The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) operates seven hydroelectric power plants, four
water treatment plants, seven wastewater treatment plants, and 15 lift stations.
When the GBRA decided to expand their system, they also decided to replace the existing
proprietary SCADA system with an open architecture system. Doing so will enable them to link the
water and wastewater facilities, which are geographically distributed over a 100-square-mile area, to
the central control room, and, in the process, to manage these facilities more efficiently.
For a SCADA system to work effectively, it is essential that it include the appropriate
communication options.
It was determined that GBRA could realize considerable present-worth savings by using frame relay
and other telephone options rather than radio. GBRA's ultimate goal is remote operation of their
facilities from one central location; such operation will require only minimal manpower and will
provide a return on investment in less than six years. This goal necessitated the installation of video
equipment at some critical facilities for monitoring and control. Video, of course, has high
bandwidth requirements, which cannot be met by conventional communication methods such as
radio and analog telephone lines. But with the advent of Internet and advances in information
technology, frame relay and VPNs have become more affordable for these high-bandwidth
requirements. VPNs allow remote sites to connect securely to the central office using a public
network, namely, the Internet.
This paper discusses the new communication options, as well as on the pros and cons for
each option, such as VPNs, second- and third-generation (3G) wireless, and frame relay, that are
available for implementation of an effective SCADA system and security monitoring. It also
presents opportunities to leverage existing right-of-way or sewer access to install fiber cable for
telecommunication companies and generate additional revenues. Includes table, figures.
| Edition : | Vol. - No. |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 250 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 8 |
| Published : | 01/01/2002 |
