Unleashing Surveillance and Control Potential in Smart Distribution Systems – The NET2DG Approach

Nowadays, the energy transition is increasing the occurrence of several issues in distribution grids worldwide being the most important ones related to voltage quality like flicker, swells, dips and bi-directional power flow [1]. Such challenges are added on top of the already existing faults like lightning strikes and short circuits, but also avoidable losses in the grid like the ones caused by unregistered users, or inefficiencies. However, the Smart Grid environment provides Distribution System Operators (DSO) with data and control possibilities never seen in low voltage grids. Nevertheless, such potential is difficult to fully unleash by small and medium DSO, who lack economic and manpower resources. Such challenges are reviewed in this paper as part of the on-going H2020 Net2DG project [2], firstly by studying existing statistics regarding faults, voltage quality and losses; then identifying the critical aspects and the current practices implemented by DSOs to solve such operational and planning challenges. Subsequently, modern grid-monitoring tools based on the forthcoming Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) are analysed focusing on enabling the use of these systems by DSOs. Thus, this paper aims also to identify and to reduce the gap between academic research and practical application. This is done by facilitating the implementation of beyond state-of-the-art tools in small and medium DSOs which, a priori, would lack the resources to develop and maintain them, taking the ongoing Net2DG H2020 project as example.