MARKHAM, ONTARIO—December 16, 2013—GE’s Digital Energy business (NYSE: GE) today announced the launch of an enhanced version of its Multilin™ Intelligent Line Monitoring System, an end-to-end overhead line monitoring solution with advanced analytics that provides actionable intelligence to distribution utilities, improving the reliability and efficiency of power delivery to their customers. Using the system, utilities can reduce the duration of outages by accurately identifying fault locations allowing them to quickly dispatch repair crews. Improved dynamic line rating also helps them easily identify additional available line capacity to maximize their existing infrastructure investment.
The system’s ability to reliably identify fault location and deliver analytics was the key factor in ESB Networks Ltd. implementing this technology. As the licensed operator of the electricity distribution system in the Republic of Ireland, serving all electricity customers in that country, ESB Networks worked with GE to test and install the system.
“GE’s system delivers reliable fault location across our 80,000-kilometer overhead network, and their work with us in adapting the system to meet the challenges of our various medium-voltage grounding treatments is a major element in our network performance improvement plan," saidMartin Hand, operation policy and safety engineer for ESB Networks.
Upgrades to the Multilin Intelligent Line Monitoring System include a new feeder visualizer application, which helps utilities gather data from their network to identify loading and phase imbalance issues. The improved fault location allows utilities to quickly and precisely identify trouble spots and send an email or SMS message to repair crews, getting them dispatched to limit system interruptions.
“Today’s regulatory environment obligates utilities to reduce outage duration but often it has to be done with less capital expenditures and lower maintenance budgets. GE’s enhanced Multilin Intelligent Line Monitoring System gives utilities advanced intelligence enabling them to save money and time by diagnosing the root cause of the problem more quickly, giving them the actionable information about prevailing conditions to restore power faster,” said Juan Macias, general manager, grid automation, GE’s Digital Energy business.
By leveraging GE’s patented time-synchronized data delivery, the Multilin Intelligent Line Monitoring System delivers data to utilities faster than ever before ensuring timely decisions are made when weather or equipment failures interrupt a network. Expanded communication backhaul options also allow for greater installation flexibility into a utility’s existing network.
GE’s Digital Energy business is a global leader in transmission and distribution solutions that manage and move power from the power plant to the consumer. Its products and services increase the reliability of electrical power networks and critical equipment for utility, industrial and large commercial customers. From protecting and optimizing assets such as generators, transmission lines and motors, to delivering analytic tools to help manage the power grid, GE’s Digital Energy business delivers industry-leading technologies to solve the unique challenges of each customer. For more information, visit http://www.gedigitalenergy. com/. About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ge.com.
Glenn is a geographer and a GIS professional with over 20 years experience in the industry. He's the co-founder of GISuser and several other technology web publications.