ABB demonstrates robust solutions to most pressing challenges facing the utility of the future, including communication network management, microgrid breakthroughs, outage management, IT/OT convergence and enterprise software.

Orlando, FL, Feb. 9, 2016 - ABB demonstrates robust solutions to most pressing challenges facing the utility of the future, including communication network management, microgrid breakthroughs, outage management, IT/OT convergence and enterprise software.

ABB, the worlds largest supplier of transmission and distribution solutions for todays power grid, will be launching distributed energy resource technology applications and product enhancements at the DistribuTECH 2016 conference and exhibition.
As a global leader in enterprise IT/OT and smart grid, and independently ranked as the largest asset and workforce solution provider to the electric T&D market, ABB will again have a large presence at DistribuTECH as it shows off its breadth of systems expertise, equipment, software and communication technology.
Among its new offerings and product enhancements are several related ABB developments:
• Distribution Automation - ABB expands its COM600 product series with the addition of the COM600F, Distribution Grid Automation controller. The COM600F offers successful distributed self-healing automation solutions and successful feeder solutions using IEC61850. In addition, ABB now provides integrated solutions from strategic plans to completed deployments.
• Microgrid initiative - ABB is participating, along with other companies, in a Duke Energy-led "Coalition of the Willing Phase II" interoperability initiative that will implement and test a microgrid solution in Mount Holly, NC around an Open Field Message Bus (OpenFMB™) device framework. Duke Energy will hold daily demonstrations at its DistribuTECH booth (#1645).
• Utility Survey - ABB and Zpryme recently completed a utility survey, with a majority of utilities saying they plan to invest in asset performance management (APM), predictive maintenance and other emerging technologies. See the press release here.
• Communication Network Management - ABB is demonstrating SuprOS 8.3, a carrier-class management system capable of managing a utilitys field area network from a single console. SuprOS provides network-wide visualization tools for fault, configuration and performance management.
• Special Reports - ABB experts have prepared three in-depth special reports that can be obtained for free by visiting the ABB booth (#2100). The papers revolve around: distributed energy resource integration; storm response/grid resiliency issues; and asset management and big data around the "data core."
Additionally, ABB will be sharing insights in or moderating four Paper Presentations during the week at DistribuTECH. For a complete list of conference sessions and times, please click here.
"We are pleased to once again have a major presence at DistribuTECH, and were eager to help utilities look to the future as they deal with new complexities around distributed energy resources, asset health and smart grid resiliency issues," said Gary Rackliffe, ABB vice president for smart grids, North America. "No other T&D solutions provider offers the shear breadth of integrated solutions, systems expertise, equipment, software and communications technology that ABB does."
DistribuTECH 2016 runs from February 9-11 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, and ABB will be exhibiting in booth #2100. For more information and to register, please click here.
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leading global technology company in power and automation that enables utility, industry, and transport & infrastructure customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in roughly 100 countries and employs about 135,000 people. The company's Americas operations, headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, employ about 27,000 people in multiple manufacturing, service, engineering and other major facilities.
For help with any technical terms in this release, please go to www.abb.com/glossary.