Utility control center managers make crucial decisions throughout the day. They must have a superior level of awareness. They’re constantly monitoring and controlling changing conditions to ensure optimal production of energy and distribution to the consumers. In order to succeed in their work utility managers require control rooms that can help them make the right decisions in the most critical circumstances. Let’s review of the importance of having well-designed, strategic control rooms for utility companies.
Command Centre Video Walls Give Big Data Visualization to Operators
A very essential elements of every utility control room is the use of video walls to display big data. Video walls allow for precise monitoring to facilitate collaboration as well as a quicker responses in emergency circumstances. This means that they’re essential for any establishment that manages distribution, transmission, and distribution.
Facilities can utilize its video wall to show the entire distribution and transmission grid throughout the day. This can help reduce costly interruptions to service and production that could adversely affect their customers. Video walls also permit operators to see meter information to check the status of each customer.
Operators of the utility control room also utilize video walls to show their interactions between field personnel. These messages are displayed in conjunction with data generated by outage management software as well as Distribution management software. Operators can effortlessly change between geographic or schematic representations of networks, which can help them effectively guide crews when they set up new systems, read data or repair existing networks.
Video Walls and Supervisory Control as well as data Acquisition (SCADA)
Numerous utilities employ SCADA to collect and analyze the data at a real-time pace. The results and observations can be utilized to monitor and manage their facilities. This includes energy firms, wastewater or water installations, and facilities which refine or transport gas and oil. The display of SCADA data on video wall panels of large size increases the readability and quality of information and makes it easier for users to analyse information.
Here’s an illustration of how an energy plant control room could incorporate SCADA to their wall of videos. When SCADA finds that the cause of an outage it relays the information at the room controlling it, and display it on the walls of video. This informs the operator of the outage , so they can start the process of returning power. SCADA will also consider the significance of the outage and shows information in real-time while the operators perform their work.
Control Rooms provide utilities with Security and Surveillance
In the case of utilities security and security are crucial. Facilities should be able to function in a safe manner throughout the day in order to continue to provide services to clients. Control rooms and the functions it provides can be the perfect location for the surveillance office or room. The operator can manage and monitor the entire security system from a single place, reducing the risk of security vulnerabilities.
Control Room Support Regulator and Transparency for Customers
Transparency is crucial for utility firms since they have to comply with standards of performance set by regulators. Utilities have to accurately and openly declare their operations and if they do not they could be subject to penalties.
Utilities are also accountable to customers , and they are required to offer them continuous services. For instance in the event that a client is unable to use their power, they should expect to receive prompt information regarding the outage as well as when energy will be restored. If utilities do not clearly communicate the information required by customers (including the timeframes) Customers can make complaints.
Control rooms provide utility companies with the capacity and space to monitor information in real-time and allow them to remain transparent to regulators and their customers. In turn, this can help utility companies to manage their perceptions and expectations about their performance and service.
Control Rooms can House training simulation panels
As older employees retire utilities require effective methods to train replacements. One of the most efficient methods to accomplish this is using soft or hard simulation panels. They are particularly important for nuclear power plants, because only one new reactor has been put into operation since 1996. Fabricators for control rooms are able to retrofit simulation panels that recreate the appearance and feel of the control panel that a nuclear power plant’s control room requires.
