Savannah’s Energy Grid is Smarter Today

“Savannah’s energy grid got a little smarter today,” said Regional External Affairs Vice President Audrey King who visited a work site where smart equipment was installed on a new power pole along Shipyard Road in Savannah. “We are building a stronger more resilient grid by using smart technology.”

The four-person crew safely lifted and connected a 3’ x 4’ x 2’ smart recloser equipment box, which resembled an electronic octopus, on the top section of a newly installed power pole. The new equipment on this power line serves more than 1,200 customers in the Montgomery and Burnside Island area of Savannah.

Smart equipment allows the energy grid to form a self-healing network through automated, electronic devices like smart reclosers being installed in Savannah. These devices can automatically segment a power line or reroute power when an outage occurs. This allows Georgia Power to restore service faster for customers and, in some cases, avoids outages altogether.

From transmission lines that carry power from generating plants to substations, and power lines that deliver safe and affordable energy to homes and businesses, grid investments further Georgia Power’s commitment to delivering the safe, clean, affordable and reliable energy customers expect and deserve.

The improvements are strategic with project locations selected based on historical service and performance data to ensure resources are added in the right places and leveraging technology to improve reliability. In areas where power lines were under performing, some customers are seeing an up to 50% improvement in service reliability. Investments we are making include:

• Installing smart technology that helps prevent power outages, and when interruptions occur, helping restore power faster;
• Upgrading, sometimes rebuilding, substations and transmission equipment for safe and reliable power delivery to homes and businesses;
• Adding power line connections in neighborhoods; and,
• Where it makes sense, relocating power lines underground.

“Georgia Power is upgrading the energy grid in Savannah and throughout the state to improve reliability for our customers, make the grid more resilient and meet their increasing energy demands in the growing Savannah area,” said Audrey King.