Alabama Power Goes Operational with Alstom DMS

Feb. 1, 2013
Alstom has delivered to Alabama Power a new distribution management system (DMS), which is operational and directing the flow of electricity to 1.4 million

Alstom has delivered to Alabama Power a new distribution management system (DMS), which is operational and directing the flow of electricity to 1.4 million customers.

The DMS and its distribution supervisory control and data acquisition system use smart grid technology to improve work processes and crew safety. In the future, it is expected to decrease outage durations. Alstom's outage management system (OMS) will go online at Alabama Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company, later this year, completing delivery of the company's full integrated DMS.

The new DMS, which is based on Alstom Grid's e-terradistribution 3.0 technology, provides Alabama Power's distribution grid operators with increased functionality. During normal operations, electronic switch order preparation is faster and more accurate than manual operations used in the past. Tasks that previously took 30 minutes now can be done in a matter of a few minutes. Safety is enhanced because operators can quickly create and validate switching orders in “study mode” to ensure accuracy before dispatching to crews in the field.

Additional DMS functions will be deployed to the company's grid operators in 2013 and are expected to provide additional benefits to Alabama Power and its customers.

Visit www.alstom.com.

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