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UNIT-V
DISTRIBUTION AUTOMATION
5.1. Introduction:
• With increasing development in India, electrical power supply demand
increases both qualitatively and quantitatively.
• With increased demand, steady power supply with minimum power
interruption and fast fault restoration are required.
• To meet these requirements, automation of the power distribution system
needs and to be widely adopted.
• All switches and circuit breakers involved in controlled networks are
equipped with remote operation.
• The control interface equipment (i.e RTU) must with stand extreme climate
conditions and also control equipment at each location dependable on
power supply.
• Distribution automation (DA) is a family of technologies, including
sensors, processors, information and communication networks, and
switches, through which a utility can collect, automate, analyze, and
optimize data to improve the operational efficiency of its distribution power
system.
• Distribution automation can
Improve the speed,
Improved Accuracy
Improved quality of supply
Improved continuity of supply
Easy to control & monitoring (voltage monitoring and control;
reactive power management) and protection (including fault detection,
feeder switching, and outage management)
Reduced system losses
Maintenance cost reduced
• Distribution Automation (DA) system also provides, (from substation to
consumer interface)
1. Automatic reclosing of relays
2. Automatic feeder switching
3. Remote monitoring and controlling distribution equipment
(i.e. Transformers, capacitors, Breakers, sectionalizers and
communication nodes).
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• Drawback: In technical aspects, DA are complex and need a examination

for their planning.
• DA Contains: (Requirements):
1. Computer Hardware
2. Computer Software
3. Remote Terminal Units (RTU)
4. Communication Systems
5. Consumer metering devices, relays
• The electricity regularity commission in India having their substations to
be compatible with SCADA systems.
• The various functions can be:
 Electrical network analysis
 Work management
 Trouble call analysis
 Consumer load monitoring
 Intelligent remote metering e.g., automatic meter reading
 Automated capacitor control
 Substation automation
 Intelligent electric devices
 Advanced remote terminal units
 Computerized power distribution relays
 Power quality monitoring
 Automated Mapping (AM)/Facilities Management
(FM)/Geographical Information System (GIS)
 Energy Management
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5.1.1. Problems with Existing Distribution System:

The problems of Indian Distribution network and loads are described as
• The annual load growth is high (around 10% to 12%) necessitating setting
up of additional system facilities every year to meet the growth demand.
• The power loss in distribution network are high: around 15% of total
energy generated and reduction of loss in profitable.
• The distribution equipment is fully loaded or overloaded causing high
equipment failure rate.
• The power factor of system is poor, requiring efficient reactive power
management.
• The agriculture pump sets contribute for 80% of peak demand in rural
area and 40% of total energy sales and therefore load control of agriculture
pump sets is very attractive.
• Voltage profile of system is unsatisfactory.
• The number of breakdowns and momentary interruption on distribution
feeder are high.
5.1.2. Need of Distribution Automation:
• Distribution Automation is associated with the growing demand for
reliability of power supply and desire for optimized network conditions in
normal and emergency operations.
• Ability to remotely monitor, coordinate and operate distribution
components.
• Due to growth in microprocessor devices, telecommunication equipment
and network have brought the possibility of integrating protection, control,
metering, automation and monitoring system cost effectively.
• It improves system reliability, quality of supply and consumer service.
• It also monitoring meet the demands and requirements in improving
service reliability at a lower cost.
5.1.3. Characteristics of Distribution System:
• Subtransmission circuits in voltage ratings, usually between 33kV and
220kV, which delivers energy to distribution substation.
• The distribution substation converts the energy to lower primary system
voltage for local distribution and usually improve facilities for voltage
regulation of primary voltage.
• Primary circuits of feeders usually operating in the range of 11 kV to 33 kV
supplying the load in a well-defined geographical area.
• Distribution transformers usually installed on poles or on pads or near the
consumers site, which transform the primary voltage to the utilization voltage
usually 230/400V.
• Secondary circuits at utilization voltage, which carry energy from the
distribution transformers along the streets etc.
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• Service lines which delivers the energy from secondary circuits to the
consumer premises.
5.1.4. Distribution Automation Functions:
The following are few distribution Automation Functions
1. Load Control
• Shedding of loads for which time of operation is not important like
pumping loads to reduce system peaks and prevent overloading of
distribution equipment.
2. Substation Automation
• Monitoring the status of substation equipment
• Monitoring voltages and circuit loading
• Supervisory control of substation
• Collection of substation’s historical data
3. Feeder Automation
• Fault isolation and service restoration
• Remote circuit switching
• Collection of feeder historical data.
4. Feeder Volt and VAR control
• Remote control of LTCs, regulators and capacitors.
5. Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) at large customers
• Time of use metering
• Detection of meter tempering and theft
• Monitoring of meter for proper operation
• Remote service disconnects and reconnects.
5.1.5. Benefits of Distribution Automation:
1. Substation Automation:
• Avoid equipment damage by timely recognition of problems
• Prevent Outage and thereby improve continuity of service by
remotely monitoring and recording data on the state of the system.
• Prevent outages and thereby reduce revenue losses by remotely
monitoring and recording data on the system
• Defer construction of new distribution facilities as a result of
accurate monitoring of circuit load. This allows the rating of the
substation transformers to be exceeded for a short time.
• Save labour costs by unattanded operation of substation.
• Facilitate substation engineering and maintenance by historical
data collection.
2. Feeder Automation:
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• Reduce outage time and improve the continuity of service

