Advanced Meter Infrastructure
Systems Comparisons
Mr. Jimmy Chandler
November 8th, 2010
© The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative
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Evolution of Advanced Metering
AMR - Automatic
AMI – Advanced
AGI – Advanced
Meter Reading
Metering Infrastructure
Grid Infrastructure
Benefits
Revenue mgmt.
Reduced intrusion
Customer service
Outage restoration
Asset management
?
Enhanced customer svc. Demand response
Outage identification
Feeder automation
System planning
Web applications
Reduced losses
Typical Functionality
Monthly
kWh
readings
On-demand
reads
Circa 1985
Outage
management
support
Circa 2000
Daily kWh
readings
Load
control
Disconnect
/ reconnect
Expanded
hourly data
Downline
automation
Circa 2007
Limited
hourly data
Demand
Response
Home area
network
interface
Technologies
Fixed radio
Star and mesh radio
PLC – 2 way
Walk-by radio
PLC – 1 way
Drive-by radio
Fixed/Tower RF–2 way
Broadband/WiMax??
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2 2
Typical Smart Grid components
Applications
•Planning
•CIS
•GIS
•OMS
•WFM
•AVL
•Asset Mgmt
•Others
Integration
Bus
Data
Management
Engine(s)
Data
Acquisition
and Control
Wide Area Network Strategies
•
•
•
•
•
Backhaul / bulk
Medium to broadband
Data, video, voice
Public and private
RF, fiber, satellite
• AMI
• SCADA
• Crew
Dispatch
• Generation
& load
dispatch
• Others
Home Area Networks
•
•
Emerging
technologies
Zigbee, Insteon, ZWave, 6LoWPAN, etc
Local Area Network Strategies
•
“Last Mile” and AMI
systems
Low to Medium band
RF and PLC
•
•
Meters
Substations
Down-line
automation & asset
management
Home
automation &
generation
Crew Mgmt.
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3 3
Summary Technology comparison
Core AMI Technology 
Vendors
Optimal deployment
scenarios
Communications status
Maturity of systems
Capital cost of
Infrastructure : annual
operating expense
Data throughput
PLC
RF Mesh
RF Tower
Digital Cellular
Sensus
Aclara
SmartSynch
Consert
Other start-ups
Rapid, system
wide
Power-Line
Cooper
Elster
Itron
Landis+Gyr
SilverSpring
Tantalus
(hybrid)
Trilliant
Rapid, system
wide
Unlicensed
Rapid, system
wide
Licensed
High
Moderate
Medium : Low
Medium : Low
Aclara
Cooper
L+G
WiMAX / WiFi
SkyTeq
Other start-ups
Public
Trial system (in 2 –
3 years)
Public
Moderate
Very Low
Very Low
Medium : Low
Low : High
High : Medium
Targeted
Low to moderate Moderate to high Moderate to high Moderate to high
Very High
Ability to serve customer
based SmartGrid
applications
Low to medium
Medium to high
Medium to high
Medium to high
High
Ability to serve SmartGrid
applications
Medium
High
High
Low
High
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4 4
Power-line-carrier AMI systems
Three PLC-based AMI systems are offered
• Aclara (TWACS)
• Cooper (Cannon)
• L+G (Hunt)
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PLC-based AMI
Substation 1
Corporate Network
Circuit 1
Other Servers
AMI Server
Circuit 2
MDM Server
Wide Area Network
Or Direct Backhaul
• WAN communications from office to
substations via radio, fiber, or satellite
• LAN communications from substations
to meters uses utility power lines
© The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative
Circuit 1
Circuit 2
Substation 2
6 6
Wireless AMI Systems
Common types of wireless systems
• Mesh – unlicensed
• Cooper
• Elster
• Itron
• Landis + Gyr
• Silver Spring
• Tantalus
• Trilliant
• Tower – licensed
• Aclara
• Sensus
• Digital Cellular – public
• SmartSynch (AT&T)
• Fixed Broadband – public
• SkyTeq
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7 7
RF – Mesh AMI
Corporate Network
Other Servers
Substation 1
AMI Server
MDM Server
Wide Area Network
• WAN communications from office to
collectors is via public or private TCP/IP
communications
• LAN communications from collectors to
meters use a custom designed techniques
which allow meters to communicate
through a dynamically created shorter
range unlicensed wireless mesh
(Hundreds of feet).
