Shaping the Future Through Grid and Cross-Cutting Technology Innovations

Programs: Power Quality, Power Distribution, Intelligrid, and Cyber Security

Background

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) invite you to the 2013 EPRI Smart Distribution and Power Quality Conference and Exhibition. The conference will focus on how utilities are defining the future of the grid by addressing the challenges of today. The conference will provide a forum for electric power end users, distribution engineers and project managers, reliability and power quality (PQ) professionals, and related technology manufacturers to gather, share experiences, and learn from one another in a collaborative environment.

The week of events will also include pre-conference tutorials as well as post-conference working meetings for EPRI research programs. The areas of focus for the 2013 conference will be the following:

• Power Quality
• Distribution Grid Modernization
• Smart Grid Information and Cyber Security

EPRI is celebrating the 25th anniversary of this conference and welcomes industry experts that will help to chart the development of the smart grid for the next century.

Call for Presentations

Utilities, industry representatives, and consumers are invited to participate in the 2013 conference by sharing their unique perspectives on the importance of the focus areas. ComEd and EPRI invite you to submit abstracts on topics including, but not limited to, the following:

Power Quality

Energy Efficiency and Power Quality Considerations

• Energy efficiency considerations for PQ solutions
• New high-efficiency equipment and PQ implications (VSD air conditioners, refrigerators, and others)
• Measuring PQ-related energy savings (such as harmonics)

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Power Quality Issues

• EMC measurement strategies
• Best practices for EMC audits
• EMC case studies

Power Quality Issues and Solutions in Critical Customer Processes

• Data centers
• Automotive manufacturing
• Semiconductor manufacturing
• Impact of voltage sags on industrial processes

Power Quality and Reliability Standards

• Potential impact of new lighting technology on flicker standards
• PQ standard developments
• Regulatory approaches for managing reliability and quality of supply
• Utility approaches to PQ and reliability

Power Quality and Reliability Issues Related to Electric Transportation

• Impact of different converter types and charging technologies on PQ
• Electric transportation and PQ issues
• Reliability requirements for an electric transportation infrastructure
• Impact of electric transportation on distribution systems
• Advanced communications issues between the grid and electric vehicles
• Updates on related standards

Power Quality Issues and End-User Equipment Compatibility

• Managing customer expectations against the reality of the T&D system
• Realistic assessment of effectiveness of control-level PQ solutions
• Capacitor switching for T&D system reliability
• Utility system case studies
• Customer case studies

Safety-Related Power Quality Issues

• Dealing with stray voltages
• Detecting stray voltages
• Implications of arc flash protection on PQ work
• Lightning protection and grounding

Wiring and Grounding

• Grounding for safety and PQ
• Signal grounding for audio systems
• PQ issues caused by improper grounding
• Grounding for industrial manufacturing

Useful Applications of Power Quality Data

• PQ data collection through smart metering
• Measuring and controlling flicker
• Stray voltage measurement
• System harmonic issues
• Improving system voltage-sag performance
• Fault location

Improving T&D Power Quality and Reliability

• EPRI DPQ/TPQ project
• Understanding PQ and integrating into operations and asset management
• Microgrid power quality and reliability issues

Management Strategies

• T&D construction and design practices and how they affect reliability and quality
• System harmonic issues
• Measuring and controlling flicker

Advanced Monitoring (Fault Location and Equipment Diagnostics)

• New technologies for PQ monitoring and solutions
• Stray voltages—Modeling, measurements, and new solutions
• PQ information from advanced meters
• Including revenue-meter data in your system-monitoring infrastructure

Smart Grid Information

Demand Response Communication Standards

• OpenADR
• CEA-2045
• MultiSpeak/CIM

Geographic Information System (GIS) Data

• GIS in real-time environment and integration/ visualization of operational data
• Leveraging social networking
• Accuracy improvement methods and case studies

Integration of Smart Distributed Energy Resources (DER)

• Industry standard DER functions
• Emerging communication protocols
• Integration of DER in Smart Grid demonstrations

IT & OT convergence

• Reorganization versus re-orientation
• Strategies for aligning infrastructure across IT & OT domains
• Workforce training

Turning Data into Value Case Studies

• Emerging applications using smart meter data
• Long-term planning and asset optimization
• Real-time operations and situational awareness
• Predictive analysis of complex events
• Visualization of distribution operations
• Storm management
• Short-term regional reliability

Making AMI Open and Interoperable

• IEEE Standards update 802.15.4g
• Leveraging customer broadband
• Long-term strategic plan

