An improved algorithm to aid in post-heat storm restoration

Utilities strive to have quick restoration after a power outage. Extreme conditions, such as storms, create difficult restoration challenges because of the large number of tasks necessary to restore power to many affected customers. Restoration efforts can be further hindered when outage report escalation algorithms predict the wrong location for affected devices. This paper describes a modified topological based algorithm that associates trouble calls with each other to provide more accurate information about outages during heat storms. The heat storm algorithm was tested and verified on two feeders using test cases that simulated the heat storm conditions experienced at Northern States Power Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota in July 1995.