SMIGHT

To enable Stadtwerke Frankenthal GmbH to assess its distribution grid even better in future, it is relying on measurement data from SMIGHT GmbH. After just a few weeks of implementation, the company is already using SMIGHT Grid2 to measure and evaluate low-voltage feeders in many areas of the company: from grid monitoring and evaluation to grid planning and expansion. In order to master all further challenges in a dynamic distribution grid, the company plans to continuously expand the measurement solutions in its grid – for greater clarity and an overview.

With the rapid expansion of PV systems, wall boxes and heat pumps over the last four years, it is becoming increasingly important for Stadtwerke Frankenthal to detect overloads in the electricity grids at an early stage. Thanks to the employees’ many years of experience and indications from the grid control center, Stadtwerke has been able to assess the low-voltage grid well and narrow down the causes of faults. “In the meantime, however, the change is making itself felt with the first peaks in the grid – it was immediately clear to us that we wanted to act on the basis of collected data,” explains Vladyslav Scherbak, Technical Management Electronic Grids at Stadtwerke Frankenthal.

More clarity in the low-voltage grid

In order to prevent critical situations from arising in the future and to be able to plan based on data, the municipal utilities were looking for a pragmatic, practicable solution that would provide them with the best possible support in everyday life and for future challenges.

Selection guide

Within the Thüga Group and in discussions with other municipal utilities, the Frankenthal-based company became aware of SMIGHT’s plug-and-play retrofit solution for local network stations and cable distribution cabinets. During the selection process, they evaluated both the functionality and the experience of other municipal utilities. Even before the end of the eight-week pilot project, they were convinced that they had found the right tool to get started with SMIGHT Grid2.

“It is particularly important to us that the required data can be transmitted quickly and reliably,” says Andreas Gabriel, Head of Technology at Stadtwerke Frankenthal. “Our experience with SMIGHT Grid2 has been positive and we can use the data prepared in the cockpit directly for our day-to-day grid operations.”

Use of the data

After just a few weeks, the SMIGHT data is already being used in various areas of the company. This data collection and the resulting grid assessment will identify any needs that could be incorporated into grid planning and expansion or result in grid modernization. With the same data, municipal utilities will also be able to carry out grid compatibility checks much more precisely and quickly in the future.

Outlook for load management

SMIGHT will also become an important cogwheel in the grid management of controllable devices in accordance with Section 14a EnWG.

Andreas Gabriel summarizes: “SMIGHT is an important building block for our digitalization strategy in the context of the energy transition we are striving for across Europe. This will enable us to better plan future investment requirements, ensure grid stability and guarantee our customers a very high level of supply security despite growing grid requirements.”