Project information
Project overview
The LV Network Lab testbed is designed to evaluate the installation and integration required for comprehensive real-time monitoring and control within a selected area of the LV network. Vector will assess how each component of the testbed contributes to LV monitoring and control capabilities, with the goal of creating a scalable plan for proactive LV asset management in the future.
Pursuing a full-scale trial with a wide variety of technologies working together, rather than testing these on a case-by-case basis, gives the richest view of real-world interoperability so that Vector can determine which combinations of technology provide the most effective architecture for proactive LV monitoring and control.
Innovation challenge or opportunity
Vector intends to comprehensively understand the capabilities within the system architecture for LV monitoring consisting of monitoring technologies, communications pathways, and analytic tools addresses different aspects of network visibility, forecasting and management. The trial will establish the data quality, trigger settings, communications performance, and operational thresholds needed to use these capabilities reliably in practice. It will also assess whether the resulting improvement in local service outcomes justifies broader deployment.
During deployment Vector expects to uncover and share the integration challenges associated with bringing LV data into existing network operational platforms.
Vector will seek to identify the benefits of network operational data available from modern smart meters and the algorithms that can leverage that data.
Desired outcomes and customer benefits
- more efficient asset management strategies from an informed view of LV monitoring deployment
- cost savings as LoRaWAN enabled sensors offer a lower cost monitoring option
The trial will assess whether Vector can address emerging network issues before they cause avoidable customer impacts, specifically:
- reduced duration and frequency of local low-voltage interruptions through earlier event detection, faster fault identification, and more timely restoration action;
- improved quality of supply, including earlier identification of emerging voltage, overload, fuse, or asset condition issues before they develop into outages or sustained customer impact;
- improved accuracy and efficiency of field response. Crews are more likely to reach the right location with better information on the likely cause, reducing repeat attendance and avoidable delay;
- improved visibility of customer-level interruption and service performance, enabling better identification of customer outcomes that existing reporting frameworks do not currently show to the same extent;
- improved ability to assess and manage hosting capacity for distributed energy resources in a way that supports both network security and customer access; and
- improved resilience and safeguarding capability in the trial area, including the ability to support local service continuity measures where these are tested in later phases of the programme
Changes to the project scope or intended outcomes
Upcoming milestones
WP1: LV Visibility and Capability
- design architecture investigation and assessment of suitable assets for monitoring capability
- procurement, Installation and configuration and in-field commissioning of equipment
- configuration of operational technology control systems
- design, test and configure LV circuit breakers
WP2: LoRaWAN Assessment
- completion of a market scan of LPWAN technologies to confirm the selection of LoRaWAN
- determine LoRaWAN network reliability for network loading and asset condition monitoring and evaluate its suitability for supporting LV monitoring and control
WP3: Data Management
- LV network survey and detailed GIS updating of assets in the project precinct
- upgrading of metering within footprint
- establish data ingestion pipelines and integration of data into OT and IT environments
WP4: Project Management and Industry Knowledge sharing
- knowledge dissemination on the commissioning experience, community engagement and insights the architecture offers for future LV deployments and the use of new sensor technology into network designs
- knowledge sharing on LV technology integration into network OT systems
- knowledge dissemination of the benefits of NODs data and algorithms to support its future use
Progress made
- developing Community engagement plan;
- begun Digital architecture investigation
- begun Procurement of monitoring equipment
- begun LV network survey and detailed GIS updating of assets in the project precinct and assessment of suitable assets for monitoring capability
