Case Study: AEP Ohio improves outage response and power reliability with SEL Distribution Automation Control

Distribution Automation Controller (DAC) Helps AEP Advance Customer Service

AEP Ohio, a subsidiary of American Electric Power serving 1.5 million people across 88 counties, wanted to improve efficiency, speed outage detection and response, and gain better visibility and control over its distribution system as the energy landscape changed. To support its smart grid automation initiative, AEP Ohio worked with Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) and deployed distribution automation across 70 circuits.

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) provided a solution built around about 300 SEL-651R Advanced Recloser Controls, SEL-2401 Satellite-Synchronized Clocks, SEL-2890 Ethernet Transceivers, and an SEL-3555 Real-Time Automation Controller serving as a distribution automation controller. The system helped AEP Ohio automatically isolate faulted sections, backfeed healthy lines, handle open-phase conditions, and remotely program devices and retrieve event data, reducing truck rolls and improving restoration speed. As a result, AEP Ohio can restore power faster, keep more customers energized after events, and even repair equipment before a customer complaint is received.

AEP Ohio

Paul Zawada

Principal Engineer