Cost-effective telemetry for energy network of an electricity distribution company: part I

Abstract

We present a novel application of radio frequency wireless mesh network and general packet radio service technologies in a telemetry solution to measure power flow in the energy network of an electricity distribution company. The telemetry solution utilizes some selected circuits of grid stations and calculates total power consumed, total power imported, and total power exported by the distribution company. The selection of circuits for sensors installation is the key for reducing solution cost as compared to the case when sensors are installed on all the power output points. The framework involves installation of specially developed energy sensors (smart energy meters) and data concentrator units at the selected grid stations for measurement of energy data that include active energy, reactive energy, active power, apparent power, current, voltage, and power factor. The measured data reach the data concentrator unit using a 433-MHz wireless mesh network and are transmitted to a remote power control center using general packet radio service. Energy data from different grid stations across the energy network are collected at the power control center and utilized in calculation of total power consumed, total power imported, and total power exported. The approach has been tested on two electricity distribution companies of Pakistan: the Islamabad Electric Supply Company and Peshawar Electric Supply Company. Also in this work, the result of overload detection based on a generalized likelihood ratio test for an industrial feeder of the Islamabad Electric Supply Company is included. Detection probability of 0.96 with a false alarm probability of 0.04 has been achieved for a 30-min data interval.