Smart grid implementation in India – A case study of Puducherry pilot project

Abstract

The basis of the smart grid concept is the extension of information and communication technologies to the existing energy infrastructure. The improved communication between different parts of the energy system is expected to increase the quality, reliability and efficiency of the overall system in smart grid. This paper presents the implementation and analysis of load management by using the platform of Smart Grids for residential consumer setup, a pilot project of utility in Puducherry under open collaboration. The analysis is done with the data outcome of smart meters installed in the utility, which have features of two way communication, polling interval & data measurement, storage and display of consumption data to consumers, support for variable tariff and micro generation. The practical issues of concern faced in the implementation of Smart Grid in distribution system are also highlighted.Keywords: Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), Peak Load Management (PLM), Outage Management System (OMS) and Power Quality Management (PQM)