Driving Innovation: Leveraging cloud platforms for grid modernization

The electric utility industry is transforming to enhance efficiency, reliability, resilience, and sustainability. This article explores how cloud computing is driving this transformation, particularly in distribution systems and areas with limited telecommunication infrastructure. By leveraging satellite or cellular internet, utilities can transmit substation data directly to cloud platforms, eliminating the need for on-premises data collection and historian systems. Cloud-based solutions offer scalable, flexible, secure, and cost-effective alternatives to traditional in-house systems, facilitating the rapid deployment of real-time data applications. This approach enables utilities to manage operations efficiently, even in remote or underdeveloped regions. The article examines cloud computing paradigms, system architectures, and their integration into utility operations. A novel sensor-to-cloud architecture is presented, showcasing how real-time synchronized measurements enhance grid monitoring, alarming, parameter estimation, and enterprise-wide access to critical operational data.