Cyber Security

Protective Measures

• Security architectures
• Protecting wireless networks
• Access control and authentication for people and devices

Managing Incidents

• Advanced incident detection
• Incident response

Assessing and Monitoring Risk

• Understanding cyber and physical threats and impacts
• Evaluating cyber security posture

Smart Distribution

Advanced Applications (Planning Tools, Methods and Modeling)

• Contingency analysis
• Switching management
• Optimal network reconfiguration
• Load forecasting
• Dynamic equipment rating

Data Analytics

• Advanced data mining algorithms
• Enabling technologies
• Turning data into actionable information
• Load modeling for CVR

Distribution Management System (DMS)

• Planning for a new DMS
• Centralized versus decentralized applications – How to decide?
• Operator versus automatic control of system
• Advanced applications
• Operator training and certification for the Smart Gird era
• Safety protection guarantees – clearances, permits, tagging and workforce management using DMS
• Redundancy of systems
• Use of smart meter data for T&D operations

Making Technology Work for the Utility

• Technology development
• Grid modernization techniques
• Planning for new technologies and the future grid
• Distribution automation and justifying expenditures
• Aerial damage survey using drones

Sensors

• Strategic placement strategies
• Trade-off analyses (cost vs. accuracy, etc.)
• Sensor database

Smart Grid Demonstrations

• Case studies
• Cost/benefit analysis methodology
• Smart Grid technologies to manage EV impacts

Cross-Cutting Topics

Economics and Applications

• Business case studies and economic payback in PQ and smart distribution systems
• Methodologies for determining economic payback
• True costs of PQ and system losses
• Why invest in smart distribution technologies?
• Overcoming investment hurdles in tough economic times

Future of Power Quality and Smart Distribution

• Significant challenges to utilities in the next 15 years
• Technology breakthroughs—How future technologies could significantly influence PQ and smart distribution
• Impact of smart distribution applications on PQ
• New end-use technologies and power quality implications (EV chargers, PV grid tie inverters, etc.)
• PQ sensors and apps for smart distribution systems
• PQ analysis in smart distribution systems (intermittent generation, fault location, and so on)

Presentation Abstract Format

To have a presentation considered for the 2013 Smart Distribution and Power Quality Conference, please submit a two- to three-paragraph abstract on the main points of your presentation, including issues experienced, lessons learned, and conclusions. The abstract should also include the presenters name, title, company, address, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address. Abstracts without this information will not be considered. English is the official language for this conference.

Abstract Submittal

Abstracts will be accepted via e-mail only. Please submit abstracts to Lisa Wolfenbarger at lwolfenbarger@epri.com no later than February 1, 2013. Notification of acceptance will be sent via e-mail by March 1, 2013. Final presentations will be due on May 1, 2013.

Conference Registration and Logistics

For more information and to register for this event, please go to www.epri.com

and select the Events tab on the top of the menu. Click on the “Main Calendar” link, and then select the month (June) and year (2013) to locate this event by date. Click on the link in the calendar and follow the simple registration instructions.

In case you experience difficulties or have logistical questions, please contact one of the meeting planners below:

Lisa Wolfenbarger
lwolfenbarger@epri.com
865.218.8026

Jared Green
jgreen@epri.com
865.218.8172

Exhibition

Companies offering innovative products and services related to power quality, smart distribution, data management, cyber security and advanced communications are invited to participate in the Smart Distribution and Power Quality Exhibition. The exhibition, held in conjunction with the conference, will showcase innovative smart grid and power quality solutions and services.

Past exhibitors include Active Power Corporation, Bonitron, Inc., Caterpillar and Soft Switching Technologies, CISCO, Dranetz-BMI, Electro Industries, Electrotek Concepts/WPT, Inc., Elspec North America, EnerNex Corporation, Fluke Corporation, FLIR Systems, General Electric, GridSense, Inc., Hi Tec USA, Innovolt, Inc., Measurlogic, Inc., Megger, Omniverter, Inc., Pentadyne Power Corporation, Pillar, Power Measurement Schneider Electric, Power Monitors, Inc., Power Quality Services Center, Power Standards Lab, S&C Electric Co., Schneider Electric, SEA Limited, Silicon Power, Tollgrade Communications, and United Engineering, to name a few.

For more information, contact Lisa Wolfenbarger at 865.218.8026 or lwolfenbarger@epri.com or download an exhibitor application from  MyPQ.epri.com