Taking a Phased Approach Makes RTU and SCADA System Upgrades Seamless and Cost-Effective
Glades Electric Cooperative stages roll-out of new system after a comprehensive evaluation
Utilities that are replacing their aging remote terminal units ( RTUs ) and SCADA systems are doing so to ensure system reliability , improve usability and enhance future scalability – taking advantage of technology advancements in data connectivity and remote management . But how a utility approaches such a project is critical to ensuring that their system upgrade will be seamless and cost-effective .
Those who adopt a phased approach give themselves an opportunity to thoroughly evaluate the new technology ’ s feature set and assess its compatibility with existing equipment , which is critical for the extended process of transitioning to new technology . It also helps with the integration of new features so that a utility can take full advantage of what their new system offers . Staging the implementation is also a smart capital move as it does not commit project dollars before a thorough evaluation and go-forward implementation plan can be completed .
Glades Electric Cooperative , a 16-substation distribution cooperative that serves the power needs of four counties in Southern Florida with over 2700 miles of power lines and 17,000 meters , recently faced this challenge as they began their process of replacing their RTU and SCADA networks . Despite being installed relatively recently in 2015 , the current RTUs were not meeting Glades ’ reliability requirements .
4 TEC Magazine • December 2021