Project Summary: Our client is actively evaluating potential distribution feeders that would require further analysis to reduce overall SAIDI and CAIDI using smart reporting fault circuit indicators (FCIs). The client's need was to meet a SAIDI goal of 146 minutes. Our client required a study for the proposed distribution circuits and potential CAIDI improvements, a design (issued for construction) with proper standards coded into their work management system, and testing/commissioning of the smart reporting FCIs. Services provided by K&A include engineering and design, deployment, commissioning, and testing.

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K&A Scope: K&A provided a budget estimate, per each of the 10 circuit case studies, split into three main activities: circuit assessment, per circuit; engineering and design, per circuit location; and deployment commissioning and testing, per circuit location.

The development of the case set was based on the worst-performing circuits provided by the client and included retrieving historical reliability indices SAIFI SAIDI and CAIDI for each respective circuit, identifying problem areas (long sections inaccessible for drive and visual verification) where reporting FCIs could be installed, and creating a planning overview for the installation of smart FCIs in combination with switches for sectionalizing.

K&A issued a construction drawing for the field planner to review the circuit physically and for engineering and design communications equipment to be deployed to SCADA devices (radio/cellular/fiber/telco). We performed a radio/cellular study to determine viability and assisted procurement with the RFP development and selection for construction management services.

The commissioning and testing scope included pole installation and conductors and recloser, switches, FCIs, and controller hung. It also included radio/cellular antenna installation from controller cabinet polyphasers to pole and program recloser controller (incorporate CT correction factors from recloser placard).

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