300 Smart Grid Communication Network and Its Applications
10.3.4.1 Fault Detection, Isolation and Service Restoration
As discussed, electric utilities often rely on a trouble call system in which
customers can report outages to the utility. Generally, when a fault occurs
and customers experience a power outage, customers may call the utility and
report the power outage. After receiving a power outage report, the utility may
send a crew to the field. The crew investigates the fault location and figures
out and implements a switching scheme that first isolates the fault and then
restores service to as many of the affected customers as possible while the
faulty feeder part is being repaired. This procedure may take several hours to
implement.
Nowadays, many ...