ControlPoint Technologies is working on behalf of a local electric utility asset planning and protection group to help improve reliability and mitigate outages throughout their distribution system. As part of the New York Recloser Initiative, ControlPoint has specified potential locations that maximize outage prevention, developed programmable settings for the new devices, and performed coordination studies on the affected circuits. In addition, ControlPoint has implemented fusing improvements in areas that are not suitable for a recloser installation, but will benefit greatly from increased protection.

Reclosers, automated circuit breakers that detect faults along distribution circuits, are being installed in areas of New York that are highly susceptible to short, fleeting faults, such as downed tree branches or animals shorting out pole-top equipment, etc. The device automatically closes the system back in, greatly decreasing outage time. In addition to improving reliability and minimizing equipment damage, reclosers reduce labor costs associated with outage restoration and equipment replacement.

ControlPoint engineers are trained in several software utilities to model and test how the new devices coordinate with existing equipment such as in-line fuses and station circuit breakers. Software programs and tools, CymTCC and Aspen One-Liner, enable the engineer to designate which time-current characteristic curve the recloser should utilize. Schweitzer SEL-651R recloser controls are being installed at all of the new locations.

ControlPoint has issued over 150 new recloser locations to be installed in the next three years, all across New York state. In addition, fusing improvement studies have been performed on over 350 feeders, including many distribution circuits that were not designated as viable candidates for a recloser.

*Contributed by Emmanuel Jean-Baptiste and Michael Conway.