5G connectivity enables smart substations

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Smart substations will be installed between smart control rooms and smart chargers, enabling UK Power to control and optimise every component of energy delivery.

As the UK pursues its goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, new smart substation designs powered by 5G connectivity are delivering greater efficiency than traditional substations, helping to save more than 63,000 tonnes of CO2.

Balancing UK electricity demand and climate change

UK Power Networks provides electricity to more than 8 million homes and businesses in the UK. Its Constellation project is trialling the use of Vconnect computers in substations. They will communicate in real time to provide more efficient power delivery.

Utilizing 5G brings greater efficiency and reduces the cost of maintaining these substations. It will eventually replace older technology with this latest substation trial. Other technology partners such as Siemens and General Electric will also be involved in building and adding software that the substation can use for further functionality.

Smart substation begins preliminary testing

The project trial will be carried out at multiple locations across the south east of England and at the University of Strathclyde’s Electricity Networks Demonstration Centre using the new substation. The team hopes the substation will work well and help reduce the impact of climate change as electricity demand grows with increasing population numbers.

The substation will solve the challenge between the smart control room and the smart charger, allowing UK Power to control and optimize every component of energy delivery. 5G supports device-side processing and reduces communication latency, allowing devices to connect power and processing in an unprecedented and efficient way.

The partnership is part of the UK's Climate Change Initiative and will be another step towards achieving clean energy targets. If the constellation project is successful, it could mark an era of optimized grids that can cope with dynamically changing grids, including renewable energy and electric vehicle charging.