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In its ongoing mission to improve service reliability, Northern Neck Electric Cooperative (NNEC) has deployed its first-ever distribution automation (DA) device—a smart automatic transfer switch in the Chisford and Foneswood areas of Westmoreland and Richmond counties, respectively. This milestone marks a significant step forward in keeping the lights on for thousands of cooperative members, even when nature or equipment tries to ruin movie night.
Traditionally, when a substation loses power, homes and businesses fed by that substation can experience an outage. Restoration crews drive the entire length of the lines to inspect for the cause, then assess the repair, make the necessary repairs, and then restore power. During severe weather, extensive repairs could be needed, lasting an hour or more. But with the new distribution automation device in place, NNEC can restore power in less time than it takes to pop a bag of popcorn in the microwave.
When Seconds Matter
Installed in 2024, literally in the middle of a cornfield, this automatic transfer switch can safely redirect electricity from a nearby substation in less than two minutes, dramatically reducing outage times for thousands of members. It’s an example of smart grid technology in action: instead of waiting for a crew to arrive and manually restore power, the system detects the outage and reroutes power automatically.
That new capability was put to the test in June, when strong storms swept through the area, causing two major outages. Thanks to the new DA switch, members in Chisford, Foneswood, and surrounding areas experienced only brief interruptions, while NNEC lineworkers worked safely and efficiently to make permanent repairs over the next hour or so.
Engineered for Safety and Reliability
What makes this project even more remarkable is that a substantial amount of the system, design, procurement, construction, and testing was completed in-house by a dedicated team of NNEC engineers, substation technicians, and lineworkers working alongside expert consultants. Over a year, the team refined the solution, ensuring that it met rigorous safety standards and operated flawlessly in real-world conditions.
“Safety is always the top priority at NNEC,” said Steve Bushong, manager, technical services, “We wouldn’t deploy this kind of technology until we were absolutely certain that it would operate securely and reliably under pressure.”
The Bigger Picture: A Smarter Grid
This project is the first of many anticipated steps in NNEC’s broader effort to bring distribution automation and advanced grid technologies to the region. The switch is supported by NNEC’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which provides real-time data to dispatchers and engineers. Together, DA and SCADA form the backbone of a smarter, more efficient electric grid.
For members, the benefits mean fewer outages and interruptions to the things that power their lives, especially during the storm-heavy summer months. For NNEC, this initial deployment of DA is tied to its commitment to serving members safely, reliably, and affordably through innovation and excellence in service.
The cooperative is currently evaluating additional locations to deploy distribution automation across its more than 20,000 served homes and businesses, 2,200 miles of power lines, and countless acres of farmland, including, yes, more cornfields.