Establishing a remote monitoring system to enhance power system reliability

Reliability of power service to remote telecommunication transmission sites is critical to overall system reliability. It is an accepted fact that power system reliability can be enhanced by: regular maintenance; regular exercise of standby generator sets under load; and by fast service when problems arise. Serial communication networks can enhance these efforts, but implementing network communications between remote sites and central monitoring stations can be difficult. In particular, generator sets have been difficult to monitor in a cost-effective fashion. This paper describes the situation and considerations used by CETV (Australia) to implement an enhanced service and maintenance system for remote generator sets at transmission sites.