Case Study: Portland General Electric achieves reliable peak-load management and significant cost savings with AVEVA

Dispatchable Standby Generation (DSG) links 32 generators at 21 customer sites ensuring grid reliability at peak power demands

Portland General Electric needed a reliable, cost‑effective way to supply ample electricity to roughly 2 million residents and manage extreme peak demand without skyrocketing megawatt costs or higher emissions. The utility faced the challenge of integrating diverse customer‑owned generators, renewables and substation equipment under a single control system; to solve this it selected AVEVA, using AVEVA System Platform and InTouch to support its GenOnSys Dispatchable Standby Generation (DSG) program.

AVEVA’s solution integrated GenOnSys with PGE’s EMS/SCADA to create a virtual power plant that links 32 generators across 21 customer sites (about 45 MW), providing distributed real‑time monitoring, live video and IEEE‑61850‑420‑7 based alarming, plus metering and database integration. The AVEVA‑powered system enables single‑click dispatch of ~40 MW, peak shaving that avoids buying costly wholesale power during spikes (historically up to 1,200% increases), reduces operating staff to four people, and measurably improves feeder reliability and grid resilience.

Portland General Electric

Mark Osborn

Distributed Resources Manager