Broadband Communications and the Smart Grid

Smart Grid and the Need for an Improved Communications Infrastructure

The U.S. electric grid consists of over 200,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and more than 6 million miles of distribution lines that serve over 100 million customers (283 million people). Electricity usage continues to grow and it now represents over 40 percent of overall energy consumption in the U.S.

The current electric grid can best be categorized as aging, congested, and incapable of meeting the future requirements of an information technology intensive economy This situation provides sufficient justification for a call to modernize and restructure it with an eye towards a 21^st century economy.

The solution – commonly referred to as the Smart Grid - is a fully-automated energy delivery network with 2-way flow of both electricity and information between all points of power generation and electricity end-use at the customer premises. This vision provides the framework for identifying and addressing these challenges and opportunities. Simply stated, Smart Grid consists of three technological components:

• Distributed Intelligence, which enables real-time monitoring, coordination, and control at all points along the network,,
• Broadband Communications, which supports comprehensive system-wide monitoring and coordination to enable a diverse range of grid network applications, and
• Automated Control Systems that allow for self-reconfiguring and adapting of the grid, executing protocols, and coordinating within and between utilities.

This article will focus primarily on the role broadband communications plays in enabling the Smart Grid.

Smart Grid Communications Architecture

Today’s power grid communication infrastructure can best be categorized as a hodgepodge of protocols and systems. They are often proprietary, mutually exclusive, and they most typically incorporate RF networks, microwave links, fiber and leased lines. Additionally, each application system (e.g. SCADA and AMR) often has its own separate communications network, thereby precluding the opportunity to simultaneously address the requirements of distribution automation, SCADA, advanced metering, and outage management.

A unified broadband communications infrastructure can be built that addresses the monitor and control the power grid and allow the electric utilities and their customers to realize the full benefits of Smart Grid.Such an infrastructure must meet the following requirements:

• In order to handle the diverse set of applications and protect the investment, there needs to be standards around radio communication protocols, networking interfaces, and security specifications.
• The communications network should be based on IP.
• Real-time capabilities are required to support early detection of outages and overall distribution automation.
• Networks must be able to be scaled to meet the larger deployments of many investor owned utilities.
• Up time and communication system availability must be extremely high even in the presence of system faults.
• Industry standard security standards must be met.
• There needs to be an ability to prioritize among the applications.
• Given the realities of a mobile workforce, remote connectivity is also an essential requirement.
• Specific technology selections should be made in the context of future enhancements.
• Both capital investment and operating costs associated with the communications infrastructure should be cost competitive when compared to 3G and Wi-Max technologies.
• The coverage area should be compatible with the service territory of the electric utility.

There are a number of alternatives that meet these requirements. The goal should be to establish environmentally-friendly, safe, and robust IP foundations to support the deployment of applications that maximize efficiency with lower operational costs.