Sault Smart Grid

The PUC Distribution Inc. (PUC) Sault Smart Grid (SSG) Project is transforming the way we deliver electricty by modernizing our entire service territory distribution energy infrastructure. Once operational, it will be the first community-wide smart grid in Canada.

The SSG will enhance reliability and resiliency, improve outage management, reduce energy consumption, and provide increased real-tme operatioonal awareness and control of the distribution system for improved operations and asset utilization eﬃciency without increasing the customer bill.

Reduced energy consumption will directly result in reduced greenhouse gas emissions from reduced provincial grid generation requirements. The project included an upgrade to the legacy SCADA system to the Survalent Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) and integration of existing systems, including Automated Meter Information (AMI), Geographic Information System (GIS) and the Customer Information System (CIS).

Benefits of the Sault Smart Grid include:

Average energy savings of 2.7% for residential customers

Annual reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2,804 tonnes of carbon dioxide

Improved Reliability - shorter outages and fewer customers impacted

Improved communications and advanced reporting

The (ADMS) key applicatons include:

FLISR (Fault Location, Isolation & Service Restoration) - distribution automation with SCADA-enabled stations and line distribution equipment such as breakers, reclosers, switches, and faulted circuit indicators (FCIs),
VVO/DVR - (Volt-VAR/ Distribution Voltage Reduction) – SCADA-enabled equipment on substations and feeders for voltage management control, and
OMS – (Outage Management System) - improved outage management functions for PUC and customer information.

The SSG project also required the application and development of communications technologies for required new equipment through PUC Services utility communication networks, including ﬁbre and cellular technologies, for data access and control.

Collectively these technologies and applications comprise the SSG that will deliver the beneﬁts outlined above and is positioning the PUC to better deploy and/or accommodate new distributed energy resources (DERs) such as photovoltaics, energy storage (batteries), cogeneration, and electric vehicles (EVs) as well as support smart city and other community growth initiatives.

Project Progress

The Sault Smart Grid Project is in the final stages, with an expected completion date in the fall, 2023. Click on the links below to see videos of the project process:

Concrete being poured | Feb 2023