By: Matt Valenti

In today’s utility landscape, safety is no longer just about compliance. As the grid evolves to accommodate distributed energy, extreme weather and increasing electrification, maintaining safety at every level—especially on the low-voltage (LV) network—has become a complex challenge. Addressing it requires rethinking not just what utilities monitor but how and where they do it.

Traditionally, the LV grid has been under-monitored. While high-voltage and medium-voltage systems benefit from sophisticated SCADA infrastructure, the final step—where power is actually delivered to customers—often remains a blind spot. Yet this is where many safety risks originate. Faulty connections, phase imbalance or voltage irregularities at distribution transformers can pose serious hazards both to field crews and to the public.

A growing number of utilities are exploring transformer-level monitoring to close this gap. By capturing and transmitting real-time data from pole- and pad-mounted transformers, these edge monitors provide a more complete picture of grid behavior and safety conditions. This shift is enabling a proactive approach to risk management, moving safety from reactive response to informed prevention.

Real-Time Intelligence at the Grid Edge

When a customer reports flickering lights or an outage, the traditional utility response is to dispatch a crew—often without knowing whether there’s a confirmed fault or the nature of the issue. Now, edge-installed monitors can reveal what’s really happening: voltage sags or swells, neutral issues, reverse power flow from rooftop solar or transformer overloading.

Instead of relying on indirect indicators or waiting for trouble to surface, operators can check live data and decide if a dispatch is necessary. If conditions are unstable, they can hold back, protecting personnel. If a transformer has been reporting high harmonic distortion or repeated overloads, it may be flagged for replacement before it fails. This is more than operational efficiency—it’s about enabling safer, data-informed decisions.

A Safer, Smarter Dispatch Model

Field crews face inherent risks every time they work on energized equipment. The more utilities can know in advance, the safer the response becomes. Pre-dispatch checks—like confirming current balance, power restoration or abnormal power flows—can now be performed from the control room. Technicians can be sent with the right tools, the right PPE and a clearer understanding of the situation.

Some sensors, like the EdgeSensor, even support “last gasp” capabilities: if power is lost, they use onboard backup to send a final alert. This ensures the utility maintains a degree of visibility even during a blackout.

From Emergency Response to Predictive Safety

Beyond incident response, edge monitoring supports predictive strategies. By analyzing patterns in power quality metrics—like current imbalance, total harmonic distortion (THD) or peak load events—utilities can identify transformers that are deteriorating or misapplied.

Consider a transformer serving a large unbalanced load. Left unmonitored, it could overheat or fail, potentially creating live arcs or causing outages. With real-time data, that transformer can be flagged and addressed preemptively, reducing both safety risks and service interruptions.

Building a Resilient, Data-Driven Utility

Utilities face increasing pressure to prove they are managing risk proactively. Regulatory audits, safety compliance reporting and customer service investigations all benefit from detailed, time-stamped records. When an anomaly occurs—whether a voltage event or a neutral failure—having that data on hand can be the difference between informed resolution and uncertainty.

In modernizing the grid, utilities must also modernize how they think about safety. That means integrating real-time monitoring not just for reliability but as a core part of safety strategy. Platforms that gather, contextualize and distribute this data—through APIs, SCADA systems or direct alerts—can help break down silos and ensure safety signals reach those who need them most.

The Future is at the Edge

Safety isn’t just about avoiding accidents. It’s about building trust, improving resilience and preparing the grid for what comes next—whether that’s a spike in EV charging, more rooftop solar or stronger storms. With smarter tools and edge-driven visibility, utilities can meet these challenges with confidence.

As more utilities explore these capabilities, early adopters are already seeing benefits—from faster fault resolution to better grid planning. The shift toward transformer-level intelligence is about more than technology—it’s a mindset change. And it’s redefining how the industry approaches safety one transformer at a time.

If your utility is exploring ways to enhance safety through better visibility, Edge Zero provides tools designed to address these exact challenges. From transformer-level monitoring to cloud-based analytics, our solutions help utilities take a proactive approach to safety, reliability and operational efficiency.