Atlas: Power Distribution Application

August 6, 2025

Atlas: Power Distribution Application

1. Introduction – Problem Statement

At telecommunication sites, various critical and noncritical equipment serve different functions and require AC or DC power. Hence, special infrastructure, such as DC plants, power distribution units (PDUs), battery distribution fuse bays (BDFBs), fuses and breakers, are used to safely and efficiently generate and distribute AC and DC power to the equipment.

A challenge arises in managing the current loads supported by every DC plant, PDU and BDFB. More precisely, it can be cumbersome for telecom companies and power utilities to track the usage power distributing devices at sites to prevent overloads. Moreover, when telecom companies undertake new projects, additional current loads are added at the different sites. They must therefore ensure that the DC plants, PDUs and BDFBs possess sufficient capacity to support the additional loads.

In the following sections, we will discuss how the Atlas software can support telecom providers by:

Managing current loads associated with power distribution devices and ensuring sufficient capacity.
Planning for future projects and managing future current load additions.

2. Polling Information from the Equipment

As stated above, numerous devices in telecommunication sites are used to generate and distribute AC and DC power to different equipment. Below is a list of the equipment, including their primary functions and datapoints that are typically available from their controllers.

Equipment

Primary Function

Available Datapoints

BDFB

Distributes DC power to various equipment with individual circuit protection.

Input voltage
Output voltage
Current draw
Power consumption
Fuse/breaker status

PDU

Distributes AC or DC power from the power source (DC plant) to connected equipment.

Input voltage
Output voltage
Overload status
Power consumption

DC Plant

Generates and manages DC power supply for critical infrastructure in telecommunication sites.

DC voltage supplied
Power usage
Input AC current
Battery voltage
Battery current

Although valuable information for maintaining sites functional is available in the controllers for the BDFBs, the PDUs and the DC plants, they do not provide users with insights to optimize operations and support planning for future projects. In the upcoming section, we will cover how Atlas can help telecom providers manage the load currents at their sites and plan for future equipment additions at the sites.

3. Solution: Creating Value Through Data Manipulation

Figure 1: Suggested architecture in Atlas for a Power Distribution Application

Atlas allows for the integration and polling of smart power distribution equipment to provide real-time data on the current loads managed by those devices as well as their usage. More precisely, Atlas is vendor-agnostic and can integrate with any smart device using SNMP and Modbus TCP/IP communication protocols. To the left is an example of an asset tree which represents the power distribution architecture of a site that can be configured in the Atlas.

In this architecture, the site is located on at the top level. In this site are various equipment, such as air conditioning units (HVACs) and generators. Applications for HVACs and generators will be covered in future Atlas use cases.

As shown in the image, a DC plant is also located at the site. There are two battery strings located in this DC plant. Also, to represent the power distribution flow, power distribution units (PDUs) are added beneath the DC plant in this architecture. Below the PDUs are Battery Distribution Fuse Bays (BDFBs), which may have numerous panels. The panels themselves can incorporate different amounts of breakers to provide power to the different devices within the site.

In the following subsections, we will see how these assets can be linked to provide insightful, real-time information regarding the power usage at every step of the power distribution.

3.1 Breakers

Breakers are located at the lowest level of the power distribution architecture. Breakers are at the very end of the power distribution process in telecom sites and offer protection capabilities such as in case of overcurrent. Below is an example of a form that can be configured for breakers in Atlas.

Figure 2: Form tab enabling users to store breaker information

In Figure 2, users can directly input in the form critical information about a breaker: brand, model, serial number, etc. Special templates can also be created in Atlas to automatically populate the information for those fields when creating a new equipment. This interface also allows users to specify the number of breaker positions occupied by a particular breaker on the BDFB panel. This information is later used to compute the occupancy rate of a panel or a BDFB. As demonstrated in Figure 2, Atlas can be used as a powerful database to store and access the most critical data related to power-distributing equipment.

As stated above, Atlas can also be used to access real-time data monitored from the equipment. Figure 3 shows an example of an interface configured in Atlas to visualize critical data monitored from breakers.

