Con Edison's electric distribution system serves approximately 9 million people in a 604 square mile area with over 3.4 million customers. The system includes over 2,200 distribution feeders with a total transformer capacity of 29,698 MVA, most of which is underground. Con Edison is investigating challenges with integrating distributed energy resources like CHP, PV, and DR into their grid, including optimal DER utilization and location, conductor reliability with additional power flows, communication and control needs, and protection challenges from reverse power flows. Modeling tools are needed to analyze hosting capacity under different load and generation conditions throughout the year.

1. EPRI & Sandia Microgrid Symposium
Utility Microgrids: Integrations and Implementation Challenges
Andrew A. Reid
Research & Development
Con Edison of New York, Inc.

2. Con Edison Electric Distribution System
As of 2015:
• Covers 604 square miles
• Est. Population of approx. 9 million
• Distribution system provided electric service to
~ 3.4 million customers
• 64 (N-2) & 19 (N-1) Networks
• ~ 2,200 distribution feeders
• Total Distribution Transformer Capacity
29,698 MVA
• 87% of the capacity is underground
• 13% of the capacity is overhead
• All-time record peak 13,322 MW on
7/19/2013

3. 3
Electric Distribution System
CHP
DR
DR
CHP
PV
PV PV
PV
PV
PV

4. Animated illustration of network load changes
over 24 hours of a peak day

5. Outstanding issues to consider with
Community Microgrids
– DG Utilization (Operations Standpoint)
• Location, location, location
• Incentivize the right operation profile
– Conductor Reliability & Grid Reinforcement
– DER Controls & Communications
– Cost/Benefit Analysis
– Protection and Analysis
• Reverse power flow through network protectors
5

6. DER Output
Profile
6
Hypothesis
Active management of DER output to match system conditions may lead to more efficient use
of DER
Real-time Hosting
capacity
DER power
output
System hosting capacity varies
according to load conditions
Rather than limit DER capacity to
trough threshold, or incur system
cost to accommodate DER,
control DER output according to
system conditions
Hosting capacity @
trough
time

7. PVL Model OpenDSS
translation
Hourly Annual Time Series
Analysis
7
♦Ridgewood network – MESHED!
♦ ~5800 load objects
♦To control DER according to system conditions, entire circuit
must be considered with annual generation and load time series
profiles
Modeling approach

8. • When does DER output cause system issues? What are those impacts?
• How does active management strategy compare to traditional approaches?
• What enhancements to modeling tools are needed to analyze off-peak power flows? What types of data are
required?
8
Key questions and use case
Example configuration: Carved-out network pocket in Ridgewood network
3 CHP scenarios
(1) Peak summer (905 kW)
(2) Peak winter (595 kW)
(3) No curtailment - Trough (340 kW)

9. • Network protectors open for majority of winter season
– 75% to 85% (~91 days/ season = ~2180 hours total)
• In transition season, network protectors open mostly over night
9
9
Network Protector Interaction with 905kW

10. • Switch actions occur in same pattern for each season:
– Open during night time hours with over production
– Close during the day when heat load subsides and/ or demand picks up
10
10
Network Protector Interaction with 905kW

11. 11
Post Curtailment GenerationPre Curtailment Generation
DG Output Profile – Thermal Load
Following CHP (905 kW) + PV (160 kW)

12. Natural Load Profile Load Profile with DG
12
DER Effect on Microgrid Load profile

13. • Lessons Learned
– Annual time series data is important!
• Construction of load profiles and subsequent validation essential
– Pre-modeling of DER arrangements can offer significant benefits
due to potentially vast differences in hosting capacity across
neighboring nodes
– DER should have a positive effect on normal network operation 
regional specific incentives required
– Location, location, location
• Next Steps
– Post island protection and short circuit analysis
13
Moving forward …

14. EPRI & Sandia Microgrid Symposium
Utility Microgrids: Integrations and Implementation Challenges
Andrew A. Reid
Research & Development
Con Edison of New York, Inc.