By Satish Saini, HEXstream utilities industry specialist 

Cold-weather warnings, such as those we are seeing today across North America, alert not just people to oncoming arctic conditions, but they also help utilities move from reactive outage response to data-driven, proactive grid-asset protection. Periods of extreme cold put unique stresses on energy networks, with stress patterns related to load surges from electric heating, equipment derating and outage-restoration work.

Much like thunderstorms in warmer months, winter storms create their own problems for utilities. 

From weather forecasts to grid-asset risk intelligence

The good news is that smart new techniques and tools equip energy-providers like never before. Emerging technologies help modern utilities translate hyper-local weather forecasts (temperature, wind chill, ice probability, duration below freezing) into asset-level risk scores and inform better energy strategies.

By combining weather data with asset-health and risk Scores—Asset Performance Insights (APIs), utilities can rank cold-vulnerable assets like transformers, feeders and switching equipment and focus their attention where failure likelihood is highest. Utilities with APIs already in place have an advantage over others to take proactive actions on assets protection and management.

AMI analytics, load surge & demand analytics 

Similarly, using Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) enables near-real-time insight into cold-driven load behaviors. Utilities can reference detailed information regarding load patterns, time-of-use peaks and dips from morning/evening pickup stresses from electric space heaters, EV chargers, etc. These insights empower decision-makers to better manage transformers and feeders prior to and during cold snaps. Further, analytics using behind-the-meter resources and VPP availability help utilities narrow their focus on the greatest risk areas.

We all also benefit from more accurate weather forecasts, which utilities can combine with their workforce and materials-readiness planning tools to extend smart strategies beyond mere assets onto larger distribution and outage-recovery plans—think field-crew availability and analytics with safe shift rotations, fleet management, inventory checks for crew PPEs, and data on key critical equipment needed to manage extreme weather events more effectively.

Additionally, utilities can now rely on proactive and early customer communication and coordination using AMI tools to reduce safety risk and public impact, all while keeping customers updated on issues. 

Much like thunderstorms we experience in summer months, cold crises are simply a fact of life for many of us. The tools and tactics detailed above, combined with single-page dashboards complete with decision-making alerts and analytics reports, add further capabilities for energy providers to mitigate asset damage while improving reliability. 

Consider cold-weather events as grid stress tests. Those who pass these tests with flying colors combine weather intelligence, data analytics from various technology platforms, asset-health scores and DER flexibility to prevent failures, shorten outage durations and sustain equipment health. 

In short, these are plenty of cool new tools we can use to keep the lights on and the furnaces running. 

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT US ABOUT HEXSTREAM SOLUTIONS TO EMPOWER YOUR UTILITY THIS WINTER.