1 Advanced Meter Infrastructure Systems Comparisons Mr. Jimmy Chandler November 8 th, 2010 1 © The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative

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Advanced Meter Infrastructure Systems ComparisonsMr. Jimmy ChandlerNovember 8th, 2010

1© The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative

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AMR - Automatic Meter Reading

AMI – Advanced Metering Infrastructure

AGI – Advanced Grid Infrastructure

BenefitsRevenue mgmt.Reduced intrusion

Circa 1985 Circa 2000 Circa 2007

Typical Functionality

Monthly kWh readings

Daily kWh readings Disconnect

/ reconnect

On-demand reads

Outage management support

Load control

Limited hourly data

Expanded hourly data

Demand Response

Downline automation

Home area network interface

TechnologiesWalk-by radio

Drive-by radio

Fixed radioPLC – 1 way

PLC – 2 way

Fixed/Tower RF–2 way

Star and mesh radio

Broadband/WiMax??

Customer serviceOutage restorationAsset management

Enhanced customer svc.Outage identificationSystem planningReduced losses

Demand responseFeeder automationWeb applications

?

Evolution of Advanced Metering


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•Planning•CIS•GIS•OMS•WFM•AVL•Asset Mgmt•Others

• AMI• SCADA• Crew

Dispatch• Generation

& load dispatch

• Others

Data Acquisition and Control

Data Management

Engine(s)

Integration Bus

ApplicationsWide Area Network Strategies• Backhaul / bulk• Medium to broadband• Data, video, voice• Public and private• RF, fiber, satellite

Local Area Network Strategies• “Last Mile” and AMI

systems• Low to Medium band• RF and PLC

Home Area Networks• Emerging

technologies• Zigbee, Insteon, Z-

Wave, 6LoWPAN, etc

Home automation & generation

Meters

Down-line automation & asset management

Crew Mgmt.

Substations

Typical Smart Grid components


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Core AMI Technology PLC RF Mesh RF Tower Digital Cellular WiMAX / WiFi

VendorsAclara

CooperL+G

Cooper ElsterItron

Landis+Gyr SilverSpring

Tantalus (hybrid)Trilliant

SensusAclara

SmartSynchConsert

Other start-ups

SkyTeqOther start-ups

Optimal deployment scenarios

Rapid, system wide

Rapid, system wide

Rapid, system wide

TargetedTrial system (in 2

– 3 years)Communications status Power-Line Unlicensed Licensed Public Public

Maturity of systems High Moderate Moderate Very Low Very Low

Capital cost of Infrastructure : annual operating expense

Medium : Low Medium : Low Medium : Low Low : High High : Medium

Data throughput Low to moderate Moderate to high Moderate to high Moderate to high Very High

Ability to serve customer based SmartGrid applications

Low to medium Medium to high Medium to high Medium to high High

Ability to serve SmartGrid applications

Medium High High Low High

Summary Technology comparison


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Power-line-carrier AMI systems

© The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative 5

Three PLC-based AMI systems are offered

• Aclara (TWACS)

• Cooper (Cannon)

• L+G (Hunt)

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Corporate Network

AMI Server

MDM Server

Other Servers

Substation 1

Substation 2

Circuit 1

Circuit 2

Circuit 2Circuit 1

Wide Area NetworkOr Direct Backhaul

• WAN communications from office to substations via radio, fiber, or satellite

• LAN communications from substations to meters uses utility power lines

PLC-based AMI


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Wireless AMI Systems


Common types of wireless systems• Mesh – unlicensed

• Cooper• Elster• Itron• Landis + Gyr• Silver Spring• Tantalus• Trilliant

• Tower – licensed• Aclara• Sensus

• Digital Cellular – public• SmartSynch (AT&T)

• Fixed Broadband – public• SkyTeq

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Substation 1

Substation 2

Wide Area Network

Corporate Network

AMI Server

MDM Server

Other Servers

• WAN communications from office to collectors is via public or private TCP/IP communications

• LAN communications from collectors to meters use a custom designed techniques which allow meters to communicate through a dynamically created shorter range unlicensed wireless mesh (Hundreds of feet).

