Field Area Network in a MV/LV substation: A technical and economical analysis

This paper discusses the use of wired and wireless solutions in a MV/LV substation, as the initial component of the distribution automation network of the low voltage segment of the smart grid. The study also provides a technical and economic analysis. In the technical analysis, a general comparison between wired and wireless solutions is presented, as well as, the reason to select Power Line Communication and ZigBee as good alternatives respectively for wired and wireless communications. The possibility to adopt ZigBee, while complying with performance requirements defined by IEC 61850, is also addressed in the technical analysis. Also, as an important issue for wireless technologies is reliability, the paper presents the results from in laboratory tests to compare the communication performance with and without generated noise. The economic study is performed by comparing the costs of using a wired or a wireless technology, concluding that Power Line Communication and ZigBee technologies present similar cost. Therefore, wireless communications are a good and flexible alternative, permitting rapid installation and configuration.