System and method for utility network load control

• US 6,624,532 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2001
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Current Grid, LLC
• Original Assignee: Power WAN Incorporated
• Inventors: Davidow, Clifford A., Harrison, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Polk, Sharon A.
• Application Number:
  US09/860,263
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 307/11, 307/31, 307/39, 700/295, 700/291
• US Class Current: 307/39
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/144 Demand-response operation of the power transmission or distribution network
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

A load management system includes a load management control center, at least one power management termination system, a plurality of power line nodes, and a plurality of load management devices. This system is operable so that the load management control center may independently, or as a group, control each of the load management devices. According to one aspect of the present invention, the load management control center accesses the load management devices across a communication network that includes a power line network. The load management devices may be addressed individually. Alternately, the load management devices may be addressed as a group or set of groups by the load management control center during load shedding operations. Load management devices may include meters that are communicatively coupled to the load management control center.

Claims

1. A system for managing electrical loads serviced by an electrical utility, the system comprising:

a plurality of load management devices, wherein each load management device controls the electrical power provided to a respective load;

a load management control center that communicatively couples to each of the plurality of load management devices via at least one power management termination system, at least one power line node, and at least one communication network;

wherein the load management control center communicates with each of the plurality of load management devices to determine the status of a respective load; and

wherein the load management control center communicates with each of the plurality of load management devices to direct the plurality of load management devices to disconnect a respective load.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the load management control center uniquely addresses at least some of the plurality of load management devices.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the load management control center directs a group of the plurality of load management devices to disconnect a respective group of loads by broadcasting a load drop direction with a broadcast address; and

each of the group of the plurality of load management devices receives the load drop direction with the broadcast address and, in response thereto, disconnects its respective load.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the load management control center individually communicates with some of the plurality of load management devices to determine the power required to service their respective loads.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the load management control center individually communicates with some of the plurality of load management devices to disconnect their respective loads.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one communication network includes a powerline carrier network to which at least one of the load management devices couple.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the powerline carrier network corresponds to a distribution voltage side of a substation distribution transformer.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a plurality of load management devices communicate with the load management control center via the powerline carrier network.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the powerline carrier network corresponds to a phase of a distribution voltage side of a substation distribution transformer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein a plurality of load management devices communicate with the load management control center via the powerline carrier network.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein;

at least one of the plurality of load management devices includes a meter; and

the at least one of the plurality of load management devices reports a meter reading to the load management control center.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein

the load management control center determines the level of load that may be shed by groups of the load management devices;

and

when load shedding is required, the load management control center directs at least some groups of the load management devices to disconnect their respective loads.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein in directing the at least some groups of the load management devices to disconnect their respective loads, the load management control center issues broadcast commands, each of which is specific to a group of load management devices.

14. A system for managing electrical loads serviced by an electrical utility, the system comprising:

a plurality of load management devices, wherein each load management device controls the electrical power provided to a respective load;

a plurality of powerline nodes, each of which communicatively couples to a respective set of load management devices via a powerline carrier network;

at least one power management termination system, each of which communicatively couples to at least one powerline node;

a load management control center that communicatively couples to each of the plurality of load management devices via the at least one power management termination system and the plurality of power line node;

wherein the load management control center individually communicates with each of the plurality of load management devices to determine the status of a respective load; and

wherein the load management control center individually communicates with each of the plurality of load management devices to direct the plurality of load management devices to disconnect a respective load.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the load management control center interacts with a utility customer to allow the utility customer to control at least one load corresponding to the utility customer; and

based upon the interaction with the utility customer, the load management control center interacts with a corresponding load management device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein, based upon the interaction with the utility customer, the load management control center controls a load coupled to the corresponding load management device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein, based upon the interaction with the utility customer, the load management control center disconnects a load coupled to the corresponding load management device.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein, based upon the interaction with the utility customer, the load management control center reports to the utility customer the status of a load coupled to the corresponding load management device.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein based upon the interaction with the utility customer, the load management control center controls the operation of a smart appliance coupled to the corresponding load management device.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein:

at least one of the plurality of load management devices includes a meter; and

the load management control center interacts with the at least one of the plurality of load management devices to obtain a meter reading.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the load management control center determines the level of load that may be shed by groups of the load management devices; and

when load shedding is required, the load management control center directs at least some groups of the load management devices to disconnect their respective loads.

