C I R E D Session Number: 6 SUITABILITY OF AMR SYSTEMS TO PROVIDE DEMAND CONTROL SERVICES FOR LV AND MV ELECTRICITY CUSTOMERS+ G. Mauri *; P.Mirandola † *CESI; †M.G.R.Automazione Italy *giuseppe.mauri@cesi.it; † mgrautomazione@yahoo.it Availability of new powerful electronic meters and Power Line Communication networks of the latest generation brought Automated Meter Reading systems to become the main support to services that electricity utilities can offer to face the competitive deregulated market. The range of services will be particularly wide for those customers who adopt a home automation system, reaching a convenient cost / benefit ratio. In several countries energy authorities are considering the opportunity to adapt their Demand Side Management strategy to the new scenario and extend it involving MV and LV customers. DSM requires exchanging information between utilities, meters and load control devices (when available at user side). The content of messages may range from energy prices and meter readings, to complex data structures and commands in case of users deploying advanced load control systems or, even, in case of third party companies responsible for energy management of user premises. This paper reviews AMR system architectures and analyses impact of new requirements on key components. Distribution remote control centres and concentrators of MV/LV substations require the greatest functional enrichment, which will be discussed in depth. A closer co-operation is required both to AMR and distribution substation supervisory systems. AMR system functions need only few adaptations. Several energy consumption values must be saved in meters at least for one day to allow their deferred transmission to the AMR control centre. New specific tasks must be assigned to concentrators in the MV/LV substations, which have to collect (for current and next day), the type of tariff and control strategy to be adopted for each user involved in the DSM programme. For current day, concentrators should monitor load at substation level, verify risk of reaching threshold limits, identify reasons of deviations and, if necessary, react on the base of the selected load control strategy. Concentrators can also be involved by the distribution control centre in monitoring the behaviour of MV/LV transformers. Main technologies used in AMR communication systems are PLC and GSM, which have strong economic justifications. The evolution of GSM to GPRS and EDGE (Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution) can increase speed and allow to send powerful "broadcast" and "multicast" messages, but can introduce weakness increasing the vulnerability level. The paper investigates such solutions, together with the use of PLT (PLC in the frequency range from 1 to 30 MHz) on MV lines to connect MV/LV to MV/HV substations and optic fibre from HV/MV substations to control centres. +This work has been supported by MAP (Italian Ministry for Productive Activities) in the frame of Public Interest Energy Research Project named "Ricerca di Sistema" (MAP Decree of 28 February 2003). PUBBLICATO A5018051 (PAD – 670843)PUBBLICATO A5052089 (PAD – 724954)