Transcript Interfacing BPL Equipment with the Electrical Distribution System Mike Macenka Senior Engineer PPL Electric Utilities Oct.

Interfacing BPL Equipment
with the Electrical
Distribution System
Mike Macenka
Senior Engineer
PPL Electric Utilities
Oct. 13, 2004
Electric Utility Goals
• A Safe, Reliable and Maintainable
Electric Distribution System
• Quickly and safely restore service to
electric customers in the event of an
emergency
Broadband/Electric Utilities
• Broadband is a deregulated company,
Electric Utilities is regulated, both are
subsidiaries of parent Corp.
• Broadband equipment is treated as a
foreign attachment
• Broadband needs to acquire it’s own
right of way
• Broadband is treated as any other
foreign Utility
LOCATION-LOCATION-LOCATION
• Limited pole space and the
size of the equipment are the
main hurdles in integrating
BPL with the Electric
Distribution System.
• In many cases the least
desirable location for the
electric utility is the most
desirable location for the
telecommunications
company
You want to put what,
where?
continued
…and more
…and more
The last two
Integration issues
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Equipment Standards
NESC Standards
Product Testing
Installation Issues
Service Restoration and Maintenance
Equipment Standards
• There are no ANSI or IEEE guides on
the installation or testing of BPL
Equipment
• The environmental requirements of
utilities are more comprehensive than
those of most electronic components
• Destructive testing, how do BPL
components fail?
NESC Standards
• NESC does not specifically address
BPL equipment
• Interpretations vary depending on who
is doing the interpreting.
• Telecommunications specialists are not
normally versed in utility requirements
• Utility interpretations are usually much
more constraining.
Product Testing
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Environmental
Short Circuit
Fault Clearing
Voltage Withstand
BIL
What are the requirements and who is
responsible for the standards?
Installation Issues
• Where should equipment be mounted,
Supply Space or Communications
Space?
• Who can install, Utility Qualified Worker
or Contractor?
• Clearances?
• Grounding?
• Over current protection?
Overhead equipment
URD Couplers
Typical Overhead Installation
Typical URD Installation
Additional URD pictures
Service Restoration &
Maintenance
• Increased time due to obstructions
caused by BPL Equipment
• Alternate circuit feed which bypasses
BPL equipment
• Restoration of electric customers is the
utilities primary responsibility
• Loss of BPL service due to electric
utility maintenance
Summary
• There are many issues that still have to be worked
out
• The NESC issues are critical and need to be
addressed
• The BPL equipment and designs are still fluid and
haven’t been solidified. This makes the Utility job
difficult to iron out the problems, produce specs,
establish procedures, etc
• The challenges of installing, operating, and
maintaining BPL equipment could be significant if
major commercial installations take place and
thousands of units are installed on a system