- "Spot", a robot dog, helps Consumers Energy avoid power outages by scanning electrical connections at Blackstone Substation
- Spot can autonomously inspect equipment and relay information to headquarters, identifying "hotspots" that may need repair.
- Robotics is one-way Consumers Energy says it is hoping to increase reliability.
- VIDEO SHOWS Spot in action at Jackson's Blackstone Substation.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Behind me is Blackstone Substation, which is vitally important as it provides electricity to many of Jackson's homes and businesses. I had a chance to step inside the fence here…and meet Consumers Energy's new and unusual helper.
This is Spot.
See Spot run.
"Spot will run five autonomous missions in this particular substation," says his handler, Michael Cooper.
Spot is an autonomous robot designed to help monitor and operate sites and make data-driven decisions.
Here in Jackson, Spot patrols this substation, using his sensors to identify potential problems with electrical connections.
"It takes that data, sends those readings back to our control room, where then if it does see an issue, we can dispatch crews to help make a repair before an outage happens," says Cooper.
Like a real dog, Spot has sensory advantages over humans. A thermal imaging camera lets him SPOT potential problems with electrical connections.
Cooper says: "If those have hotspots, that's at a risk for an electric circuit opening up and causing an outage."
Company leaders say the technology helps improve reliability.
"To do that, it takes Spot, but it takes really an all of the above approach," says Consumers Energy Spokesperson Brian Wheeler. "What can technology do to make us more efficient, and help us do our human job better?"
At a cost upwards of $200,000, for now, Spot is the only robot on duty at Consumers Energy.
But leaders say the Company is constantly testing new technologies and may see fit to add more robots in the future, in addition to drones and other technological solutions.
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