Edge Control in Medium Voltage Distribution Grids [WG 2023-4]
Due to the undergoing electrification process, electrical grids must ensure more reliable and high-quality electricity to achieve the energy transition. In this context, remote control has become increasingly strategic in distribution networks to improve service quality and decrease operational costs.
The heart of the remote-control system for medium voltage (MV) grids is mainly composed of a SCADA system, one or more communication links between the SCADA and secondary substations (e.g. GSM, LTE, Fiber Optic), remote terminal units, uninterruptible power supplies with a back-up battery system and MV switchgears. For the proper functioning of the remote-control system, all these elements have to work correctly by guaranteeing the best possible performance. The technology choice can strongly impact the entire system’s performance.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and methodologies used to measure remote-control performance in terms of availability, technical and operational effectiveness are essential to understand any weaknesses from technological and operational points of view, find best practices to be applied and possible improvements.