In December 2010 Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd. (BESCOM) placed an order for 700 remote terminal units (RTUs) to be installed in existing and new ring main units (RMUs) to upgrade the city’s 11 kV distribution network.
The first delivery for the BESCOM project, comprising 200 of Hitachi Energy's state-of-the-art RTUs arrived in December 2011. Thanks to their high flexibility and compact design, the same RTUs can be installed in BESCOM’s existing RMUs, as well as their new installations, where they will ensure reliable and accurate data acquisition and transmission of control commands.
Hitachi Energy's scope of supply for the Bangalore distribution system includes the design, engineering, manufacturing, testing, delivery, installation, and commissioning of the 700 RTU560 units that will be needed, all within a construction period of 24 months.
Hitachi Energy Corporate research and operations center Bangalore
Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd. (BESCOM) is responsible for the distribution of electricity in three operating zones, including the Bangalore Metropolitan Area Zone (BMAZ). The BMAZ distribution network includes more than 800 11 kV feeders across an area of 1,600 km2, serving almost 3 million customers. The objective of the upgrade project is to improve the reliability, efficiency and safety of the BMAZ distribution network.
The RTU560 units will serve as remote interfaces, enabling the distribution automation system to acquire data and send control commands to the RMUs, new line reclosers (LRCs), and new load break switches using a new communications system, which includes a digital microwave backbone system augmented by multiple address radio system cells to provide the “last-mile” RTU communication links.
Each RTU560 can be set for local or remote (distribution automation system) control. The “remote” setting enables the RTU to send and receive commands, while the “local” setting blocks external commands to ensure the safety of operators and maintenance staff working on the network.
The RTU560’s front panel incorporates a mimic diagram of the unit’s configuration. This includes information on the RMU load break switch and circuit breaker status. The panel also enables manual control (eg, via a push-button) of each set of RMU load-break switches and circuit breakers.
A reliable electricity supply is critical for Bangalore’s economy. Hitachi Energy has installed more than 50,000 RTUs for more than 2,000 customers in more than 100 countries and is a world leader in medium and large RTU applications. BESCOM has chosen a partner they know they can trust.
