As the World Plugs In, S&C’s Smart Technology Keeps the Power On

Last January, a power outage in my neighborhood caused some houses on our street, including my own, to lose power for almost two days. While many of us have had similar experiences, moments like these remind us how frustrating, even devastating, power outages can be. As we grow more dependent on electricity, we expect power 24/7, year around. If there’s an outage, we want—and need—power restored quickly.

This is why I’m proud to announce S&C’s newest innovation—the EdgeRestore® Underground Distribution Restoration System. The EdgeRestore system is a “first in the world” automation solution that keeps the power on in residential neighborhoods with underground power distribution.

As happened on my street, a loss of source or a fault on an underground residential loop usually results in a sustained power outage. Finding and resolving the issue usually involves trial-and-error fault-hunting, leaving some customers without power for a long time. S&C’s new EdgeRestore system provides a solution for this issue. The EdgeRestore system’s devices automatically locate and isolate faults and reroute power from an alternate source—all within 60 seconds.

The intelligent EdgeRestore system reduces the impact of sustained outages and eliminates the need for immediate crew intervention, keeping power on until the underlying issue can be resolved. Automatic fault isolation also greatly simplifies the process for finding faults on underground residential circuits, saving valuable time and reducing medium-voltage exposure for crews.

Moreover, the EdgeRestore system is easy to deploy, with smart communication across existing power cables. It fits inside of the transformer enclosures on new or existing underground residential loop circuits with no changes to the normal protection scheme. The devices do not need any programming, firmware updates, computers, Internet connectivity, batteries, radios, or antennas.

As the world’s electric grids face unprecedented complexity, the need for smarter, reliable, resilient, and modernized electrical grids has never been greater. From navigating the challenges of climate change to preparing for the most significant energy transition of our lifetimes, S&C is innovating to help our customers advance an intelligent, future-ready grid. In fact, as we developed our EdgeRestore system, we collaborated with Florida Power & Light Company to address their grid-modernization efforts and the real-world challenges their customers experience.

This is an exciting time at S&C and in our industry. Our team is delivering solutions that solve customer challenges and enable a future grid with intelligent self-healing technologies and automation that improves reliability and resilience. With the EdgeRestore system, we modernize the last mile of underground power delivery, making the grid safer, smarter, and more resilient throughout weather challenges and growing electricity demands.

Our long history of grid innovation and customer engagement means we can address the challenges utilities face today and anticipate the challenges they will face tomorrow. As we plug in and demand more from our power grids, S&C works with customers to keep the power on and prevent sustained outages through smart technology.