SMART GRID AUTOMATION FOR REDUCING DOWNTIME IN LV/MV SWITCHGEAR AND POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
Abstract
The Kingdom’s electricity distribution networks are moving into a crucial phase of modernisation as the operational strain on low- and medium-voltage assets increases due to growth in renewable generation, industrial electrification, digital service expectations and urban development. Switchgear, ring main units, feeders, transformers and protection devices are still key to service continuity, but many outage minutes are still caused by delayed fault location, limited asset visibility, manual switching, ageing insulation, thermal deterioration and fragmented maintenance information. The review discusses the role of smart grid automation in LV/MV switchgear and power distribution systems in reducing the downtime through the integration of condition monitoring, intelligent electronic devices, advanced distribution management systems, fault location isolation and service restoration, communications, cybersecurity and predictive maintenance. A structured narrative review method is adopted and literature, standards-oriented guidance and Saudi electricity sector developments published during 2020 to 2025 are synthesised. The review suggests a layered automation framework that integrates field sensing, edge analytics, interoperable communications, automated switching and executive reliability dashboards. The paper argues that reducing downtime is not about digital switchgear, but about coordinated governance across asset health, feeder topology, restoration logic, workforce competence and cybersecure data operations. Automation should be focused on high-impact feeders in Saudi LV/MV networks, for industrial cities, healthcare loads, airports, water facilities, metro systems, and fast-growing residential areas. The study finds that a phased modernisation roadmap can improve SAIDI, SAIFI, safety, asset utilisation and renewable-readiness while supporting Vision 2030 goals for reliable, efficient and sustainable electricity infrastructure.