Electrical grid monitoring using aggregated smart meter data

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• for a cluster of multiple clusters of electric meters:
• assigning, at a first time, a first electric meter in the cluster to aggregate electrical data from the electric meters in the cluster, the aggregation including summing measured values represented by electrical data from the electric meters in the cluster, wherein each electric meter is configured to generate the electrical data based on measurements taken at a respective load of a secondary electrical distribution system;
• receiving, from the first electric meter, the aggregated electrical data, wherein the aggregated electrical data indicates one or more characteristics of the secondary electrical distribution system, wherein an electrical transformer is connected to the secondary electrical distribution system and to a primary electrical distribution system;
• assigning a second electric meter as a backup to the first electric meter;
• receiving, from the second electric meter, second aggregated electrical data from the electric meters in the cluster;
• determining a difference between the second aggregated electrical data received from the second electric meter and the aggregated electrical data received from the first electric meter;
• and
• responsive to determining that the difference is greater than a threshold difference, performing one or more actions, the one or more actions including one or more of:
• generating an alert;
• assigning a third electric meter to aggregate the electrical data from the electric meters in the cluster;
• or
• increasing frequency of collecting the aggregated electrical data;
• for an electric generator:
• determining a first requirement for a first type of reserve capacity, the first requirement including a first amount of electrical power and a first time requirement for providing the first amount of electrical power;
• determining a second requirement for a second type of reserve capacity, the second requirement including a second amount of electrical power and a second time requirement for providing the second amount of electrical power, the second time requirement being different from the first time requirement;
• determining an operating load limit for the electric generator based on the first requirement and the second requirement, wherein the electric generator is electrically connected to and supplies power to an electric load, other than the primary electrical distribution system;
• controlling operation of the electric generator to power the electric load, the electric load being at or below the operating load limit;
• determining, based on the aggregated electrical data, a load demand of the primary electrical distribution system connected to the electrical transformer;
• determining, based on the load demand, that the primary electrical distribution system requires the first type of reserve capacity or the second type of reserve capacity;
• and
• in response, electrically connecting the electric generator to the primary electrical distribution system to provide the first type of reserve capacity based on the first requirement or the second type of reserve capacity based on the second requirement.

A non-transitory computer storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

• for a cluster of multiple clusters of electric meters:
• assigning, at a first time, a first electric meter in the cluster to aggregate electrical data from the electric meters in the cluster, the aggregation including summing measured values represented by electrical data from the electric meters in the cluster, wherein each electric meter is configured to generate the electrical data based on measurements taken at a respective load of a secondary electrical distribution system;
• receiving, from the first electric meter, the aggregated electrical data, wherein the aggregated electrical data indicates one or more characteristics of the secondary electrical distribution system, wherein an electrical transformer is connected to the secondary electrical distribution system and to a primary electrical distribution system;
• assigning a second electric meter as a backup to the first electric meter;
• receiving, from the second electric meter, second aggregated electrical data from the electric meters in the cluster;
• determining a difference between the second aggregated electrical data received from the second electric meter and the aggregated electrical data received from the first electric meter;
• and
• responsive to determining that the difference is greater than a threshold difference, performing one or more actions, the one or more actions including one or more of:
• generating an alert;
• assigning a third electric meter to aggregate the electrical data from the electric meters in the cluster;
• or
• increasing frequency of collecting the aggregated electrical data;
• for an electric generator:
• determining a first requirement for a first type of reserve capacity, the first requirement including a first amount of electrical power and a first time requirement for providing the first amount of electrical power;
• determining a second requirement for a second type of reserve capacity, the second requirement including a second amount of electrical power and a second time requirement for providing the second amount of electrical power, the second time requirement being different from the first time requirement;
• determining an operating load limit for the electric generator based on the first requirement and the second requirement, wherein the electric generator is electrically connected to and supplies power to an electric load, other than the primary electrical distribution system;
• controlling operation of the electric generator to power the electric load, the electric load being at or below the operating load limit;
• determining, based on the aggregated electrical data, a load demand of the primary electrical distribution system connected to the electrical transformer;
• determining, based on the load demand, that the primary electrical distribution system requires the first type of reserve capacity or the second type of reserve capacity;
• and
• in response, electrically connecting the electric generator to the primary electrical distribution system to provide the first type of reserve capacity based on the first requirement or the second type of reserve capacity based on the second requirement.