Chicago-based Exelon, one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, uses automated meter reading (AMR) technology to monitor electric power usage of its 1.7 million customers in Philadelphia. Looking for additional ways to derive value from the AMR data, the company deployed a pilot project using a meter data analysis program from Microsoft® Utility Partner Itron, and hosted on Microsoft SQL Server® 2005 database software as the relational data store. Working from a subset of a 7-terabyte database to model its distribution network, including loads on unit substations, step-down transformers, local transformers, and power cables, the company found it could use the AMR information to predict equipment failures that could cause power outages. The ability to model loads on its distribution network is expected to help the company reduce outages and gain lower operational costs. |
