Ameren Microgrid Tour

Ameren and S&C Electric invite Microgrid 2018 attendees to tour the Ameren Microgrid, a complex cybersecure microgrid, which is now live and operating adjacent to the University of Illinois in Champaign. This special tour will take place on Thursday, May 10, 2018.

Ameren micogrid in Champaign, Illinois.

The Ameren microgrid can produce up to 1,475 kW to power residential and commercial customers. The microgrid consists of natural gas generators, battery energy storage, a microgrid control system, and solar and wind generation. Ameren’s microgrid is the first in North America to be created while on live customer loads and have a seamless transition.  The tour will take guests across a 5-acre property and behind the scenes of the microgrid project.

Ameren is the first utility to install a military-grade cybersecure microgrid controller, which is manufactured by S&C Electric subsidiary IPERC. Called the GridMaster, it is the only microgrid controller that has obtained an Authority to Operate (ATO) from the Department of Defense.

In addition to its cybersecurity features, the Ameren microgrid achieves two other technology firsts:

1. The Ameren microgrid marks the first time a utility is serving paying customer loads on a utility distribution feeder in North America. The microgrid’s distributed generation can be delivered directly to local customers, routed to the central grid, or stored in the microgrid’s battery.
2. It is the only known utility-scale microgrid in the nation capable of seamlessly transitioning the power source for an entire distribution circuit from the microgrid to the grid.This prevents power from going out for customers when the microgrid is reconnecting to the grid after being in island mode.

This tour is being provided courtesy of S&C Electric on Thursday, May 10.

Ameren Microgrid Demonstration Tour

• 7:45 a.m. – Proceed to bus
• 8:00 a.m. Bus departs Lowes O’Hare for Ameren Microgrid
• 10:30 a.m. Bus Arrives at Ameren Microgrid
• 10:30-Noon Tour of Ameren’s Microgrid
• 12:30 Bus departs to returns to hotel – box lunch will be provided courtesy of S&C Electric
• 2:30 Bus arrives at Lowes O’Hare

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