22. A system for managing electrical loads serviced by an electrical utility, the system comprising:

a plurality of load management devices, wherein each load management device controls the electrical power provided to a respective load;

a power line node that communicatively couples to the plurality of load management devices via a power line carrier local area network;

a power management termination system that communicatively couples to the power line node;

a load management control center that communicatively couples to the power management termination system via at least one communication network;

wherein the load management control center individually communicates with each of the plurality of load management devices to determine the status of a respective load; and

wherein the load management control center individually communicates with each of the plurality of load management devices to direct the plurality of load management devices to disconnect a respective load.

23. The stem of claim 22, wherein:

the load management control center interacts with a utility customer;

based upon the interaction with the utility customer, the load management control center interacts with a corresponding load management device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein based upon the interaction with the utility customer, the load management control center controls the operation of a load coupled to the corresponding load management device.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein:

at least one of the plurality of load management devices includes a meter; and

the load management control center interacts with the at least one of the plurality of load management devices to obtain a meter reading.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein:

the load management control center determines the level of load that may be shed by groups of the load management devices; and

when load shedding is required, the load management control center directs at least some groups of the load management devices to disconnect their respective loads.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the power line carrier local area network corresponds to a distribution side of a substation distribution transformer.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the power line carrier local area network corresponds to a phase of a distribution side of a substation distribution transformer.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the power management termination system translates addresses of a plurality of serviced load management devices between a format employed by the load management system and a format employed by the power management termination system.

30. A method for managing electrical loads serviced by an electrical utility, the system comprising:

communicatively coupling a load management control center to a plurality of load management devices via at least one power management termination system, at least one power line node, and at least one communication network such that the load management control center individually addresses each of the plurality of load management devices, wherein each of the load management devices couples to, and controls a active load;

communicating by the load management control center with each of the plurality of load management devices to determine the status of a respective load; and

communicating by the load management control center with each of the plurality of load management devices to direct the plurality of load management devices to disconnect a respective load.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

broadcasting, by the load management control center, a load drop direction to a group of the plurality of load management devices, wherein the load drop direction includes a broadcast address; and

receiving, by each of the group of the plurality of load management devices, the load drop direction with the broadcast address and, in response thereto, disconnecting its respective load.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the load management control center individually communicates with some of the plurality of load management devices to determine the power required to service their respective loads.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the load management control center individually communicates with some of the plurality of load management devices to disconnect their respective loads.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one communication network includes a powerline carrier network to which at least one of the load management devices couple.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the powerline carrier network corresponds to a distribution voltage side of a substation distribution transformer.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein a plurality of load management devices communicate with the load management control center via the powerline carrier network.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the powerline carrier network corresponds to a phase of a distribution voltage side of a substation distribution transformer.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein a plurality of load management devices communicate with the load management control center via the powerline carrier network.

39. The method of claim 30, wherein at least one of the plurality of load management devices reports a meter reading to the load management control center.

40. A method for managing electrical loads serviced by an electrical utility, the method comprising:

communicatively coupling a load management control center to a plurality of load management devices via a power management termination system, a power line node, and at least one communication network such that the load management control center individually addresses each of the plurality of load management devices, wherein each of the load management devices couples to, and controls a respective load, and wherein the at least one communication network includes a power line carrier local area network;

communicating by the load management control center with each of the plurality of load management devices to determine the status of a respective load;

communicating by the load management control center with each of the plurality of load management devices to direct the plurality of load management devices to disconnect a respective load; and

providing an incentive to a plurality of subscribers to allow a portion of their serviced load to be controlled by corresponding load management devices.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising interacting with a utility customer to allow the utility customer to control a corresponding load management device.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

broadcasting, by the load management control center, a load drop direction to a group of the plurality of load management devices, wherein the load drop direction includes a broadcast address; and

receiving, by each of the group of the plurality of load management devices, the load drop direction with the broadcast address and, in response thereto, disconnecting its respective load.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the load management control center individually communicates with some of the plurality of load management devices to determine the power required to service their respective loads.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the load management control center individually communicates with some of the plurality of load management devices to disconnect their respective loads.