• Reduce Outage time and reduce revenue losses.
• Defer construction of new facilities
• Reduce losses
• Release generation and transmission capacity through loss
reduction
• Reduce labour costs by reducing staff responsible for routine and
emergency switching operations
• Facilitate network engineering and maintenance by historical data
collection.
3. Feeder Volt and VAR Control:
• Defer construction of new distribution facilities.
• Reduce energy losses by real time control of capacitor switches.
• Release generation and transmission capacity through reduced
losses.
• Improve voltage profile by VAR control and power factor correction.
4. Automatic Meter Reading (AMR):
• Improve cash flow by faster billing
• Reduce labor costs by reassigning staff responsible for meter
reading
• Reduce theft through tempering detection, remote connect and
disconnect of service and comparison of metered delivery with
circuit power measurements.
5. Load Control
• Avoid damage to distribution transformers and other equipment by
introducing diversity in the pumping loads and, if necessary,
shedding of all pump sets.
• Defer construction of new distribution facilities.
• Reduce losses
• Release generation and transmission capacity.
• Eliminate need to shed complete feeders as an emergency measure
for load relief. This will result in better service and reduced loss of
revenue.
• Reduce outage caused by equipment overload.
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5.2. Project Planning:

• Rigorous Project planning and management practices should be applied to
complete the work in time and within the budget.
• Constructed with capable vendor for maintenance and training contracts
for a year or two years.
• The Project Plan Contain:
o A detail schedule of all project activities and their estimated
duration.
o A statement on the methods to be used to complete all the project
activity.
o A quality statement which identifies all quality control and quality
assurance steps to be applied.
o The structure of database for distribution management system.
o A statement on the organization requirements and impacts within
the utility organization, to effectively manage the data
capture/conversion process and to maintain the data in an upto
date.
5.2.1. Project Planning: Cost Justification
• The cost justification on DA can be made on life cycle evaluation cost
benefits analysis.
• Automation technologies are expensive and a strategic investments.
• The vendor with highest total can be selected :
o Best life cycle cost
o Best overall performance
o Most value for money
o Least risky offer
o Best technical approach
o Best maintenance environment
o Best solution
o Best open architecture system
o Best implementation schedule performance.
5.3. Definitions
1. Automation Switching Control: Some of these as follows
o Outdoor Lighting Controls: Local electro-magnetic relay or
electronic and/or thermal/time delay with photoelectric controls
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o Line or Capacitor Switching Controls: Local control by time,

