Smart Grid self-healing implementation for underground distribution networks

Electric Distribution utilities are facing increasing need for substantial changes to embrace smart grid technologies to meet growing energy demand, power supply quality and integration of renewable energy resources to reduce carbon footprint. Self healing distribution Automation can achieve significant improvement of network availability, reliability and consumer satisfactions by considerable reduction customer minutes lost (CML). This paper evaluates different self healing solutions for underground distribution network and Cost-effective distribution automation strategy. The paper also presents selection criteria for optimal allocation of feeder Remote Terminal Units (RTU) in order to minimize interruption cost and Customer minutes lost.