Sentient Energy Launches its Next-Generation AI-Based Predictive Outage Analytics (Ample Insights™) for Distribution Utilities
Frisco, TX – March 25, 2025 – Sentient Energy today announced the launch of its latest AI based platform: Ample Insights™ – Impending Outages the evolution of Sentient’s Machine Learning/AI based predictive analytics offering using intelligent distribution line sensors, offering predictive capability for impending issues such as: Wildfire Risk, Vegetation Management, Equipment failures, etc.
Electric utilities spend billions annually on preventative maintenance of their infrastructure, including equipment replacement and forestry work. A large portion of these costs are operations and maintenance (O&M), which directly impact their bottom line or the price of electricity for their members. The objectives of these maintenance activities are to increase the safety and reliability of the utility’s electrical service. However, achieving these objectives has been challenging using the traditional approach. For equipment failure, replacing equipment based on make/model and vintage has been the standard. For vegetation management, the standard solution is searching for overgrowth/encroachment based on rotating geographical areas or more recently using satellite imagery. As of late, Fire Mitigation for wildfires as a result of vegetation encroachment onto the grid, has taken center stage due to devastating effects of the fires and massive liabilities facing utilities. The problem with traditional O&M and Vegetation Management approaches is that they lack any real-time or historical grid observation data to identify areas with the highest likelihood of impact. Often device failure is caused by environmental or electrical factors (e.g. faster wear due to environmental or electrical characteristics). Similarly, vegetation-caused failure is often due to human or unforeseen environmental factors (e.g. someone plants a pine tree in their front yard which grows into an overhead power line, or a new vine rapidly grows up a pole).
Ample Insights™ incorporates advanced AI analytical features as a natural extension of the Ample platform. The solution supports the maintenance objectives of electric service safety and reliability by predicting sensor sites with the highest likelihood of downstream failures, known as “Impending Outages”. This enables utilities to structure their preventative maintenance and forestry programs to first target areas with grid observation data indicating high probability of an impending fault. With this approach, we expect utilities will be able to optimize their O&M costs while exceeding their prior safety and reliability results and minimizing their wildfire risks. The Sentient solution has been proven as an offering, identifying and preventing over 700 customer interruptions in 2024 at a single utility, representing 160,000+ minutes of CMI prevented.
“The launch of the latest version of Ample Insights™ represents a key milestone in Sentient Energy’s mission to offer distribution utilities the most beneficial and actionable grid analytics solution.” says Bahman Hoveida, Sentient Energy’s CEO. “We take a pragmatic, iterative, data-based approach to analytics, using proven technology including Machine Learning, to identify potential problems that may impact the grid. Our existing customer partners have already realized true ROI from the solution, and we’re excited to now offer it as an option within our software platform.”
The solution works by first analyzing historical pre-fault event data, including waveforms and other types of data captured leading up to the fault, from Sentient MM3 and MM3ai overheard line sensor devices. Next, this data is used to create a library of pre-fault signatures that can be referenced. Lastly, the system monitors all data observed by Sentient sensors daily. Data that is known to be associated with typical operations (such as switching a capacitor bank) is filtered out and the remaining data is compared to the library of pre-fault signatures. If data matches a pre-fault signature, it is either correlated to an existing “Impending Outage” in the software platform (Ample) or a new “Impending Outage” is created. Within Ample, the user can update notes on inspection results and add work order IDs created to resolve any issues found. The priority of each Impending Outage is updated based on the count and frequency of pre-fault data signatures observed. Additionally, historical outage “cause code” data can be incorporated into the first analytical step, allowing Ample Insights ™ to estimate the probable cause code for each outage (vegetation or equipment failure). With a probable cause code, the inspector can have the correct equipment and process to more easily identify the cause of the impending outage. The solution results can also be provided for enterprise-wide analysis, including broader preventative maintenance or wildfire mitigation tools.
Consumers Energy, a large distribution utility in the State of Michigan, has incorporated Sentient’s underlying predictive analytics into their broader Reliability Analytics Monitoring Program (RAMP). Read more about the Consumers RAMP program here.
About Sentient Energy
Sentient Energy, a subsidiary of Accurant International, is a leader in intelligent line sensing, data analytics, optimization, and control solutions for electric grids. Sentient Energy’s advanced sensor hardware and analytics software systems empower utilities to make informed, data-driven decisions to ensure reliable, safe, and efficient power delivery. With the industry’s only comprehensive Grid Analytics System, which covers both underground and overhead distribution networks, Sentient Energy provides the most flexible communication options available. The company leads the global market, deploying the largest network of line sensors across North America to deliver real-time data for predictive insights and strategic grid management.
Furthermore, Sentient Energy’s Grid Edge Control solutions help utilities manage demand and reduce losses at the grid’s edge through techniques such as Volt-VAR optimization, conservation voltage reduction, and peak demand reduction.
For more information visit www.sentientenergy.com.
Media Contact
Mimi Nelson
info@sentient-energy.com