• Increased number of collectors may increase throughput and reduce latency.

RF – Mesh AMI


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Substation 1

Substation 2

Substation 2

Corporate Network

AMI Server

MDM Server

Other Servers

Wide Area NetworkOr Direct Backhaul

• WAN communications from office to substations via radio, fiber, or satellite

• LAN communications from towers to meters use custom designed techniques which allow meters to communicate to more than one tower using longer range licensed wireless (Tens of miles).

• Same network can support Distribution Automation and other applications.

• Towers may be added for improved coverage.

RF – Tower AMI


PBrenner

Shouldn't the bottom substation be substation 3?

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Massively RedundantCommunications Paths


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Substation 2

Substation 2

Corporate Network

AMI Server

MDM Server

Other Servers

Wide Area Network – Local Area Network using AT&T GPRS

• All communications from office to meter is made using publically available digital cell carriers. There is no infrastructure cast but there is a continuous expense for data handling. All meters are IP-enabled. There is no experience with handling distribution automation applications.

RF – Digital Cell AMI


PBrenner

Shouldn't the top substation be substatin 1?

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WIMAX/WiFi Network

Insteon

AMI Server

MDM Server

Other Servers

Corporate Network

Substation 1

• Meters interfaced via HAN• Large infrastructure costs• Deliver broadband internet service to

customers (possible revenue source?)• IP-enabled meters (currently limited

availability)• Water uses Orion system (today)

Residence

Residence

WiMAX/WiFi enabled (Future)

WiMAX/WiFi


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HAN Systems Architecture

Sensus Confidential

Head End Head End ServersServers

DisplaysLCM

Multi-Comm PCT/G-way

H/W

HANHAN

SmartPointGateway

- Energy Gateway

-

Web- HTTPS -

End-User Portal End-User Portal - Unified UI -

Personal Energy

Network

Solar

- Other Gateways -

PHEVsDG / DSEnergy Mgt.Future…

Storage+ _

3rd Party Svcs

AMI Communications Path

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The case for Meter Data Management (MDM)


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MDM is…..

• The evolution of Load Research Systems created in the 1970’s to serve commercial and industrial customers, wholesale interchange metering, and PURPA.

• A platform that enables fundamental changes in how utilities operate using vast amounts of measured data and information

• A centralized data management and data storage platform for existing data and future data collected from AMI systems and new Smart Grid technologies

• A centralized integration point for integrating utility applications utilizing web-services, Multi-Speak, ODBC, XML, etc.

• Centralized data analysis and reporting of all operational data

• A provider of Interval Data Validation, Editing and Estimation (VEE), Meter Read Profiling, Load Research, Energy Settlement, Energy Data Presentation, and Line Loss Analysis

• A foundation for launching future customer programs including new customer-premise devices (e.g., HAN, Smart Thermostats)


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Need for MDM:

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• AMI• Manual

Readings• SCADA• OMS• MWF• Other

• Validating, Editing and Estimating (for hourly data)

• Standards and rules for service order creation

• Proactive assurance of data availability

• Audit trail

• Securely manages 1,000 times more data/meter than CIS or AMI systems can.

• Tags for weather, demographic and other operational characteristics

• Manage and access non-traditional meter data, e.g., PQ, volts, etc.

• Interface to billing systems

• Interface for Customer Service Reps

• Create TOU billing summaries

• Provide summary data • Support operation &

planning needs • Platform for customer

web presentment

© The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative

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MDM Vendors

SIEMENS


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NRTC Electric Regional Business Managers


Documents

1 Advanced Meter Infrastructure Systems Comparisons Mr. Jimmy Chandler November 8 th, 2010 1 © The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative