City of Anaheim City of Pasadena   Taichung -- Taiwan Power Company The Mailbox RTU   Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia
The Mailbox RTU In today's deregulated market, distribution companies can buy energy in a variety of ways. The seller may be right next door or halfway across the country. Electricity may be purchased in volume according to a preset schedule. It can also be handled on a demand, or "load following" basis. This approach is more challenging -- all parties to the transaction must take part in dynamic scheduling, with the buyer continuously broadcasting real-time demand fluctuations to transmission and generation companies. Each company involved in such a transaction employs a control system and communication protocol. Often these protocols vary by company. It is a formidable challenge to interface communications efficiently and effectively so that information can be exchanged. The problem An Atlantic coast distribution company recently faced this exact problem. This utility purchases energy from a remote generator by way of two transmission companies. One of the transmission companies also operates a nuclear power plant, and the distribution company is entitled to a portion of its output. Each of these four entities has its own control system and unique communication protocol: DNP3, Harris 5000, CDC-4450 and SDLC. The challenge: how to facilitate reliable, timely information exchange among all four parties in an economical manner. The solution Using NTU-7500 Remote Terminal Units, coupled with Virtual RTU technology, Advanced Control Systems implemented a solution called the Mailbox RTU. Every four seconds, the real-time energy interchange is calculated, based on data collected from nearly one hundred energy exchange points. The Mailbox re-formats this information into the four different protocols, then transmits the dynamic energy schedule to each participant. Some of these protocols are restricted in point count handling ability. The Mailbox overcomes this limitation by employing Virtual RTUs to filter out unneeded data. Advanced Control Systems used its resources and experience to solve this complex information-processing problem. As the regulatory environment changes, you can expect further demonstrations of technological expertise from the leader in real-time information solutions.
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