Canada’s first citywide smart grid boosts energy efficiency and grid resilience

A smart grid is more than the sum of its technologies. Think:

• The nervous system registering an injury – how the body deploys responses instantly and accordingly.

• Sensors, cameras, a GPS and command center eyeing traffic – how rush hour flow gets adjusted in real time.

• An aspen grove rising from a single root system – how the unified organism produces and distributes energy.

Like these systems, the Sault Smart Grid (SSG) self-monitors and self-corrects. It is scaled to manage functions quickly and in minute detail across a complex and vast network. It is designed to deliver resiliency, efficiency and sustainability.

The advanced electrical grid system – the first citywide smart grid in Canada – was developed by PUC Services (PUC) with design, construction, integration and testing services by Black & Veatch. Launched in 2023, the system has produced immediate results for the city of Sault Ste. Marie. It has improved outage management, enhanced power quality and achieved better-than-expected energy savings.

Creating a city-scale smart grid

The smart grid is the largest capital improvement project that PUC has undertaken. The company operates an electricity distribution utility and is known for investing in projects that promote energy diversity, security and self-sufficiency. Developing the SSG, it bypassed a phased approach, choosing instead to extend the project’s benefits as fast as possible across the utility’s entire service territory, encompassing some 35,000 customers.

To fully realize the potential for real-time monitoring, control and automation grid-wide, Black & Veatch helped PUC integrate a stack of technologies for the project.

Sault Smart Grid tech stack

• Advanced distribution management system (ADMS)

• Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI)

• Fault location, isolation and service restoration (FLISR)

• Outage management system (OMS)

• Volt-VAR/distribution voltage regulation and distribution automation

At the heart of it, the ADMS solution unifies all the technologies into a seamless platform. It incorporates reliable data that’s rich with energy consumption insights gathered from sensors and smart meters. It leverages GIS (geographic information system) for precise, trustworthy mapping. It promotes efficient power delivery, detects and responds to outages within minutes, and maintains optimal voltage levels to keep the power supply stable.

The system also provides the flexibility to accommodate a diverse energy mix, enabling PUC to integrate distributed energy resources (DERs) including renewables, batteries and other storage technologies, microgrids, and EV (electric vehicle) systems.

Smart grid enhances energy resilience and efficiency

Adoption of an ADMS-based smart grid solution requires rigorous assessment and development. For example, to implement the SSG, PUC upgraded its communication and SCADA systems to be able to leverage dynamic voltage regulation (DVR), volt/VAR optimization (VVO), FLISR and distribution automation.

Since SSG’s launch, the system’s visibility and control has proved to be worthy of PUC’s investment. In 2024, outages decreased by 638,000 customer minutes and more than 6,000 customers were saved from experiencing an outage. Also in 2024, PUC realized energy savings of 2.86%, beating its 2.7% target. Coupled with government funding that covered 25% of the project’s cost, the energy savings have meant the SSG has been bill-neutral for PUC customers. Outage and service update communications have also improved. Meanwhile, PUC expects that CO₂ emissions will drop by 2,804 tonnes annually in Sault Ste. Marie thanks to the project’s impacts.

Further validation of PUC’s investment has come in the form of industry recognition. The Electricity Distributors Association (EDA) honored the program in May 2024, giving its Innovation Excellence Award to PUC. The company was also recognized with the Survalent’s Industry Leadership Award for pioneering Canada’s first community-wide smart grid project.

SSG features and functions

• Automated outage response – quickly identifies and isolates faults and restores power

• Real-time monitoring – enables prompt adjustments to performance changes

• Grid optimization – manages voltage, current and reactive power, reducing energy losses and improving efficiency

• Analytical tools – enhances understanding and control for informed decision making and reduced operational costs

• Integrated communications – facilitates efficient grid management and customer engagement