Tollgrade Expands the LightHouse® Grid Modernization Platform to 50Hz for Europe and Asia

RESTON, Va., April 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Tollgrade Communications, Inc., a global leader in providing network assurance solutions to the world's largest utilities and telecommunications providers, today announced that a new 50 hertz version of its industry-leading LightHouse Medium Voltage (MV) sensors is now available in Europe and Asia.  The company announced today in a separate press release that Western Power Distribution (WPD), one of six Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) in the United Kingdom delivering electricity to more than 7.7 million customers, is the company's first European installation. With this deployment, the LightHouse platform is providing WPD with real-time visibility into its distribution grid, allowing grid operators to improve reliability and optimize network planning during their transition to a low-carbon future.

With growing demand in Europe and the need to evolve generation from fossil fuels to clean technologies like solar and wind energy, the grid is getting stressed beyond its limit. It is already estimated that outages cost Europeans €150 billion[1] annually, the price tag of power quality issues to businesses and consumers is around €10 billion[2] annually and that a smart grid capable of reducing loss and improving efficiency would save the EU €52 billion.[3] 

"Reliable energy is one of the greatest long term indicators of a country's potential economic growth. At Tollgrade, we believe reliability begins to increase as visibility into the distribution grid improves," said Erik Christian, Vice President of Smart Grid at Tollgrade.  "By combining medium voltage sensors with predictive analytics software, our LightHouse platform provides visibility with actionable intelligence allowing DNOs to improve their grid reliability and efficiency."

The Tollgrade LightHouse platform consists of:

• Medium Voltage (MV) Sensors: inductively powered with flexible communications offered through cellular or WiFi with operations down to three amps. Key sensor measurements include:  load current, fault current, electric field strength, power factor, phase angle, sags, surges, wire temperature and harmonics.
• Predictive Analytics Software: LightHouse Sensor Management System (SMS) software classifies grid conditions linked to map-view displays to give utilities the situational awareness needed to quickly respond to load planning, outages, and power quality challenges.

Leading the Industry in Distribution Grid Visibility Combined with Predictive Analytics

Tollgrade leads the industry by providing distribution grid sensors that deliver visibility down to three amps and are inductively powered to eliminate the maintenance costs that are required to support battery powered alternatives.  Unlike first-generation fault indicators, the LightHouse platform combines its industry leading sensor technology with predictive analytics software to classify grid conditions with visualization tools to give grid operators the situational awareness to not only pinpoint the locations of problems but the background data needed to analyze "cause and effect" behind distrubances like equipment failures.  Within the software, customizable rules can be defined to alert utilities to inefficient operating conditions, subtle system failures, or indications of anomalous behavior that are early indications of future outages. The software recognizes and can report on the cause of these inefficient grid conditions including load imbalance, blown lateral fuses and improper coordination of circuit protection timing.  

The platform allows utilities to:

• Reduce customer and system outage minutes
• Detect overload on substation transformers
• Find imbalance on circuits
• Reduce technical loss
• Monitor high-value assets
• Know if circuits are operating properly
• Find and resolve chronic power quality issues

The LightHouse system easily integrates within a utility's existing infrastructure and back office systems. DNP3 interfaces support multiple masters to SCADA systems, Historians, DMS, and other systems.

Pricing and Availability

LightHouse 50 Hz sensors are currently available and shipping.  For more information, please contact [email protected]

About Tollgrade

With a global footprint and over 25 years of experience providing cutting-edge network assurance solutions, Tollgrade Communications, Inc. has built a reputation for improving the reliability and operational efficiency at the world's largest utilities and telecommunications providers, allowing operators to reduce customer down time and recover lost revenue. In 2011, Tollgrade was acquired by Golden Gate Capital – a San Francisco‐based private equity firm with more than $12 billion of capital under their management.  Tollgrade was named one of the Top 13 Smart Grid Companies to Watch in 2013.  Learn more about the company at www.tollgrade.com

Tollgrade Media Contacts:
Cathy Clarke
CNC Associates
+1 617-527-2089 (mobile)
[email protected]

Kimberly M. Getgen
Director, Smart Grid Technical Marketing
Tollgrade Communications, Inc.
+1 703-408-1571 (mobile)
[email protected]

[1] Oracle, The Future of Energy: An independent report for Oracle Utilities

[2] Copper Institute (ECI), Voltage Disturbances: Standard EN 50160 Voltage Characteristics in Public Distribution Systems

[3] Oracle, The Future of Energy: An independent report for Oracle Utilities

SOURCE Tollgrade Communications, Inc.