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Telecommunication ProjectsFrances Cleveland of Xanthus Consulting International has participated in the following telecommunication projects: 1. China Light & Power Company, Telecommunication Infrastructure System 2. Hawaiian Electric Company, Telecommunications Strategic Master Plan 3. Omaha Public Utility District, Mobile Computing Study 4. Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, Telecommunications Study China Light & Power Company, Telecommunication Infrastructure SystemXanthus staff staff prepared for China Light and Power Company (CLP) a Corporate Telecommunications Plan covering the development of a broad scale telecommunications system. This plan was completed in 1993 and the recommended system has since been completed in phases with Xanthus staff assistance. The primary focus was on the future technology to be used for CLP's backbone voice and data telecommunications system. Various alternatives were compared in terms of advantages, disadvantages, and estimated capital and lease costs. The recommendation was the development of three large fiber-optic rings operating at 140 Mbps. An additional, fourth ring was formed by combining a number of 34 Mbps digital microwave links with several of the fiber-optic cable nodes. This permitted traffic on either the fiber rings or the microwave ring to be routed over either system. The routing and orchestration of the traffic was managed by Digital Access and Cross Connect (DACS) equipment. The main elements of connectivity are shown in the following figure. As a part of this project Xanthus staff staff developed the specifications for the equipment and assisted in the evaluation of the bids. The total system is now in operation and provides high-speed digital connectivity to all of the major operating facilities and to the primary substations throughout CLP's service territory. Hawaiian Electric Company, Telecommunications Strategic Master PlanHawaiian Electric, comprising HECO on Oahu, MECO on Maui, and HELCO on the Big Island, retained Xanthus staff to develop a long range Telecommunications Strategic Master Plan. This plan covers the telecommunication requirements for the following areas: 1. Core business requirements for power system operations, including: a. Reliable transmission SCADA monitoring and control of substations and power plants b. Distribution SCADA connections to all distribution substations c. Expansion and security of the corporate network for connecting all employees on all islands with high speed networks d. High speed networks at generation plants for document storage and retrieval, access to the corporate mainframe, and efficient use of existing power plant facilities e. Customer calls for business inquiries and trouble calls f. Video teleconferencing, primarily for internal training and interaction of management and employees 2. Future utility responses to deregulation which require telecommunication systems, including: a. Monitoring of meters for implementing new rate structures b. Energy services to larger industrial and commercial customers, such as automated switching of feeders, end-use load profiling, time of use, real-time pricing, and interruptible rates c. Customer services to residential customers, such as automated meter reading, outage detection, energy usage, time of use d. Preparing for employee telecommuting 3. Telecommunications revenue-generating businesses, including: a. Review of agreements with alternate telecommunications providers b. Recommendations for negotiating with cable companies c. Recommendations on partnering, leasing, outsourcing, and ownership of telecommunication facilities Omaha Public Power District (OPPD), Mobile Computing StudyXanthus staff performed an analysis of the benefits and costs of implementing mobile computing to support power system operations, in particular addressing: 1. Trouble tickets, connect/disconnect, and other customer service functions 2. Field crew scheduling and work orders 3. Maintenance and inspection reporting 4. Switching orders 5. Email and other office functions The study covered the benefits and costs related to: 1. Use of private mobile telecommunications media based on existing mobile radio systems, versus commercial systems 2. Use of a specialized handheld device versus a commercially available handhelds 3. Increased efficiency of crews Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, Telecommunications StudyXanthus staff assisted Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) by preparing a telecommunications plan for the development of a major telecommunications transmission system. The plan consists of the following: 1. An analysis of PREPA’s actual and future communications needs. The analysis will consider the operational performance improvements to be gained and cost reductions. 2. An evaluation and recommendation for the implementation of modern telecommunication systems that can improve productivity and provide business services to PREPA. 3. An evaluation of the feasibility for a fiber optic cable system using OPGW cable on transmission lines. Additionally, an evaluation for using other types of fiber optic cable on PREPA’s rights-of-way will be performed. The advantages and disadvantages of each type of installation will be investigated. 4. An evaluation will be made of the different types of fiber optic terminal equipment configurations with consideration given to the type of cable that will be used. The best configurations will be recommended. Technical specifications for the required equipment and software were prepared according to the final system configuration selected by PREPA. PREPA's used the Xanthus staff plan and the specifications to procure equipment and to upgrade their telecommunication system, which is now complete.
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