Enhancing Substation Automation by RTU Design Optimization and Database Standardization for Improved Operational Efficiency in Tata Power-DDL

In India, despite escalating electricity demand, distribution companies’ grapple with high Aggregate Technical & Commercial Losses (AT&C) and technological gaps. A digitized distribution grid, prioritizing "Information Value" over "Energy Value," serves as an automated network ensuring efficient and reliable energy supply. Substation Automation, driven by advanced supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, facilitates centralized monitoring and control of the entire Power System Network. Modern electronics, computational platforms, and field devices, particularly the Remote Terminal Unit (RTU), are integral to this automation. The RTU collects data from downstream Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) on diverse electrical equipment, forming a complex ecosystem. While these IEDs drive the digital revolution in utilities, their increasing integration with RTUs poses vulnerabilities, leading to electronic hang conditions. RTU breakdowns result in zero visibility for a grid substation, impacting system reliability, and contributing to heighten System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI), MU Loss, prolonged Mean Time to Restore (MTTR), and inaccurate load forecasts. This paper explores methodologies for optimizing Substation RTU performance, addressing hardware, software, and network design enhancements.