Satellite based “Power Utility Intranet” for smart management of electric distribution networks: The AuRA-NMS case study

Recent research confirms that current slow central control based upon Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems is no longer sufficient to support power distribution grid with Distributed Generators (DGs). Distributed Network Operators (DNOs) need novel management mechanisms coupled with advanced communication infrastructure to meet the emerging technical challenges. This paper exploits the effectiveness of using a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network as the key component of “Power Utility Intranet” to support an active network management solution in the UK - AURA-NMS. Our investigation demonstrates encouraging result which suggests that a LEO network can be a viable communication solution for managing the future smart power distribution grids.

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