Grid development puts forward new requirements, 5G empowers new upgrades

The emergence of electricity has completely changed the production and lifestyle of human beings, and has pushed social development into a new stage. Today, electricity has become an indispensable energy source for human beings, and the construction of power grids as an important carrier of electricity has therefore also attracted much attention. In the era when infrastructure was not yet perfect, people were mainly concerned about whether the power grid could be used. As the facilities are constantly improved and upgraded, people began to focus on the actual experience of the power grid.

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For the power grid services in the new era, people have three new demands. The first is the stability and durability of power supply; the second is the accuracy and safety of power supply; the third is the energy saving of power grid operation. In recent years, with the continuous emergence of new energy, new users, and new scenarios, the challenges and opportunities of power grid operation and power supply have become more prominent, and various demands have also ushered in important upgrades. So, how to meet the above demands of the power grid?

The answer given by the industry after exploration is to transform the traditional extensive electricity management into refined one by building a smart grid, replace the traditional manual operation with unmanned equipment, and solve various problems in the traditional power grid. The so-called smart grid is to use various intelligent technologies to achieve economic, efficient, safe and clean development of power grid operation and management. Among them, 5G, as a new generation of mobile communication technology, is expected to play a key role.

The characteristics of high efficiency, low latency and large capacity enable 5G to empower the power grid and bring out significant value. Whether it is in the power generation end, transmission end, substation end, distribution side, power consumption end or emergency communication, 5G can participate in the operation. Under the direct action of 5G, power grid transmission can become faster and more stable, power grid fault monitoring and load control can be more accurate, and power consumption information collection and power metering and management will also be easier and simpler.

At the same time, through the combined application of robots, drones and other intelligent equipment, 5G can also enhance the intelligent operation and maintenance of power grids. For example, 5G+robots/drones can be used in the field of power inspection, replacing manual inspections and upgrading traditional inspection methods to be safer, more efficient, more accurate and less expensive. These have significant value and significance for the rapid development and full maturity of smart grids.

Of course, since 5G has just started to develop, it has many limitations and problems, and its integration with smart grids is also difficult. Based on this, in order to promote 5G to further penetrate the power grid field and accelerate the development of smart grids, efforts need to be made in the following three aspects:

• The first is to strengthen the construction of 5G private networks. As we all know, due to its own characteristics, 5G has a high demand for the number of base stations. 5G-enabled power requires special base station facilities to meet the demand. However, at present, the construction technology of 5G private networks is relatively high, the cost is high, and it needs to overcome restrictions such as terrain and environment, so it is not easy to build. At this stage, although my country has built the world's largest 5G network and infrastructure, it is still not perfect in the construction of private networks.

• The second is to ensure the security of 5G applications. After the power grid is connected to the network, although the digital and information management has brought many benefits to the power operation and maintenance, it also exposes the security of the power grid to danger. Especially after 5G access, the possibility of power grid information data being invaded and leaked has increased significantly, which will bring major security risks to the power grid operation and maintenance and application, resulting in economic losses. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen security precautions while introducing 5G.

• Finally, the 5G industry standard is established. Whether for 5G or the power industry, the cooperation between the two sides is unprecedented, so it is a problem in standard construction. Formulating a standard that applies to both 5G and the power industry is not only a key prerequisite for the integrated development of the two, but also an important guarantee for future mature development. However, at present, since 5G is still in its early stages of development, it is not easy to formulate standards, and continuous exploration and experimentation are needed.