AMI [ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE]

        ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE(AMI)        

ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE(AMI)

What is AMI?

AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) is the collective term to describe the whole infrastructure from smart meter to two-way communication network to control center equipment and all the applications that enable the gathering and transfer of energy usage information in near real-time. AMI makes two-way communications with customers possible and is the backbone of the smart grid

 Building blocks of AMI

AMI is comprised of various hardware and software components, all of which play a role in measuring energy consumption and transmitting information about energy, water, and gas usage to utility companies and customers. The technological components include:

1. Smart meters

2. Wide-area communications infrastructure

3. Home(local) area networks(HAN’s)

4. Meter Data Management Systems(MDMS)

5. Operational gateway

Smart meters

Smart meters have the capacity to collect information about energy, water, and gas usage at various intervals and transmitting the data through fixed communication networks to utility, as well as receiving information like pricing signals from utility and conveying it to consumer

Communications Infrastructure

Communications infrastructure supports continuous interaction between the utility, the consumer, and the controllable electrical load. Networks such as Broadband over Power Line (BPL), Power line communications, Fiber Optic Communication, Fixed Radio Frequency or public networks are used for such purposes

Home Area Networks(Hans)

A Home Area Network (HAN) interfaces with a consumer portal to link smart meters to controllable electrical devices

Meter Data Management System (MDMS)

An MDMS is a database with analytical tools that enable interaction with other information systems. One of the functions of MDMS is to perform validation, editing, and estimation on the AMI data to ensure that despite disruptions in the communications network or at customer premises, the data flowing to the systems described above is complete and accurate

 Operational Gateways

AMI interfaces with many system-side applications to support:

 • Advanced Distribution Operations (ADO)

 • Advanced Transmission Operations (ATO)

• Advanced Asset Management (AAM)

 Advanced Distribution Operations

• Distribution Management system with advanced sensors

• Advanced Outage Management

 • Distribution automation

• Distribution Geographic Information system

• Application of AMI communications infrastructure for:

 1. Microgrid operations (AC and DC)

2. Hi-speed information processing

3. Advanced protection and control

4. Advanced grid components for distribution

 Advanced Transmission Operations

1. Substation automation

2. Hi-speed information processing

3. Advanced protection and control

4. Modeling, simulation, and visualization tools

5. Advanced regional operational applications

6. Electricity Market

 Advanced Asset Management

1. System operating information

2. Asset “health” information

3. Operations to optimize asset utilization

4. Training and development planning

5. Condition-based maintenance

• Engineering design and construction

 • Consumer service

 • Work and resource management

• Modelling and simulation