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Anyone who works in energy distribution in Brazil knows that DEC (Equivalent Interruption Duration per Consumer Unit) and FEC (Equivalent Interruption Frequency per Consumer Unit) are not just acronyms in regulatory reports. They are indicators that measure, in practice, how many hours per year consumers are without power and how often this happens. When these indices fall outside the target set by ANEEL (Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency), penalties are applied.
The historical problem with overhead distribution networks is that any fault can bring down an entire section of the circuit. Without automation, restoration depends on a field team that needs to travel, locate the fault, and act manually. This takes time. And time is exactly what quality indices measure.
The automatic recloser solves this problem at its source. And the R-SAVE, developed by Romagnole, was specifically designed for the conditions and requirements of Brazilian power grids.
What is an automatic recloser and how does it work?
An automatic recloser is a protection and automation device installed at strategic points in the distribution network. Its main function is to detect faults such as short circuits, overloads, and transient disturbances, and to execute a programmed sequence of opening and closing the circuit to attempt to restore the supply without human intervention.
Not all outages are permanent. A lightning strike, for example, can cause a short circuit that extinguishes itself in fractions of a second. If the recloser opens and reconnects quickly, the consumer barely notices the interruption, and the DEC/FEC indices register a much lower occurrence than if the line had remained disconnected until a field team arrived.
When the fault is permanent, the recloser isolates the affected section and protects the rest of the circuit, minimizing the impacted area. With integration into the utility company's automation system, the field team receives the precise location of the fault even before leaving the base.
R-SAVE: Romagnole's three-phase recloser for smart grids.
The R-SAVE is a three-phase recloser developed by Romagnole to operate in medium-voltage distribution networks, integrating protection, automation, and remote communication into a single device.
Key differences in the specification:
- Three-phase operation: acts on all three poles simultaneously, essential for maintaining network balance and preventing inadvertent single-phase operation in sensitive loads.
- Integrated remote communication: enables real-time monitoring and remote control via SCADA system, reducing unnecessary team travel.
- Programmable protection logic: the operating curves can be adjusted according to the profile of the protected circuit, ensuring selectivity with other devices on the network.
- Event logging and oscillography: each operation is recorded with the date, time, and type of occurrence, providing data for reliability analysis and maintenance planning.
- Compatibility with automation protocols: integrates with telemetry systems already used by distributors, without the need to replace existing infrastructure.
DEC and FEC: why these indicators matter for the specification
ANEEL establishes individual DEC and FEC targets for each distributor. Exceeding these limits results in automatic compensation for affected consumers and regulatory penalties for the concessionaire.
Each successful reclosing during a transient fault is an event that does not enter the DEC (Digital Interruption Count). Each quick isolation of a section with a permanent fault represents a smaller area in the FEC (Frequency Interruption Count). The impact on the indicators is direct and measurable.
For engineers and managers who need to justify investments in automation, the return on investment calculation is usually favorable when comparing the cost of acquiring and installing reclosers with the penalties avoided and the compensations that are no longer paid.
When does it make sense to specify R-SAVE?
The three-phase recloser is recommended in specific situations where the benefits of automation are most significant:
- Circuits with a high incidence of transient faults, especially in regions with extensive vegetation cover or high levels of lightning activity.
- Long feeder lines with rural sections where the movement of maintenance teams is time-consuming and costly.
- Strategic disconnection points where automation allows for network reconfiguration and partial restoration of supply while the fault is being repaired.
- Concessionaires are in the process of adapting to the quality indices required by ANEEL, where the reduction of DEC and FEC is an operational priority.
- Network modernization projects that seek to integrate communication and automation as part of a Smart Grid strategy.
The difference between conventional protection and intelligent automation.
A fuse switch protects the circuit, but does not restore power. It opens and remains open until someone goes to replace it. A conventional circuit breaker in a substation provides protection, but its action may be more extensive than necessary, affecting a larger section of the network.
The automatic recloser combines protection with intelligent restoration. It distinguishes between transient and permanent faults, acts selectively, and also generates data to feed the network management system. In practical terms, it's the difference between a team that reacts to incidents and a network that resolves some of the problems before the team is even called in.
Conclusion
Automating the network is not just a matter of technology. It's a strategic decision with a direct impact on the quality of service provided, customer satisfaction, and the financial health of the distributor. The R-SAVE three-phase recloser was developed to be that component within a network that needs to be more reliable, more efficient, and more intelligent.
If you are specifying automation projects or evaluating how to reduce the DEC/FEC rates of your concession, the Romagnole technical team can support you from circuit analysis to defining the ideal installation points. With over 60 years of experience developing products for the Brazilian electrical sector, we are equipped to find the right solution.