temperature, current, voltage and VAR.
o Line Post Sensors: SCADA and load feed monitoring for load
switching and fault information.
o Faulted Circuit Indications: Fault location through use of on site
LED, fluorescent flag, and remote SCADA indication for single
phase or three phase overhead, underground or pad mounted
transformers.
o Radio Switches: Peak power demand reduction through VHF/UHF
radio switching of consumer or feeder load.
2. Data Concentrator Unit:
o It is microprocessor based CPU board.
o Its function is to collect data from bay controller, relays, meters
and other SCADA devices.
o Concentrator can be integrated into the meter.
o It is also called as gateway.
o The collective data is communication with DLC,RF and GPRS
modem.
3. Ethernet: Ethernet is a way of connecting computers together in a local
area network or LAN. It has been the most widely used method of linking
computers together in LANs since the 1990s. The basic idea of its design
is that multiple computers have access to it and can send data at any time.
4. Information Technology (IT):
o It includes administrative computing and all ‘end-user’ computing
of a business and technical nature.
o The term extends to smart or intelligent, Programmable electronic
devices used in power operation from generating stations to
distribution automation.
5. Intelligent Electronic Device (IED): Any device incorporating
microprocessor with capability to receive or send data from or to an
external source (Ex: electronic meters, digital relays, bay controllers,
controllers on specific substation equipment such as breakers, regulators,
load tap changer on power transformer etc ) as per IEEE Standards 1000-
1997.
o Integration of substation automation and IED offers opportunities
for operational and engineering efficiencies.
o Ex: General electric make GE D25 IED is used for as Bay Controller
in SCADA system.
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6. Local Area Network (LAN): A group of computers and associated

peripherals connected by a communication channel cable of sharing files
and the resources between several users.
7. Management Information System: A management information
system (MIS) is a computer system consisting of hardware and software
that serves as the backbone of an organization's operations. An MIS
gathers data from multiple online systems, analyzes the information,
and reports data to aid in management decision-making.
8. Human Machine Interface (HMI):
o It is interface between man and technology for control of the
technical process.
o The computer system at Master control center or central control
room integrates with RTU over the communication link with its
transmission protocol, acquires the remote substation or
distribution transformer /feeder data and transfers the same to the
computer system for HMI.
o The entire system can be monitored and controlled from the screen.

9. Remote Terminal Units (RTUs):

 Modern RTUs are microprocessor based devices and are designated
to acquire data and transfer the same to the Master station through
a communication link radio, power line carrier, wire and fibre optics
etc.
 RTUs collect data from transducers, transmitters, contact inputs
from equipment/instruments, meter readings.
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 RTU perform analogue/digital conversions, check data scaling and

corrections, pre-processing tasks and send/receive messages
from/to master stations via interface.
 RTU is also monitor the parameters such as Bus line volts, current,
active power, reactive power, status of circuit breakers, switches and
isolators, fault detection, temperature, level, pressure, flow etc.
 It can be placed in line pole/terminal circuits such as switch control
circuits and communication circuit from outside moisture.

10. Workstation: The role of workstation is to serve as an intelligent

window to the database. It is a high performance computer.
It is used to :
 Provide a simple user interface for indexing the data.
 Form the database access commands.
 Communication with the server database.
 Accept the data are returned from the database
 Display the data graphically.
11. Wide Area Network (WAN):
o WAN is a telecommunications network that extends over a large
geographical area for the primary purpose of computer networking.
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5.4. Communication:
• Communication is the imparting or exchanging of data in between
Distribution Control Centre (DCC) and any point on the distribution
network.
• In planning stage identified required communication system.
• The fundamental requirements for communication infrastructure are:
o Determination of system average message rate.
o If it can handle the requisite amount of data and multitasking.
o Data throughput and system response times should meet various
application requirements.
o It should allow for network growth and added applications.
• Communication Techniques are mainly two types
o Master-Slave Communication
o Peer to Peer Communication
• Communication Technologies may have physical topologies of
o Star (master-slave)
o Ring or mesh
o Bus
The different Communication technologies are as follows
1. Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)
2. Power Line Carrier (PLC):
3. Radio Communication
4. Fibre Optics.
5. Satellite Communication:
5.4.1. Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN):
 Dial-up and dedicated leased telephone lines are often used for
Distribution Automation.
 Ex: Dial-in Automatic Meter Reading Systems (the communication
is initiated by the metering equipment at the consumer site via
telephone modem).
 Two way communication is possible once established.
 During each communication, the meter reading frequency is
controlled by scheduling from the central station to the metering
equipment.
 Some metering equipment may also initiate a call to respond by
exception (alarm, tamper detection etc.)
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 Conventional dial-out telephone uses a dedicated telephone line and

