EPCE 6335 Distribution System Planning and Automation

6. Distribution System Automation

Automation of distribution systems has existed for many years. The extent to which
automation has been applied has been determined by a combination of technology and cost.
For many years the available technology has limited the application of automation to those
parts of the distribution system where loss of supply had an impact on large numbers of
consumers. Technology was not available to handle the large amount of geographically
dispersed data required for automation of distribution systems in rural areas. Even when
developments in technology began to overcome these problems, the cost of applying the
technology was large in relation to the benefits gained.

Often, there was no financial incentive to apply automation in rural distribution systems, and
consumers were not entitled to compensation for loss of supply. As relatively few consumers
would be affected by a fault on a rural distribution system, compared to a similar fault in an
urban distribution system, the number of customer complaints received was not a sufficiently
important factor to justify investment in network reliability. Interruptions to consumers in
rural areas were treated as being inevitable. Recent developments such as privatization started
to focus attention on the cost to the consumer of a loss in supply. Interruptions in supply
began to be reflected in cost penalties (directly or indirectly) to the Utility, thus providing a
financial incentive to improve matters. Rural consumers gradually became more aware of the
disparity in the number of supply interruptions between rural and urban distribution
networks. This led, in conjunction with an increasing emphasis on Power Quality issues, to
pressure on Utilities to improve the situation.

6.1 Reforms in power sector, Automation and Communication systems

The present structure of the distribution feeders doesn't support quick fault detection,
isolation of faulty region and restoration of supply to the maximum outage area, which is
healthy. In the absence of switches at different points in the distribution network, it is not
possible to isolate certain loads for load shedding as and when required. The only option
available in the present distribution network is the circuit breaker (one each for every main 15
KV feeder) at the 132, 45 or 33 KV substation. However, these circuit breakers are actually
provided as a means of protection to completely isolate the downstream network in the event
of a fault. Using this as a tool for load management is not desirable, as it disconnects the
power supply to a very large segment of consumers. Clearly, there is a need to put in place a
system that can achieve a finer resolution in load management.

Automation of the primary distribution system is well established, due to the impact of
supply loss on the many and diverse consumers that it serves. In addition, the distribution
system is usually interconnected, so that loss of supply to consumers in the event of a circuit
outage is minimized. The circuit breakers and protection systems used in the system will
already be capable of remote control/monitoring. However, status information on a circuit
may be confined to simple on/off/open/closed/tripped indications, and determination of the
cause of a trip will still require dispatch of a maintenance crew to the equipment concerned.
Only after the cause of a trip has been determined can fault location and rectification take
place. Hence, modern network automation techniques can be usefully applied.

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 EPCE 6335 Distribution System Planning and Automation

Application of such techniques brings the following advantages:

a. ability to control a much larger area
b. provision of detailed network performance information
c. reduction in space requirements
d. reduction in staffing

The inefficient operation of the conventional distribution system can be mainly attributed to
the frequent occurrence of faults and the uncertainty in detecting them. To enhance the
electrical power distribution reliability, sectionalizing switches are provided along the way of
primary feeders. Thus, by adding fault detecting relays to the sectionalizing switches along
with circuit breaker and protective relays at the distribution substations, the system is capable
to determine fault sections. To reduce the service disruption area in case of power failure,
normally open (NO) sectionalizing switches called as route (tie) switches are used for supply
restoration process. The operation of these switches is controlled from the control center
through the Remote Terminal Units (RTU'S).

Interconnection of distribution, control and communication system is shown in Figure 6.1. In

distribution automation (DA) system, the various quantities (e.g., voltage, current, switch
status, temperature and oil level, etc.) are recorded in the field at the distribution transformers
and feeders, using a data acquisition device called Remote Terminal Unit (RTU). These
quantities are transmitted on-line to the base station through a communication media. The
acquired data is processed at the base station for display at multiple computers through a
Graphic user interface (GUI).

Fig.6.1 Interconnection of distribution, control and communication system.

In the event of a system quantity crossing a pre-defined threshold, an alarm is generated for
operator intervention. Any control action, for opening or closing of the switch or circuit
breaker, is initiated by the operator and transmitted from the 132 or 33 KV base station
through the communication channel to the remote terminal unit associated with the
corresponding switch or CB. The desired switching takes place and the action is
acknowledged back to the operator.

