ABSTRACT
Bulk generators, high-voltage grid substations, and system operation control centers have been the focus of communications systems in the past, but the communications systems were not designed for the capacity to accommodate emerging applications. This chapter aims to provide an overview of communication requirements, architectures, technologies, and solutions covering the different segments of the smart grid from power generation to power delivery at the consumption point. The operational communication network in transmission and distribution (T&D) grid segments carry measurements, status, and command information from/to grid devices across the power system. Not all communication networks scale to support such device populations, and scalability is of crucial importance to meet existing and future applications. Home area networks (HANs) are local networks in residential consumers' house environments allowing remote connection to smart appliances, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) controllers and programmable communicating thermostats, in-home displays, and residential electric vehicle chargers.
