1. Keeping your Automated Devices Alive
CenterPoint Energy’s IG Deployment -
Lessons Learned
John Rush
CenterPoint Energy
Crew Leader- Intelligent Grid Deployment
SWEDE
Austin, TX
May 1-3, 2013        

2. Automation History
CenterPoint Energy (CNP) has had automation in place for over 40 years
1970’s - Substation relays - SCADA
1980’s - Remote Control Reclosers & Pole Top Switches - Distribution Automated Control System (DACS)
1990’s - Loop Sectionalizing - DACS
2010 – Department of Energy/CNP IG construction project begins
IGSDs installed
IGSDs installed; year end = 201
IGSDs installed; year end = 384
DACS converted to Distribution Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (DSCADA)
IGSDs installed to date, 4/11/2013

3. Legacy DACS Maintenance Program
Legacy DACS Maintenance Improvements
DSCADA equipment monitored by Telecommunication & Control Systems Orgs
SAP Notifications
Intelligent Distribution Device (IDD) work orders dispatched via Mobile Data
Distribution techs are DSCADA first responders
System oversight and 30 day restoration metric
Speaking points
Legacy and IGSDs are monitored by a variety of groups; NOC, DSCADA Control, Distribution Control, IG project team
The D2 FUW notifications are created by the NOC and allows for individual device tracking and restoration matrix history
Work orders can be sent immediately to DSP tech (cap crew) and if necessary be referred
Service centers are responsible for their devices and the reporting makes there efforts transparent

4. Intelligent Grid Deployment
≈ 31 Substation Upgrades
≈ 180 Distribution Circuits
≈ 600 Intelligent Grid Switching Devices (IGSD)
≈ 420K Customers
Construction Schedule
14-19 installations per week
67% Complete YE 2012
100% by YE 2013
12kV & 35kV installations
Site are fully commissioned upon completion of construction
Minimizes out of service duration of manual switch upgrade to IGSD
Allows for high volume of switch replacements in a small geographic area
7 crews working out of 6 service centers
5,000 Square Miles
2.3M Customers
16.4 GW Peak

5. Challenges and Opportunities
New Technology
Firmware
Dual communication requirements
Distribution SCADA (DSCADA)
Multiple Vendors (5 IGSD combinations)
Failures & Material Issues
Volume of installations demanded higher expectations
Documentation of issues into a multi-departmental log
Training
Distribution Operations techs required training on new installations and maintenance of devices
None of the vendor’s FW was ready for dual comms
Telecommunications was required to preform a site survey and assist with commissioning
New control system (DSCADA) templates had to be prepared for site specific devices and comms
ESM historically has utilized multiple vendors for the following advantages
hold cost down
improve supply restrictions
Typical yearly installs ranged devices per year, IG project installed 162 devices in a 2 month period
Operation crews now needed to know how to commission and maintain the new devices, this was provided by ESM, Telecom, and Operations

6. QA/QC Vendors Vendor Audits Audit Reports Issue Resolution
Factory visits
Audit Reports
CNP provided feedback
Good/Best practices
Gaps and improvement recommendations
Issue Resolution
Return Material Authorization (RMA) Reports
CNP encourages transparency with ALL issues
Encourage synergy between CNP and Vendors during acceptance and installation
CNP sent a team (operations, engineers, electricians) to each vendor (switch & controller)
After the visit CNP would document the factory visit and reply back to each vendor with our observations and recommendations
Failures fully investigated and CNP reviews and accepts report prior to resuming receiving or installing devices
CNP expects the vendors to be candid and timely on any issue they or other customers identify
Speak to some examples of vendor support; application engineers flying in to CNP, weekly conference calls, dedicated resources

7. QA/QC CNP Logistics Shops
New Pallet design (Facilitates Testing and Shipping)
Shops
Itemized checklist (Tester’s signature)
Hi-Pot, Current Injection, and Relay Testing
Communication & DSCADA Testing
Kit (Distribution material palletized with IGSD)

8. QA/QC CNP (Cont.) Field Installation and Commissioning
DPD crew and Telecom tech onsite
DPD crew and Distribution Controller partner to commission IGSD
IGSD Commissioning Document
QC Each site is independently inspected
IGSD QC report
Issue Log & Documentation
All issues are documented into a central issue log
Risk Management provides oversight

9. IGSD Test Farm
IGSD Test Farm

10. Availability Report 4-11-13

11. Operational Opportunities
Improved System Reliability
Critical Infrastructure is only out of service for short periods of time
Existing Manual Switch replaced by IGSD within 2 days
Existing IGSDs are out of service less than 14 days
Efficiencies Gained
IGSDs are fully tested prior to installation
IGSDs are communicating upon construction completion (87%)
Kits require less hot shot deliveries
Early issue/problem detection
Defined, Repeatable, and Scalable Processes

12. DOE Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
4/15/2017
DOE Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
Per the DOE Grant Agreement,: “If you publish or otherwise make publicly available the results of the work conducted under the award, an acknowledgment of Federal Support and a disclaimer must appear in the publication of any material, whether copyrighted or not, based on or developed under this project, as follows:” Acknowledgment: “This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy under Award Number [DE-OE ]” Disclaimer: “This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Referenced herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinion of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.” 12
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