standard telephone modem at the remote terminal unit (RTU) to
communicate with a meter.
5.4.2. Power Line Carrier (PLC):
 Power line carrier communication is a method of using the existing
power lines for communication, so information can be transmitted
by the help of power lines.
 Existing power lines can be used for the connection of high-speed
network access point without the installation of new wires.
 Power line carrier communication is the most economical and
reliable method of communication for medium and long-distance in
a power network.
 Power line communication system uses a high
voltage transmission line connecting two substations for
telecommunication purpose.
 So there are mainly two tasks the first one is power transfer and
the second one is communication and both of this is carried out by
sending two signals along the same line.
 PLC Technologies are:
 Ripple Control (low frequency signals injected at high voltage level)
 Cyclocontrol (Changing of power waveform, shifting of time of zero
crossing)
 Carrier Frequency (Injecting 23-98 kHz into distribution feeders)
5.4.2.1.Ripple Control:
 The term Ripple Control is employed to denote a system of remote
control applied to electricity supply network, whereby audio
frequency signals are superimposed on the network, without the use
of any pilot wires or modulation, but enabling control from a central
point of an unlimited number of remotely connected relays.
 These are send out a number of command signals, each signal being
characterized by the time interval which elapses between two
impulses.
 The first impulse is known as the starting impulse and the second
impulse as the order impulse. Each receiving relay can respond to
only those orders.
 Two Methods are currently used to inject audio frequency signals
into a network.
 Parallel Emission
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 Series Emission
Depending on the signal frequency and method of injection.
 Parallel Emission:
• This method is selected when operating at signal frequencies of 300
to 1500 Hz.

 Series Emission:
• This method is selected when operating at signal frequencies of 150
to 200 Hz.

 Ripple control are the following advantages

 Afford Speed
 Direct access to consumers
 Inexpensive Flexibility
 Accuracy and cheaper.
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5.4.2.2. Cyclocontrol
• The remote control is achieved by connecting a cyclocontrol transmitter
(Thyristor wave-point control) to low voltage terminal of standard
distribution transformer(also called the injection transformer, 500kVA,
11kV/415V) to utilize the distribution network as a signal medium.
• The transmitter causes a selected number of individual cycles of the main
supply waveform to be altered in shape, in the region of zero voltage to
form an intelligible transmission code.
• The signals propagate throughout the high voltage network to which the
distribution transformer is connected and may be received on the
secondary of all the distribution transformers.
• The peak value of the transmitter current depends upon the firing angle
for given impedance. Firing angle generally used as 250.
• In cyclocontrol, outgoing signals from the substation are generated by
drawing an accurately controlled current pulse from transformer output
as shown in figure.
• This current pulse passing through the transformers reactance, distorts
the voltage wave within a narrow window around the zero crossing point.
• One bit of information is reliably defined by comparing one zero crossing
modulation with the next unmodulated waveform.
• Thus two cycles are needed to transmit one bit, giving an outgoing baud
rate of 30 bits/second (bps).
• The communication signal can be transmitted through any winding
configuration in any transformer.
• The system has been used to distance of 50 to 80 km on distribution
voltage upto 36kV.
• Signals are detected by transponders connected to the circuit anywhere
on the feeders supplied by the T/F.
• Each transponder contains microprocessor to provide intelligence plus
inbound transmitter to generate response command.
By comparing Ripple Control,
• Its equipment and installation cost is low.
• Better solution to variety of remote control problems in distribution
systems such as street lighting, off-peak load, and power cut control etc.
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5.4.2.3. Carrier Frequency:

• 1. Power Line Carrier (PLC): Power-line carrier communication (PLCC) is

mainly used for telecommunication, tele-protection and tele-monitoring
between electrical substations through power lines at high voltages, such
as 110 kV, 220 kV, 400 kV.
• The Power line carrier Communication (PLCC) uses the existing power
infrastructure for the transmission of data from sending to receiving end.
• PLCC system consists of three parts:It works in full duplex mode.
o 1.The terminal assemblies include the receivers transmitters
and protective relays.
o 2. The coupling equipment is the combination of line tuner, coupling
capacitor and the wave or line trap.
o 3. The 50/60 Hz power transmission line serves as path for relaying
data in the PLCC bandwidth.
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2. Distribution Line Carrier (DLC):

