Distribution automation is a set of computer technology, data transmission, control technology, modern equipment and management in one integrated information management system, its purpose is to improve the reliability of power supply, improve power quality, to provide users with quality services, reduce operating costs, reduce the labor intensity of operating personnel. As the last link of transmission and distribution system, the degree of automation of distribution network is closely related to the quality and reliability of power supply. In the developed countries, distribution system automation has long been widely valued. With the acceleration of China's smart grid construction process, as an important foundation of smart grid, the construction of distribution network automation has also been put on the agenda. It is predicted that distribution automation will account for about 40% of the investment in smart grids. 2016 will be what the industry needs. Gusher period ” By 2020, the total investment will exceed 150 billion  yuan.

At an executive meeting of the state council in July, the country will Strengthen the construction of urban distribution network and promote the intelligentization of power network. Identified as one of the six key tasks of urban infrastructure; State grid also set up a special working group to promote the application of power distribution automation. Urgent matter ” To catch, blow the horn of the overall promotion of distribution automation construction, but also marks the weakest link in the power grid construction and distribution automation construction is about to enter the high-speed development channel.

The construction of distribution automation is listed as “ Urgent matter ” Is the consideration of the country to meet the needs of building smart grid and urbanization development, and is also the internal demand of the development of distribution network. Compared with developed countries, China's power distribution automation construction started late, is still in the primary stage, the market is not mature, there are still some problems to be solved.

The main problem of distribution network in China is

The development of distribution network is still lagging behind and unbalanced. In recent years, the investment in power distribution network has been increasing. However, due to many historical debts, the development of power distribution network, especially the medium-voltage power distribution network, is still lagging behind, and the imbalance between urban and rural areas, the east and the central and western regions is still prominent. There is still a big gap between the reliability of power supply and the international advanced level. Taking Shanghai as an example, the average annual blackout time of users is more than 5 times longer than that of Tokyo. On the whole, the development lags behind (with the needs of economic development and advanced power grid abroad), and the regions are unbalanced (urban and rural imbalance, eastern and western imbalance).

(2) weak power grid structure and low automation level. The 10-kilovolt grid structure remains weak. The gap between urban and rural networks is significant. Nearly half of the 10 kv lines are still not connected, and the proportion of rural interconnection is only 1/3 of urban interconnection. Low level of distribution automation. Distribution automation is in the initial stage, and the fault diagnosis, isolation and recovery time are long. This is reflected in the poor mutual power supply ability and the intuitive feeling that it takes a long time to restore the power supply.

(3) poor basic data of distribution network and backward information means. Distribution network management involves development, agricultural power, transportation and inspection, marketing, scheduling and other different departments, the basic data scattered in different systems. Data standards and models between systems are inconsistent. In addition, there is a lack of data sharing mechanism. The low investment and construction level of distribution network lead to the relatively backward development of communication and information system and the lack of information access channels. It is reflected in the poor degree of management refinement, data, graphics and information cannot be corresponding, or even exist in a sense. Blind & throughout; .

Grid development calls for distribution automation

At present, there is a big gap between the reliability of power supply in China's distribution network and the advanced level in developed areas. By the end of 2012, the distribution automation coverage rate of state grid corporation of China was only 10%, covering 26 provincial companies and 22,000 10kV lines. But France, Japan's distribution automation coverage reaches 90% and 100% respectively. The investment in power transmission and distribution in the United States, Britain, Japan and other countries is about 1.2 times of the investment in power supply, and the investment in distribution network is more than one time of the investment in transmission network, while the investment in China is less than half of the power grid. Therefore, with the majority of power supply and transmission line skeleton basically completed, China's power investment focus needs to gradually shift to the construction of intelligent power grid and distribution network.

At the same time, with the new power supply and load directly connected to the distribution network, it brings new technical problems and challenges to the safe and stable operation of the distribution network. In terms of power supply reliability, China's distribution network system also has a long way to go. The solution of these problems depends on the high level of distribution automation system.

Market opportunities and challenges

The acceleration of urbanization brings more opportunities and challenges to the development of distribution network. On the one hand, China regards urbanization as the greatest potential to expand domestic demand, and increases investment in infrastructure. The distribution network is an important infrastructure of urban construction, which will usher in new development opportunities. On the other hand, the development of distribution network also faces the test of accelerated urbanization process.

In addition, with the rapid development of distributed power supply, electric vehicles, energy storage devices and a large number of access, the distribution network from passive network to active network, power flow from one-way to multi-direction, and requires the distribution network to improve the ability to adapt, so accelerate the upgrading and transformation is increasingly urgent.