Affect of Distribution Automation and Control on Future System Configuration

The increase in distribution voltages to economically serve continually growing load densities has underscored the need for cost effective, improved reliability levels. Recently, powerful microprocessors and minicomputers have given distribuution system engineers new tools that are making many distribution automation concepts attainable. Among these are control algorithms which allow real-time control of distribution system configurations. Normal loadings of substation transformers and of looped, sectionalized primary circuits can be economically increased by the judicious use of distribution automation which has the ability, through software controlled load-interrupting switches, to rapidly reconfigure the system to relieve abnormal loads imposed as a result of rearrangement to isolate a faulted component.