With an increasing level of automation also pervading into secondary substations due to smart grids and microgrids requirements, it becomes imperative for secondary substations to be networked for real-time microgrid network applications and also for connectivity towards Control Centers hosting DMS applications. Since these secondary distribution substations are generally located in busy urban areas or in remote rural areas, the only viable medium of communication is using public mobile networks.
The Arctic family of communication products enable secure connectivity of grid automation solutions towards a regional dispatch center or a DMS.
The solution comprises of the ARx600 (x=C/G/M) wireless gateway devices with or without local IO handling at the secondary substation and ARM600 M2M gateway at the remote end (control center).
Scope
- Secure proxy between the cellular network and the substation network using integrated firewall
- Introduce VPN with authentication and encryption between substation and remote end (Control Center)
- TCP routing on messages from substation network based on communication protocols supported by control center SCADA system
- Routing traffic from substation network on cellular network using 1 or 2 SIM cards (northside) 3G/4G, between distribution substation network and control center SCADA system
- VPN concentrator and VPN tunnel management to all substation side ARx600 wireless gateways
- Through Arctic Patrol software application, perform remote asset (fleet) management of up to 3000 ARx600 devices like configuration back-ups, remote configuration and firmware updates
Benefits
- Reliable and seamless connectivity to control center from secondary substations to control center
- Modular approach to introduce additional layer of wireless automation solution, which is 'independent' of the substation layer
- Lesser investment cost to customer as compared to dedicated, privately owned network and consequent cost savings (maintenance, upgrade of communication lines etc.)