AMI Meter Load Shedding for Selective Critical Load Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load shedding techniques require disconnection of entire feeders or distribution system sections, which critical services like hospitals and police stations share with non-critical loads, preventing the utility provider from maximizing non-critical load disconnection resources and providing social equity.
Innovation Solution
An advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) load shedding system that utilizes individual electricity meters to disconnect non-critical loads while maintaining service to critical loads, controlled by a control server that communicates with meters via wireless networks to manage load shedding and restoration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If entire feeders or distribution system sections are disconnected for load shedding, then the grid is protected from overload, but critical services sharing the same feeder cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the load shedding control to the individual meter level rather than feeder level. Each smart meter can be independently controlled to disconnect or remain connected, allowing the system to disconnect only non-critical loads while maintaining critical services on the same feeder. This granular segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling selective disconnection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by allowing different portions of the same feeder to have different connection states. Critical loads can maintain connection while non-critical loads are disconnected, creating localized differences in service status within the same distribution section. This enables the grid to be protected from overload while critical facilities remain operational.
2Device complexity
If entire feeders are disconnected for load shedding, then load management is simplified, but the ability to maximize non-critical load disconnection resources is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting control to individual meters, the system can selectively disconnect only non-critical loads while maintaining critical services. This maximizes the utilization of available load disconnection resources without requiring complete feeder disconnection, thereby improving productivity in load management while using advanced metering infrastructure to manage the increased control granularity.
3Ease of manufacture
If entire feeders are disconnected for load shedding, then implementation is straightforward, but social equity in distributing load disconnection burden is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables equitable load distribution by allowing selective disconnection of individual non-critical loads rather than forcing entire feeders to disconnect. This segmentation allows the utility to distribute the load disconnection burden more fairly across different customers and premises, disconnecting only those with non-critical loads while maintaining services for critical facilities on the same feeder.
Solution Approach 2:
By applying different connection states to different portions of the feeder based on load criticality, the system achieves equitable load distribution. Critical facilities maintain service while non-critical loads are disconnected, creating localized quality differences that reflect the actual needs of different customers rather than applying a blanket disconnection approach.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus, and system for disconnecting loads from the electrical grid are disclosed. An application programming interface (API) frontend of an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) load shedding system may receive a load shedding activation command; in response to receiving the load shedding activation command, the API frontend may deploy a load shedding token to a first electricity meter of the AMI load shedding system, forward the load shedding token from the first electricity meter to one or more electricity meters of the AMI load shedding system, and cause the one or more electricity meters to disconnect corresponding loads from the one or more electricity meters.