Communications infrastructure and substation automation communications planning issues

Summary form only given. This presentation highlights the findings from the several communications topics studied in a survey conducted by Newton-Evans Research Co. Chuck Newton's first and second quarter 2000 worldwide utility research program on the topic of substation automation trends includes more than 125 utilities of the world, with more than 35 of the top 100 electric utilities. Issues to be covered include: choices among substation protocols-within the substation and from the substation to external host or network; substation data to be reported back to master locations; primary substation information processing task handler selection; external links to the substation of today; choice of physical links between IEDs in the substation; physical links from the substation; and communications architecture within the substation and to/from the substation.