Data Analytics Helps Avangrid Improve Grid Reliability
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Avangrid recently launched a new initiative that aims to leverage data analytics to help improve the reliability and resiliency of its power grid. The 3-pronged strategy, launched in August 2024, focuses on potential impact, historical trends and insights, and risk, to prioritize vegetation management efforts.
Details of Avangrid’s Data Analytics Strategy
The company found that its traditional approach to vegitation management, which focused solely on imminent risk, was inefficient because it relied on customer calls, reports from local arborists, or circuit-performance reports. This inefficiency was the driver for trying to find a better way.
The new data-driven approach optimizes the decision-making and tree-trimming prioritization process by analyzing data points such as line performance, type of line protectorant used, customers served by the line, and volume of high-risk trees. This information provides detailed insights that improve the overall accuracy of decisions.
As a starting point, the initiative will be piloted at the company’s upstate New York subsidiaries – New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E). Trees are a leading cause of power interruptions, and because these utility subsidiaries are located in tree-heavy areas, it makes sense to start there. In total, the 2 utilities operate approximately 43,000 miles of overhead infrastructure.
Already, benefits have been realized. At the onset, much of the focus has been on so-called “danger trees,” which are dead or decaying trees that are outside of the distribution right-of-way but still pose a substantial threat. According to Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra, the new data analytics prioritization approach has resulted in the company removing more danger trees in a 30-day period than ever before, and with a less expensive price tag.
All in all, I love the idea of optimizing the decision-making process via data and analysis. Vegetation management is one of the most critical activities that can be done to maximize reliability, and anything that can be done to optimize this process – such as using data analytics – is a true no brainer.
