Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, Gurgaon
Online published on 12 January, 2015.
POWERGRID already have a large optical fiber based communication system which is now undergoing major expansion by laying OPGW on EHV Transmission System across India. All bandwidth intensive communication requirements to support Smart Grid Technology/Projects such as WAMS based on Phasor Measurement Units, National Transmission Asset Management Center [NTAMC] require Optical fiber based Communication System & same is being laid on EHV Transmission Network. On completion, this OPGW based Communication network size will perhaps be the largest among all Power Transmission utilities in the world.
In POWERGRID's under Unified Load Dispatch & Communication (ULDC) projects, apart from Digital Microwave System & PLCC system, approximately 9500kms of overhead fibre optic cable network mainly OPGW was established on regional basis for providing advanced EMS/SCADA and Communication System for Management of Regional Power Grids. These ULDC Projects were commissioned progressively from July 2002 to February 2006 in Southern, Northern, North-Eastern, Eastern & Western regions.
Subsequent, to commissioning of these ULDC projects, power network has expanded very fast which necessitated expansion of reliable & efficient communication network. Further, new technologies are being deployed in the power systems which are all bandwidth intensive application.
Based on 10 years long experience gained by POWERGRID on OPGW based communication system, it may be mentioned that OPGW has emerged as a reliable communication media which provide very high availability and is most suitable for Power System & Smart Grid applications.
Accordingly, to meet this enormously growing demand for robust & secure communication network, around 90,000 km of OPGW based Fibre Optic Network is being implemented under various projects in stages.
Earlier, SDH equipment with STM-1 bit rates were installed as the same was more than sufficient to meet the power system requirement. However, with increasing demand for the bandwidth and desired support for Ethernet interface equipment based on SDH technology with minimum STM-4 bit rate having support for both existing PDH & upcoming Ethernet based requirement is being installed. The communication equipment specification ensures deployment of redundant & protected system required for Power System network.
Due to fast changing communication equipment industry, the management of the power utility communication network has become a challenging task. POWERGRID has successfully maintained these system so far and looking forward to overcome the future challenges in effective manner.
Further, Indian transmission utilities have now identified their communication needs and incorporating OPGW installation at the transmission planning stage itself.
This paper shall describe POWERGRID's experience with respect to Planning, Design, and Implementation & Maintenance of the communication network for Indian power utility. It shall also discuss, POWERGRID's plan to meet the growing demand of reliable & secure bandwidth required to support emerging technologies and other power system needs. Further, suitability of communication network based on OPGW cable and SDH technology shall also be discussed in this paper.
Optical Ground Wire (OPGW), Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH), Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition System(SCADA), Energy Management System (EMS), Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU), Wide Area Monitoring System(WAMS), Unified Load Despatch & Communication (ULDC), RLDC, Central Transmission Utility (CTU), State Transmission Utilities (STUs), Independent Power Producers(IPPs), Load Dispatch & Communication (LDC)