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All the above-mentioned functions of data collection, data transmission, data monitoring, data
processing, man-machine interface, etc. are realized using an integrated distribution SCADA
(Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) system. A good data communication system to
transmit the control commands and data between Distribution Control Centre (DCC) and a
large number of devices remotely located on the distribution network is a pre-requisite for the
good performance of Distribution Automation System (DAS). The communication
requirements of each DAS are unique, depending upon the Distribution Automation functions
selected for the implementation. A wide range of communication technologies are available
to perform the tasks of DAS. The choice of communication technology also has a big impact
on the cost of DAS.

RTU's communicate with the control room through a communication interface, which could
be any of the following:
(a) Power line carrier communication (PLCC):
Each end of the transmission line is provided with identical carrier equipment in the
frequency range of 30 to 500 kHz. The high frequency signals are transmitted through
power lines. The carrier current equipment compromises the coupling capacitor and the
tuning circuit.
(b) Fiberoptics data communication:
Application of fiberoptic communication is presently in infant stage and has a vast scope
due to freedom from electromagnetic interference and enormous data handling capacity
of a single pair of optical fiber. The information is exchanged in the form of digitized
light signals transmitted through optical fibers.
(c) Radio communication:
Radio communication utilizes frequency bands between 85 MHz to 13 GHz, point to
point radio links, multi terminal radio communication facility, limited area radio scheme,
mobile radio sets, emergency radio communication etc. are the types of radio
communication facilities used in electrical power systems.
(d) Public telephone communication:
Dial-up and dedicated leased telephone lines are often used for Distribution Automation.
The dial-up lines are suitable for infrequent data trans-mission. The leased lines are
suitable for continuous communication but are expensive.
(e) Satellite communication:
A satellite communication system using very small aperture terminal (VSAT) is suitable
for DAS. VSAT is a point to multi-point star network like TDMA. It consists of one
single Hub and number of remote Personal Earth Stations (PES).
(f) Polling scheme:
SCADA systems intended for electric system operations almost universally use a polling
scheme between the central master and individual RTUs. The master station controls all
activities and RTUs respond only to polling requests. Fig. 6.2 illustrates the most
common communication arrangement. Multiple two or four wire telephone grade circuits
radiate from the master. The media for these circuits may be leased telephone circuits
from a common carrier, private microwave, fiberoptic cable systems, two-way cable TV,
power line carrier, or even satellite.

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Fig.6.2 Typical multidrop communication system

6.2 Basic architecture of Distribution system automation

A typical SCADA system consists of remote terminal units, to record measured values and
meter readings, before transmitting them to control station and in the opposite direction, to
transmit commands, set point values and other signals to the switchgear and actuator.

Fig. 6.3 Typical Architecture of RTU Interfacing

A typical architecture of RTU interfacing is shown in Fig 6.3 and the functions of RTU's can
be given as following:
(a) Acquisition of information such as measured values, signals, meter readings, etc.
(b) Transmit commands or instructions (binary plus type or continuous), set points, control
variables, etc. including their monitoring as a function of time.
(c) Recognition of changes in signal input states plus time data allocation and sequential
recording of events by the master control station.
(d) Processing of information transmitted to and from the telecommunication equipment such
as data compression, coding and protection.
(e) Communication with master control station.

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The data regarding the complete network consists of electrical and mechanical variables,
on/off states, analog quantities, digital quantities, changes of state, sequence of events, time
of occurrence and several other data, which the control room operators will like to know.
Data is acquired by means of current transformers (CTs), potential transformers (PTs),
transducers and other forms of collecting information. Transducers convert the data into
electrical form to enable easy measurement and transmission. Data may be collected at low
level or high level. Then it is amplified in signal amplifier and conditioned in data signal
conditioner. The data is transmitted from the process location to the control room and from
the control room to the control center.

The large number of electrical, mechanical and other data are scanned at required interval,
recorded and displayed as per the requirement. Some of the data is converted from analog to
digital form through A/D (Analogue to Digital) converters. The data loggers perform the
following functions:
1. Input Scanning
2. Signal Amplification and A/D Conversion
3. Display, Recording and Processing

The input scanner is generally a multi-way device, which selects input signals at regular
periodic intervals in a sequence decided by the rate of change of input data. Slow varying
quantities are scanned with a lower period of time-intervals. Output of scanner is given to
A/D converter. Digital signals are obtained through DSP by micro-controllers or the control
computer. This acquired signal can be displayed, recorded and processed for appropriate
actions to be performed later.

6.3 SCADA requirement and application functions

Distribution SCADA involves collecting and analyzing information to take decisions,
implementing the appropriate decisions and then verifying whether the desired results are
achieved. Data acquisition in an electric utility SCADA system concentrates on the power
system performance quantities like bus line volts, transformer currents, active and reactive
power flow, C.B. status (circuit breaker status), isolator status and secondary quantities such
as transformer temperature, insulating gas pressure, tank oil levels, flow levels etc.

