Requirements Based

Evaluation of BPL for

Power System
Sensing, Command and
Control Applications

Erich W. Gunther
EnerNex Corporation
erich@enernex.com
CEIDS Mission

Mission
To develop the science and
technology that will
fundamentally transform the
infrastructure to cost-
effectively provide secure,
high-quality, reliable
electricity products and
services
 Integrated Energy and Communications
System Architecture (IECSA)

IECSA is an open, standards-based systems

architecture for the data communications networks
and intelligent equipment necessary to support the
power delivery infrastructure of the future.
 IECSA Project Objectives

Develop a complete set of systems requirements and architecture

documents to support industry-wide enterprise architecture for a
self-healing grid and integrated consumer communications
interface.
Contribute project results as appropriate to relevant standards
development organizations and industry consortia to effectively
move the development of key open standards forward to develop a
robust industry infrastructure.
Apply systems engineering to the development of the architecture
including but not limited to: the elicitation and management of
system requirements, analysis of requirements and development of
proposed architectural designs, evaluation of architectural designs
and the use of standardized industry notation for documentation of
architectural views.
Identify the potential for infrastructure sharing and synergy between
power engineering operations and other application domains.
Self Healing Grid Objectives and Functions
 Approaches to Technology Development

Develop a technology, find uses for it

Identify a problem, select or develop a technology to solve it
Identify domain requirements, select, develop or improve
technologies that address the requirements
 FCC Goals

The FCC wants to leverage broadband power line technology to:

1. improve the competitiveness of the broadband service
market;
2. increase the availability of broadband services in
underserved areas;
3. encourage the uses of these advanced technologies to
improve safety and efficiency of power distribution by
adding intelligent networking capabilities to the electric grid
Power Distribution Applications

Cinergy: BPL technology can enable a variety of power distribution

applications, including:
Automated outage detection and restoration confirmation
Remote monitoring and operation of switches and transformers
Remote capability to connect and disconnect electric service
Demand-side management programs
Automated meter reading
Distribution System of the Future
Consumer Portal
 Communication Technologies for the IECSA

Wired Networks
PSTN POTS
Leased Lines (X.25, T1, other)
Fiber Networks (ATM/SONET/Gigabit Ethernet)
Broadband DSL
Broadband Cable
Broadband Power Line
Wireless Networks
Microwave
Serial radios (FreeWave, Locus)
WiFi / WiMax
Cellular
2 Way Pager
 Key Communications System Attributes

Bandwidth
Latency
Determinism
Immunity (environment)
Access Control (physical, identification, authentication)
Confidentiality (encryption)
Integrity (identification of bad data)
Availability (inherent component reliability and DOS issues)
Privacy (traffic analysis, information leakage)
 Selected BPL Issues

Interference with other services (emissions)

Interference from other services (immunity)
Impact of power system topology on BPL performance
Capacitor banks switched and fixed
Automatic circuit reconfiguration
Micro grids - islanding
 Distribution System Automation Impacts
Open Recloser
Automatic Closing
device
(recloser or switch)
Fault

Substation

Shaded
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area
isisportion
portion
picked
pickedupupby
by
auto-loop
auto-loop
 Classes of BPL Standards Needed

Definition of BPL Technology Itself

Electromagnetic Compatibility (Emission and Immunity)
Safety Issues
Power System Modeling Methodology
Reliability Assessment Methodology
Requirements Based Application Guidelines