Power Systems and Communications infrastructures for the future, Beijing,September 2002
THE SERVICES OF ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEM AND
BUILDING UP ITS B-ISDN
Zhao Lianqing Sun Fengjie
North China Electric Power University(Beijing)
Introduction
With the developments of the automation and the
progress of the digitalization in Chinese electric power
system, lots of services will be gradually set into
reality. They include dispatch/ administrative
telephone, energy management system(EMS/SCADA),
office automation (OA), management information
system (MIS), geography information system (GIS),
communication equipment supervision, video
conference, electric power station/transformer
substation video supervision, distant training/education
system and so on. Some of them will transmit over IP.
These services may be real-time or non-real-time,
synchronous or asynchronous, be constant bit rate or
inconstant, be connected oriented or not, low speed
services or middle/high speed services. In order to
make all the services access, switching, transmitting in
one uniform network, a B-ISDN must be built up.
This paper describes the demands and
developments of the services in the electric power
system of China. It illuminates present status of the
electric private communication system and analyze the
major existing problems. Finally it provides several
feasible solution for building up B-ISDN in the electric
power system.
1. Demand and development of the
services in electric power system
The electric power private communication
network in China has built up to a long distance
Qi Bing
exchange network. Its trunks based on 34M/144M
PDH digital microwave or 155M/622M SDH fiber, its
exchanges node general use exchanger(PBX) by
computer program, and take province company as
converging switching center. It can cover every branch
company, power station and transformer substation.
Now the network can transmit not only the basic
services such as dispatch telephone, administrative
telephone, but also the real-time digital
communication services, such as EMS/SCADA and
the non-real-time data communication services such as
MIS, OA. In order to improve the level the
automation and modernization of the electric power
system, and meet the demand of the electric power
market, many electric power company are building up
B-ISDN to accelerate the speed of digitalization. So it
is necessary to analyze the demand of the services and
transmission.
1.1 The demand of service in provincial
company
Every branch company should provide:
·Voice service: dispatch/ administrative telephone
which uses 2M E1 interface.
·Electric power station/transformer substation’s
EMS/SCADA and electric load controlling
service which uses RS-232 interface or
10M/100M Ethernet interface over IP.
·OA, LAN,MIS and Internet/Intranet IP service
which uses 10M/100M Ethernet interface.
· Electric power station/transformer substation
 real-time video supervision service which uses
2M E1 based on H.320 standard or 10M/100M
Ethernet interface based on H.323 standard.
·Video conference service which uses 2M E1
based on H.320 standard or 10M/100M
Ethernet interface based on H.323 standard.
Every provincial company should provide:
·Voice service converging from branch company,
video conference and real-time video
supervision service which based on H.320
standard: N×E1 interface.
·Real-time digital service uses RS-232 interface
converging from branch company: N×RS-232
interface.
·Corresponding real-time or non-real-time service
converging from branch company bypass
Ethernet: 10/100M Ethernet interface.
· Network managing system: dispatch room and
information center should build up a network
managing center to connect to its network
managing system by 10/100M Ethernet interface
or 155M ATM interface.
1.2 the demand of service in local electric
power company
The 110kv/220kv transformer substation
should provide:
(a) Voice service: dispatch/ administrative
telephone which uses IP or FXS/FXO
interface, 4 W E&M interface, or 2M E1
interface.
(b) EMS/SCADA and power load controlling
service in according with the provincial
company’ interface.
(c) Non-real-time MIS, LAN, OA and
Internet/Intranet service : 10/100M Ethernet
interface.
(d) Real-time video monitoring service: 2M E1
interface or 10/100M Ethernet interface.
The sales department and charging station should
provide:
(a) voice service: IP or FXS/FXO interface,
four line E&M interface.
(b) counting and charging service: 10/100M
Ethernet interface.
(c) Non-real-time OA ,MIS and
Internet/Intranet service: 10/100M Ethernet
interface.
The local electric power company should provide:
(a) Voice service: the kinds and amount should
be in according with the transformer
substations and the sales departments.
(b) Kinds of real-time digital services: amount
of the RS-232 interface should be in
according with the transformer substations;
the services over IP connect to process
system through 100/1000M Ethernet or
155M ATM interface.
(c) All kinds of non-real-time digital services:
connecting to process system through
100/1000M Ethernet or 155M ATM
interface.
(d) Network managing system: being in
according with provincial company.
The service in electric power system such as
EMS/SCADA will adopt IP so as to simplify the
access of electric power station/transformer
substations, especially saving lots of RS-232 interface
and channel in dispatch port. It also can save the
prefixed machine. This real-time digital transmittal
mode is the direction of electric power system..
Besides, the video service uses IP based on H.323
standard is simple and cheap, such as video
conference, video supervision, distant education is also
the direction of electric power system.
2.The major problem of our country
existing in the electric power communication
network