Figure 3: Form tab for monitoring the breaker and the calculation of breaker usage

In Figure 3, In this case, four feeds have been added to the breaker, but more can be added, if necessary. Indeed, the Atlas interface is fully user-configurable and can be adapted to every network’s reality.

Furthermore, the breaker’s capacity can either be monitored or inputted manually by users. This allows for the calculation of the breaker usage. More precisely, Atlas automatically calculates breaker usage with the equation:

Atlas has the capability to integrate various user-configurable equations. LUA scripts are used to program these equations in the Atlas interface. LUA is a simple, open-source programming language used in Atlas to configure calculations including arithmetic, Boolean algebra, critical thresholds and much more. Multitel can assist in the configuration of these scripts and provide templates as needed. An example of such a LUA script implementing the equation above is presented in the annex.

In Figure 3, since the total load current supported by the breaker is 42 A and its capacity is 100 A, the breaker usage of 42% was automatically computed by Atlas. As seen on Figure 1, the usage computed can be associated with statuses defined by user-defined business rules, yielding different color icons in the asset tree. Hence, Atlas is a powerful tool that not only allows users to track device usage, but also allows to quickly spot abnormal conditions such as overloads.

Finally, users can input in this form an anticipated load addition for the breaker when planning new projects. This way, Atlas can automatically compute an anticipated breaker usage, which allows users to validate that the breaker can support the planned load addition. The equation below is used in Figure 3 to calculate the anticipated breaker usage. In this case, since the anticipated load addition is 10 A, the anticipated breaker usage is 52%.

3.2 Panels

The information gathered at the breaker level is used to compute various parameters regarding the BDFB panels. Below is an example of configuration in Atlas for users to obtain critical information regarding their panels.

Figure 4: Form for monitoring the BDFB panels in Atlas

In Figure 4, the number of occupied breaker positions is automatically calculated by Atlas using the information inputted at the breaker level. In this interface, users can also input or monitor the total number of breaker positions available on the panel. This enables for the automatic calculation of the number of free breaker positions and the panel’s occupancy rate. The number of free breaker positions is calculated by subtracting the number of occupied breaker positions from the total number of breaker positions on the panel. The panel’s occupancy rate can be computed using the following equation:

In Figure 4, since the total number of breaker positions is 20 and the number of occupied breaker positions is 12, the resulting occupancy rate is 60%. This is particularly useful for users wishing to validate the available breaker positions on their BDFB panels – for instance, while planning expansion projects.

Furthermore, the total load current supported by the panel is automatically calculated from the data monitored at the breaker level. More precisely, the load current displayed in Figure 4 is the sum of the loads supported by every breaker located on the panel. The panel’s capacity can also be monitored or manually inputted by the user. The panel’s usage can be computed using the following equation:

In the case of Figure 4, since the load current is 349 A and the panel capacity is 500 A, the resulting panel usage is 69.80%.

As with breakers, the anticipated panel usage can also be calculated. In fact, the anticipated load addition shown on Figure 4 is computed from the anticipated load addition planned inputted for every breaker on the panel. Therefore, the panel’s anticipated usage can be computed by using this equation:

3.3 BDFBs

Once the data gathered at the panel level has been integrated, a form can be generated in Atlas to monitor the breaker position occupancy rate and usage of the BDFBs. An example of such a form is shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5: Form for monitoring the BDFBs in Atlas

This form is similar to the one presented in Figure 4 for breaker, but it shows data for the BDFB as a whole. For instance, the data presented for the number of breaker positions and the total current load is calculated from the data collected from the panels located on this BDFB. The BDFB’s occupancy rate, actual usage and anticipated usage is computed the same way as for panels.

3.4 PDUs

At the beginning of the power distribution there are power distribution units (PDUs) that distribute electrical power to the rest of the equipment above. Figure 6 shows an example of a customized form that was configured in Atlas for monitoring PDUs.

Figure 6: Form for monitoring the PDUs in Atlas

As shown in Figure 6, critical data from the PDUs can be monitored in Atlas, including current, voltage and power factor. The total load supported by the PDU is also calculated from the data gathered at the BDFB level. Hence, the PDU’s actual and anticipated usage are computed with the same equation as used for the panels and BDFBs.

