Improving grid operations by collecting and applying better data
Monish Mukherjee and Shiva Poudel in the Electricity Infrastructure Operations Center at PNNL.
(Photograph by Andrea Starr | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)
Modern technologies and lifestyles have cultivated a reliance on power, and therefore a national need to better manage and control the grid. PNNL has answered this call by bringing together industry software, real-time grid data, and advanced computation into a functional control room – the Electricity Infrastructure Operations Center (EIOC). Shaped with input from utilities, technology vendors, and researchers, the EIOC serves as a unique platform for researching, developing, and deploying technologies to improve grid management.
At the EIOC, researchers are focusing on improving situational awareness by collecting more and richer data and by developing tools that allow for timely analyses, as well as quick and appropriate action. The facility features:
access to real data from North America's eastern and western power grids
physical and cybersecurity for equipment, information, personnel, and data
leading energy management system software
industry standard virtualization infrastructure
30 workstations, 25 special-purpose computers, and more than 50 servers
a 452-square-foot video screen in the EIOC East room
a 452-square-foot video screen in the EIOC West room
video and audio capture and recording of room and operations
By using the resources available at the EIOC and by drawing upon its industry partnerships, PNNL researchers are obtaining and studying more in-depth data from extreme weather events and other grid disruptions to understand how to prevent future catastrophes.
The EIOC has also been used to explore improved cybersecurity defense methods. Engineers have tested applications for high-performance computing and the PowerNET Testbed–a multi-user, remotely accessible, experimental laboratory focused on testing and evaluating power systems for smart grid research.
The EIOC is available to utilities, vendors, government agencies, and universities interested in research, development, or training.