HOW UTILITIES ARE BENEFITING FROM WIRELESS REMOTE MONITORING AND CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES

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HOW UTILITIES ARE BENEFITING FROM WIRELESS
REMOTE MONITORING AND CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES

• Distributech 2002 Panel Session
• Charles W. Newton, President
• Newton-Evans Research Company, Inc.

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Wireless Communications . . . Not a New Trend
for Utilities

• Utility communications staffs have traditionally
  been well-versed in multiple voice and data
  communications disciplines.
• Including wireless communications

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Wireless Communications . . . Not a New Trend
for Utilities

• Communicating with field assets has been a must
  for utility operations for many years.
• be these deployed human resources or fixed
  position and mobile instruments, devices and
  distribution resources and equipment

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Multi-Disciplined Utility Communications Needs
and Approaches

• Ranging from leased lines and dial-up telephony
  approaches, PLC to fiber, to a range of
  RF,cellular and microwave radio technologies and
  to satellite

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Multi-Disciplined Utility Communications
Approaches

• Majority of comms deployed in essentially private
  network configurations over the past 50 years.
• With the advent of public network technologies,
  a VPN approach is critical to meet utility
  requirements today and tomorrow

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Sources of Utility Communications Expertise

• Professional communications organizations such as
  UTC and ENTELEC have provided vertical guidance
  
• Newer trade organizations such as CTIA,WLANA,
  WirelessReady Alliance, WAP Forum, WECA and
  others.

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Electric Utilities Spending for Telecommunications

• Hey, big spenders. . .
• Annual Expenditures of 3.3 B for Telecomm
  Equipment such as Ethernet Switches, Routers,
  Fiber
• Annual Phone Bills of More than 5 B
• More than 3.2 B for Support Services

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Trends in Utility Telecommunications

• No one solution to meet all needs . . . Multiple,
  concurrent developments occurring today . . .
• Fiber and More Fiber To enable Gigabit Ethernet
  (IEEE 8022.3z)
• DWDM Multiplexing
• Radioand more radio

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Trends in Utility Telecommunications

• Cellular . . . and more cellular
• Move to CCC and DCCH (small packets, occasional
  transmissions)
• FHSS and DSSS Wireless Internet Access

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Utility Communications Practices

• The majority of field communications in many
  electric, gas and water Distribution Operations
  are wireless.
• Currently, RF radio-based, with some long-haul
  applications on microwave, with others moving to
  satellite (LLEO) and cellular for mobile
  computing resources (via CDPD) and for periodic
  event reporting (CCC or DCCH).

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Utility Communications Practices

• The most critical utility data comm paths are
  secure UG or OH wireline-based links especially
  for most transmission substations and most
  primary and critical secondary - distribution
  substations.

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Just How Do Utilities Use Wireless Communications?

• Operations
• SCADA (Control Center to Distribution
  Substations)
• Distribution Automation (IED, Feeder and Switch
  comms)
• Fleet Management
• Information Systems
• Mobile Computing
• Field Asset Management
• Work Crew Scheduling and Comms

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Keys to Wireless Success in Utility and
Infrastructure Communications

• Improved Data Security
• Encryption Standards
• Secure protocol tunnels
• VPN Developments
• Improved Reliability
• Session Continuance/Persistence

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Wireless Security Concerns

• Initial Connection Points
• Subnet Roaming
• Internetwork Roaming
• Least Cost Routing

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Wireless Security Issues(prepared by NetMotion
Wireless)
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Responses to Wireless Security Concerns

• Development of Standards on Secure Communications
• EIA553 and IS41
• Multiple retransmission schemes
• Secure Logins for each user
• Use of firewalls in the connection process

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Specific Equipment Types Currently/Planned for
asPart of Distribution Automation Program
SECONDARY SUBSTATIONS

RTUs Circuit brkr Digital
Load switch/ Circuit brkr Fault
Comm-primary Comm-second SOE
SS security w/recloser
relays isolators
indicator to MS
to primary recorders
alarm
Newton-Evans Research 11/00
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Types of Distribution Data to be Transmitted to
Central Operations Centers

• Line Current and Voltage Data
• Alarm Data
• Circuit Breaker Status
• Transformer Load Currents
• Relay Data
• Metering Data
• Demand and Temperature Data

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Importance Level to Own the Communication
MediaWhich is Used for DA/DSM Activities
Newton-Evans Research Co. 11/00
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Communications Services Important to the
Distribution Automation Concept

• Remote Monitoring
• Remote Control
• Voice Communications
• AMR
• Web Applications

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Planned Bandwidth Requirement for DA/DSM
Activities
Newton-Evans Research Co. 11/00
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Acknowledgement of Internet-based Sources of
Information Used in the Presentation

• Communications News
• Metric Systems Corp
• NetMotion Wireless
• Telemetric
• ZincTech
• Newton-Evans Market Surveys on DA

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Wireless Communications Market Overview

• Thanks for the Opportunity!
• Chuck Newton
• Newton-Evans Research Company, Inc.