Supplemental Projects
View our current supplemental offerings below or filter for projects by checking any of the boxes below.
Research Area
Key Drivers & Project Types
Assessment of Anthraquinone (AQ)Wood Pole Treatment
A small-scale pilot study has indicated that AQ has the potential to diminish wood pole impacts from woodpeckers. This study aims to investigate how treaters could combine AQ with existing pole treatments. The research would subsequently plan to fill knowledge gaps regarding the engineering and environmental characteristics of AQ when applied to treated wood poles and its compatibility with preservative treatment processes and performance.
Contact: Steven Dulin
Distribution Asset Inspection and Maintenance Maturity Assessment
The objective of this project is to work with project participants to further develop asset inspection and maintenance maturity models to create and apply an assessment framework that would enable utilities to assess their existing capabilities relative to those needed to achieve future goals and relative to industry peers.
Contact: John Tripolitis
Distribution Solid-State Transformers: Applications and Laboratory Evaluation
In 2023, EPRI evaluated a novel solid state transformer (SST) design that could replace existing oil filled distribution transformers that has other built in while also having voltage regulation capabilities. This project intends to continue exploration of potential applications and challenges of using this solid-state transformer, and potentially other designs, on the distribution grid through lab testing of device performance for different use cases and applications.
Contact: Jason Anderson
Conductor Burndowns and Wildfire Mitigation when Using Compact Single-Phase Reclosers
The purpose of this project is to understand the impacts of using single-phase reclosers on downstream taps and its implications for downed conductors and wildfire ignitions
Contact: Jason Anderson
Sensing to Detect Faults and Downed Conductors on a Ungrounded Delta Systems
The objective of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of different sensing solutions to detect faults on ungrounded delta circuits through testing of different field scenarios and conditions in a laboratory environment.
Contact: Jason Anderson
Alternative Technologies for Recloser Backup Power
Utilities are expanding the use of reclosers as part of distribution grid modernization efforts. Experience has shown that battery maintenance represents the largest O&M expense related to recloser management. As such, these expanded deployments may increase O&M spending related to battery maintenance. The objective of this project is to investigate the suitability of alternative energy storage technologies to provide recloser backup power.
Contact: Jason Anderson
Distribution Sensor Life-Cycle Testing
This project plans to perform laboratory testing to understand the life-cycle characteristics of distribution sensor systems, along with a systematic teardown to determine potential degradation mechanisms. As sensing is more widely deployed on distribution systems, this research will help electric companies make better informed specification and selection decisions.
Contact: Jason Anderson
Drone Dock Lab Testing and Utility Applications
EPRI intends to install and operate Docks at the EPRI Transmission and Distribution Laboratory in Lenox, MA. Lenox is a high voltage, outdoor laboratory with transmission, distribution, substation, and other outdoor environments. EPRI’s test plan is designed to evaluate the feasibility of using Docks for multiple utility applications. This project will recreate testing scenarios specific to key utility applications that may be suited for this technology..
Contact: Dexter Lewis
Underground Structure Monitoring Guiding Alarm Settings and Monitor Deployment
As underground cables and components degrade, they can generate a variety of gases. These gases may be combustible and can build up and lead to an explosive event which can endanger the public, utility workers, and damage equipment. This research seeks to understand the expected movement, migration, pocketing, and dissipation characteristics of selected gases within an underground structure to inform detection sensor placement, sensitivities, and alarm settings.
Contact: Alex Bologna
Terrestrial Imagery
This research aims to evaluate and quantify the performance of vehicle-mounted data collection systems for distribution inspection. The research will begin with the identification of distribution use cases, then will transition into utility hosted pilot studies.
Contact: Dexter Lewis
Improving Grid Safety and Resilience to Mitigate Ignition Incident and Fire Risks
The objective of this project is to extend EPRI’s R&D on wildfire resilience by evaluating ignition reduction technologies, hardening of distribution assets and components, sensing and situational awareness systems, and fire protection technologies.
Contact: Doug Dorr
Evaluating Remote Inspection Technologies for Underground Structures
This project is aimed at providing the industry with information to: 1) understand and compare the technologies that can be leveraged to remotely ascertain conditions in UG structures, including technology for creating a visual capture of the UG distribution system, 2) explore how the information captured by different technologies can be applied and the potential benefits and limitations associated with each approach and 3) understand the potential to remove workers from hazards while still performing necessary inspection and assessment activities.
Contact: Josh Perkel
Vehicle Impacts on Utility Poles
The objective of this project is to better understand how different pole materials respond during a motor vehicle collision. The project will also test commercially available barrier options for protecting poles from vehicle collisions to assess their affect on pole performance.
Contact: Steven Dulin
Overhead Distribution Structure Testing
The objective of full-scale overhead distribution structure testing is to collect performance data for a member, such as failure modes and fallen branch capture rates, and identify approaches to increase structural strength and reduce restorations time and frequency.
Contact: Steven Dulin
Distribution Recloser Life Cycle Management
The Distribution Recloser Life Cycle Management project performs laboratory testing to understand the life-cycle characteristics of distribution reclosers along with a systematic teardown to determine potential future failure modes and degradation mechanisms. This research will help utilities inform specification and selection for new reclosers and give utilities insights into potential future challenges with widescale recloser deployments.
Contact: Jason Anderson
Cyber-Physical Security for Distribution Automation
As distribution automation deployments continue, the need to employ robust security around these distributed (and communicating) assets increases. This project aims to demonstrate technologies and approaches to increase cyber and physical security of these distributed assets. Note that this is an application of research results produce in the base EPRI research programs.
Contact: Jason Anderson
High-Voltage Recloser Testing
Recloser technologies are reaching into higher voltage classes, which enable new operational approaches, but also increase electrical stresses on the asset. This project will perform laboratory testing on new high-voltage recloser technologies that includes performance testing and accelerated aging.
Contact: Jason Anderson
Artificial Intelligence for Distribution
Application of artificial intelligence for image analytics is an attractive approach to increase awareness of system health (physical condition, storm damage, right-of-way issues) in an automated way. EPRI has developed a process to collect and label distribution imagery for use in AI applications, as well as evaluate performance of commercially available systems. This project, tailored to each utility, aims to apply these approaches to utility efforts to accelerate each utility’s development and deployment of AI systems.
Contact: Dexter Lewis
Manhole Monitoring: Guiding Alarm Settings and Monitor Deployment
Manhole monitoring systems are available on the market, but their technical efficacy is not well understood. Moreover, utilities lack guidance for deploying sensors in an underground structure to most effectively detect the presence of combustible gases and stray voltage, including sensor placement and the establishment of alarm settings. This research seeks to understand the expected movement, migration, pocketing and dissipation characteristics of selected manhole gases to inform detection sensor placement, sensitivities, and alarm settings. In addition, the research will examine the characteristics of elevated (stray) voltages to inform elevated voltage detection sensor placement, sensitivities, and alarm settings.
Contact: John Tripolitis
For more information on these and other projects, click here.