5G Mobile Cellular Networks: Enabling Distributed State Estimation for Smart Grids

With the transition toward 5G, mobile cellular networks are evolving into a powerful platform for ubiquitous large-scale information acquisition, communication, storage, and processing. 5G will provide suitable services for mission-critical and real-time applications such as the ones envisioned in future smart grids. In this work, we show how the emerging 5G mobile cellular network, with its evolution of machine-type communications and the concept of mobile edge computing, provides an adequate environment for distributed monitoring and control tasks in smart grids. In particular, we present in detail how smart grids could benefit from advanced distributed state estimation methods placed within the 5G environment. We present an overview of emerging distributed state estimation solutions, focusing on those based on distributed optimization and probabilistic graphical models, and investigate their integration as part of the future 5G smart grid services.