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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA_NGTO005
Title	EPRI Research Collaboration on Information and Communication Technology
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research 100%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Computer Science and Informatics) 50%; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 50%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Other (Energy technology information dissemination) 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given National Grid Electricity Transmission
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 January 2018
End Date	01 June 2020
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£278,090
Industrial Sectors	Power
Region	London
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , National Grid Electricity Transmission (100.000%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , National Grid Electricity Transmission (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_NGTO005
Objectives	P161.046: Substation Data Management and InfrastructureWe are making large investments in various sensor technologies to provide real-time information for managing the grid and grid assets. In addition, as more devices are put online and provide increased amounts of data back to operations, utilities will need to consider upgrading their analytic tools to turn the raw data into useful, actionable information. This project will evaluate data management methods implemented by participating members and provide recommendations to improve the operational efficiency and management of the infrastructure. P161.047: Extraction and Integration of Data SourcesThere is an ever increasing capture of operating and asset condition data within substations that tends to be in proprietary formats and requires vendor specific tools to obtain. While this data is valuable in its own right for its intended purpose, greater value can be obtained when the data is combined with other information to give it better context. P161.048: Interoperable Communications Architectures, Device Management and StandardsSubstations are evolving to becoming critical data hubs. They are capable of generating a wide variety of data from asset conditions sensors, traditional operations measurement that support SCADA, and event-driven data such as fault records. Capturing and communicating all of this data to all the needed locations within and external to the substation is challenging since these sources tend to have discreet standards that define how each device should communicate. Bringing the output of these standards together into a holistic approach can bring operational benefits to the utility. Assessing Augmented Reality for the Electricity IndustryAugmented reality (AR) technology overlays information in real-time onto a persons view of the world through the use of mobile computing devices and graphics. AR goes beyond mobile computing and GIS technologies being used today. AR is developing rapidly and has the potential to improve the productivity and safety of our operations teams. Integrated Network Model ManagementThis project will analyse the requirements and develop solution strategies for integrated power system network model management within the transmission system. EPRI research projects span across multiple years. Because of this approach, not all of the deliverables for this project will be in 2018. Nevertheless, there is scope for the delivery of a number of valuable outputs, reports and guidance documents in 2018. The full scope of research within each work-stream is listed below: P161.046: Substation Data Management and InfrastructureThis R&D will assess and document the various approaches that have been used to implement data management methods. The project will investigate two areas: data classes and data linkages. Data classes are the macro groups of data such as analogue measurements, binary status, images, etc. The data linkages will investigate the relationship between the transmission system and other, related network data such as equipment state, and identify gaps in the ability to link related data together. P161.047: Extraction and Integration of Data SourcesThis project will seek out specific opportunities to investigate actual datasets from substations to further expand the industry knowledge associated with asset condition, reliability, and other metrics. Specifically, it will seek to gather digital fault records, asset health monitor and othersubstation data, and manipulate it into useful data models and databases to develop industry leading analytics. P161.048: Interoperable Communications Architectures, Device Management and StandardsThe project will begin with a survey to gather information regarding the variety of protocols used in member substations, and plans for near term additions. The results of the survey will be used to establish a baseline set of requirements. These requirements would then be applied to a set of architectures (compatible with the legacy state) in order to allow for a systematic migration to a more supportive and comprehensive substation communication approach. The project will also assess and establish the corresponding approach to migration which will consider requirements for device management and their related standards. Remote device management will be a critical service requirement as the volume of intelligent electronic devices expands and creates a non-sustainable manpower requirement. Much like other industry advances such as telephony, remote management is the norm and a standard way of doing business. Assessing Augmented Reality for the Electricity IndustryThis project will hold a series of workshops that will bring the electricity industry and AR technology providers together with the objective for us to understand the possibilities of the technologies and the AR technology companies to understand the working environment of the electricity industry. These workshops will seek to identify activities that would benefit from AR and collaboratively develop use cases, assessment protocols and the required standards around priority activities. Integrated Network Model ManagementThe objective of this project is to assess the current business practices related to network model data management across transmission system operations, planning and protection and to develop an overarching model management process that may reduce model errors, improve overall data quality and minimise maintenance labour. This project will investigate the network model data needs of common transmission system applications and propose new approaches to coordinated transmission network model maintenance. The objectives for 2018 include the delivery of a selection of associated reports and guidance documents. Key deliverables include:P161.046: Substation Data Management and InfrastructureThis project will develop the necessary metadata required to track and assure that the data being used has a traceable path from it source. Besides linking the data to provide better context the project will also develop mechanisms to assure that the version of the data used is correct for the situation under consideration. It will also identify mechanisms and commercially available tools to support these activities.  P161.047: Extraction and Integration of Data SourcesThis project will investigate business enhancement opportunities that arise when data from various substation sources is extracted from its native source and combined with other relevant data in standardised formants that are easily analysed. The expected result is a comprehensive data management approach leading to a long-term standards-based solution suitable across the utility industry. The development of extraction tools needed to transform the data for analysis in open platforms will be placed in the appropriate open source repositories for benefit of the public.  P161.048: Interoperable Communications Architectures, Device Management and StandardsThis project will work to establish integrated data capture and replay methods that will allow for better situational awareness, post-event analysis, and establish standardised approaches to interrogate the device operating characteristics, through the use of device management software tools. Assessing Augmented Reality for the Electricity IndustryThe objective of this project is to bring AR technology developers and electric utilities together to assess the application of augmented reality solutions for the electricity sector. Integrated Network Model ManagementThe outcome of this assessment is expected to be a common process for the management of transmission power system network model data across the transmission enterprise.
Abstract	This project collaborates with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) on workstreams below: Substation Data Management and Infrastructure Extraction and Integration of Data Sources Interoperable Communications Architectures, Device Management and Standards Assessing Augmented Reality for the Electricity Industry Integrated Network Model Management
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	09/11/22