Case Study: Puget Sound Energy improves outage detection and restoration speed with Gridware Active Grid Response

PSE Facing Increased Storm and Wildfire Risk

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) faced a major challenge in maintaining visibility on its power grid during severe storms and wildfires. When circuits were de-energized, conventional monitoring tools provided no real-time data, which hampered the utility's ability to quickly assess damage and prioritize repairs. To address this lack of situational awareness, PSE piloted a solution with vendor Gridware, using their Active Grid Response (AGR) technology.

Gridware's AGR system was deployed on a cross-section of PSE's circuits, providing real-time alerts for events on de-energized lines. The results were highly accurate, with the system pinpointing 22 events with 100% location accuracy and correctly predicting 14 outage causes. During a major bomb cyclone, Gridware provided PSE with real-time notifications of destructive events, enabling the utility to remotely triage and prioritize repairs mid-storm, which greatly enhanced restoration speed and overall system resiliency.

Puget Sound Energy (PSE)

Alex Brotherston

Principal Engineer