• Increased number of collectors may
increase throughput and reduce latency.
© The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative
Substation 2
8 8
RF – Tower AMI
Corporate Network
Other Servers
Substation 1
AMI Server
MDM Server
Wide Area Network
Or Direct Backhaul
• WAN communications from office to
substations via radio, fiber, or satellite
• LAN communications from towers to meters
use custom designed techniques which allow
meters to communicate to more than one tower
using longer range licensed wireless
(Tens of miles).
• Same network can support Distribution
Automation and other applications.
• Towers may be added for improved coverage.
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Substation 2
Substation 2
9 9
Massively Redundant
Communications Paths
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1010
RF – Digital Cell AMI
Corporate Network
Other Servers
AMI Server
MDM Server
Substation 2
• All communications from office to
meter is made using publically
available digital cell carriers. There is
no infrastructure cast but there is a
continuous expense for data handling.
All meters are IP-enabled. There is no
experience with handling distribution
automation applications.
© The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative
Wide Area
Network – Local
Area Network
using AT&T
GPRS
Substation 2
1111
WiMAX/WiFi
Corporate Network
Other Servers
Substation 1
AMI Server
MDM Server
WIMAX/WiFi Network
Residence
Insteon
Residence
• Meters interfaced via HAN
• Large infrastructure costs
• Deliver broadband internet service to
customers (possible revenue source?)
• IP-enabled meters (currently limited
availability)
• Water uses Orion system (today)
© The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative
WiMAX/WiFi
enabled
(Future)
1212
HAN Systems Architecture
End-User Portal
- HTTPS -
Head End
Servers
3rd Party
Svcs
Web
- Other Gateways
-
HAN
Personal
Energy
Network
AMI
Solar
MultiComm
PCT/G-way
SmartPoint
Gateway
H/W
LCM
AMI Communications Path
PHEVs
DG / DS
Energy
Mgt.
Future…
Displays
+
_
Storage
Sensus Confidential
1313
The case for Meter Data Management
(MDM)
1,200
Virtual Meter Data
Status & PQ Data
1,000
800
600
400
In addition to all of this
data the MDM must
manage demographic
and asset labels
associated with each
of the meter points.
AMI cannot manage
this and it will be
difficult for CIS
systems to add this
functionality.
Net Metering
Voltage Profiles
Hourly Load Values
Daily Load Values
Traditional Monthly Billing
200
0
Traditional Monthly
Billing
AMR
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AMI
1515
MDM is…..
•
The evolution of Load Research Systems created in the 1970’s to
serve commercial and industrial customers, wholesale interchange
metering, and PURPA.
•
A platform that enables fundamental changes in how utilities operate
using vast amounts of measured data and information
•
A centralized data management and data storage platform for
existing data and future data collected from AMI systems and new
Smart Grid technologies
•
A centralized integration point for integrating utility applications
utilizing web-services, Multi-Speak, ODBC, XML, etc.
•
Centralized data analysis and reporting of all operational data
•
A provider of Interval Data Validation, Editing and Estimation (VEE),
Meter Read Profiling, Load Research, Energy Settlement, Energy
Data Presentation, and Line Loss Analysis
•
A foundation for launching future customer programs including new
customer-premise devices (e.g., HAN, Smart Thermostats)
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Need for MDM:
Multiple
data
sources
• AMI
• Manual
Readings
• SCADA
• OMS
• MWF
• Other
Accurate
and timely
data
• Validating,
Editing and
Estimating (for
hourly data)
• Standards and
rules for
service order
creation
• Proactive
assurance of
data availability
• Audit trail
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Secure
data
storage
• Securely manages
1,000 times more
data/meter than CIS
or AMI systems can.
• Tags for weather,
demographic and
other operational
characteristics
• Manage and access
non-traditional
meter data, e.g., PQ,
volts, etc.
Create and
disseminate
information
• Interface to billing
systems
• Interface for Customer
Service Reps
• Create TOU billing
summaries
• Provide summary data
• Support operation &
planning needs
• Platform for customer
web presentment
1717
MDM Vendors
SIEMENS
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NRTC Electric Regional Business Managers
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