• It is narrow band distribution line system.
• DLC is high speed narrow band powerline system that utilize existing
electrical network in medium voltage (MV) i.e. 22 0r 11kV, low voltage i.e.
415/240V as well as consumer end voltage for data transmission.
• The carrier signal frequencies are 5 to 150kHz.
3. Broadband over Power Lines (BPL):
• Broadband over power lines (BPL) is a method of power line
communication (PLC).
• It uses PLC by sending and receiving radio signals over power lines to
provide over the power lines provide broadband internet access through
ordinary power lines through ordinary power lines within the
houses/building or to the substation.
• BPL modem can be plugged into the regular power soket to have high
speed internet access.
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• Broadband 2 to 35MHz radio waves can be transmitted over distribution

lines by installing transmitter at 300 to 500 m distance.
• As the telecommunication signals are going through the electricity lines,
the network errors and breaks can be noted easily and to deploy the worker
at the right spot in a minimum time.
• BPL enables the authorities to reduce the theft and transformer problems.
• BPL is more benefitted than DSL by
• Using already available infrastructure
• Minimum equipment required
• Investment is less.
4. Low speed power line:
• This technology is well accepted in the home or building automation
because of low data rate of 9.6 kbps.
• It send the signal along a home’s wiring, and receiver plugged into any
electric outlet in the home could receive that signal and the operate the
appliance to which it is attached.
• A common protocol is known as X10.
5.4.2.3. Radio Communication:
• RC have the advantage of their operation being independent of the
condition of the power system.
• They have many data channels, including high speed channels as well as
voice communication.
• Few latest radio technologies are:
o Zigbee
o Wi-Fi (2.5GHz frequency band and 60 m range)
o WiMax (50Km range , 2-10GHz licensed bands and 10-66GHz
unlicensed bands, speed 70MB/sec)
• Radio Technologies are licensing generally are UHF and VHF radio is the
widely used medium.
• In VHF, two frequency slots for use in the power sector, i.e.66-68 MHz and
136-174 MHz.
• UHF band in power sector 314-364 MHz, 585-622 MHz and 915-935 MHz
• The radio technologies generally used are:
1. UHF Point-to-point Radio
2. UHF Multi Address System Radio
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3. VHF Radio
4. Packet Switching Network
5. Cellular Radio
1. UHF Point-to-Point Radio:
• The available range is 314-367 MHz, 585-622 MHz and 915-935 MHz
• Widely used range is 915-935 MHz and require for line of sight opeartion
• These systems usually support upto 15 voice and data channels operating
at maximum rate of 650 kbs.
• With flat terrain and antennas mounted at a reasonable height, reliable
operation over a range of 30 to 40 km in practical.
• The data traffic routing through network is dynamic with new routes being
established around problem areas in the event of individual radio failure.
2. UHF Multi Address System Radio:
• These are widely used in SCADA/EMS/Distribution automation
application instead of telephone lines.
• This system consist of Master Radio Station which communicates with
several remote radios with IRTU (RTU interfaced with distribution
equipment).
• Each system uses a pair of frequencies (314 – 935 MHz)- one for master to
remote and other for remote to master.
• Coverage can be increased by providing remote more sub-master stations.
• An omnidirectional rod antenna is used at the master radio and is
mounted on hill top or building roof to increase coverage.
• At the remote radios, directional antennas provided for better
performance, less expensive as shown in figure below.
• This technology is useful for load management.
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3. VHF Radio:
• One Way VHF radio (Typically 154 MHz used in USA) is generally
used to send load control commands.
• Inexpensive radio receivers/switches are available for giving load
control switching commands.
4. Packet Switching Network (PSN):
 PSN uses low power UHF spread spectrum transmission (typical 935
MHz band) and does not require licensing of frequencies.
 It is unique solution to frequency management using spread
spectrum technology.
 The packet switching send short burst of digital information over low
power radio.
 These are data transmission networks with computerized nodes that
perform specific communication tasks such as routing.
 PSN uses many purposes such as SCADA, EMS to line, Capacitor
switching, AMR, Administrative data.
 PSN technology convenient for use in inter utility communication,
Line switching in EMS and in data transmission between control
centers.
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5. Cellular Radio:
 Widely used for AMR,DSM and DA.
 It benefits include wide-area broadcast and monitoring capability
and independence from communication utilities.
 This technology offers very high speed (9600 baud) real time,
bidirectional data gathering system control and should be ideal for
field operation.
 This system has two levels of communication – A digital cellular for
wide area network (WAN) at 915 MHz range and low power spread
spectrum RF as well as DLC channel for LAN.
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5.4.2.4. Fiber Optics:

