Duquesne Light Company, ComEd and Pacific Gas
and Electric identifying unique ways to enhance underground
infrastructure and improve worker and public safety
PITTSBURGH, July 27,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Duquesne Light Company
(DLC) today announced that Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) — an Exelon
Corporation unit — and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)
have joined the first phase of its public crowdsourcing innovation
challenge — "Monitoring Electrical Cable Challenge: The Future
of Underground Inspection" — which focuses on creating a more
reliable and safer underground electric network in the Pittsburgh region. ComEd and PG&E are
collaborating with DLC in two areas: guiding the challenge
finalists on solution testing and evaluating the phase one results.
The winning solution is expected to strengthen the underground
electrical grid and improve worker and public safety in DLC's
service territory across southwestern Pennsylvania, with the potential for further
implementation in ComEd's and PG&E's networks.
With a total prize of $750,000,
the challenge was shared with entrepreneurs, researchers,
scientists, students and more and drew submissions from around the
world.
"When we launched this challenge, our goal was to find solutions
that were diverse and 'outside the box.' We were fortunate to
receive submissions representing various innovative approaches to
solving this important issue," said Josh
Gould, director of innovation at DLC. "We also realize this
challenge isn't unique to DLC, which makes our collaboration with
ComEd and PG&E even more valuable. In addition to diverse
solutions, we're seeking diverse viewpoints on how best to test,
evaluate and implement those solutions. We're beyond honored to
have their support and expertise in this effort."
"This collaboration with DLC and other participating
organizations has proven to be a great opportunity to foster
solutions for underground cable monitoring," said Aleksandar Vukojevic, senior manager of smart
grid and innovation at ComEd. "ComEd serves over 4 million
customers in northern Illinois,
including the city of Chicago. We
believe the results of this challenge will help ensure worker
safety and enhance service reliability. Adopting a robust cable
monitoring system will considerably improve preventive maintenance
schedules and quality of service."
"PG&E is excited to participate in the initial phase of
DLC's 'Monitoring Electrical Cable Challenge,'" added Ian Burnside, grid innovation engineer at
PG&E. "Through collaboration with DLC and ComEd, we hope to
foster innovation to improve public and utility worker safety here
in California and across the
utility industry."
Investing in Innovation and Infrastructure
In partnership with HeroX, a leading crowdsourcing platform, DLC
launched the "Monitoring Electrical Cable Challenge" in
December 2021. With hundreds
of millions of miles of underground electrical cables
worldwide, the need to maintain and look after this critical
infrastructure is essential to everyday life and economic growth,
especially in cities and other densely populated areas where these
cables are typically located.
"This challenge is another way that DLC is investing in
innovation and critical infrastructure to ensure the continued
delivery of safe, reliable and resilient service to our customers,"
added Gould. "As underground cables age, it becomes even more
important to monitor them to ensure their effectiveness and
maintain a safe environment for workers and the public. We were
impressed by the submissions we received and look forward to the
next step in the process."
The final five solutions will be tested and judged through the
end of the year. A pilot deployment on a utility network is
expected to take place in early 2023, with the winner being
announced that fall.
Learn more about the challenge at
HeroX.com/DLCCableChallenge.
About Duquesne Light Company
Duquesne Light Company (DLC) is committed to more than keeping
the lights on; we power the moments in our customers' lives. As a
next-generation energy company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, DLC's 1,700-plus
employees are dedicated to providing safe, reliable, resilient and
affordable power to more than 600,000 customers across southwestern
Pennsylvania, including the city
of Pittsburgh. To learn more,
visit DuquesneLight.com.
About Commonwealth Edison
Company
ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ:
EXC), a Fortune 200 energy company with approximately 10 million
electricity and natural gas customers — the largest number of
customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million
customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's
population. For more information visit ComEd.com and connect
with the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E
Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric
utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square
miles in northern and central California. For more information, visit
PGE.com and PGE.com/news.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/innovative-utility-partnerships-making-underground-electrical-grid-stronger-and-safer-301594432.html
SOURCE Duquesne Light Company