3.5 DC Plants

Finally, the DC plants are at the beginning of the power distribution process. They are located at the top of the asset tree presented on Figure 1. An example of a form configured in Atlas for monitoring DC plants is presented in Figure 7.

Figure 7: Form for monitoring the DC Plants in Atlas

Many parameters can be monitored from the DC plants, including temperature and voltage. Monitoring the latter is essential to track the batteries’ charging cycles to ensure the reliability of the power supply. As displayed in Figure 7, the DC plant’s actual and anticipated usage can also be calculated.

4. Outputs and Benefits

The architecture proposed above enables Atlas users to monitor the current load, capacity and usage at every level of the power distribution process. Moreover, Atlas allows users to track available and occupied breaker positions on BDFB panels. Overall, using Atlas for power distribution applications can be beneficial for the key reasons.

Powerful network management: The data monitored from the power-distributing equipment at all sites can be centralized in the Atlas network view, allowing for the equipment management from a network perspective. Figure 8 gives an example of a customized network view that was created in Atlas to view BDFBs across a telecommunications network.

Figure 8: Customized network view in Atlas to view BDFBs

As shown in Figure 8, the Atlas network view includes a dynamic table that displays the most critical data and information from the equipment with user-defined statuses. This enables users to manage the power distribution equipment in a proactive manner and gives insightful prioritization indicators when corrective actions are needed.

Enhanced network reliability: Atlas enables tracking of capacity and loads at every level of the power distribution process. Hence, abnormal conditions, such as overcurrent, can be detected early. For instance, with a network view such as the one presented in figure 8, users can quickly assess which equipment have the highest usage and occupancy rates. The use of Atlas for monitoring power distribution devices also enables users to be notified in case of under-voltage or imbalanced loads. It is therefore possible for Atlas users to ensure that the loads in the sites are balanced across circuits and distribution paths.

Increased planning capabilities: Since loads and capacities are monitored at every level of the power distribution process, Atlas can support in planning for the deployment of new equipment and expansion projects. Atlas users can easily identify circuits that are not operating at their full capacity and that can accommodate additional loads for new equipment. Also, Atlas can help users identify BDFB panels where breaker positions are still available to power the new equipment.

Optimized power usage and cost savings: Since power usage is calculated and monitored for every distributing-power device at the site, Atlas enables users to easily identify underutilized equipment that could be drawing unnecessary power. This allows telecommunication and power utility companies to optimize the power distribution architecture at their sites to avoid energy waste.

Facilitated equipment maintenances: Having a power distribution architecture detailed in Atlas can facilitate maintenances and repairs where certain devices or breakers need to be powered off. More precisely, Atlas allows users to track which breaker or fuse of different devices at the sites are powered. Hence, users can easily identify breakers that are required to be deactivated for certain maintenances and evaluate potential impacts on other devices.

Access to insightful KPIs: Atlas provides access to insightful KPIs for the network and its equipment. For instance, special dashboards can be configured in Atlas to access an overview of the network state. Below is an example of a dashboard that was created in Atlas for DC plants. Using such dashboards, users can quickly and in real-time assess the number of sites powered by the batteries, the number of sites with low battery reserve time as well as the number of sites with a high DC plant usage.

Figure 9: Example of dashboard configured in Atlas for DC Plants

5. Conclusion

This document has presented how Atlas can support telecom and utility companies track the load capacities at every step of the power distribution process at their sites. More precisely, examples of interfaces for monitoring the following equipment were detailed:

DC plants;
Power distribution units;
Smart BDFBs;
Distribution panels; and
Breakers / Fuses.

It has been demonstrated that monitoring these devices at a network level using the Atlas software can help detect abnormal conditions, such as overloads, in an easier manner. Calculating and tracking the usage at every level of the power distribution as well as the available breaker positions can also help telecoms and power utilities to plan for expansion projects. Optimized usage of the equipment can also help companies optimize their power usage and the associated costs.

Finally, tracking power distribution data facilitates different maintenance processes that are required at telecommunication sites. Overall, the use of Atlas for power distribution monitoring can significantly enhance operational efficiency, reduce downtime through proactive maintenance, and support data-driven decision-making for infrastructure upgrades and energy management strategies.