Leveraging Private Lte Networks For Direct Transfer Trip (dtt) Systems

Interconnection of Distributed Energy Resources (DER), islanding detection and prevention is an important part of electric utilities’ clean energy goals. IEEE 1547 – Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems recommends that an island be detected and removed within two seconds of an occurrence. Utilizing a Private LTE (PLTE) network for islanding prevention delivers several improvements over public carrier options, including enhanced latency, reliability, security for mission-critical grid protection applications and simplifying communication interconnection for DERs. The most common type of communications assisted islanding detection and prevention is Direct Transfer Trip (DTT). This method requires a communications channel between the potential isolating sources and the DER. When an isolating source is opened, creating an island, a DTT signal is sent to the DER. As with all communications assisted methods, the communications channel is critical to the functioning of the system.

Private LTE is a foundational technology that provides connectivity to many types of utility applications. Private LTE networks for DTT applications is a strong choice due to its high availability, low latency, and high performance while optimizing total cost of ownership. Private LTE enabled DTT applications show significant improvements when compared to public networks. Latency, reliability, and security all show better results on a private LTE network.

This paper explores utilizing Private LTE cellular networks for DTT anti-islanding applications. The aspects which are considered include the reliability of the network, cyber security, performance requirements and redundancy options. This paper will provide the data and results from the lab test conducted using to RFL GARD 8000 devices on a QoS enabled PLTE. It will show that a private LTE wireless network is the optimal foundation to enhance the security, reliability and latency for wireless protection applications. The foundational network also supports utilities’ need for increased flexibility, scale and automation to manage an increasingly larger and more diverse set of grid devices.