opportunities for tetra in the utilities industry chris venemore – technology manager

1st Ireland TETRA Conference, Dublin 13th April 2005

Opportunities forTETRAin the

Utilities Industry

Chris Venemore – Technology Manager



Agenda

• Setting the Scene• National• Regional• Information Gathering

• United Kingdom• Ireland • Utility Communications

• Shortfalls in Current Systems• Opportunities for TETRA• Overcoming the issues with TETRA

• Summary


• Summary of National• UK – TRANSCO, National Grid• Ireland – ESBNG, EirGrid, Bord Gáis

Setting the Scene – National

• Key Business• Information Gathering

• Fault Management• Information Reporting & Management• Automated & Manual• Telemetry

• Disaster Response• Instant access to expertise and additional support

• Communications• Geographically diverse communications • Communication based on mobile telephone,

analogue and telemetry systems


• Local Utility Companies who manage regions have different requirements from the National Companies

• Key Business• Routine maintenance and repair• Fault responding• Disaster response• Instant access to expertise and

additional support• Communications

• Regional Communications• Dispatching• Based on mobile telephone and

analogue radio.

Setting the Scene – Regional


Setting the Scene - Information Gathering• Data is transmitted and received between

systems and to/from Control Centres• Gas Gathering Systems• Pipeline Management and Integrity

Systems• Gas Distribution and Transmission

• Water and Wastewater Treatment• Regional Utility schemes• Environmental/Flood monitoring

• Remote Generator Monitoring Schemes

• Power Network Monitoring & Control• Plant Monitoring & Control


United Kingdom


Civil Contingencies Act (UK)• Utility companies are identified as

Category 2 under the Civil Contingencies Act and shall co-operate and share relevant information with• Emergency Services• NHS Bodies• Local Authorities• Government agencies

• Communication should be seamless, the use TETRA will provide this

• Primarily for this reason, the OfCom Airwave sharers list included the utility companies


UK Model – O2 Airwave

• O2 Airwave have just announced that over 100,000 Police Officers are using TETRA in the UK.

• O2 Airwave actively pursuing Fire and Ambulance• Ofcom regulate access to sharers onto the Airwave network

• For response to Emergencies the following are included:• Electricity Industry Operational Emergency Team (13 companies

identified) • Transco Gas Emergency Services Personnel (3,500 end users)• Water Industry Event Response Team Personnel (1,800 end users)

O2 Airwave – Just A Blue Light Service??


UK Model – O2 Airwave

• Envisaged that utility engineers who are available to respond to emergencies would use TETRA for routine operations.

• Utility companies are in discussions on TETRA, but none have yet started to use it. Possible Issues:-• Cost• Legacy Systems• Data transmission• Resilience• Talk Groups

• OfCom spectrum consultation should release further spectrum for commercial use. The spectrum is available!


Ireland


Ireland• TETRA

• GARDA are trialling TETRA in parts of Dublin• Nationwide rollout not yet commenced• Spectrum has been allocated• Spectrum Regulator Commission for Communications

Regulation (ComReg)• Gas run by Bord Gáis

• Limited Open Market, primarily for large consumers• Market Opening for end consumers in next 2 years

• Electricity run by ESB National Grid, moving to EirGrid• New Network Control Centre in Dublin just opened• From February 2005 all electricity customers are free to

move from ESB to other licensed electricity suppliers• Water provision and waste water services responsibility of

Ireland’s Sanitary (Local) Authorities


Ireland – learning lessons

• Start discussing utility needs with ComReg early, it took 2 years for the UK to get the Electricity Companies on the Sharers list

• Include TETRA in all discussions on future communications within utilities

• Involvement with Garda on operating processes and best practices with regard to the interaction of utility companies in the case of emergency.


Utility Communications


Shortfalls of Current Systems

Multiple devices for multiple functionality - therefore non integrated and inconvenient

No Interoperability Coverage for telephony not defined

by user therefore may not meet operational needs

Limited Services often Data Only Limited Applications Insecure if over air interface Lack of opportunity for expansion No Security


Opportunities for TETRA

Voice and Data Facility Telephony DMO SMS SDS IP & Packet Data

APL/GPS Facility Emergency Button Interoperability with other users Scaleable Technology Intrinsically Safe Terminals Secure Radio System


Overcoming the Issues

• Cost• Utilities should be able to take advantage of existing TETRA

Infrastructure• Control Room Costs may be questioned by regulators,

potential cost savings as field engineers can carry out direct communications with other services reducing staffing in Control Room

• Packet Data Speeds• Focus from manufacturers needs to be on improvements in

speed• Frequency Availability

• Utilities to be included on sharers list and have access to emergency service frequency

• Separate frequencies have been allocated for Commercial TETRA, although not yet taken up


Real Benefits to the Industry !

Summary• TETRA, as a standard, can offer the Utility Industry:

• Cost Savings• Interoperability • Multi vendor environment• Easier Integration with other systems• Spectrum efficiency• Meets customers’ operational and functional needs• Secure• Health & Safety Advantages• Intrinsic Safety

• And Ultimately

• Faster and effective communication & reporting

• The right information at the right time

1st Ireland TETRA Conference, Dublin 13th April 20051st Ireland TETRA Conference, Dublin 13th April 2005

Thank You Chris VenemoreTechnology Manager

Hyder Consulting Ltd

Tel: +44 (0)870 000 3003Fax: +44 (0)870 000 3903 GSM: +44 (0)7973 217688

email: [email protected]: www.hyderconsulting.com

opportunities for tetra in the utilities industry chris venemore – technology manager

Documents

use tetra

utility engineers

end userso2 airwave

trialling tetra

airwave networkfor response

ofcom airwave sharers

commercial use

mobile telephone