Often transformer tap positions, usual positions or other multiple position quantities are also
transmitted in analog format. The usual reason for installing supervisory control is to provide
the system with sufficient information and control to operate the power system or some part
of it in a safe, secure and economic manner.

The SCADA system in an electric utility requires the installation of remote terminal units.
RTU's are designed to acquire data and transfer the same to the master station through a
communication link. They collect data from transducers, transmitters, connect input from
equipment! instruments, meter readings etc., performs analogue/ digital conversions, check
data scaling and corrections (typically at I/O levels) performs preprocessing tasks and
send/receive messages from/ to master stations via interfaces.

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A typical SCADA system may therefore comprise hardware and the software. The hardware
may include:
1. User friendly man-machine interface
2. Work station
3. Service having a particular function
4. Communication sub system
5. RTU's
The implementation of SCADA system in the electric utility involves the installation of
following units:
1. Sectionalizing Switches
2. Remote Terminal Unit
3. Data Acquisition System
4. Communication Interface
5. Control Computer
An automatic sectionalizer is a switching device that detects the flow of current in excess of a
set value and opens a switch to disconnect the network downstream of the device. These
sectionalizing switches are basically either air-brake switches or Load Break Switches (LBS)
or Molded Case Circuit Breaker (MCCB). These are remotely operable switches designed
specifically for 15KV and 400 V feeders. Because such devices as shown in Fig. 6.4 are
usually pole-mounted, in locations remote from a suitable electricity supply, the sensing and
switching mechanism is arranged to be self-powered.

Fig. 6.4 Modern automatic sectionalizer

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By placing automatic sectionalizers at intervals along the line, it is possible to disconnect

only the faulted section of line and those beyond it. The number of consumers affected by a
permanent fault is minimized, and a more precise indication of the location is possible. For
circuits that have more than one feed and a normally open point (Figure 6.5), loss of supply
until the fault is repaired can be limited to the section in which the fault lies. The sectionalizer
at point B opens automatically and the operator can take action to open the one at point C.
The faulted section is thus isolated and (subject to system conditions being satisfactory) the
sectionalizer at the normally open point may be closed.

Fig.6.5 Automatic sectionalizer operation

To assist the operator of a distribution network, there are a number of software tools that can
be used to assist in making decisions and implementing them. They are:
a. topology analysis
b. power system calculations
c. power quality management
d. system configuration management
The tools may be available as on-line interactive tools, to assist in decision-making, or as off-
line tools to study the impact of decisions. Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a pivotal role in
the development of software, rule-based expert systems, logic-based systems like fuzzy logic,
neural networks etc. fall under this category. Distribution automated systems can therefore be
operated in two operational modes: Online and Off-line. The Online operation permits faulty
equipment identification, restoration planning, network maintenance scheduling and
emergency operations. The Off-line simulator mode allows the user to verify the validity of
acquired knowledge by setting an imaginary fault on the system and provides a convenient
way of training the inexperienced operator.

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6.4 Distribution system management and energy metering

Distribution Automation functions provide a means to more effectively manage minute by
minute continuous operation of a distribution system. Distribution Automation provides a
tool to achieve a maximum utilization of the utility's physical plant and to provide the highest
quality of service to its customers. Obviously, both the utility and its customers are
beneficiaries of successful Distribution Automation. Outage management and service
restoration facilitates to reduce outage time thereby increasing the reliability of the supply.

Distribution Automation System offers an integrated 'Distributed Management System'

(DMS). As in any other SCADA system, distribution SCADA involves collecting and
analyzing information to take decisions, implementing the appropriate decisions and then
verifying that the desired results are achieved. Operation management supports the analysis
of distribution network. Remote metering provides for the appropriate selection of energy
registers where time-of-use rates are in effect, thus improving energy metering services to be
more accurate and more frequent.

Load Management in Distribution Management System (DMS)

