Emerging Trends in Distribution Reliability, Safety, and Resilience

Modern distribution systems have undergone a tremendous amount of change in recent years, and the rate of change appears to be accelerating. This is due to a combination of drivers from stakeholder expectations, technology advancement, increased reliance on electricity, and expectations of further electrification. This paper and associated presentation will address key trends that are emerging and what utilities can do to shape the next generation smart grid. Key trends discussed here include artificial intelligence and imagery, secondary benefits of AMI systems, and designing resilient overhead distribution structures. While not exhaustive, these topics give a glimpse into the trends in distribution asset management. This paper and discussion will describe each topic in detail, provide an update on current R&D in on the topic, and will present opportunities for utilities to identify near-term actions to continue development.