Power delivery infrastructure differences and their impact on different types of power line communications for automatic meter reading

Automatic meter reading (AMR) is making inroads into the electric utility industry, triggered primarily by the possibilities of instituting retail wheeling in the present deregulated environment. Meters have to be read more often, faster and time stamped for apportioning the bills of individual customers to the various electric energy retailers. For many years many companies have investigated the possibility to use the electric distribution network for a communication medium. Several types of communication technologies are already being marketed and installed. Some are still at a pilot and experimental stage and some are already fully operational. In this paper, the RF network and the wired broadband networks are excluded. In view of the different distribution network configurations and operating philosophies in different countries, or even within the same country, one should anticipate problems transporting one communication technology that operates well in one type of network to a different type of network. This paper explores the various factors that require serious considerations before adopting a certain technology for its application to AMR.