Broadband over Power Line: Meeting Utility AMR/DA Needs

Matt OjaVice President & General Manager, BPL

Deployment

Presented at IEEE ISPLC – April 2005

IDACOMM

Fiber Optic CLECFiber Optic CLEC

Metro Area Fiber NetworksBoise, Las Vegas, Reno

36 CustomersFortune 1000, Carrier, & Govt

Existing Product LinesDark Fiber to Anchor TenantLimited Lit Fiber Products

New Product LinesBusiness Voice

(Local & Long Distance)

Voice over IP Integrated Voice & Data

Operating Since 1985

Broadband ISPBroadband ISP

Created by the acquisition of Rocky Mountain Communications

Western Regional Market Focus

35,000 CustomersResidential & Enterprise

Product LinesDSL / ATM / Frame RelayWirelessDial upHostingWholesale (Back Office)

Billing, Customer Care

Operating Since 1993

BPL Services DivisionBPL Services Division

Vendor RelationshipsAmbient | AmperionMitsubishi | Motorola

Professional ServicesNetwork DesignNetwork DeploymentBPL & IP IntegrationTechnical TrialsMarket TrialsISP OperationsISP MarketingFinancing

Strategic PartnershipsIBM | Telica/LucentBroadsoft | UT Starcom

The opportunity

• BPL is an IP-based network– Connection into the network is based on standards

• BPL is unique– Capable of monitoring/controlling the lines used as it’s

transmission medium

• The need for a smarter grid is has never been more important– Reliability– Customer satisfaction– Regulatory incentives

• Examples from utilities that have done utility applications via BPL

Progress Energy - Raleigh

• RTU interface via serial port– programmed for DNP

protocol

• Remote access to work orders and intranet

– Via Wi-Fi adapters on laptops

• AMR with mesh network– Elster’s Rex system

• Modeled: underground cable fault detection

– Water tree effect

Hawaiian Electric - Honolulu• Substation equipment

monitoring (deployed)– Transformer and temperature

measurements– Power quality monitoring– Current and voltage readings

• At-the-Premises– Advanced metering (load profile,

remote data collection)– Time of use at collection server– Theft detection– Direct load control (W/H, A/C)

• On-the-Grid– Outage location identification– Distribution automation (open

switches and breakers)– Relay monitoring– Distributed generation (DG)

monitoring and control– Security monitoring

ConEdison – New York City

• Focus on utility applications of BPL– Attractive understanding of the PLC opportunities for utility

applications– Particular focus related to “on-grid” applications – Utility applications are key to the BPL business case

• Existing Remote Monitoring System (RMS) links us to 24,000 underground vaults utilizes PLC (using an older, slower technology)

• Partners: Ambient and EarthLink, expect additional partnerships to evolve

• Existing pilots– Overhead, Underground, In-building, Substation

• Vision for Smart Grid pilot demonstration

Duke Energy – on the grid

1. ITRON ERT meter collector– Leveraging existing infrastructure– Connects to Ethernet port on MV backbone

repeater2. Form 9 polyphase transformer-rated IP

meter– Replacement for exception route meter– Dedicated LV repeater

3. Switched capacitor bank control model– Existing utility equipment– Connected to dedicated LV repeater

4. Security camera at substation– New utility application– Connected to dedicated LV repeater

• All had dedicated IP address(s)

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Duke Energy – in the home

• Utility Applications– Meter Reading (electric and

water)– Remote connect/disconnect– Remote thermostat control