Modernizing the Distribution System for Vermont’s Green Mountain Power

Overview

A grant of Smart Grid Stimulus Funding by the Department of Energy to Vermont Transco, LLC, presented Green Mountain Power (GMP) with an opportunity to implement automated metering infrastructure (AMI) in its system. GMP is leveraging a statewide “Light the Fiber” initiative in Vermont that will interconnect fiber optic cable to approximately 65 substations in the GMP territory. GMP hired SAIC as its program advisor to provide consulting, facilitation, and management services to put the program into action.

"SAIC brought in the industry experts to help us to
understand and turn our goals and objectives into actual deliverable technology selection."
- Ken Couture, Green Mountain Power

GMP and its extended engineering team from SAIC are implementing a solution to connect each substation's local area network (LAN) to the fiber backbone. Substation automation improvements include upgraded regulator and recloser controls, motor-operated devices on critical air break switches, 34 kilovolt (kV) directional fault indicators, enhanced engineering access, and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) connectivity. Distribution automation improvements include additional sectionalizing devices, upgraded recloser and capacitor controls, 12 kV fault indicators, and automatic feeder restoration. Through combining distance-to-fault information with wireless fault locating equipment, GMP looks to make a significant leap in restoring service during unplanned outages.