Power Sensor

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First battery-free Smart Grid sensor measuring voltage with 0.5% accuracy.

A distribution network is the backbone of any electric utility’s delivery system, yet it is often the largest unmonitored part of the grid. Aclara’s Power Sensors provide a new generation of distribution monitoring with the real-time actionable intelligence utilities need to monitor and optimize power conditions and improve reliability.

  • Accurate voltage and current measurements that seamlessly integrate with DMS
  • High accuracy voltage and current measurements provide valuable real-time inputs to key planning models and control applications.
  • Interval data logging, remotely configurable alarm thresholds, and waveform capture provide comprehensive visibility of grid conditions and events.
  • Data and alarms can be accessed via reporting and graphing tools in the Aclara Sensor Management System (SMS) software or can be integrated via DNP3 to other back-end systems such as SCADA, Data Historians, Energy Management Systems (EMS), and Distribution Management Systems (DMS).
  • MV Power Sensors provide key inputs to a wide range of applications including and Volt/VAR optimization, enhanced substation monitoring, distributed generation (DG) and DER integration, enhanced DMS power flow modeling, power quality monitoring, fault notification and location, and voltage regulator monitoring.

Aclara’s Power Sensors offer an affordable turnkey solution.  A single crew can install a set of sensors within minutes.  Sensors are safely installed with a hot stick or insulated gloves, with no calibration required. Clamp-on line sensors with integrated wireless communications avoid the installation time, pole clutter and recurring field calibration associated with line post sensors, optical sensors and pole-mounted meter cabinets.  Sensors are inductively powered to eliminate the costs of expensive battery maintenance. Finally, all sensors are remotely configurable and integrated with Aclara SMS software with Predictive Grid® Analytics.

Safe and Reliable Voltage and Power Measurements

The line sensors are easily installed on medium voltage conductors and directly connected to system neutral, pole ground, or non-load break cutouts via light gauge copper wire. Power Sensors use an internal voltage divider to provide measurements of feeder voltage and safely maintain system insulation.  Sensors are tested to meet comparable surge and insulation standards as line post sensors and surge arrestors.

Flexible, Ubiquitous Communications Options

Aclara’s Grid Monitoring platform supports a wide range of communications options including  3G and 4G communications for high-speed real-time reporting of events and data.  Sensors can be quickly installed, automatically power up, connect to the network and back office. Where other smart grid communications networks are used, Aclara’s Wi-Fi MV Power Sensors support easy integration with public and private IP-based networks via aggregators or third party communications nodes.