Austin Energy Deploys Siemens' Bridges Electric Vector Switches in its Intelligent Grid System

Siemens Energy has provided its motorized intelligent switches to Austin Energy’s (News - Alert) Smart Grid project. Siemens' Bridges Electric Vector group-operated motorized intelligent switches will be used in Austin Energy’s Smart grid system for loop switching with complete switch-sensing, control and communications.

 

Texas-based Austin Energy is one of the largest community-owned electric utility and it manages over 2,600 megawatts of generation comprised of a diverse mix of nuclear, coal, natural gas and renewable energy sources. The Siemens Energy Sector is a supplier of a complete spectrum of products, services and solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power and for the extraction, conversion and transport of oil and gas.

 

According to Austin Energy, its Smart Grid is the seamless integration of an electric grid, a communications network, and the necessary software and hardware to monitor, control and manage the generation, transmission, distribution, storage and consumption of energy by any customer type.

 

Siemens’ (News - Alert) automated, group-operated air break switches can sense voltage and current and are remotely controlled through supervisory control and data acquisition in both normally closed and normally open points within the distribution feeders. As the switches allow control to be handled remotely via SCADA they remove the need for any separate control cabinet.

 

Highlights of Austin Energy’s Smart Grid are: it offers remote current monitoring system for fault current detection; Three-phase voltage sensing on both the source and load sides of the switch for use on normally closed and open points within the distribution system; and Remote supervisory control achieved via a programmable remote terminal unit via DNP 3.0, Level 2 and radio communication.

 

Muhammad Sohail, vice president of the High Voltage Products business unit of Siemens Energy, has stated that Siemens understands the fact that Smart Grid is more than just smart meters – it includes integration of renewable, making the transmission network more intelligent as well as automating the distribution network.

 

Siemens claims that it is the world’s only integrated technology company spanning the entire energy conversion chain with an integrated line of products, solutions, and services, takes the lead in supplying the technical solutions that make this Smart Grid project become a reality.

 

Siemens Energy has stated that by making grids smarter utilities and network operators can achieve significant reliability, environmental, and energy efficiency benefits.

 

Synergy (News - Alert) Research recently revealed that Siemens led enterprise telephony market in Latin America and EMEA and Siemens had also sought major stake in Israeli solar energy companies.