Application of 3G Wireless Broadband Network to Distribution Network Automation

The current access methods for electric distribution network are mainly via optical network,power line carrier communication,230 MHz broadcasting stations and 2G/3G network,in which optical network is a dominating position.However,for cities with intricate terrains and crowded buildings,the optical network is unreachable.Hence,3G wireless network has potential to become a cost-saving and convenient choice to solve problem of the final kilometer in access network.With characteristics of flexible access,high security,powerful business support ability and cost saving,3G wireless network taken as a communication channel for distribution network automation has been a known technology trend acknowledged by international electric power industry.This paper introduces a successful example which applies 3G wireless technology to electric distribution network and mainly discusses several problems,such as how to combine 3G wireless network with distribution network automation,characteristics of network construction and network operation management mode.