• It offers both technical and commercial advantages over conventional
systems that use metallic cables and radio links.
• The communication basically consists of a transmitter and receiver for
information signals coming from the users device.
• Which is connected through copper wires to the switching center or
exchange, where it is changed into a digital signal like 1s or 0s for easy
handling.
• The signal is then transferred to the transmitter.
• In the transmitter, the information signal is electrical, drives an optical
source.
• Laser or a Light Emitting Diode (LED), which in turn, optically modulated
the information signal, which get coupled into optical fibre.
• The receiver located at the other side of the link, detects the original and
demodulates or converts back the optical signal to the original information
signal (electrical).
• The signal is then connected through copper wires to the switching device
or exchange for selection and connection to the proper user or user device.
• This type of communication is required for truck routes power
transmission lines.
• The main advantage is high data rate (9600 bits and much more.).
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• These are all carry all communication traffic such as voice, telecontrol,
telemetering and protection signaling.

5.4.2.5. Satellite Communication:

• This technology used for load management control.
• Satelite based VSAT (Very small Aperture Terminal) network
communication is used in power system.
• VSATs are allowed only the Indian satellites.
• It has 99.5% reliability factor.
• A communication signal is sent from VSAT to the satellite at a particular
frequency, this signal is amplified, shifted to a different frequency and sent
back to the VSAT at the destination.
• A whole network can be monitored and controlled centrally.
• There are three types of technologies for VSAT
o STAR –approved by Government of INDIA (Earth is big station is
called as hub with dish diameter is 6-11 m)
o MESH- This configuration permits group of VSATs to communicate
directly with other VSATs going through the central hub. Better
voice and video communication. This is approved by Govt. of India
o POINT-to-POINT Connection- data, voice and video signals carried
directly between the locations.
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5.5. Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition Systems (SCADA):

SCADA stands for “Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition”. SCADA is
a type of process control system architecture that uses computers,
networked data communications and graphical Human Machine Interfaces
(HMIs) to enable a high-level process supervisory management and control.
• Based on the Applications SCADA can be categorized into the
Following Groups.
 Small SCADA systems with selection number of functions. (Ex:
Distribution Networks and for electrical networks)
 Medium Size SCADA and EMS with full spectrum of function for
distribution and sub-transmission network, and selected functions
for generation.
 Large Scale SCADA and EMS with an extensive and sophisticated
range of functions for transmission networks and generation.
• Various Components of SCADA as shown below
 RTU interfacing to existing equipment
 Contacts and motor drives
 Actuators/Programmable Logic Controllers
(PLCs)/IEDs/Meters/Relays
 Wiring and Marshalling
 Interposing relays
 Measurement Transducers
 Buffered Power Supply
• Hardware and Software
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• A typical SCADA system comprises the hardware and software

o Hardware:
o User friendly Human Machine Interface (HMI)
o Work Station
o Servers having a particular function
o Communication subsystem
o Peripherals
o RTUs
• Software:
o Operating Systems
o Data Access Standards
o User Interface Standards
o Automation Software SCADA, AM/FM/GIS, CIS

5.6.1. Functions of SCADA:

Certain functions are basic to electric utility SCADA systems.The
more common functions includes:
• Data Acquisition
• Information Display
• Supervisory Control
• Alarm Processing
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• Information Storage and Reports

• Sequence of Events Acquisitions
• Data Calculations
• Special RTU Processing Control
5.6.1.1. Data Acquisition:

The process of data acquisition can be considered as the collective process

of several specialized and highly related sub processes. These sub processes
include.
• Internal scanning and rapid update of the RTU internal database
• Periodic RTU polling by the master station
• Transmission of request data sets by the RTU to the master station
• Checking of the data for transmission induced errors
• Scaling of the data into engineering units
• Write over of the previous status or value in the database
5.6.1.2. Information Display:
Information display is the process of selective retrieving both the fixed and real
time data from the database, combining and presenting them to the operator,
usually in the form limited graphic CRT colors pages. The fixed data include
station online schematic information and other displayable information that is
not varying in time. The variable data include status of two or three state devices
and analog values which vary in magnitude and possibly sign.
Display selection is most often organized in a hierarchical tree structure where
index pages permit the operation to select a wide variety of display using cursor
positioning techniques including positioning by keyboard, trackball, light pen or
touch screen methods.
5.6.1.3. Supervisory Control:
Supervisory control is the process of actuating equipment operation at remote
location. The process includes,
• Selection of station
• Selection of device to be controlled
• Execution of the desired command such as Trip or close
A variation of the discrete supervisory control is “Set point control”. This form of
control provides an operator or computer centered value as an analog output or
an internal RTU value for proportional setting of an external device or control
loop.
5.6.1.4. Alarm Processing:
• Alternating the operator to unscheduled events and informing him
of the time of occurrence, the station location, the device ID, and the
nature of the event is generally referred to as alarm processing.
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• Many variations of alarm processing and presentation exist. The