Though, a certain quantity of transmission lines
of optical cable has been built and SDH technologies
of transmission has been applied, moreover, SDH
technologies have the advantages as follows:
(a) Frame structure has uniform world standard, and
also, the equipments from different companies has
compatibilities between each other.
(b) Byte is the basic unit of frame structure, the
tributary data (including 2/8/34/140Mb/s) is
distributed in the frame regular, which make it
convenient to pick up or insert tributary data and
possible to realize synchronous mutiplex and
intersectant link of every tributary data.
(c) In the frame structure, a lot of information data
used for management and maintenance are
arranged to strengthen the function of
management and maintenance.
(d) There is some data used for adjusting of pointer
in the frame structure which can adjust the clock
be different between nodes so as to realize
complete synchronous transmission.
(e) SDH system with high transmission rate can be
compatible with not only SDH system with low
transmission rate downwards, but also PDH
system with every transmission rate.
(f) It is possible to realize information stream of two
direction transmission, to form a loop transmission
network. The system has self-cured capacity, the
self-cured need 40-80ms.
But Analysis shows that SDH technology has
following obvious defects:
(a) Transmission is still in TDM way, and it do not
have the function of dynamic bandwidth
distribution. The bandwidth utilization is low.
Therefore it don’t fit to access or transmit burst
services. For example, when real-time and
non-real-time data services in the electric power
system which uses IP protocol mainly such as
OA、MIS、Internet/Intranet are being transmitted,
it’s necessary to use router and Ethernet switch.
These services are transmitted with mechanism of
data package, the rate of circuit transmission can
be 10/100M, even can be 1000M, but when these
services are to be accessed with SDH equipments,
the interface can only be N×64K or 2M, and when
these services are being transmitted, on the one
hand, there will be a “bottleneck” with
transmitting the valid information stream, on the
other hand, the bandwidth allotted is wasted
without the valid information stream.
(b) The structure of network is limited to loop or line
which is not propitious to the development of
network structure.
(c) In order to meet all demands of electric power
system, it’s necessary to provide optic end
machine, SDH equipment, PCM equipment, router,
and Ethernet switch at every node. The price of all
these equipments is higher than 500,000￥, so
there is no obvious price advantages compared
with ATM scheme. Also, way of transmission is
node to node in SDH system. The number of
interfaces deployed at center managing department
should be corresponding to every node, which
maker the price of equipments in center
department high.
(d) This system only has the function of physical
layer of OSI.
So, the major problem existing in the electric
power communication special network are:
· The transmission based on circuit switching
technology and using time-division multiplex
(TDM) is good at real time, but the efficiency of
utilization is low.
· The bandwidth of network is expected to be
extended.
· The structure of network is composed of network
and starring network and the credibility and
flexibility are not satisfied.
·It provides the capacity of integrating transmission
for every kind of service, but don’t have the
capacity of integrating switching, which make the
resources of network bandwidth not to be shared
 and the bandwidth of network not to be applied
synthetically.
· There are more than two transmitting circuits in
some nodes which intersect each other, but then it
can only have circuitous bond capacity while no
function of automatic route reconstruction.
·The network management system is not yet formed
actually.
· Modern communication network can not support the
transmission of IP services effectively.
Communication network are eventually
developed into broadband, synthesis, packing and
personification. IP becomes the major transmitting
protocol for every kind of service. To establish the
B-ISDN network for electric power system of our
country, three following major problems must be
solved:
(a) To establish optic transmitting circuit with
great capacity as soon as possible.
(b) To establish a uniform switching platform
of broadband integrated services. That
platform can be used for every kind of real
time and non-real time voice, services of
data and video, services which facing to
connection and disconnection, while it also
support the IP transmitting protocol.
(c) To establish a uniform center of network
management.
3. Selection of technology mechanism to
establish B-ISDN network of electric power
system
To establish B-ISDN network, currently, major
technology is SDH network technology, ATM network
technology and broadband IP technology. Because of
the above-mentioned limitation in SDH technology
and the lack of QoS capability in broadband IP
network technology, which is disadvantaged to
transmit great deals of and various kinds of real time
services, it’s best to establish electric B-ISDN network
with ATM technology.
ATM technology has advantages as follows:
· ATM is a synthetic transmitting platform of many
kinds of services such as voice, data and video.
·transmitting data with virtual circuit, statistical
multiplex and fixed byte, ATM have the
capability of dynamic distribution of broadband
and of loading equilibrium, and have PVC, SVC
and SPVC.ATM supports the services of CBR,
VBR, ABR and UBR. Because of these, its rate
utilization of bandwidth is very high.
· Supporting not only the function of physical layer
of OSI, but also the part functions of the second
and third layer of OSI, ATM can control flow
end to end and checkout the errors of every
segment, and can correct the errors of one digit
bit automatically.
· The structure of network can be starring , loop,
network shape and every kind of mix type and
the capability of network deployment is fine. The
credibility of network can be raised highly by
establishing grid network.
· There is the same transmitting frame as SDH in
physical layer and ATM can realize every
function of SDH completely. In addition, ATM
can also admit naked data, transmission of E1
and E3 standard.
· Link and communication with currently every
kind of data network is permitted. In ATM
network, the function of LANE can be realized.
Supporting MPOA and MPLS protocol, ATM
can transmit every kind of IP service.
· To meet every kind of demand of service, there
are only three kinds of deployments of
equipments at every node: ATM switch, Ethernet
switch and synthesis accessing equipment. The
prices of every node’s equipments is vary from
150,000 ￥ to 280,000 ￥ (no backup of
equipment’s major parts) or from 400,000￥ to
750,000￥(having backup of equipment’s major
parts). The number of equipments of center
department will be less greatly than that of SDH,
because of using the transmission and switch of
 ATM and using mostly IP transmitting protocol
for every kind of service.
· Using ATM solution and IP transmitting protocol
can not only meet the demands of access,
transmission and switch of every kind of service
in electric power system, upgrade conveniently
the rate of network transmission and the
bandwidth of network, but also be fit to the
development of future network technology. It
will be realized that the network equipments of
ATM can be linked smoothly with the future
network equipments and ATM will be transmit
between them.
distortions of waveform caused by optical
dispersion; For other MAN and WAN, it’s being
recommended to establish the network with ATM
technology, especially when there are optical
fibers, PDH and SDH in the channel of
transmission, it should adopt ATM technology
even more. The relations among electric power
ATM network, transmitting channel and every
services are showed as figure 1.

