Smart grid technology company Tantalus Systems has announced the commercial launch of TruGrid Transformer, a data analytics system being deployed by utilities across North America.

This is an expansion of the North Carolina-based company’s TruGrid Automation suite of AI-enabled data analytics. This lets utilities access, analyse and visualise up to 36 months of data from transformers across the grid to detect voltage issues, such as sags and swells, and identify anomalies in real time from changing weather patterns and evolving consumer behaviour.

By harnessing this level of data, TruGrid Transformer empowers utilities to monitor, anticipate and prioritise transformer issues and sizing as consumers install an electric vehicle (EV) charger at their home or otherwise change their consumption of electricity. The data analytics capability also allows utilities to react intelligently and rapidly to events that threaten the stability of the grid.

Benefits include preventing or mitigating catastrophic outages, tracking loading on transformers, and navigating crippling supply chain constraints that have led to extended lead times for new transformers.

Transformer management through data analytics is increasingly in demand as utilities face a massive shortage and extended lead times for these critical infrastructure assets. According to research firm Wood Mackenzie, average wait times for new transformers have increased from 115 weeks in 2021 to 130 weeks in 2023. In response, several utilities are leveraging TruGrid Transformer analytics to accelerate grid modernisation and mitigate the risks of not having enough transformers available to operate their grids prudently and effectively.

“When transformers go down, utilities face outages, safety issues, costs and negatively impact their customers,” said Peter Londa, CEO of Tantalus. “Unfortunately, transformer failures are a question of when not if these costly disruptions will impact operations. Our TruGrid Transformer analytics deliver the visibility, command and control utilities need to get ahead of this issue and avoid running these critical assets right up to or beyond a point of failure. This capability is yet one more example of how Tantalus is helping utilities modernise their distribution grids by harnessing the power of data.”

As an integral part of the Tantalus’ TGMP grid modernisation platform (tantalus.com/grid-modernization-platform), TruGrid Transformer’s intuitive map visualisation allows utilities to select and view individual transformers, identifying the at-risk units likely to cause a problem. In addition, deep diagnostic tools show how much a transformer is being loaded and when it absolutely must be replaced with a new unit that is properly sized. This information lets utilities avoid the costs, disruptions in service and safety issues associated with transformer failures. Additionally, utilities can proactively plan how best to manage and upgrade their assets.

“Tantalus’ TruGrid Transformer helped us identify multiple residential and commercial accounts that had incorrect PT and/or CT multipliers,” said Bryan Smith, technical services supervisor at NineStar Connect. “By correcting these issues, we were able to recover a significant amount of lost revenue as well as put processes in place to ensure this does not happen again. Essentially, TruGrid Transformer paid for itself in a very short period of time.”

TruGrid Transformer is suitable for the growing number of utilities that are seeking to use data analytics to improve their grid reliability and resiliency. Tantalus is offering it as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) subscription to investor-owned utilities, public power utilities and electric cooperative utilities across the USA, Canada and Caribbean basin.

Tantalus (www.tantalus.com) is a smart grid technology company that transforms aging one-way grids into future-proofed multi-directional grids that improve the efficiency, reliability and sustainability of utilities and the communities they serve. Its purpose-built products help utilities restore power quickly after major disruptions, adapt to rapidly shifting consumer expectations and population shifts, innovate based on the adoption of distributed energy resources, and evolve their grid infrastructure at their own pace without needless costs or complexity.