Lead Organization:

HQ Location:

Project Contact Information:

Matt Wakefield (mwakefield@epri.com)
Harley Mayfield (Hmayfie@alleghenypower.com)
Tom George (Tom.George@netl.doe.gov)

Project Summary:

The objective of this project is to demonstrate improved electricity distribution system performance, reliability, and security of electricity delivery through the integration of distributed resources and advanced technologies [1, 2]. Project Partners include:
- Allegheny Power
- Science Applications International Corporation
- West Virginia University
- WVU Advanced Power and Electricity Research Center
- North Carolina State University
- Augusta Systems, Inc.
- Tollgrade Communications

The project started from Oct. 2009 and is expected to last for 4.5 years. It cost $4 million Federal Fund and $5.4 million Industrial Fund [1].

Project technologies include:
- Distributed Energy Resources (3x400kW biodiesel internal combustion engine; 1x250kW microturbine; 100kW solar PV system; 2x250kW 8hr energy storage)
- Multi-Agent Grid Management (MGM) System
- Demand Response and Automated Load Control
- Low-Cost Distribution Sensors •Fault Location & Prediction
- Dynamic Feeder Reconfiguration

The project seeks to accomplish the followings: [3]
- Achieve greater than a 15 percent reduction in the peak power demand supplied by grid power on an Allegheny Power circuit and demonstrate that this can be done at a cost competitive with capacity upgrades
- Demonstrate the viability of advanced circuit control through multi-agent technologies
- Leverage advanced wireless communications to address interoperability issues between control and protection systems and distributed energy resources
- Demonstrate the system and societal benefits of the integrated operation of rotary and inverter-based distributed generation, energy storage, advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), Automated Load Control (ALC), advanced wireless communications, and advanced system control technologies
- Demonstrate advanced operational strategies such as dynamic islanding and microgrid concepts and examine new ways to serve priority loads through the integration of automated load control with advanced system control
- Demonstrate the reliability benefits of dynamic feeder reconfiguration across multiple adjacent feeders (e.g., up to two additional feeders)

References:

[1] Steve Bossart. Renewable and Distributed Systems Integration Demonstration Projects. EPRI Smart Grid Demonstration Advisory Meeting October 12-14, 2009.
[2] EPRI. Allegheny Power RDSI Demonstration Project “West Virginia Supercircuit Project”. Online [Available]: http://www.smartgrid.epri.com/doc/Allegheny%20RDSI%20Final.pdf
[3] Allegheny Power RDSI Demonstration Project “West Virginia Supercircuit Project". URL: http://www.smartgrid.epri.com/doc/Allegheny%20RDSI%20Final.pdf