This involves controlling system loads by remote control of individual customer loads.
Control includes suppressing or biasing automatic control of cyclic loads, as well as load
switching. Load Management can also be effected by inducing customers to suppress loads
during utility selected daily periods by means of time-of-day rate incentives. Distribution
Automation provides the control and monitoring ability required for both the load
management scenarios -viz - direct control of customers loads and the monitoring necessary
to verify that programmed levels are achieved. Execution of load management provides
several possible benefits to the utility and its customers. Maximum utilization of the existing
distribution system can lead to delays of capital expenditure.
This is achieved by:
(i) Shaping the daily (or monthly, annual) load characteristic by suppressing loads at peak
times and encouraging energy consumption at off-peak times.
(ii) Minimizing the requirement for more costly generation or power purchases by
suppressing loads. '
(iii) Relieving the consequences of significant loss of generation or similar emergency
situations by suppressing load.
The effectiveness of direct control of customer loads is obviously enhanced by selecting the
larger and more significant customer loads. These include electric space and water heating,
air conditioning, washing machines, dryers and others of comparable magnitude. More
sophisticated customer's activated load management strategies are under study, taking
advantage of the capabilities of Distribution Automation and of customers installed load
control PC. With such an arrangement, the utility could vary rates throughout the day,
reflecting actual generation costs and any system supply capability constraints and broadcast
this information to all customer's PC. Each PC could then control it's loads to confirm to a
customer selected cost bias. This is sometimes called as 'spot pricing'.

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Advantages of distribution management system

More and more electric utilities are looking to distribution automation as an answer to the
three major economic challenges facing the industry: the rising cost of adding generating
capacity, increased saturation of existing distribution networks and greater sensitivity to
customer service. Therefore, utilities that employ distribution automation expect both cost
and service benefits. These benefits accumulate in areas that are related to investments,
interruptions and customer service, as well as in areas related to operational cost savings, as
given below:
(a) Reduced line loss:
The distribution substation is the electrical hub for the distribution network. A close
coordination between the substation equipment, distribution feeders and associated
equipment is necessary to increase system reliability. Volt/VAR control is addressed through
expert algorithms which monitors and controls substation voltage devices in coordination
with down-line voltage devices to reduce line loss and increase line throughout.
(b) Power quality:
Mitigation equipment is essential to maintain power quality over distribution feeders. The
substation RTU in conjunction with power monitoring equipment on the feeders monitors,
detects, and corrects power-related problems before they occur, providing a greater level of
customer satisfaction.
(c) Deferred capital expenses:
A preventive maintenance algorithm may be integrated into the system. The resulting ability
to schedule maintenance, reduces labor costs, optimizes equipment use and extends
equipment life.
(d) Energy cost reduction:
Real-time monitoring of power usage throughout the distribution feeder provides data
allowing the end user to track his energy consumption patterns, allocate usage and assign
accountability to first line supervisors and daily operating personnel to reduce overall costs.
(e) Optimal energy use:
Real-time control, as part of a fully-integrated, automated power management system,
provides the ability to perform calculations to reduce demand charges. It also offers a load-
shedding/ preservation algorithm to optimize utility and multiple power sources, integrating
cost of power into the algorithm.
(f) Economic benefits:
Investment related benefits of distribution automation came from a more effective use of the
system. Utilities are able to operate closer to the edge to the physical limits of their systems.
Distribution automation makes this possible by providing increased availability of better data
for planning, engineering and maintenance.
(g) Improved reliability:
On the qualitative side, improved reliability adds perceived value for customer and reduce the
number of complaints. Distribution automation features that provide interruption and
customer service-related benefits include load shedding and other automatic control
functions.

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Load management and energy metering

Load management
The management of end use resources in factories, commercial buildings, and residential
facilities offer possibly the greatest area for advancement and contribution to system
planning. A convenient checklist can be derived from consideration of all the costs and
savings which will result from the introduction of new generating capacity. Consequently,
load management (demand-side management) has been an important element of the electric
utility planning approach referred to as “integrated resource planning.

The term “demand-side management” is the result of a logical evolution of planning process
used by Utilities. The most widely accepted definition of demand-side management is the
following: “Demand side management is the planning, implementation, and monitoring of
those utility activities designed to influence customer use of electricity in ways that will
produce desired changes in the utility’s load shape. Utility programs falling under the
umbrella of demand-side management include: load management, new uses, strategic
conservation, electrification, customer generation, and adjustments in market share.

In general, demand-side management holds the following critical components of energy

planning:

1. Demand-side management will influence customer use. Any program intended to

influence the customer’s use of energy is considered demand-side management.
2. Demand-side management must achieve selected objectives. To constitute a “desired
load shape change,” the program must further ensure the achievement of selected
objectives, i.e., it must result in reductions in average rates, improvements in
customer satisfaction, achievement of reliability targets, etc.
3. Demand-side management will be evaluated against non-demand-side management
alternatives. The concept also requires that selected demand-side management
programs further these objectives to at least as great an extent as non-demand-side
management alternatives, such as generating units, purchased power or supply-side
storage devices.
4. Demand-side management identifies how customers will respond. Demand-side
management is pragmatically oriented. Thus, demand-side management encompasses
a process that identifies how customers will respond not how they should respond.
5. Demand-side management value is influenced by load shape. Finally, this definition of
demand side management focuses upon the load shape. This implies an evaluation
process that examines the value of programs according to how they influence costs
and benefits throughout the day, week, month, and year.

