Architecture of wide area monitoring systems and their communication requirements

摘要

A scalable and pervasive communication infrastructure represents a crucial factor in both structuring and operating modern power systems. In addressing this factor, this paper evaluates the potential role of advanced Information and Communication Technologies. In particular, amongst the most promising technologies, those based on Cooperative Sensor Networks and Low Earth Orbit Satellites appears to be particularly suitable. They could support the realization of advanced, high value communication services without requiring the construction of complex and expensive infrastructure and assuring, at the same time, a set of intrinsic advantages such as wide area coverage, easy access to remote sites, cost independent of distance, low error rates and adaptability to changing network patterns In order to establish their suitability for a typical set of monitoring and supervision functionalities required by Wide Area Monitoring Systems, their performance are analysed in detail. The results obtained show that the application of these technologies may be very promising in several power systems applications as far as distribution automation, remote monitoring, supervision, protection and control are concerned.