ABSTRACT
Contents 11.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 11.2 Communications in Smart Grids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
11.2.1 Purpose of the Smart Grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 11.3 The Different Segments of the Smart Grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
11.3.1 Generation and Transmission System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 11.3.2 Distribution System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 11.3.3 Points of Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
11.4 Communications in the Different Segments of the Smart Grid . . . . 255 11.4.1 General Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
11.4.1.1 Quantitative Measure of the Services Needed. . . . . 258 11.4.2 Generation and Transmission System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260 11.4.3 Distribution System and Points of Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
11.4.3.1 Medium-Voltage (MV) Grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262 11.4.3.2 Low-Voltage (LV) Grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
11.4.4 Distributed Generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 11.5 Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
The smart grid concept is still in the process of being materialized. However, deployments of smart grid networks and systems are being launched worldwide. These smart grid deployments are still very much focused in smart metering, but there are cases of utilities that are already taking advantage of the deployment of telecommunication means at different levels of the grid, to evolve their implementations toward enhanced monitoring capabilities and improved automation systems in the grid.
