An integration of power operating and monitoring platforms from Schneider Electric and ETAP will help reduce risks of potential outages -- saving millions of dollars in potential losses -- and will also improve response time if an incident happens at a facility.
The companies are integrating the Schneider Electric EcoStruxure Power Operation and the ETAP Operator Training Simulator systems to help operators analyze power system behavior against different operating scenarios. It will also help operators design plans for various contingencies based on different simulation and analysis results.
The platform combines an electrical digital twin with a power SCADA system, which collects, analyzes, and monitors data to improve efficiency.
According to the companies, 40% of unplanned power shutdowns are due to operator failures. They say unplanned outages can create millions of dollars in losses across industries, such as the oil and gas platforms losing up to $3 million per outage or a hospital experiencing a $1 million loss over an eight-hour outage.
Automation systems are seen as an integral part of improving energy efficiency and reliability. Distributed control systems are helping with energy transitions, and energy management platforms have helped improve efficiency in areas like buildings and schools.
Energy reliability is also a constant concern for businesses, with more instances like power outages that occurred in Texas earlier in May taking place.
Power system intelligence can help operators anticipate and plan for potential outages, as well as plan for system expansions down the road. The technology can recognize and correct hidden problems and avoid unexpected errors to prevent disruptions, the companies say.
The ETAP platforms will provide a greater learning potential for operators by simulating a variety of situations under different conditions. They can also predict system behavior in response to operator actions based on current and archived data.
Being able to stay on top of potential problems will also enable quicker response times to address issues such as power outages. The companies also say live system data from Schneider Electric’s platform that feeds the digital twin will limit downtime and help provide more accurate operations decisions.