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Tarif and metering of energy

The economic appraisal of electrical transmission and distribution schemes is generally a
three-stage process. Firstly, the cost of the scheme has to be assessed by taking in to account
not just of the initial capital cost but also of the costs likely to be incurred over the life of the
project. Various technically viable schemes are therefore considered and costed. Secondly an
estimation of the financial and economic benefits as revenues plus cost savings is made.
Thirdly a comparison between the discounted benefits and costs is computed using
discounted cash flow techniques.

The minimum amount of benefit relating to an electrification scheme can be measured by the
amount of revenue collected from the estimated future potential consumers.
In such cases the gross benefit equals the amount paid by the consumers for the electricity
plus some ‘surplus benefit’. Surplus benefit consists of one or more of the following:
• cost savings related to the alternative
• the value of difference in quality
• the value of any extra output or activity generated by lower costs and/or a change in
quality.
Actual and forecast consumption levels and consumer numbers are derived from field surveys
and may be broken down into customer groups (low voltage domestic, high voltage domestic,
low voltage commercial, high voltage commercial, low voltage industrial, high and extra high
voltage industrial, institutional, rural, etc.) all having possible different tariff rates.

When consumers purchase electricity from the National Grid it is apparent that they do so
because the benefits to them outweigh the price they have to pay for the service. The benefits
can be any combination of the following:

• Resource saving – The price of the supply company’s service is typically much cheaper
than can be obtained from a substitute or from a private source of supply. Public electricity is
cheaper than electricity from small individual diesel fuel powered generators (or from wind
or solar, without a basic subsidy) for all but low levels of demand in remote areas.

• Superior quality energy supplies – Electric lighting is valued more highly by ‘households’
or consumers because it is of a higher quality than kerosene fueled substitutes.

• Extra output – This may be produced on account of the reduced prices of the service
(relative to substitutes), or by extra quality, or both. More lighting, more motive power and
more business activity, may all be induced by the cheaper or higher quality service that the
transmission or distribution project offers.

Hence, any method of charging or tariff, in the fairness to the supply company, should take
into account the two costs of producing the electric energy (i) fixed or standing cost
proportional to the maximum demand and (ii) running cost proportional to the energy used.
Such two-part tariffs are in common use. Some of the different ways of rate making are
described below:

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 EPCE 6335 Distribution System Planning and Automation

Flat Rate
This was the earliest type of tariff though it is not much used these days because, strictly
speaking, it is not based on the considerations discussed above. In this system, charge is made
at a simple flat rate per unit. But the lighting loads and power loads are metered separately
and charged at different rates.

Sliding Scale
In this type of tariff, the fixed costs are collected by charging the first block of units at a
higher/lower rate and then reducing/increasing the rates, usually in many steps, for units in
excess of this quantity. This can be categorized as encouraging and discouraging Tarif rates.
In developing countries, the willingness to pay for the incremental electricity sales may be
estimated in terms of the costs which the consumers would have had to bear in order to meet
their energy requirements in the absence of the proposed project.

Energy Meters
Energy meters are integrating instruments, used to measure quantity of electric energy
supplied to a circuit in a given time. They give no direct indication of power i.e., as to the rate
at which energy is being supplied because their registrations are independent of the rate at
which a given quantity of electric energy is being consumed. Energy meters can be analog or
digital in their operation.

Recently, remote metering is used in energy auditing in which the energy used by a consumer
is billed from a remote (distant) location without actually going to the place. In remote
metering, the concept of TOD (Time off Day) metering can be introduced wherein the
electronic meters at consumer's service entrance point are programmed to read the following
meter readings on monthly basis.
I. KW hrs. consumed during calendar month by the consumer during low tariff and
high tariff hours.
2. KVA maximum demand by the consumer during the calendar month (based on
maximum demand lasting for 30 minutes duration).
3. Low tariff for off peak hour consumption.

Remote metering provides for the appropriate selection of energy registers where time-of-use
rates are in effect, thus improving energy metering services to be more accurate and more
frequent. Energy audit has a very wide range of applications in the electrical systems. It
means overall accounting of energy generated, transmitted and distributed. As far as
distribution side is concerned energy audit would mean overall accounting of energy supplied
to and utilized by the consumers. Energy audit can also be used for rethinking about billing
strategy, usefulness of an individual subscriber, loading of a given feeder etc.

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