Communications for a large distribution automation project in Thailand

This work describes the communications system and other main features of a large distribution automation project being commissioned by the provincial electricity authority of Thailand. The project includes the construction of five new area distribution dispatching centers and one new system management center buildings and the installation and commissioning of new SCADA/DMS systems in these centers. A total of 150 substations and over 2000 individual feeder devices are monitored and controlled by the six SCADA/DMS systems. The communication system from the control centers to most of the substations uses previously installed digital microwave links and/or a time division multiple access radio system. However, the project included the design and installation of a new extensive multiple address radio system (MARS) that extends digital communications from the microwave facilities to the feeder devices or implements new links with leased lines coupled to a network of MARS between the control centers and the feeders devices. The project was started in late 2000 and will be fully operational in 2004.