GRID4EU Demo 2: Monitoring and control of LV networks using Smart Grid and AMM technology for more distributed generation and improvement of customer power quality

Within the Grid4Eu project, the Swedish DEMO2 is located in the Uppsala area, situated 70km north of Stockholm, and target innovative distribution network operations, with a focus on distribution network monitoring technologies and consumption data gathering. Approximately 14,000 customers supplied from 145 secondary substations will be included in the project. It will validate that the LV network monitoring and control using Advanced Meter Management (AMM) technology allows for an increased integration of DER while improving customer power quality. The demonstration is performed under the coordination and management of Vattenfall, with the collaboration of other DEMO2 partners: ABB, eMeter, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Schneider Electric.

The first step towards Smart Grid and Smart Meters utilisation was taken when Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) was introduced to all Vattenfall’s customers in Sweden several years ago. The demonstration project DEMO2 is to be considered as the second step in the implementation and development of AMM technology integrated with advanced Meter Data Management System (MDMS) and Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) / Distribution Management System (DMS) together with Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) in the secondary substations. The outcome of the project will have a significant impact on future implementation of Smart Grid technology. By choosing the right technology, system support, set-up and communication infrastructure when implementing AMM and Smart Grids, this demonstration project will show suitable short cuts for coming AMM and Smart Grid implementation and simplify a realization of step 2. This will have a prominent effect of minimising the future investment costs in the area of AMM and Smart Grid utilisation. The general architecture of the DEMO2 is presented in the schematic image below.



Figure 1. General architecture of DEMO2.

The SCADA/DMS with associated peripherals working with various communication channels is technical novelty for monitoring and improving operation quality for existing and new LV grids. The system is physically built up by one pivot SCADA/DMS positioned in a control centre connected to various RTUs located in secondary substations. The system forms part of a test environment consisting of the existing Vattenfall electrical network and communication infrastructure or new links when applicable and also the new MDMS and AMM systems provided by the project partners Telvent and eMeter.

SCADA/DMS system will use data collected by RTUs in secondary substations and mutually agreed and defined data received from MDMS and AMM systems connected to the DEMO2. The SCADA/DMS system will also deliver mutually agreed and defined data to participating MDMS and AMM. The SCADA/DMS system with peripheral RTUs will perform the Test and Analyze sequence during fully two years up to 2015 subsequent an initial two years period for design, installation and commissioning.

The simplified image below illustrates the RTUs in the secondary substations communication with SCADA/DMS.


Figure 2. RTUs in the secondary substations communication with SCADA/DMS.