| Company |
Randolph Electric Membership Corporation (Randolph EMC)
|
| Location |
North Carolina, United States
|
| Timeline | 2023 |
| Project Overview |
Randolph EMC adopted Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System® to enhance visibility into network events and improve fault detection accuracy. The solution enabled the utility to locate faults faster and more precisely, reducing outage durations and improving overall operational efficiency. |
| Products | Safegrid Intelligent Grid System® |
Randolph EMC is a cooperative utility serving over 31,000 consumer-members across multiple counties in North Carolina. The utility operates approximately 4,400 miles (7,081 km) of electricity lines, requiring efficient monitoring and rapid fault response to maintain reliable service.
To improve operational performance, Randolph EMC sought a solution that could provide accurate fault location and better visibility into grid events—areas where traditional systems were limited.
Randolph EMC faced several key challenges:
Limited accuracy of existing fault location systems
Fault indications covering wide areas (2–3 miles)
Extended search times for field crews
Increased outage durations affecting customers
Inefficient use of maintenance resources
A critical example involved a broken crossarm that caused a short circuit. The legacy system indicated a location 20–30 minutes away from the actual fault, leading to potential delays in restoration.
Safegrid deployed its Intelligent Grid System®, providing real-time monitoring and high-precision fault localization.
Accurate fault location within 200–300 feet
Real-time visibility into network events
Actionable data to guide field crews
Safegrid identified the correct fault location
Field teams went directly to the indicated area
The broken crossarm was quickly located and repaired
Power was restored efficiently with minimal delay
The solution delivered several operational advantages:
Highly accurate fault localization, reducing search time
Faster response and shorter outage durations
Improved resource allocation for field crews
Enhanced grid visibility and decision-making
Reduced reliance on less precise legacy systems
With Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System®, Randolph EMC achieved:
Significant reduction in fault search time
Faster restoration of service
Reduced outage duration for customers
Improved efficiency in maintenance operations
“Our previous system might have detected a fault, but we’d only have known it was somewhere in a 2–3 mile section. Safegrid’s solution actually locates faults within 200 or 300 feet.”
— Jacob Barlow, Senior Project Engineer
Randolph EMC’s experience demonstrates the value of precise fault localization in modern grid operations. By transitioning from broad-area fault detection to high-accuracy insights, the utility significantly improved response times and operational efficiency.
Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System® enabled Randolph EMC to reduce outages, optimize resources, and deliver more reliable service, highlighting the importance of advanced monitoring technology in enhancing grid performance.