Project Summary

Electricity networks require resilient communications to operate safely and efficiently. To provide this level of resilience typically comes at a high cost. CommsConnect aims to reduce the critical interdependency of communication and power networks, through increased information exchange and interoperability between Distribution Network Operators (DNO) and Mobile Network Operator (MNO) systems. Understanding and removing the barriers obstructing the use of public mobile networks using this innovative approach empowers networks to operate more affordably, effectively reducing costs and ensuring improved performance.

Innovation Justification

CommsConnect will understand and remove the barriers obstructing the optimal use of public mobile networks by utilities using an innovative approach that empowers networks to operate affordably, effectively reducing costs and ensuring improved performance.

 

There is currently no method of collecting essential resilience data from MNOs and integrating it with DNO control systems. The proposed solution would close the gap between DNO and MNO, increase cooperation between critical infrastructure providers and create opportunities for future innovation beyond the initial use cases. These include improving storm response, automated power restoration systems and ensuring customers on the priority services register (PSR) remain connected during storms. CommsConnect addresses Challenge 3, Theme 2 by proposing to trial solutions to improve communication infrastructure resilience. This would promote the deployment of DSO services such as flexible connections which require communications and an ever-increasing volume of

data.

 

Engagement with the CreDo+ SIF project has provided insight into potential longterm applications for MNO data. CreDo+ looks at how infrastructure dependencies impact system resilience, and how data sharing can improve overall system resilience. The solutions being developed in CommsConnect have the potential to support CreDo+ in collecting, storing, and sharing data required for modelling.

 

Engagement with UK Power Networks' internal stakeholders provided insight into the Business-as-Usual (BAU) operations of DNO communications networks. The Joint Radio Company (JRC), the energy industry-owned spectrum management organisation, has provided guidance on 3GPP standards and the work being done as part of the 3GPP TR 28.829 technical report, which provides a technical specification on network and service operations for energy utilities, CommsConnect will be aligned with this standard. Conversations with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero provided insight into regulatory direction. While engagement with Nokia means CommsConnect will utilise the latest technologies and platforms during the Alpha Phase.

 

Engagement with a diverse group of industry bodies and individuals revealed that true innovation would be standardising and improving the data provisioning and sharing capabilities between DNOs and MNOs. This allows MNOs to prioritise resilience in areas with higher volumes of critical infrastructure, and DNOs to better understand the complexity of the current mobile network and use the information to improve network automation.

 

Success requires cooperation with telecommunications equipment providers to ensure the appropriate information is available at a hardware level for export to a centralised DNO monitoring system. Through a whole systems approach, standardisation organisations, vendors and mobile network providers will be engaged to ensure BaU suitability. The solution described can be adopted by all GB DNOs that use some level of public mobile network infrastructure for communication with network assets. Technology readiness level by the end of the Alpha Phase is estimated to be at 6, with integration readiness level at 6 and commercial readiness level at 5.

 

The SIF mechanism allows for a phased approach to the development of the solution and to shift focus as new learnings are made. Discovery Phase identified the key requirements, Alpha Phase will finalise the design of the solution in a test environment, and Beta Phase will trial the solution with an MNO and DNO. This level of engagement, testing and funding would not be possible as part of BaU activities. Stakeholders from various sectors also require engagement, this is being done throughout the three phases.

 

The counterfactual solution is to install sufficient battery backup at all MNO base stations in areas with large numbers of DNO assets reliant on wireless communications. This would require a high level of investment from the MNO, who would likely pass the cost onto DNOs and this cost would ultimately filter down to consumers.

Impacts and Benefits

·        Financial - future reductions in the cost of operating the network

·        Financial - cost savings per annum on energy bills for consumers

·        Environmental - carbon reduction -- direct CO2 savings per annum

·        Others that are not SIF specific -- Improved network resilience and fewer outages

 

Financial - cost savings per annum on energy bills for consumers

·       Description: Need for MNOs to install bigger batteries means costs of battery installation and maintenance will be reduced, and cost will not be passed down to DNO customers.

 

·       Pre-innovation baseline: Typical UK base stations use 12V, 100Ah batteries, a standard street cabinet site may deploy three of these which would provide 15- 45 mins battery backup. The ENA G91 recommendation calls for 72 hours of battery backup, so each site would require 100-150x more batteries, increasing the cost from ~£600 to ~£75,000 per site. Extrapolating across the 40,000 nationwide masts, this would result in a cost of ~£3bn nationwide, not accounting for continued battery maintenance. This cost would inevitably be passed down to DNOs and general consumers.

 

·       Benefits forecast: The resilience map produced by the solution enables MNOs to install battery backup only at critical sites, which will reduce the cost of deployment while increasing communications resilience. Estimated at £276.91m whole life NPV of costs avoided for one DNO.

 

Environmental - indirect CO2 savings per annum

·       Description: Need for MNOs to install bigger batteries, this avoids the CO2 emissions and avoided generation through effective use of DERs enabled through reliable connectivity.

 

·       Pre-innovation baseline: Each kWh of batteries produced will generate between 150 to 200 kilograms of CO2, a figure based on the world's predominantly fossil fuel energy mix. Assuming the average consumption of the base station is about 5-6 kilowatts of power (for three sectors of 12 radios), this may produce between 750-1,200 kilograms of CO2 each hour for each base station. If the batteries will be used for three hours than the CO2 emission will be between 2 to 3.6 tonnes of CO2 for each mobile station. This can reach 36,000 tonnes for one MNO (assuming that the total number of base stations are 10,000 for each MNO).

 

·       Benefits forecast: The resilience map produced by the solution enables MNOs to install battery backup only at critical key sites which would reduce the CO2 emissions from the additional batteries installed at MNO sites. An estimated 1,962.96 tCO2e of avoided greenhouse gas emissions up to 2040 for one DNO.

 

Improved network resilience and fewer outages

·       Description: Storm Arwen and Eunice resulted in the disruption of thousands of mobile cell sites by power outages and prolonged outages. Mobile mast sites are backed up with an on-site battery designed to last between 15 minutes and six hours. One provider reported that over 1,500 of its mobile sites went down during Storm Arwen, and around 130 of these were down for more than 72 hours.

 

·       Pre-innovation baseline: The loss of communications during storms slows down restoration times. Lack of mobile service increases the time taken for field staff to get in contact with the control room to confirm and report a fault; and a lack of SCADA prevents remote control and inhibits functionality of the Automated Power Restoration System (APRS). APRS automatically detects faults on the electrical network and restores power automatically where there is an alternative route power can take to end-consumers. This is achieved using fault passenger indicators (FPIs) and APRS relies on reliable communication. Due to the number and location of FPIs, they are commonly wirelessly connected over public mobile networks. This reliable communication is not available within all DNO areas.

 

·       Benefits forecast: The proposed solution enables DNOs and MNOs to increase resilience in remote areas with a high proportion of assets connected to mobile networks. Providing reliable communication would ensure APRS functions optimally, which can successfully restore power to consumers in under three minutes, thereby, reducing customer impact.