Field demonstrations of communication systems for distribution automation

Communication systems for distribution automation and load management were developed. This program included three power line carrier projects, an ultra high frequency radio project, and a telephone project. For each project, a two way (half duplex) digital communication system was developed to perform such functions as fault location and isolation, distribution feeder switching, load control, time of day metering, remote meter reading, and equipment monitoring. Most of these demonstration projects were subject to hardware failures and schedule slippages, but when the data pertinent to the two way communications performance of the operational portions of each system were examined, performance at or above an 80% success rate was measured in all projects. These results support the conclusion that each of these communications systems can satisfy utility requirements for distribution automation, load control and remote meter reading.