Telecommunications for Smart Grid: Backhaul solutions for the distribution network

Telecommunications are an essential component of emerging Smart Grid technologies. Up until now, power system telecoms planning have largely focused on transmission with less investment in the distribution network. Presently there is a need for a universal system over which all messaging may be achieved. With the rise of protocols such as IEC 61850 there is growing momentum to start installing telecoms so as to exploit the benefits on offer, but the challenge is now how to correctly engineer a system that can accommodate rapid growth alongside demand for throughput and real-time performance. This paper reviews a number of last-mile access technologies and proposes a model telecoms network for Smart Grids.