Power line communications (PLC) have been an active research area for many years and it is still the case, mainly because they present economic and technical natural advantages for a wide range of applications using the existing electrical grid as transmission medium. In this paper, the authors provide an update on PLC technologies and their applications in Smart Grids, the main challenges they are currently facing, how they can be addressed, and the current research initiatives.

Smart Grids are becoming a reality all over the world. Nowadays, the research efforts for the introduction and deployment of these grids are mainly focused on the development of the field of Smart Metering. This emerging application requires the use of technologies to access the significant number of points of supply (PoS) existing in the grid, covering the Low Voltage (LV) segment with the lowest possible costs. Power Line Communications (PLC) have been extensively used in electricity grids for a variety of purposes and, of late, have been the focus of renewed interest. PLC are really well suited for quick and inexpensive pervasive deployments. However, no LV grid is the same in any electricity company (utility), and the particularities of each grid evolution, architecture, circumstances and materials, makes it a challenge to deploy Smart Metering networks with PLC technologies, with the Smart Grid as an ultimate goal. This paper covers the evolution of Smart Metering networks, together with the evolution of PLC technologies until both worlds have converged to project PLC-enabled Smart Metering networks towards Smart Grid. This paper develops guidelines over a set of strategic aspects of PLC Smart Metering network deployment based on the knowledge gathered on real field; and introduces the future challenges of these networks in their evolution towards the Smart Grid.

Low Voltage (LV) electricity distribution grid operations can be improved through a combination of new smart metering systems’ capabilities based on real time Power Line Communications (PLC) and LV grid topology mapping. This paper presents two novel contributions. The first one is a new methodology developed for smart metering PLC network monitoring and analysis. It can be used to obtain relevant information from the grid, thus adding value to existing smart metering deployments and facilitating utility operational activities. A second contribution describes grid conditioning used to obtain LV feeder and phase identification of all connected smart electric meters. Real time availability of such information may help utilities with grid planning, fault location and a more accurate point of supply management.

Powerline communications (PLC)-based smart meter deployments are now a reality in many regions of the world. Although PLC elements are generally incorporated in smart meters and data concentrators, the underlying PLC network allows the integration of other smart grid services directly over it. The remote control capabilities that automation programs need and are today deployed over their medium voltage (MV) grid, can be extended to the low voltage (LV) grid through these existing PLC networks. This paper demonstrates the capabilities of narrowband high data rate (NB HDR) PLC technologies deployed over LV grids for smart metering purposes to support internet protocol internet protocol (IP) communications in the LV grid. The paper demonstrates these possibilities with the presentation of the simulation and laboratory results of IP communications over international telecommunication union: ITU-T G.9904 PLC technology, and the definition of a PLC Network Management System based on a simple network management protocol (SNMP) management information base (MIB) definition and applicable use cases.

This article reviews the basis and the main aspects of the recent evolution of Broadband Power Line Communications (BB-PLC or, more commonly, BPL) technologies. The article starts describing the organizations and alliances involved in the development and evolution of BPL systems, as well as the standardization institutions working on PLC technologies. Then, a short description of the technical foundation of the recent proposed technologies and a comparison of the main specifications are presented; the regulatory activities related to the limits of emissions and immunity are also addressed. Finally, some representative applications of BPL and some selected use cases enabled by these technologies are summarized, together with the main challenges to be faced.

Power Line Communications (PLC) technologies and systems use state-of-the-art technical solutions to provide communication means for Smart Grid applications. PRIME is one of those systems, with a comprehensive Physical and Media Access Control (MAC) Layer specification for CENELEC A-band, used today in Smart Metering deployments. PRIME systems have demonstrated to be capable of working in normal scenarios (urban, suburban and rural) covering long distances in typical noise conditions. However, there are locations where noise is harsher than the regular conditions. This kind of noise is usually found close to the premises where meters are located. It often shows a periodic nature, both in its origin and external effects (e.g. daytime and nighttime cycles). This paper proposes a way to overcome the noise situation mentioned above, based on field deployable solutions. These solutions are based on the development of devices which, using the switching concept inherent to PRIME systems, can help affected meters to overcome noisy situations. Results from field experiments are provided, and the conclusions may be used to further develop products to overcome aggressive noise situations on field.