James Parker , left, and David Handley install an IntelliRupter as part of the Smart Grid system Friday on 11th Street.BY THE NUMBERS• Installed intellirupters — 1,100• Installed smart meters — 110,000• Intellirupters yet to be installed — 67• Planned smart meter installation — 170,000• Other automated breakers yet to be installed — 300• Total project completion — End of 2012• Installation of last intellirupter — April 24Source: EPB
EPB is moving toward the installation of its final intellirupter, a key component in the city’s smart grid.
The devices act like switches on a railroad track, automatically re-routing power when they detect an outage. That way, a fallen tree only takes out power on a single street, not an entire neighborhood.
PB’s smart grid provides the utility with the type of automation “typically reserved for service areas with 2 million people or more,” said Jim Glass, manager of smart grid development for EPB.
Spaced about 140 meters apart, technicians in the control room can pinpoint the location of an outage, cutting down on the need for line inspectors.