Control Networks and Smart Grid Teleprotection: Key Aspects, Technologies, Protocols, and Case-Studies

The appeal for more reliable, efficient and resilient power grids has become indispensable with the recent technological development and ever-increasing demand for electrical energy. These goals might be achieved by introducing sensors and actuators in the power grid, with the purpose of enabling a smart control of the power network. All power devices must be connected using a reliable communication network, which should be able to operate even when the power grid fails. Currently, several communication technologies have been applied for supporting this new application scenario. This article aims for reviewing both academic and market use cases for technologies applied to the mission-critical, control networks and Smart Grid applications, such as teleprotection, self-healing, communication with control centers and field devices, among others. More specifically, the key aspects, potential technologies, main protocols and use cases of operating data networks in energy transmission, power distribution and smart grid environments, including circuit and packet switching technologies, are discussed into details. Furthermore, resilience and the main telecommunications technologies used in power grids, as well, the correlation among them, are exploited in practical point of view. The article provides a broad discussion on the best telecommunication options to build the emerging intelligent energy distribution systems, covering control networks, teleprotection, and smart grid applications.