provide us with alternative and renewable sources of energy but will help contribute toward a more reliable and clean energy infrastructure. Intelligent grids have the capacity to alter the way we use energy, and nations across the world will be positioned to transform their energy infrastructure into more reliable systems.

In order to ensure the health of Houston's electric infrastructure and eventually create a “self-healing grid,” CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric has selected ABB, a leading power and automation technology company, for the electric company's intelligent grid ADMS, or advanced distribution management system.

Using ABB’s Network Manager, the ADMS will process data from power line sensors and smart electric meters. This will help it identify where the power outages have actually occurred and shorten the duration of the outages by remotely controlling the intelligent grid switching devices. Network Manager is part of a suite of software offered by Ventyx, which was acquired by ABB earlier this year.

Network Manager is an operations management system designed to provide advanced network modeling and management, integrated switching and tagging, trouble call and outage management, crew management, and historical archiving and reporting. In addition, it also offers advanced applications such as fault locations, unbalanced load flow and simulation modes, as well as interfaces to other information systems. As a result, organizations can leverage time-critical data across the enterprise.

Phase 1 is expected to be completed in 2013 and will cover more than half a million Houstonians in central Houston and along the Houston Ship Channel.

Kenny Mercado (News - Alert), division senior vice president for CenterPoint Energy’s Regulated Operations Technology was confident that with the help of ABB's technology, power could be automatically rerouted and consumers would not suffer because of power outages. ABB had been selected for the installation of an advanced system from a leader in power and automation technology only after several major vendors had been subjected to a rigorous review. 

“We are very excited to be working with CenterPoint Energy,” said Salim Khan, head of Network Management for ABB in North America, which is based in Sugar Land, Texas. “CenterPoint Energy is a true industry leader and we believe ADMS will be a showcase of the promise of smart grid technology that will benefit the entire industry.”

Since March 2009, CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric has installed more than 700,000 smart electric meters along with supporting communications infrastructure and computing systems. Recently, the company began installing intelligent grid switching devices on power lines across central Houston and plans to eventually extend its self-healing intelligent grid throughout its 5,000-square-mile electric service territory in greater Houston in subsequent phases.

A U.S. Department of Energy has partially funded the company for the deploying of smart meters and the ADMS. CenterPoint Houston electric is using $150 million of the grant to accelerate completion of the installation of more than 2 million smart electric meters across Houston from 2014 to mid 2012. The remaining $50 million is being used for phase 1 of the intelligent grid deployment.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas sales and services, interstate pipelines, and field services operations.

ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact.

In a related news release, CenterPoint Energy is significantly increasing its energy efficiency program offerings in Arkansas to help residential and commercial customers save energy and the environment.

Mini Swamy is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Tammy Wolf