Eversource installing 200 ‘smart switches’ for self-healing grid
Hoping to make Connecticut’s power grid smarter and reduce power outages across the state, Eversource Energy announced Thursday it’s installing 200 “smart switches” around the state that can decrease outages by 30 to 50 percent.
The switches can be controlled from the company’s operations center to restore outages without having to send out crews to repair issues.
Over the past two years, Eversource said they have installed about 50 of these switches throughout the state. In 2016, more than 60 devices were added, with 90 more set to be installed in 2017, according to the company.
“In Fairfield County, smart switches have been, or are scheduled to be installed, in Darien, Norwalk, Stamford, Danbury and Ridgefield,” Mitch Gross, Eversource Energy spokesperson, said of the installations.
Eversource’s “smart switches” are able to identify where an outage occurs, isolate issues, and re-route energy to customers, the company said. The switches are being added to areas more frequently affected by outages in recent years.
“Our continued investments in the electric grid, including self-healing technology like smart switches, are helping keep the power flowing for our customers,” Ken Bowes, Vice President of Engineering at Eversource in Connecticut, said in a release. “This automated equipment requires no human action, which allows us to restore an outage much more quickly – oftentimes within one minute.
