Managing complex power grids in densely populated cities, central business districts (CBDs), and industrial parks is a demanding challenge:

• Power grids in high-density areas are complex, spread across mixed-use private and public infrastructure, and often tangled with other utility access ways.
• Lacking automation, equipment is not actively monitored, resulting in line losses and failures that are unpredictable and difficult to diagnose, and delays in responding to power outages and service complaints.
• Manual trouble-shooting is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and costly
• Existing communications systems and public telecom networks do not meet bandwidth and reliability needs of modern, IP-based Distribution Automation (DA) systems.

Smart-grid DA systems have evolved to meet these challenges, but require resilient, high-speed communications to be effective.

To meet the communications requirements of modern power-grid management applications in any environment, Huawei has developed specialized DA communication solutions.

Passive Optical Network (xPON) DA communications for CBDs and high-tech industrial districts

Huawei’s xPON communication solution takes advantage of the ring and chain structures of the existing power distribution network without relying on public telecom networks. This xPON solution supports high-speed, bidirectional data transmission passively inside a single fiber, and provides network redundancy with a link recovery time of 50 ms.

xPON-based Distribution Automation Communication Solution

Recommended for newly-established or developing CBDs and industrial districts, xPON networks include the following components:

• Optical Line Terminals (OLTs) – head end of the xPON network, located at the 110 kV substation. Detects faults in the network and automatically switches to backup links.
• Optical Distribution Network (OLT) devices – access layer transmission links between the OLT and distribution stations.
• Optical Network Unit (ONU) – for switching stations and main ring connections: collects monitoring data from equipment at the distribution stations: Distribution Terminal Unit (DTU), Remote Terminal Unit (RTU), Feeder Terminal Unit (FTE) and Transformer Monitoring Terminal Unit (TTU), DTUs, RTUs, FTEs, and TTUs, and video monitoring data.
• Huawei U2000 Network Management System – comprehensive system provisioning and managing the communications network.

LTE-based DA communications for established urban service areas

For established urban areas where terrain and existing buildings make fiber impractical or too costly, Huawei has developed a specialized LTE wireless communication solution with the bandwidth, redundancy, and security needed for reliable power DA. This wireless solution provides end-to-end network coverage from the power company to the customer, and is easy to deploy and expand.

LTE-based Distribution Automation Communication Solution

The Huawei LTE-based wireless solution provides the communications support for DA, and can be implemented with or without fiber-optic lines from the DA master station to substations.

• Control and management capabilities are provided by the Huawei U2000 Network Management Systems and iManager M2000 NMS for LTE broadband networks.
• Radio substations (eNodeB) and wireless Customer Premise Equipment (CPE), located near power supply plants and substations, convert data from power equipment into wireless signals and provide bidirectional, low latency transmission across the network.
• Bidirectional authentication and encryption ensure data integrity and security.
• Bandwidth is allocated dynamically as needed to support priority services.

Look to fiber-optic and LTE wireless technologies for cost-effective, reliable communications for power Distribution Automation (DA).

• Accelerate the adoption of smart-grid technologies communications optimized for DA applications
• Add new customers and services faster and easier
• Reduce communications costs
• Anticipate and respond to significant events to avoid waste and out-of-service conditions
• Cut automation response times due to network latency

Contact a Huawei Partner for Smart Grid ICT Solutions, or Email Us for more information.