According to a recent publication by the Heritage Foundation, the U.S. grid consists of 6,400 power plants, 3,000 companies, and 55,000 substations. These substations play a critical role as the high-voltage electric systems used to switch generators, equipment, and circuits in and out of the grid. Additionally, as distribution nodes on the grid, substations are crucial locations of focus for both grid modernization and integrating renewable energy sources as collection points of high-fidelity data on grid health, including transients, harmonics, temperature, and vibration. This data helps identify potential problems to improve overall grid stability and reliability and enables a "smarter" grid that can adjust power flow and react to changing demands more efficiently.
Whether a result of schedule maintenance or as part of an overall modernization plan, utilities can achieve not only a significant increase in operational capabilities of their grid but also a material reduction in costs associated with substations by replacing traditional VT/CTs with an advanced optical sensor platform. To prove and quantify the savings, a regional energy services and delivery company serving more than 3 million customers in New England recently completed a Proof of Concept (PoC) exploring the feasibility and advantages of utilizing an advanced optical platform for current and voltage measurement in substations, specifically utilizing MICATU brand sensors. The PoC project successfully demonstrated that optical sensors offer substantial benefits over traditional VT/CT configurations, including:
Challenges of Conventional VT/CTs
Traditional voltage and current transformers (VTs and CTs) present several challenges for modern substations:
Technologically Superior
The MICATU platform offers a compelling alternative to traditional VT/CTs. They utilize light pulses to measure electrical signals, providing several advantages:
Proof of Concept Results
In order to accurately represent installation as well as ongoing operational cost, the PoC considered the investment required in engineering, erecting, and construction of any necessary structures for both classes of sensors. Direct comparison shows the MICATU platform has advantages in installation as well as ongoing performance:
| Category | MICATU Platform | Conventional VT/CT |
| Sensor Cost | $15,000 | $4,000 |
| Steel Structure | $0 | $4,000 |
| Engineering | $5,000 | $21,000 |
| Installation Labor | $1,200 | $12,000 |
| Bank Outage | 12 hours (1 shift) | 120 hours (10 shifts) |
| Equipment Requirement | Lift | Lift, Bucket Truck, Boom Truck |
| Total Investment | $21,200 | $41,000 |
Substation Three Phase Installation Comparison
The PoC compared the performance of MICATU sensors with a newly installed set of conventional VT/CTs. The results were highly positive:
Conclusion and Recommendations
The regional utility’s PoC successfully demonstrated the viability and advantages of the MICATU platform for substation applications. Based on the documented findings, the utility’s strategy includes:
By adopting MICATU’s digital optical technology, utilities of all sizes can achieve significant cost savings, enhance worker safety, improve substation space utilization, and gain valuable insights into grid performance through advanced data acquisition. The fidelity and frequency of advanced grid-edge analytics only available on the MICATU platform collects more data on grid health, including transients, harmonics, temperature, and vibration enabling proactive identification of potential problems and improve overall grid stability and reliability. Equipped for better communication with other grid components, the MICATU platform enables a smarter and superiorly performing grid capable of adjusting power flow and reaction to changing demands more efficiently and cost effectively.
Get more key takeaways to lower total cost of ownership across other applications in our whitepaper: Optimizing Electric Grid Monitoring: A Roadmap to Lower TCO.