Quzhou completes first trial of medium-voltage power line carrier communication channel in mountainous area

State Grid Zhejiang Quzhou Power Supply Company has completed its first trial of a 10-kilovolt medium-voltage power line carrier (MV-PLC) communication channel in a mountainous area in Zhitang village, Longyou county, Quzhou, Zhejiang province, achieving a bandwidth of 2 Mbps and stable operation during on-site commissioning.

Medium-voltage power line carrier communication utilizes existing power lines as the transmission medium. By installing carrier slave units at terminal devices and signal-strong nodes, along with a master unit, a stable communication channel can be rapidly established.

For this pilot project, the Tangzhai 7328 line was selected. The main trunk pole No 3 was designated as the master node, while three slave nodes were established at the intelligent switch at main trunk pole No 18, the tie switch at pole No 71, and the distribution transformer at branch line pole No 5. Data from the slave nodes were aggregated at the master node and then transmitted to the control center by the master unit. When the control center needs to issue commands, they are relayed from the master node to each slave node.

Following the deployment of the technology, "three-remote" switches — enabling remote signaling, remote measurement, and remote control — in areas with weak wireless signals are able to achieve real-time transmission of telemetering and telesignaling data. Terminal online rates have increased to over 99.9 percent.

In the event of faults, dispatchers can remotely isolate affected sections and restore power to unaffected areas, reducing outage duration and enhancing reliability. The system also supports higher levels of distribution automation.

The company will expand the application of the technology in remote and mountainous areas, using digital solutions to strengthen power infrastructure and provide more robust and reliable power support for local economic and social development.