GPRS Communication for Large Scale AMI · GPRS based AMI Solution with Vector Limited in New Zealand as part of an AMI initiative undertaken by Advanced Metering Services (AMS). Over

GPRS Communication

for Large Scale AMI

Ivan Barron, Chief Technical Officer

22nd May 2013

22-23 May 2013 | Centara Grand Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand

Smart Metering

Smart Metering is one of the cornerstones of the smart grid vision.

Key Benefits Serve more customers with less

energy supply Allows utilities to manage the

distribution network more efficiently and reduce operating expenses

Eliminated field service calls for routine maintenance activities

Improve forecasting Smoothing power consumption Improve customer service through

profiling and segmentation Reducing non-technical losses Simplify Micro-generation

monitoring/ management


Communication for Large Scale AMI

To make these benefits a reality, utilities need a secure and flexible 2 way communication infrastructure to connect smart meters.

Cellular Communications Power Line Communication

Long Range Radio Frequency


Benefits of GPRS Communication for Large Scale AMI

Coverage

Capability

3-5 miles (hilly terrain)

Up to 30-45 miles (flat terrain)

Cellular coverage is ubiquitous, providing access to 99% of the addressable population

for AMI infrastructures. This is especially valuable in remote areas and developing

countries where mature wireline data infrastructures are absent.

Data Rate GPRS provides data rates of up to 56–114 kbit/second. Typically we use 9.6 kbit/second

point to point for broad compatibility and low network impact.

Hardware Cost

Low – particularly considering the level of sophistication of a GPRS modem ‘radio’. This

is the benefit of a technology with massive world wide deployment, well developed

standards and mature technology. Concentrator supply and install not required.

Operating Costs

While there is an ongoing support cost to the network provider, this does buy

base stations, licensed frequency, and operation + maintenance of the backhaul

network.

Installation

Since the network already exists, meters can be installed in any location, in any

order. This allows for instance an role out focused on customer service levels,

rather than geography.


Worldwide GPRS Deployment

More than 1.8 million EDMI meters deployed with GRPS/GSM

communication around the world

Asia 431,000

Europe 523,789

Africa 45,900

Australasia 821,000

Middle East 5,300


GPRS based AMI Solution with Vector Limited in New Zealand as part of an AMI initiative undertaken by Advanced Metering Services (AMS). Over half a million of EDMI meters have been deployed by AMS across New Zealand on GPRS communication. Read using MultiDrive software feeding into other systems

AMS Overview


1. Fundamentals • Scheduled register and interval data reads • On demand register and interval data reads • Meter and supply event reporting • Vacant premise and tamper reporting • Remote tariff change • Auto disconnect and reconnect

2. Data Analytics and Insights

• Demand and Usage trends across consumption base • Power Quality reporting • Outage summary report

3. Distributed Energy Response

• Import / export to support distributed generation • Distributed Generation isolation disconnect • Load Control • Current load limit disconnect

Lots of Capability


The Challenge Scale to 500K + meters without impacting normal network operation Why? Saving the GPRS network operator cost = saving the system operating cost To this end we control: • The number of meters on the GPRS network at any one time – avoid

infrastructure costs • The number of meters on a single cell at one time – preserve access speeds • The time of day of access – target unused network periods • Load levelling of access – maintain peak access to the system • Commissioning Process – decrease time on site All this while still allowing on demand access where required

Scaling of GPRS - Achieved


85

87

89

91

93

95

97

99

Jul

Au

g

Sep

Oct

No

v

De

c

Jan

Feb

Mar

Ap

r

May Jun

%

Retail service 1

Retail Service 2

Retail Service 3

Target

Advanced Metering Customer Data Delivery % - FY2013


Event Data

Meter and Location Data

Ancillary Data Sources

Dat

a In

tegr

atio

n

Bu

sin

ess

Ru

les

for

Rep

ort

ing

Value for Network Operators • Event Analysis • Outage Analysis • Load Monitoring • Network Health • Investment Optimization

Network Analytic Services • Power Quality data extracted from advanced meters • Substantial increase in backhaul and storage capacity needed • Data merge with other ancillary data sources • Standardized reporting solutions now becoming available in market • Big Data requirements to manage data volumes and analysis

Electricity Network efficiency & optimization


Consortium of EDMI and Samart Telecom Ltd Supply of high-demand interval meter reading to Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) Covers industrial customers located throughout all provinces in Thailand. The smart meters are all read every 15 minutes to retrieve the profile for real-time demand load management The profile energy readings from 50,000 plus meters are collected through GPRS within 10 minutes by the MultiDrive AMR system and distributed MD ComServers

PEA Overview


Every Meter Read Every 15 Minutes

PEA Overview


Problems of Old System


• Check for meter and other equipment problems (External CT and VT status)

• Check for unauthorized electricity usages

• Reduce labor costs associated with sending a person to check on meter, vehicle rental,

gas, etc.

• Reduce risks of sending a person to check a meter in a hazardous area

• Reduce time synchronization problems on meters

• Improve organization integrity by adding new technology

Benefits - PEA


Benefits - Customer

• Check own electricity usage 24/7

• Check own electricity usage anywhere internet access is available

• View up to 2 years of past usage

• View summary of usage daily, weekly, monthly, yearly

• Demand side management (DSM)


8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Times

lots

6 TS dynamically allocatedfor GPRS, Circuit switchedtraffic has priority

GPRS Traffic

2 TS reserved for GPRS

Circuit Switched Traffic

Guaranteeing a minimum level of GPRS service by reserving 2 timeslots for GPRS Traffic

Traffic Channel Usage


Reports for Customers

Reports are being generated with load profile of 15 mins update over GPRS communication on the 50,000 EDMI meters. (Mk6N/6E/10E)


Daily Load Profile for Customer (2 Tariff)


Alarm Notification

Meters on GPRS communication are able to send notification instantly to the user via SMS upon any detection of alarms raised. Alarms includes - Voltage Tolerance Error - Battery Failure - Triggering of Door cabinet


•Field Proven – 10 years of experience

•AMS – Large volume case

•PEA – High data rate case

•Many more examples in between

•Not the only solution, but a very powerful one

GPRS Works


Questions? Comments?

Documents

GPRS Communication for Large Scale AMI · GPRS based AMI Solution with Vector Limited in New Zealand as part of an AMI initiative undertaken by Advanced Metering Services (AMS). Over