SEC WESTERN PROVINCE – DISTRIBUTION AUTOMATION SYSTEM – KSA

Key Features:

The sector of power and utilities is rapidly growing at an intense rate, driven by the continuous need for a variety of new power sources, to face resource scarcity and climate changes while satisfying the market needs. In order to keep up with these changes power stations will need to utilize technology to maintain a high growth rate and improve the service provided to the customer.

Power and utilities companies need to have remote access to their field assets such as substations, transformers, and energy meters either through a wired or a wireless network. This is done by utilizing different communication technologies and solutions to ensure security and reliability.

The Challenges

 

Upgrading a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) remote connectivity solution to cope with the high data rates being sent.

The old solution used GPRS/EDGE technology to connect remote sites. Despite having the ability to handle good data rates, this solution did not suit the application and created a need to be upgraded.

The new installed system should:

• Support 3G or higher
• Ensure data security in addition to reliability
• Provide network redundancy
• 4 ports built in switch

The Solution


After a number of site visits, Xceltra provided a M2M remote connectivity solution to be installed for SEC. This solution was a 3G gateway + a M2M Gateway. This solution was picked as:

• Offer network redundancy with the possibility to use dual SIM card
• Support for HSPA+ in 3G network
• Mobile operator independent static IP addressing with M2M Gateway
• Secure communication with VPN and firewall
• Support for several encryption protocols for secure communication
• Flexibility through supporting Ethernet in addition to serial ports
• Reliable operation in harsh environments thanks to an operating temperature ranging from –25 to +70 °C

Success Stories