In a recent episode of The Grid Mod Pod, TRC’s Don Kane joined AEIC to explore one of the utility industry’s most transformative concepts: digital twins. As utilities face increasing distributed generation, rising customer expectations and the demand for near real-time operations, digital twins offer a powerful solution. But unlocking their full potential requires disciplined data management, intentional processes and a shift in how we plan and operate.
What is a Digital Twin?
A digital twin is a dynamic, virtual replica of the physical grid. It goes far beyond a GIS map, capturing not only the location and connectivity of assets like conductors, transformers and other equipment, but also their physical and operational attributes: loading capacity, voltage set points, control logic and protection settings.
A robust digital twin also includes data from beyond the meter: solar generation, battery storage, electric vehicle chargers and granular AMI data. Together, these elements can provide invaluable data that empowers operators and planners to simulate, predict and respond to changing conditions with confidence.
Why It Matters Now
Grid modernization is often associated with renewable integration or advanced hardware, but it’s also about people, processes and decision-making. Traditionally, distribution operations focused on a “lights on, lights off” system. Today, utilities must manage voltage levels, bi-directional power flows and rapidly fluctuating distributed resources. That level of complexity can’t be handled with outdated paper maps or incomplete models.
Transitioning to an Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) requires a vast amount of accurate and well-integrated data, from conductor sizes and regulator settings to step transformer connections and DER attributes. The goal isn’t perfection, but data that’s reliable enough to make timely, informed decisions.
The Challenge Beneath the Surface
Creating and maintaining accurate digital models is no small task. In the past, developing a single feeder model could take a week and it would be outdated within a year. Today, utilities may need models for hundreds or thousands of circuits, each pulling from multiple systems. Managing this scale requires strategic prioritization and cross-departmental collaboration.
