Real-Time Low Voltage Network Monitoring—ICT Architecture and Field Test Experience

Traditionally, distribution network monitoring has been focused on primary substations (i.e., high voltage/medium voltage level), whereas low voltage (LV) network has not been monitored at all. With rapid growth and penetration of distributed energy resources in LV grids, there is growing interest in extending the real-time monitoring to LV level. The framework program FP7 European Project INTEGRIS proposes an integrated real-time LV network monitoring solution and implements it in a cost-efficient way. This solution integrates smart metering data with secondary substation measurements to get a more accurate and real-time view about LV grid, uses “decentralized” distribution management architecture to optimize data flow, and uses International Electrotechnical Commission 61850 Standard-based interfaces to improve interoperability. This paper focuses on information and communications technology perspective, explains the implementation details of this monitoring solution, and presents its functionality/performance testing results from two distribution system operator field trials and from real-time digital simulator laboratory.

I. Introduction

Distribution network monitoring has traditionally been focused on high voltage (HV) and medium voltage (MV) level. Real-time data are mainly collected from primary substations (HV/MV) and from there sent to control center via supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. Low voltage (LV) network, on the other hand, has not been monitored at all. Typically, MV/LV substations are rarely equipped with remote terminal unit (RTU). Distribution system operators (DSOs) are almost ignorant of the network state at LV level.