Functional Requirements, Availability and Cost Analyses for Remote Multiplexing in Power Plants

Remote Multiplexing Systems (RMS) are being considered more and more frequently by utilities as an alternative to conventional hardwiring for the transmission of data and control signals to and from the thousands of devices in a power plant. A recently completed "Study of Remote Multiplexing for Power Plant Applications", sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute, indicates that these systems are technically feasible, can be designed to meet availability requirements, may save millions of dollars as hardwire replacers, and will provide other significant advantages. The following is an overview of this EPRI study.