Electrical Power & Protection


Utility made easy

April 2020 Electrical Power & Protection

In recognition of the growing demand for reliable power provision, Schneider Electric strives to assist network operators to deliver electricity safely and efficiently. The company’s Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) is a fully integrated smart control system which bridges operational technology (OT) with information technology (IT) to provide utilities with a modern solution for electrical network management, control, monitoring, optimisation and planning. The ADMS features six modules for the seamless operation of power systems:

• Remote control and dynamic network monitoring and management (scada)

• Advanced mathematical model, simulations, analysis, optimisation and planning of distribution network (DMS).

• Advanced mathematical model, simulations, analysis, optimisation and planning of transmission network (EMS).

• Comprehensive workflow of unplanned and planned outages (OMS).

• Control and management of generation units (PCS).

• Distribution Energy Resource Management (DERMS).

“In a world where reliable power provision is paramount, the electricity market is moving towards integrated sophisticated software products to meet customer demands,” says Taru Madangombe, vice president of Power Systems, Anglophone Cluster for Schneider Electric. “Our Advanced Distribution Management System embodies the convergence of IT and OT to offer an end-to-end solution for network managers, offering real-time situational awareness and smart control.”

A truly integrated system

Schneider Electric’s ADMS provides one unified IT platform, one user interface, one database, and one network model (from low voltage up to extra high voltages). Additionally, the solution offers one place for all system configuration and administration, and maintenance procedures and processes.

ADMS from Schneider Electric benefits utilities and the customers they serve by improving operations and enabling the delivery of reliable power. The system helps utilities improve safety, reliability and power quality, leading to improved customer service. With ADMS, peak demand and power system losses can be reduced. Additionally, better utilisation of network facilities can be achieved, meaning fewer investments need to be made while still maintaining quality network operation.

Easy to use

The Microsoft Windows based system allows for easy administration and standardised deployment within the company’s existing infrastructure, making adoption easy. For field crews on the move, ADMS also offers a Field Client mobile application deployed on iPads, touchpads, touchbooks or standard laptops, offering both online and offline modes. This gives the field crew the same awareness (network, incident and calls visualisation) and the same data as the control centre user.

Flexible and configurable

Schneider Electric ADMS scales to cover the smallest to largest networks with high performance. One example is the outage management component, which is highly flexible and configurable to the utilities’ business processes and distribution size. It can be used for the management of planned and unplanned work in the distribution utilities, including outages, switching, hazards, maintenance and all other jobs required by distribution daily operation.

“We believe that ADMS will become the pervasive platform for utility and power management. It will facilitate the management of end-to-end processes in and around the control room and will be instrumental in the process of IT/OT transformation,” concludes Madangombe.


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