most common output of the alarm process is chronological CRT
alarm lists, hardcopy printouts and audible alarms.
• Some recent systems provide synthesized voice alarm.
5.6.1.5. Information Storage and Reports:
For smooth operation of electric systems, an accurate records are necessary to,
• Satisfy legal and governmental requirements.
• Accounting purposes
• Support and forecasting of future system operation and
• Engineering planning purposes.
Commonly record keeping is to capture pre-selected data periodically and saved
in discs. The periodicity means capture the data at every one hour or more
frequently captured and saved for a span of 12 months.
The SCADA historical file provides an excellent source of information for the
production of various reports. These reports their formats and information
content, may be customized to satisfy the specific needs of a wide variety of end
users.
5.6.1.6. Sequence of Events Acquisition:
• Sequence of Events (SOE) is the process of capturing and recording
unscheduled events with a time resolution between events of a few
milliseconds.
• Events are generally considered as discrete occurrences.
• Oscillographic equipment has also used to record analog values such as
line current or voltage.
• In recent years, SOE recording of discrete state changes has migrated into
some SCADA systems. It is the process of capturing and recording
unscheduled events to a time resolution independent of the periodicity of
RTU polling by the central master station.
5.6.1.7. Data Calculations:
In SCADA systems is to perform various calculations utilizing the acquired data.
Example:
• Determination of averages, maximum or minimum values over given
intervals and integration with respect to time.
• Calculations with multiple variables may include sums, differences,
products, quotients, squares, square roots, exponentiation and others.

5.6.2: Advantages of DA through SCADA:

• Centralized Control
• Economically Advisable
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• Scope for future Expansion

• Highly reliable information Storage
• Increased reliability of power to consumer
• Lower operating costs for the utility
• Forecast of accurate demand and supply management
• Faster restoration of power in case of downturn
• Quick alternative arrangement for power for important or emergency
locations
• Reduce human influence and errors
• Offers complete power system controls and data acquisition in a
central locations.
• Ensure reliability and quality of power supply.
5.6. Consumer Information Service:
 CIS services the following functions for better services to the consumer.
 Consumer Information
 Account Management
 Service Orders
 Field Service
 New Business
 Meter Reading
 Service Rates
 Billing
 Accounts Receivable
 Credit, Deposits and Budgets
 Collection
 Workflow Management
 Website management

5.7. Geographical Information System:

• GIS stores distribution system records for the entire network, giving details
of the age and position of substation, lines and cables etc.
• Topological maps can be used for grid control i.e. load analysis,
contingencies analysis, laying of cables, attending consumer complaints
etc.
• The task of “digitizing” power utility maps and then to “vectorise” the
digitized information so that roads, wires and other plant are recognized.
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• Image processing and knowledge based system techniques are used for
automating this information.
5.8. Automatic Meter Reading (AMR):
• AMR is the remote collection of consumption data from the consumers
power utility meter over a telephone line, radio system or power line
carrier.
• AMR helps to:
• Improve billing accuracy
• Eliminate the need for estimating meter reading
• Shorten the time from consumption to billing and payment
• Improve load management
• Check temper and leakage before it becomes a problem
• Increase the return on investment on a meter
• Provide remote connect and disconnect of the power connection
• Provide flexible tariff
• AMR comprises three elements:
• Automatic reading of meters
• A communication link between the meters and the central billing
system
• A centralized information database on consumption.
Each AMR meter is provided with a transmitter/receiver module.
5.9. Automation System:
• The typical distribution automation system varies with each application.
• The Typical distribution automation systems composed of master station
and the distribution equipment for feeder and consumer automation
system is as shown in figure.
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