So ATM solution not only is feasible in

technology and price, but also has the predominant
performances which SDH can not be assimilate to.

4. The way of establishing electric power

Figure 1:Network structure illustration of electric
B-ISDN network
power information based on ATM
· For every crucial services characterized real-time
By analyzing and comparing every kind of
deployments of electric power system, the
service and network technology of electric power
network should be established separately and
system, the writer of this article indicate that the ways
should be isolated completely in the physical layer
of establishing electric power B-ISDN network should
from OA, Internet/Intranet and IP services
be as follows:
networks which is open to publicity to strengthen
·The network technology that we plan and select
the credibility and security of transmission of the
must be took three facts into account, They are,
crucial services in electric power system.
meeting the transmitting demands of
·The network topology of ATM network should be
multi-services and real-time services, practical
separated into core layer, backbone layer and
physical position and distance of every node and
access layer under allowable conditions according
which technology we should select for
to different reliable demands. Core layer should
transmitting IP, besides the technical
form grid network or a node is linked with any
advancements. To establish MAN which have no
other nodes. Every node of backbone layer should
perfect real-time services and be fit to composing
be linked with the other nodes of core layer or
loop network, and all services of which will be
backbone layer with routes at least two ways. The
transmitted using IP protocol, it’s being
nodes of accessing layer only is linked with the
recommended to establish the network with DPT
nodes of core layer or backbone layer with single
technology; For those WAN which have the
route.
real-time services and multi services of which the
·The configure of equipments of core layer should
distance between nodes is longer than 600
support the structure of modularization. Power
kilometers, it’s being recommended to adopt this
source, switching network and controlling
way, ATM technology + SDH + optic amplifier +
modularization should be configured into 1+1
SDH electric regenerative relay, to avoid the
redundancy backup. The capacity of switching
 networks of center department can support
10~40Gbps, that of other nodes can be 2~5Gbps
and support network protocol such as PNNI,
SNMP, LANE and MPOA/MPLS. The configure
of equipments of backbone layer is the same as
that of core layer except that the capacity of
switching networks support 2~5Gbps. According
to current flow of services and flow to be
increased in the future, the link transmitting rate
should be 155Mbps or 622Mbps or 2.5Gbps in
core layer, 155Mbps or 622Mbps in backbone
layer and 2M or 155Mbps in accessing layer.
·The structure of the network and the transmitting
bandwidth should be expanded to meet the
demand of increasing portfolio and addition of
new node.
·Take full use of the existing SDH/PDH equipments.
Take them as the spare channel or one profile of
the loop circuit to enhance the security of network,
reduce the investment scale, save the existing
investment.
·The fiber router should take full use of the existing
fiber channel, the new building fiber should be
along the electric power line and should take
ADSS or OPGW fiber.
· Under the ground of limited investment, the
network can be built by stages. The policy is
major node fist, then others; the structure should
be line or star first, then loop or grid.
·The junction centers in all levels should take the
interface of upper and lower level, the interface of
the network managing equipment, the interface of
the router and the interface of the LAN of the
bureau in considerations. In addition the junction
centers should keep eyes on the kinds and amount
of interface that the subsidiary unit and node
transmit the voice, data and video service; should
pay attention to the configure mode of the
equipments.
The solution of ISDN in electric power system
uses ATM as major technique and all kinds of services
transmit over IP. It not only is advanced and feasible in
technique, the trend of future, but also has the
advantage of large transmission capacity (155M,
622M, even 2.5G), easily expanding in topological
network structure, broadening and integrating in
network bandwidth, dynamic distribute in bandwidth
and having high efficiency. The service which can be
transmitted include IP service such as voice,
EMS/SCADA, OA, MIS, GIS, Internet/Intranet, the
video supervision service and the video conference of
transformer substations and communication
substations. The building of the network take full use
of the existing fiber channel and SDH/PDH
equipments, save the existing investment. ATM should
be the preferred technique in electric power system.
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