Smart technology restores power automatically during storms and outages

MILWAUKEE — A growing part of We Energies’ storm response now happens in seconds — before a crew is even dispatched.

After a storm, trucks roll and line workers get to the task of fixing damage and getting the lights back on. But in some cases, smart switch technology can restore power automatically before crews arrive.

The brilliance of smart switches

More than 700 smart switches monitor We Energies’ electric grid around the clock for signs of trouble. When a problem occurs, the switches can automatically isolate the affected section of the system and quickly reroute power to restore service for customers.

From January through July, these smart switches have restored power to more than 30,000 customers.

The switches often respond during severe weather. During a windstorm in late July, they helped quickly restore power to 2,000 customers. The technology also helps during other events, including earlier this year in Walworth County when a vehicle hit a power pole and smart-switch technology helped keep power flowing for hundreds of customers.

In total, smart switches and other grid technology have helped customers avoid more than 2.7 million minutes of outage time this year.

Technology is part of a larger reliability effort

As Wisconsin experiences more severe weather, We Energies is carrying out a comprehensive plan to provide customers with reliable energy year-round.

Along with new technology like smart switches and acoustic cameras, the company is trimming trees along thousands of miles of power lines each year and burying power lines in targeted areas to strengthen the grid against stronger storms and high winds.

Here is a video that explains more about the smart switching process.