Study of Smart Grid Communication Network Architectures and Technologies

Abstract

Smart Grid (SG) is an emerging paradigm of the modern world to upgrade and enhance the existing conventional electrical power infrastructure from generation to distribution to the consumers in a two-way communication fashion to automate the electrical power demand and supply and make this a cyber-physical system. SG infrastructure key elements, such as smart meters, circuit breakers, transformers, feeders, substations, control centers, grid stations, are required well-formed communication network architectures. SG infrastructure is divided into three main communication networks architectures, such as HAH, NAN, and WAN. Each of these communication network architectures requires reliable, stable, secure, high data rate at real-time with the help of different wireline and wireless communication technologies from HAN to WAN networks. To understand the complete concepts about SG, a concise review is presented and it will help the readers to get foundations of communication network architectures and technologies of SG.