Last week we wrote the article Introducing Tait GridLink: The economically intelligent choice for distribution automation.
EA Networks are currently trialling six Gridlink terminals to improve their network visibility. EA Networks owns and operates the electricity distribution network and an advanced fiber-optic communications network for the mid-Canterbury region, delivering power to approximately 17,450 consumers through almost 1,864 miles (3,000km) of distribution lines. you can read the full case study here
Watch the short clip taken from TV One News report:
Video Transcript:
Wild weather is to blame for many an outrage in and around Ashburton but next time that happens fewer people should suffer.
We are using a Gridlink device which is in the box set pole which sends signals back to the control room. That’s because of new technology which combines radio and data networks to send a signal immediately back to the control room showing where the fault is.
Brendon Quinn, EA Networks: When we have something happen on a piece of line up here then at the moment we would have to travel the whole length of line looking for it, this way we know its not there its not there, we can isolate one section and get people back on a lot quicker.
That means only customers close to the fault will be effected as power for most people can be re-routed remotely from the office.
(Control room) If you could turn the Methven street lights on for us please,
we can isolate the faulted area and get people back on a lot quicker. hopefully down to minutes instead of what could be an hour or two at the moment.
Ashburtons EA Networks has been trailing the new technology which took Christchurch company Tait Electronics 18 months to develop.
Bruce Mazza, Tait Communications: The innovation comes in the fact that we can supply critical voice radio communications and data communications over the same network
Joy Reid – One News, That’s a big deal in a rural area which relies heavily on electricity.
Just six of these units have been tried so far but its been such a success that EA Networks hopes to roll out more than 500 post April.
And they are not the only ones Tait electronics says they have 40 electricity companies from all over the world lining up to buy it when it goes to market in April.
Joy Reid, One News.
