Welcome to the WISP web site
A collaborative project is underway to improve the reliability in the West’s bulk electric system (BES).
Led by the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC), the Western Interconnection Synchrophasor Program (WISP) is installing more than 250-300 new or upgraded Phasor Measurement Units (PMU). Together, these synchrophasors can identify and analyze system vulnerabilities in real time, as well as detect evolving disturbances on the Western bulk electric system.
Scheduled for completion in April 2013, this “early warning” mechanism will enable WECC and WISP’s Partner Entities to take timely actions to that will help in avoiding widespread system blackouts.
WISP began in 2009, when WECC received $53.9 million in funding from U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The funding, awarded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s Smart Grid Investment Grant initiative, matches dollars committed by nine WISP partners to extend and deploy synchrophasor technologies within their western electrical systems. The total funding for WISP is $107.8 million.
The original nine participants in WISP are:
- Bonneville Power Administration
- California ISO /California Energy Commission
- Idaho Power Corporation
- NV Energy
- PacifiCorp
- Pacific Gas & Electric
- Southern California Edison
- Salt River Project
- WECC
Six of the eight Partners have now signed a Letter of Agreement: BPA, NV Energy, IPC, PacifiCorp, PG&E and SRP.
There also are 10 entities that were subsequently invited and have agreed to participate in WISP:
- Alberta Electric System Operator
- Arizona Public Service
- BC Hydro
- Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
- Northwestern Energy
- Public Service of New Mexico
- San Diego Gas and Electric
- Tri-State G&T
- Tucson Electric Power
- Western Area Power Administration
Four of the nine invited entities have signed a nondisclosure agreement: Northwestern Energy, SDG&E, Tri-State G&T and WAPA.
WECC is meeting the project’s key milestones. It has completed data center construction in Vancouver, Wash., and is on target in Loveland, Colo.
In addition to detecting electric system disruptions, synchrophasor technology can help companies see and manage intermittent renewable resources — and to deploy the ancillary services when necessary. BPA announced it is investing $22.5 million to deploy PMUs on their system — many at wind sites.
Other tasks underway include the procurement and installation of PMUs, PDCs, network infrastructure and server hardware. The wide area network service provider and the application software selection will be completed in Spring 2011.
In December 2011, the team will begin testing phasor data communications, system integration and software application functionality. WISP’s full implementation phase will take place beginning Summer 2012, with training, business readiness and system cutover planning. The implementation phase is scheduled to end with the completion of the system cutover by March 2013.
Note: All data in this document, unless otherwise stated, is current as of May 31, 2011.