GSM link for power utility

South Australian electricity distributor ETSA Utilities recently incorporated around 12 GSM-linked telephone dialling units (TDU) as part of the new remote control and monitoring system for its state-wide electricity distribution network. Teaming a cellular phone network with PLC technology from Rockwell Automation, the TDUs provide a powerful remote telemetry unit (RTU) solution for the widely distributed control system.

The TDUs were specifically developed by an Adelaide systems engineering group, Camms, for deployment in substations that do not warrant continuous communications, but still require status monitoring. Each TDU includes an Allen-Bradley MicroLogix 1500 controller from Rockwell Automation, plus a GSM modem; these enable it to relay faults - only as needed - to ETSA's Network Operations Centre using a cellular network's short message service (SMS).

Designed and implemented by Camms, the complete project involved remote monitoring and control of ETSA's electricity distribution network, which is dispersed across 178,200 square kilometres and comprises 370 substations.