Yukon Feeder Automation Software and
Peer-to-Peer Smart Grid Solution Comparison
This comparison and general review of peer-to-peer smart grid solutions is based
on literature review and field research and includes technical differences, but also
discusses application and functional differences between the two solutions.
Smartest Grid Solution
Load Management
Yukon Feeder Automation (YFA) software is the Smartest Grid
solution for self-healing networks and is generations ahead of
currently available peer-to-peer solutions.
Yukon Feeder Automation software takes load management a
step further than typical peer-to-peer solutions. YFA software
has the ability to monitor not only devices and feeders, but
can incorporate transformer loading that can be impacted by
non-automated feeders. YFA software can optionally perform
prioritized load transfer/shedding on a per-zone basis. This
includes the ability to move an individual zone from one feeder
to another to relieve loading. This advanced load management
takes into account the capacity of every available source and
moves loads to the one with the most capacity.
Peer-to-Peer solutions were the first automation systems to
market and have been used in many applications from automatic source transfer to larger deployments. These trials left many
utilities desiring a system that was easier to manage, easier to
integrate with SCADA/DMS/EMS systems, and easier to leverage the existing installation base of intelligent electronic controls
(IEDs) to reduce the cost of a system deployment.
Cooper Power Systems Yukon Feeder Automaton software
delivers this. It is a system independent of vendor hardware and
communications equipment. This provides utilities the maximum
flexibility to deploy systems utilizing existing capital investments
without the worry that today’s investments will go to waste in
the future. With all this great flexibility, YFA software provides
many exciting new features. The vast improvements in engineering tools allows for much faster and successful deployments of
the self healing networks.
Automation Simulation
Yukon Feeder Automation software is a real-time control software
package with a comprehensive functional simulator environment.
This provides configuration validation, valuable training, and easeof-mind to a utility that the system will behave as predicted in a
wide variety of conditions.
Peer-to-Peer solution: No off-line simulators are known of as of
the date of this document.
www.cooperpower.com
Peer-to-Peer solutions typically manage overloading by zone or
feeder loading. Peer-to-Peer systems do not check all sources
for maximizing available capacity. Peer-to-Peer solutions can
only manage overloads after system disturbances by dropping
the load and picking it back up.
Lineman Operation
Yukon Feeder Automation software differentiates between
manual operations and system protection tripping. The
automation has a global view of the power system — allowing
it to restrain any automated response as a result of manual
switching without any user interaction — incorporating standard
operating practices into automation.
Peer-to-Peer solutions typically require linemen to explicitly
disable automation at multiple locations or it will reconfigure
from the resulting loss of voltage due to manual switching.
Yukon Feeder Automation
Smartest grid solution for self-healing networks.
Centralized Automation Trace
Flexibility
Yukon Feeder Automation software includes a standardized
automation trace providing a detailed account of event data
received, control actions taken, and logical decision trace. This
allows utilities to analyze events from a single time-correlated log.
Yukon Feeder Automation software can be deployed either
de-centralized (in one or more substations) or centralized. YFA
software will work with multiple communication media including
serial and Ethernet radios, fiber, cellular modems, mesh
networks, and others. This allows utilities to leverage their
existing communications architecture and upgrade as needed.
YFA software is designed to work with legacy controls as well
as next-generation controls.
Peer-to-Peer solutions rely on individual devices’ sequence of
events records or a sequence of events taken from SCADA/
DMS that do not include any logical decision trace.
Dynamic Movable Open Points
Yukon Feeder Automation software provides the ability
to initialize the system in any configuration without any
parameter or definition changes to the system configuration.
The automation algorithms will continue to respond to new
events that occur without loss of functionality. This results in a
functionally unlimited number of contingency reconfigurations.
Peer-to-Peer solutions often require engineering changes to the
system before a new normal configuration is allowed. This is
typically accomplished by connecting to individual devices and
loading new settings. These solutions are typically limited to
one real-time movement of the open-point, and not additional
contingency reconfigurations.
SCADA Integration
Peer-to-Peer solutions can inhibit flexibility by limiting solutions
to certain communication platforms or specific IEDs.
Built for Upgrades
Yukon Feeder Automation software was built with upgrades in
mind. Upgrades, improvements, and enhanced security is a
critical need of any Smart Grid application to prevent “stranded
solutions.” The centralized platform allows configuration
changes to be performed at a centralized location and
upgrades can be accomplished in minutes.
Peer-to-Peer solutions logic is typically resident on dozens of
geographically disparate devices. Upgrades require changes
to be made at the individual devices and become even more
complicated when they require hardware upgrades.
Peer-to-Peer
Smart Grid Solution
Yukon Feeder
Automation
Software
Software Simulator
Limited
Yes
Integration Flexibility
No
Yes
Real Time HMI Diagram
No
Yes
Peer-to-Peer solutions work with proprietary interfaces and often
Use Standard IED Interface
No
Yes
proprietary protocols. SCADA integration may occur over the
radio networks utilized for peer-to-peer communications. This
bandwidth-limited communication path makes full data acquisition
difficult without impacting automation performance.
Movable Open Point without
Redefining System Parameters
No
Yes
Limited
Yes
Transformer Overload Supervision
No
Yes
HMI Diagram
Differentiate Manual Switching from
System Event
No
Yes
Yukon Feeder Automation software provides a standard HMI
Setting Group or Protection Profile
Management
Limited
Yes
Miscoordination Correction
Yukon Feeder Automation software supports 60+ standard
SCADA protocols without any proprietary hardware at the
switch device. YFA software supports full data concentrator
functionality including all logical distribution automation points
allowing for seamless integration into external SCADA/DMS.
diagram for monitoring and controlling integrated devices. The
diagram can be used as a primary SCADA interface screen or
as an engineering tool with the simulator.
Peer-to-Peer solutions typically do not provide any centralized
visualization tools that are populated with real-time data. (If
these exist, they are offline tools.)
Feature
Centralized Automation Trace
Limited
Yes
Single Data Source
No
Yes
Hardware Independent
No
Yes
Pre-Event Load Management
No
Yes
Make-before-Break Load Transfer
No
Yes
Cooper Power Systems
2300 Badger Drive
Waukesha, WI 53188
P: 877.CPS.INFO
www.cooperpower.com
B1180-10021 • July 2010
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