SCADA system testbed for Enemalta Corporation

Abstract

A SCADA(Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) system collects data from various remote sites and makes it available in a central location for subsequent processing. !t does not only collect data but, after processing, it can send back control instructions to these remote facilities. SCADA systems are used in various areas. In this project a SCADA system is studied in the context of an electrical Utility's D.C.(Distribution Center). This project presents a description of the components that form a SCADA system. It is sponsored by Enemalta Corporation, which is the power utility in Malta, and an analysis of the SCADA system which is going to be installed at one of the said corporation's Distribution Centers (D.C.s) is also presented. During this project, the author assisted in the installation of the first SCADA system at the Mellieħa D.C. A SCADA system Testbed was also designed and developed, as similar as possible to the one installed at the previously mentioned D.C. with the difference that it emulates two D.C.s working simultaneously, not only one. Engineers at Enemalta will have the ability to simulate and even emulate new applications which do not yet exist in the real SCADA system, on this Testbed before they deploy the application on the live system. Load Shedding is one of the new applications, which was implemented on the Testbed. Load shedding is required to preserve the integrity of the generation and interconnected transmission system in the presence of serious faults. Another possibility is to study events that occur during a breaker or transformer trip.