Jon Marmillo

In December 20, 2017, LineVision, Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and American Electric Power (AEP) entered into a Three-Party Research Agreement and Non-Disclosure Agreement to work together on a transmission line monitoring and dynamic line rating (DLR) project to study the possible economic, operational, and reliability improvements that DLR technologies offer. The primary question to be addressed was how much financial benefit might DLR provide if it were able to impart a reduction on system… Show more

In December 20, 2017, LineVision, Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and American Electric Power (AEP) entered into a Three-Party Research Agreement and Non-Disclosure Agreement to work together on a transmission line monitoring and dynamic line rating (DLR) project to study the possible economic, operational, and reliability improvements that DLR technologies offer. The primary question to be addressed was how much financial benefit might DLR provide if it were able to impart a reduction on system congestion. On February 1st, 2018 a LineVision V2 transmission line monitoring and dynamic line rating system was installed under the 161kV Siloam Springs - Siloam Springs City transmission line in AEP’s Arkansas service territory. On three separate days in March 2018, the monitored transmission line experienced congestion in the real-time market and was binding and/or breached for multiple intervals totaling 300 minutes. During these times, the LineVision monitoring system was computing the transmission line’s true transfer capacity as determined by DLR, which was above the line’s static operating limit during all of these times. SPP performed an economic study and ran a duplicate instance of their five-minute market (Real Time Balancing Market) using the DLR values to determine what the financial impact would have been if the DLR had been used in lieu of the line’s static rating. The results showed that the market savings from the reduction in congestion could have been up to $18,000 during this period. Show less

In 2017, American Electric Power (AEP), PJM Interconnection, and Genscape, Inc. partnered to perform a dynamic line rating (DLR) pilot project on the Cook-Olive 345 kV transmission line in the AEP Transmission Zone of PJM. DLR technologies report the real-time ampacity capabilities of thermally-limited transmission assets. To determine a line’s dynamic limit, measurement equipment is installed in the transmission right-of-way to monitor the real-time conductor temperature, as it changes with… Show more

In 2017, American Electric Power (AEP), PJM Interconnection, and Genscape, Inc. partnered to perform a dynamic line rating (DLR) pilot project on the Cook-Olive 345 kV transmission line in the AEP Transmission Zone of PJM. DLR technologies report the real-time ampacity capabilities of thermally-limited transmission assets. To determine a line’s dynamic limit, measurement equipment is installed in the transmission right-of-way to monitor the real-time conductor temperature, as it changes with weather and loading conditions. This pilot successfully demonstrated the additional capacity and overall variability that DLR ratings can provide on a typical overhead transmission line.
To better understand the overall economic impact of DLR, PJM performed an economic analysis of a hypothetical DLR installation on one of the most congested lines in its footprint, referred to as Target Line. For the study, LineVision generated back-casted hourly DLRs for the Target Line path using historic National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather data. The data were then used as line ratings in a PJM 2018 PROMOD Market Efficiency base case software simulation.
The results of this simulation were compared to a base case simulation using standard summer and winter static line ratings. Comparison results showed an overall reduction in congestion observed on the Target Line, as well as an overall reduction in system congestion payments of more than $4 million during the one-year study. This paper reviews how the economic analysis was performed and summarizes its results.
Note: At the time this project was initiated, LineVision was a business unit within Genscape, Inc. that has subsequently spun off into a standalone company, LineVision Inc. Show less

American Electric Power has deployed a non-contact transmission line monitoring system that utilizes an array of electromagnetic field (EMF) sensors to monitor the Cook-Olive 345kV line. The Genscape monitoring system, called LineVision, measures the alternating-current EMF emitted from the conductor. The EMF data is analyzed in a computational model, which determines various conductor properties including loading, clearance, temperature, effective wind speed, and the Dynamic Line Rating (DLR).… Show more

American Electric Power has deployed a non-contact transmission line monitoring system that utilizes an array of electromagnetic field (EMF) sensors to monitor the Cook-Olive 345kV line. The Genscape monitoring system, called LineVision, measures the alternating-current EMF emitted from the conductor. The EMF data is analyzed in a computational model, which determines various conductor properties including loading, clearance, temperature, effective wind speed, and the Dynamic Line Rating (DLR). The line’s DLR has shown significant additional capacity above its Static Line Rating, which could be used in power markets to allow for grid flexibility and congestion mitigation. A description of the monitoring system, sensing technique, and data collected are described in this paper. Show less

Wind-driven congestion is negatively impacting revenues from wind farms, causing curtailments and impacting market efficiency. Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) technologies could be used to monitor congested transmission lines to reveal additional thermal capacity for use in real-time market and system operations. This additional carrying capacity will reduce wind-driven congestion and enhance market efficiency. A case study outlining the potential beneficial effects that utilizing dynamic line… Show more

Wind-driven congestion is negatively impacting revenues from wind farms, causing curtailments and impacting market efficiency. Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) technologies could be used to monitor congested transmission lines to reveal additional thermal capacity for use in real-time market and system operations. This additional carrying capacity will reduce wind-driven congestion and enhance market efficiency. A case study outlining the potential beneficial effects that utilizing dynamic line ratings on the Neosho-Riverton transmission line would have on the Caney River wind farm are presented herein. Show less