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Security in Smart Grids
Published in Hongjian Sun, Chao Wang, Bashar I. Ahmad, From Internet of Things to Smart Cities, 2017
Julia. Sánchez, Agustín Zaballos, Ramon. Martin de Pozuelo, Guiomar. Corral, Alan. Briones
As stated before, smart metering represents only a set of the Smart Grid solutions, but it is the part that has already been more regulated, deployed and tested around the world. Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) consists of smart meters, data management, communication network and applications. AMI is one of the three main anchors of Smart Grids along with Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and Advanced Distributed Automation (ADA). Smart metering is usually implemented using automatic meter reading (AMR), a technology that automatically gathers data from energy, gas and water metering devices and transfers it to the central office in order to analyze it for billing or demand side management purposes. Data are read remotely, without the need to physically access the meter. AMR systems are made up of three basic components to be secured: the meter, the Central Office and the communication systems. AMR includes mobile technologies, based on radio frequency, transmission over the electric cables (power line) or telephonic platforms (wired or wireless) [62,76].
Smart Meters and Advanced Metering Infrastructure
Published in Stuart Borlase, Smart Grids, 2018
Aaron F. Snyder, David Kranzler, Robby Simpson, Stuart Borlase, Mary Carpine-Bell, James P. Hanley, Chris King, Eric Woychik, Alex Zheng
Utilities realized the inefficiencies in manual meter reading and started deploying systems that could automatically read meters, known as automated meter reading (AMR) systems. Another reason for deploying AMR is to minimize the use of technologies that require visiting each meter and physically connecting a reading device, such as a handheld computer, to a local infrared or wired serial port on a periodic basis, or using dial-up telephony to interrogate the meters remotely. These meter readings in the handheld computer were then later downloaded to a data collection or billing system when the meter reader returned to the utility office. This still required the meter reader to walk to each meter. AMR systems typically use short-range radio frequency systems to communicate with the meters. This allows the meter reader to either “walk by” or “drive by” the meters rather than directly interrogate them. This approach allowed utilities to save on the cost of meter reading by increasing the speed of meter reading and avoiding issues with “hard to read” meters; i.e., either difficult for the meter reader to access the meter, or the meter reader was unable to enter the consumer premises due to locked gates, vicious dogs, and so forth. A single meter reader using a walk-by or drive-by system could “read” many more meters per route/day/shift. Despite the improved accuracy from the perspective of the meter reader and the savings in labor, there was still the cost of using the vehicle for “drive-by” meter reading, plus AMR offered no additional functionality; it simply replaced human meter readers. Drive-by meter systems are still in use today.
Protocols for Automatic Meter Reading
Published in Richard Zurawski, Industrial Communication Technology Handbook, 2017
Klaas De Craemer, Geert Deconinck, Matthias Stifter
Automatic meter reading (AMR) can be considered as the predecessor of AMI (advanced metering infrastructure), and it allows utilities to perform some basic readout functions of a customer’s meter. It does not allow control of the meter itself (e.g., disconnect or the uploading of new tariff tables), let alone enable demand-side management. Together with new generation challenges (distributed energy resources [DER] and intermittent), the next logical step will be the emergence of AMI systems under distributed control: the smart grid.
The key modules involved in the evolution of an effective instrumentation and communication network in smart grids: a review
Published in Smart Science, 2023
AMI essentially consists of smart meters, two-way communication link, and an intelligent mechanism for processing [35]. The information collected in the initial level will be sent to a common entity which is known as the meter data management system. There are various meter data management systems (MDMS), which can process the data obtained from smart meters, with the capability of bidirectional communication [36]. Transformation from the ordinary conventional energy meters to smart meters is depicted in Figure 3 [37]. Here, the smart meter depicts the intelligent meters which are part of the smart grid. The figure shows a gradual development in metering from the ordinary meters to smart meters. From the ordinary conventional meters first, it evolved into automatic meter reading (AMR); a smart meter is built with the help of AMI and intelligent controllers, and the conventional energy meters were used to record the consumption of electricity. It gradually developed into automatic meter reading (AMR) where the data will be sent to a central control station via telecommunication links. As the scope of renewable energy utilization came into existence, the new technology AMI came which makes the two-way communication possible and with the help of intelligent devices more of distributed control was available.
Fuzzy C-Means Clustering Applied to Load Profiling of Industrial Customers
Published in Electric Power Components and Systems, 2022
Adisa Dedić, Tatjana Konjić, Martin Ćalasan, Zehrudin Dedić
Over the years advanced metering system has evolved from Automated Meter Reading (AMR), Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) to Automatic Meter Management (AMM). AMR system enables utility to read electronic meters remotely (one-way communication). Energy consumption with some status data transmits through different connection media to utility’s central system for billing and analysis. AMI is an extension of AMR system providing two-way communication between customer and utility. Besides advance metering devices, AMI contains communication infrastructure and data management system. The metering devices are able to measure consumption multiple times per day, usually every 15 or 30 minutes. AMM represents next extension of the remote reading system that enables technical measurements and functions as well as customer-oriented services. Smart meters usage provides benefits to the customers (domestic, non-domestic), suppliers, system operators and regulators giving information about almos real-time consumption that will help to manage energy use, save money, enable more accurate demand forecasts, enable better distribution network planning and operation, allow improved asset utilization, reduce the operational and maintenance costs of the networks, etc.