Utility Power
Substations
Utility substations are responsible for generating, transmitting, and distributing the electricity that powers the world. For these organizations and their customers, continuous operation is key, including when primary power sources fail.
These substations transform voltage, manage power flow, and protect their systems from faults. To avoid disruptions, operations need to prioritize:
NERC Reporting
Automates NERC PRC-005 battery reporting with daily diagnostics, time-stamped event logs, and SCADA integration via Modbus, SNMP, and DNP3. Provides audit-ready records and actionable alarms across remote sites, reducing visits and paperwork for fleets and substations.
Electrolyte Level Monitoring
Adds continuous electrolyte-level monitoring to DC battery strings. Level inputs track trends over time and identify abnormal loss or low thresholds early, reducing dry-out risk. Alerts and history are routed through SCADA, including voltage, resistance, and temperature data across sites.
Terminal Connection Resistance
Trends terminal connection resistance at each jar to reveal loose or corroded posts. Rising contact resistance generates heat under load, weakening the string and risking hot spots. Early alarms guide re-torque or cleaning before performance drops or hardware damage occurs.
Strap Resistance
The system measures inter-cell and inter-tier strap resistance with micro-ohm accuracy every 24 hours. Increases show loose or improperly torqued straps. Trends and alarms allow quick corrections before heat buildup and the string becomes unstable in-service environments.
Battery Monitoring
Provides always-on, per-cell monitoring of voltage, internal resistance, temperature, and strap connections with fiber-isolated DCMs and discharge capture. Daily automated diagnostics detect early failure trends and send alarms to BMS and SCADA in real time across sites.
Parameter Applications for DC Power Substations
Click inside to view how Parameter systems integrate with critical infrastructure to provide the highest quality monitoring solution for DC power substations.
Challenges For Utilities
Outdoor/Non-Controlled Environments
By necessity, many utility structures operate in outdoor environments, where it’s not possible to control the climate. Batteries and other vital components need to be durable enough to withstand weather and temperature extremes, and utility companies must anticipate damage caused by interferences in non-controlled environments.
DC Failures
All DC batteries degrade over time, but unexpected failures are also common, including between scheduled maintenance, and a single failed unit can compromise an entire string. DC strings serve as a safety net in case of power outages and need to be ready for deployment at any time, but failures are often not readily apparent until it is too late.
Government Regulations
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) regulates the operation of utility substations and sets high standards for the maintenance of batteries and other equipment. Utility companies are required to demonstrate compliance with NERC regulations by tracking battery performance and submitting frequent reports. Technicians may have to make multiple trips to remote stations to evaluate battery conditions, and completing mandatory reports can be a significant time investment for personnel.
Monitoring Considerations
DC Batteries for UPS
To prevent and resolve faults that could compromise power distribution, substations rely on a complex network of protective relays, breaker trip currents, and other vital systems that depend on uninterrupted DC battery supply.
NERC Compliance
Utility substations are required to demonstrate compliance with standard practices set by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). This entails monitoring battery voltage, electrolytes, ohmic value, discharge, and performance while submitting multiple reports yearly.
Outdoor Environments
Many transmission and distribution substations in a grid system operate autonomously in outdoor environments with minimal climate control and onsite personnel. Because they’re vulnerable to temperature extremes, severe weather, and other interferences, utilities must prioritize resilience and proactive maintenance for critical components.
Battery Monitoring
The best way for utilities to safeguard DC assets and deliver continuous availability is to install a Cellwatch Battery monitoring system from Parameter.
Through Cellwatch, Parameter helps utility companies automate every stage of the battery monitoring process. The system is semi-permanently connected to provide real-time visibility by measuring multiple battery conditions and delivering live data, daily notifications, and monthly reporting on critical units.
Capabilities of Cellwatch Battery Monitoring include:
- Track critical units in real-time
- Reduce the risks of unexpected outages
- Identify failing cells quickly so they can be repaired or replaced
- Seamlessly manage battery health data from multiple strings and units
- Streamline preemptive maintenance to achieve cost savings, defer replacements, and maximize useful battery life.
Product Lines
Cellwatch Frontier is Parameter’s tailored battery monitoring solution for utility companies with DC systems and remote substations. By testing critical DC units daily and reporting on performance, the Cellwatch Frontier platform reduces unexpected outages and strengthens backup power availability.
Remote Monitoring
Utility substations may have to run autonomously with minimal in-person supervision, but they still need to be monitored 24/7. Parameter’s battery monitoring platforms feature remote monitoring capabilities to limit onsite visits while ensuring smooth and secure operations.
NERC Compliance
Parameter’s Cellwatch Frontier platform includes optimized functionality for monitoring relevant battery metrics and automating reporting to reduce onsite visits and remove the burden of NERC compliance.
Preemptive Maintenance
By allowing real-time visibility into battery performance, Cellwatch Frontier streamlines preemptive maintenance to increase backup power reliability, achieve cost savings, and maximize useful battery life with fewer onsite visits.
For multi-site operations with unmanned substation networks, Cellwatch Central provides a streamlined battery monitoring platform. Parameter’s Cellwatch Central platform is designed for large organizations with multiple installation sites and complex data analysis needs. It can cover entire regions to identify dangers and prevent DC failures that would lead to outages.
Real-Time Visibility
Through tailored platforms for utility substations, Cellwatch Central is semi-permanently connected to deliver continuous passive monitoring that tracks performance proactively, allowing personnel to repair or replace battery units efficiently before they need to be deployed.
Complex Data Consolidation
By collecting data from multiple sites and consolidating it into a single system, Cellwatch Central enables utilities to analyze battery performance across over 50,000 jars and manage battery types, installation data, and maintenance events via a unified system.
Discover Advance Utility Monitoring Solutions From Parameter.
Not only can the right monitoring system alert to failures, but it can also enable incident prevention, enhance efficiency, increase cost savings, and deliver peace of mind.
Contact Parameter to discover flexible battery monitoring solutions for utility infrastructure that check all these boxes.
For custom capabilities and manufacturing, reach out to our OEM team directly to discuss how we can augment your application.