#130: Reclosers in Modern Grids: Protection, Automation, and DER Integration

Reclosers have long been essential for protecting distribution networks and restoring power after faults. Today, they are evolving from standalone protection devices into coordinated system actors that combine protection, automation, communication, and control. In this episode, OMICRON application engineer Alex Auman, who specializes in reclosure and protection testing, explains how reclosers help utilities integrate distributed energy resources (DER), improve reliability, and enable self-healing grid concepts. Alex describes various automation schemes that help utilities keep more customers energized during faults and disturbances and highlights the growing importance of comprehensive testing and validation.