“Having trusted partners like Survalent helped us execute a complex transformation with confidence. Their team delivered everything we needed - and more.” — Robert Brewer
The Challenge
PUC faced growing challenges from aging grid infrastructure, increased electrification across the community, and the rising need for faster, more reliable outage response. As power demand continued to grow, maintaining system performance with legacy tools became more difficult. The existing grid lacked real-time visibility and the automation required to reduce operational strain during peak usage or system faults. PUC needed a comprehensive modernization strategy that would not only address current reliability concerns but also prepare the utility to support future distributed energy resources, electric vehicle charging, and advanced metering systems. With customer expectations increasing and pressure to reduce outage duration and frequency, the utility sought a solution that could transform its entire distribution network – quickly and effectively.
The Solution
With approval from the Ontario Energy Board, PUC launched a $34-million initiative to implement Canada’s first fully community-wide smart grid. The utility partnered with Survalent to deploy its integrated SurvalentONE ADMS platform to modernize its aging infrastructure and prepare for growing electrification.
Twelve substations were upgraded with feeder voltage control, and new voltage regulators were installed at seven stations, along with overhead regulators on feeders and transformer replacements at four locations. These physical upgrades enabled the deployment of SurvalentONE FLISR and DVR/VVO applications, which provided self-healing capabilities and enabled voltage optimization without compromising service quality.
The grid was energized by summer 2023, with VVO in full operation and FLISR nearing full automation. Early results include average residential energy savings of 2.86%, translating to approximately $2.2 million in annual savings across the customer base. These savings were reinvested to upgrade infrastructure without raising rates for the customers. The system has also improved outage response and enhanced operator decision-making through advanced analytics and integrated tools.
PUC Distribution Inc. is a municipally owned utility serving the City of Sault Ste. Marie in Northern Ontario. The company delivers safe, reliable electricity to more than 33,000 customers and is recognized for advancing innovation and sustainability. In 2023, PUC became the first utility in Canada to deploy a fully integrated, community-wide smart grid.