Oncor Electric Delivery, a subsidiary of TXU Corp., has selected a joint solution from Siemens Power Transmission & Distribution, Inc. and Intergraph to integrate its outage, mobile workforce and distribution management systems.

By selecting Siemens’ Distribution Management System, including its Spectrum Power SCADA and Spectrum Power DNA products, and InService, Intergraph’s outage management system, Oncor will fully integrate the operational environment for the power grid. The SmartGrid Software System will integrate data, equipment, and associated process changes brought about by existing investments in advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), broadband over powerline (BPL), and distribution automation (DA). This SmartGrid enables software applications to monitor and maintain a stable and healthy distribution network, alerting operators immediately when problems arise and taking automated corrective action. Oncor has also begun migration of its mobile workforce management system to Intergraph’s InService mobile workforce management solution including oneMobile.

The InService suite of applications will provide a single integrated graphical user environment into the operational network, providing equipment monitoring, supervisory control and management of the field resources and equipment. Operators will no longer have to manage multiple network models and software applications.

The Spectrum Power Distribution Network applications will augment the Intergraph outage and work management capabilities to include automated fault assessment/management, load and voltage analysis, restoration optimization, and VAr management. The existing Oncor Spectrum Power SCADA system will be extended to provide distribution automation switch and capacitor bank information from the distribution system. Combined with the outage and mobile work management systems, Oncor will establish a full distribution management system capability for its operations staff.

The Oncor Smart Grid Software System is a phased project, with mobile workforce management system implementation occurring first, followed by outage management with mobile computing, DMS, and SCADA. Siemens and Intergraph are implementing commercial off-the-shelf software solutions, enabling other utilities to take advantage of the SmartGrid vision.

"We are deploying the latest technology with a view toward meeting the needs of the complex market Oncor serves. Deploying smart and distributed technology in the power distribution grid is key to ensuring reliability for electric utilities,” said Kevin Sullivan, vice president and general manager of Siemens Power Transmission & Distribution, Inc’s Energy Management & Automation division. “Siemens is confident that this partnership with Intergraph will result in an implementation at Oncor that will set a new benchmark for this industry." Sullivan noted further, “Information and automation-enabled grid assets lead to more efficient operation, increased maintenance planning optimization, better cost-to-value ratios for operation & maintenance, and ultimately better consumer satisfaction via better outage management and performance. These developments will foster a new era of grid communities where the ‘smart grid’ achieves an enviable level of performance.”