Smart Grid through Integrated SCADA System-Karnataka Model - A Case Study

It is analyzed that most of the SCADA Networks in India are not complete in its totality. Hence, Smart Grid kind of approach has remained in papers. If some Utilities have EMS (1) SCADA Systems at 400 and 220 kV levels, others have DMS (2) SCADA at 33 and 11 kV levels. There is no State in India except Karnataka, which has a complete SCADA Network from 11 kV level to 400 kV level. I was the Architect of this Network in Karnataka, popularly known as “Karnataka Model” throughout the World.

The National Electricity Policy 2003 (India) envisaged some vital requirements in the Utility Networks, consequent to reforms like unbundling of Utilities into Generation, Transmission and Distribution domains like:

Adapting Open Access System

Providing Line Flows in real time to Open Access Customer (OAC) and Utility,

Making the activities of the Electricity Utility Transparent

Extending ABT (3) Type of Operations down to ESCOMs (4)

Creating Separate Load Despatch Centres to ESCOMs to manage their own Grid,

Creating Separate Load Despatch Centres for Transmission Operators

Making Energy Loss calculations at all Voltage levels more automatic,

This made Karnataka to go in for a much complex network called Integrated Extended SCADA System in 2008. By then, Karnataka also had EMS SCADA Network in ULDC (5) Scheme of Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd, at 400 and 220 kV Levels only with about 112 Nodes. Following were the constraints:

None of the above requirements of NE Policy 2003, could have been fulfilled with the available SCADA System,

The Network was not collecting data from the balance 1265 Sub Stations

Implementing Intra State ABT was jeopardised, even though Inter State ABT Worked,

There was no mechanism for ESCOMs to monitor and control their consumption,

Energy Loss calculations were hay way,

None of the EMS functions could be run for want of data from remaining stations,

There was no Training Simulator to educate despatchers,

OAC mechanism was not automatic,

There were serious limitations in the Data Base, which prevented Utilities in Southern Region to add incremental Sub Stations.

Therefore, Karnataka had to Sun-Set the existing ULDC Network and established a most versatile Network called “Integrated Extended Scada” Project” (IES) for a total of 1377 Nodes, which ultimately became the biggest Network in the World in 2008.

For this, 16 Control Centres were established as follows:

One Main Hub having both EMS and DMS

A Disastrous Recovery Hub, 25 kms away from Main Hub, having both EMS & DMS

5 Control Centres for Distribution Companies,

6 Control Centres for Transmission Zones,

A separate Control Centre for Bangalore City Distribution Automation System,

Notable features of the Network are:

The Complete Network operates with MFTDMA(6) VSATs (7)

10 MBPs OFC Links are used for ICCP (8) in addition to SCPC(9) VSAT Links

ESCOMs monitor their own Grid

The Network has 31 Remote Man Machine Interfaces for Management Functions,

All latest EMS and DMS Functions are operational,

The Inter-State and Intra State ABT are fully operational,

The Services are SCADA Data, IP Data, Speech, Facsimile and Video Conferencing,

The Energy Billing and Energy Audit for all the Companies are automated,

OAC mechanism is fully automated,

The Network has a Real Time Simulator also,

Further to implementing this Network, about 25 Sub Stations are unmanned.