Dominion Energy Virginia Plugs Into Oracle for Distribution Control and Outage Restoration

Rhea-AI Summary

Dominion Energy Virginia is enhancing its network visibility and outage management by implementing Oracle's Utilities Outage Management System (OMS) and advanced distribution management capabilities. This upgrade aims to improve service reliability and meet regulatory requirements. The OMS, scheduled for deployment in early 2024, will streamline operations by integrating IT and business processes while aiding crews in managing outages more efficiently. With tools like the Fault Location Isolation and Service Restoration application, Dominion Energy anticipates reduced service interruptions and improved response capabilities during emergencies.

Positive

• Implementation of Oracle's Utilities OMS expected to enhance outage management efficiency.
• Utilizing advanced applications like FLISR to reduce service interruptions.
• Deployment of Oracle's OMS will integrate IT and business operations seamlessly.
• Oracle's platforms will empower crews to manage outages more effectively.

Negative

• None.

Utility to benefit from more reliable, automated network visibility and faster, safer outage and interruption management

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Energy Virginia is implementing Oracle Utilities Outage Management System and new advanced distribution management (ADMS) capabilities in Oracle Utilities Network Management System to help improve its network visibility, reliability, and outage management response. The expanded platform will also help the utility better manage increased data from distributed energy resources (DERs) and meet its regulatory requirements. 

Dominion Energy Virginia provides electricity to 2.7 million homes and businesses. The utility has used Oracle Utilities Network Management System (NMS) for over a decade to plan and execute key switching activities across its network. By upgrading the solution and adding Oracle's Fault Location Isolation and Service Restoration (FLISR) application for automated, self-healing support, Dominion Energy will be able to automatically sectionalize outage impact, enable reduction in service interruptions and help increase its service reliability. 

Additionally, the browser-based Oracle Utilities Flex Operations will help Dominion Energy securely extend outage management and dispatch capabilities beyond the control room. As such, they will be able to activate remote users to quickly respond to storms and other major outage events faster and direct restoration efforts from anywhere. Oracle's Power Flow application will provide advanced distribution management by monitoring the real-time status of their networks.

"Delivering the highest levels of service reliability to our customers and meeting priority KPIs such as reducing service interruption minutes requires the advanced grid technologies found in Oracle's FLISR, FlexOps, and Power Flow applications," said Jason Holland, director of operation centers and emergency preparedness, Dominion Energy. "Our long experience with Oracle Utilities NMS and workshop assessments of their power applications convinced us that Oracle could uniquely deliver what we need. As we look ahead to the second phase of our project, their proven OMS capabilities and scalable architecture will give us a modern management path to faster restoration on a single platform." 

Oracle Utilities Outage Management System (OMS) will be deployed during the first half of 2024 to replace Dominion Energy's existing system. With it, the utility will be able to integrate IT and business operations and easily add new components, while field crews will benefit significantly from system familiarity and interoperability with other Dominion Energy operating segments. Additionally, Oracle NMS Operations Mobile Application (OMA) will empower crews to receive and execute switching steps and communicate key activities via mobile devices with real-time changes reflected in the command centers, enabling faster responses in emergency situations to quickly assess and mitigate network damages.

Evolving to meet complex grid needs
Oracle's Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) is designed to help utilities meet today's needs and prepare for future needs by monitoring, managing, and effectively optimizing the grid from distribution to customer. In addition to implementing the FLISR, FlexOperations, and Power Flow applications, Dominion Energy will benefit from Oracle Utilities Live Energy Connect (LEC), an OT-centric middleware platform that supports all major SCADA protocols (e.g., ICCP, OPC, and DNP3). The solution provides essential, technology-agnostic integration with utilities' existing SCADA systems and can support future scaling options.

"Our longtime collaboration with Dominion Energy Virginia is the perfect example of how we constantly evolve our ADMS technologies to help utilities more confidently meet their most pressing DER, customer service, regulatory, and other business challenges," said Brad Harkavy, vice president, Oracle Energy and Water. "With NMS, Dominion Energy can add intelligent advanced applications to meet regulatory requirements today, not in 5-10 years. Additionally, with one efficient, scalable platform for OMS, they will gain efficiencies that transcend business operations. Field crews will benefit from mobile applications that expedite their restoration activities during potentially dangerous emergency response situations and enable critical, real-time command center visibility."

To see these technologies in action, visit us at DISTRIBUTECH (Booth #1437) or schedule a meeting by emailing energyandwater-events_us@oracle.com.

To learn more about Oracle Energy and Water solutions visit: https://www.oracle.com/industries/utilities/network-management-system/

About Oracle
Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at oracle.com. 

Trademarks
Oracle, Java, and MySQL are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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SOURCE Oracle

FAQ

What is the Oracle Utilities Outage Management System being implemented by Dominion Energy Virginia?

The Oracle Utilities Outage Management System (OMS) enhances outage management efficiency and reliability for Dominion Energy Virginia.

When will the Oracle Utilities Outage Management System be deployed by Dominion Energy Virginia?

The deployment of the Oracle Utilities Outage Management System is scheduled for the first half of 2024.

How does Oracle's Fault Location Isolation and Service Restoration application benefit Dominion Energy?

It helps automatically sectionalize outage impacts and reduce service interruptions, enhancing overall service reliability.

What capabilities will Dominion Energy gain by implementing Oracle's advanced distribution management?

Dominion Energy will improve network visibility, manage distributed energy resources, and meet regulatory requirements.

What are the expected impacts of Oracle's OMS on Dominion Energy's operations?

The OMS is expected to integrate IT and business operations, improving outage response and resource management.