Trends in Power-System Communication for 2000 AD

Abstract

In the year 2000 AD, the installed generation capacity in India is estimated to reach a level of about 100,000 MW and the existing Regional Grids would get inter-connected by EHV/UHV network to form the National Grid. This would call for manifold increase in telemetry requirements in terms of volume of data, speed and reliability. The requirement of telemetry and data transfer between the State, Regional and National Energy Control Centres in the country for effective management of the National Grid has been estimated with communication channel requirements by the turn of the century. The present state of the art of communication technology in use in Power System has been reviewed. In decades back it utilized primitive modes of communication with overhead pilots. At present, microwave communication with microprocessor-based intelligent slave stations, distributed at remote locations are used. With the advent of developments in space technology and establishment of satellite links for different applications like weather forecasts, mineral explorations etc, the paper foresees, the feasibility of utilizing these satellite links for power-system management on techno-economic basis.