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How Innovative Technology Supports Reliable Power for Customers
From keeping refrigerators and ACs running to staying connected online, reliable energy is critical. At Arizona Public Service (APS), we’re investing in innovative technology like FLISR to make our electric grid more reliable and responsive.
What is FLISR?
While the acronym may sound silly (flizzer!), the technology is smart. FLISR stands for Fault Location, Isolation and Service Restoration. This tool helps us detect and respond to outages automatically and in real time.
Here’s how it works:
- A fault occurs (like debris such as mylar balloons on a power line).
- FLISR quickly detects the issue and pinpoints the location.
- The system automatically isolates the affected area and switches some customers to alternate power sources where possible, minimizing the impact of the outage.
- Power is restored to as many customers as possible, significantly reducing customer outage time.
All of this happens without needing to send a crew out first, getting the lights back on to more customers faster. Additionally, precise fault location allows us to dispatch repair crews to the specific location and inform customers about outage status in real time.
So how does FLISR directly benefit customers?
- Faster Power Restoration
Most outages can be resolved quickly and automatically. - Smaller Impact
FLISR isolates the problem area, meaning fewer customers lose power during an event. - Increased Reliability
By detecting and addressing issues immediately, FLISR helps reduce the number and duration of outages overall. - Efficient Use of Crews
Our team can focus on making repairs where they’re truly needed, especially during storms or emergencies.
“With FLISR technology, we can respond to outages in real time, often restoring power before our crews even arrive. That means fewer interruptions and faster service for customers. In Arizona’s extreme climate, that’s a game-changer. This smart technology helps us keep the lights on safely, efficiently and reliably.” – Steve Caporaso, APS Supervisor Smart Grid & Advanced Grid Technology
Built for Arizona’s Unique Challenges
Extreme heat, monsoon storms and wildfire risks all present unique challenges to our electric system. Technologies like FLISR are part of how we’re preparing the grid for whatever comes our way, helping us deliver reliable power in every season.
FLISR is just one of the ways APS is modernizing the grid to support reliable service for customers. To learn more about how APS is supporting customer reliability, visit aps.com/reliability.
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