SurvalentONE ADMS is easy to configure and upgrade, and the value is outstanding. Support is also great — you actually get a live person on the phone to help solve problems.
The Challenge
When Bluebonnet replaced its outdated SCADA with a new ADMS solution, they quickly found that it failed to meet key expectations and performance requirements. For example, Bluebonnet was unable to activate Fault Location, Isolation and Service Restoration (FLISR) in its network. The utility needed a system with a strong distribution management system (DMS) component that would enable them to establish self-healing feeders and restore power faster in important suburban and commercial/industrial areas.
Bluebonnet laid out their plan for implementing SurvalentONE ADMS, along with the return on investment scenario, and management made the difficult decision to replace it after only two years.
The Solution
Bluebonnet deployed several SurvalentONE ADMS applications, including SCADA, FLISR, and Rotational Load Shedding, giving them a newfound ability to see downstream devices, pinpoint fault locations, remotely reconfigure the network, perform more accurate load forecasting, and satisfy regulatory requirements for load shedding. Bluebonnet considers SurvalentONE FLISR to be a game-changer for restoring power faster in high-profile sections of the network. With remote access to the ADMS, the technical services group can perform inspections, maintenance, and troubleshooting in the substations more quickly and efficiently.
The changeover to SurvalentONE ADMS has even benefited Bluebonnet’s IT department, because six fewer servers are required to operate the system, reducing the maintenance effort.
Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative distributes electricity throughout 14 counties in central Texas, a 3,800-square-mile territory, between the cities of Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. The utility is one of the largest electric cooperatives in the state, servicing 103,541 meters and maintaining 47 substations. Bluebonnet currently employs nine ADMS system operators and a manager at its control center in Bastrop.
