In a project already lasting more than 2 years, EDF Energy Networks and Satlynx have been working together to validate the use of satellite technology for the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) application that is used to collect data and control their electricity distribution network. Initially, the network was operated from Satlynx’s state-of-the-art teleport and network operating centre located in Backnang, Germany. The early rollout was a success and Satlynx was called upon to design and build a 7.6m antenna and hub facility at an EDF Energy Networks site in England. Construction was completed on time and the new hub and infrastructure came online at the end of 2007. Satlynx continue to maintain a fully redundant back-up system at their teleport in Germany whilst remotely managing the primary hub in the UK.

Implementing this network via satellite was essential as it enabled immediate coverage across the South East whilst giving EDF Energy Networks the option to extend the SCADA network to other new regions. The technology deployed utilises a TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) access scheme which shares the available bandwidth across hundreds and potentially thousands of sites, thereby giving a cost-effective solution. This choice of technology is also highly scalable, allowing for growth in both number of sites and bandwidth, should the size of the network or the nature of the application change.

Mark Fiske, Operational Telecoms Manager for EDF Energy Networks said: “We are committed to the improvement of our infrastructure and the control of our networks is as important as the switching and distribution itself. We chose satellite as a natural medium of transport for reliable control and monitoring of our network and we have not been disappointed from our experience of both the technical solution and in working with Satlynx.”

Christian Stetter, VP Sales Satlynx, said: “The opportunity to work cooperatively with EDF Energy Networks has been both exciting and rewarding. We have taken a fundamental requirement through all stages of implementation to provide a fully functional and highly reliable system that will ensure EDF Energy Networks can continue to maintain and deliver a reliable and flexible electricity supply and distribution network”.

“We have a very diverse customer base that uses satellite technology to implement a variety of applications, from gas station point-of-sale to government embassies and from commercial shipping to off-shore exploration. It is good to see another successful SCADA network for another satisfied Satlynx customer and on such a large scale”.

Additional information about Satlynx can be found at www.satlynx.com

Additional information about EDF Energy can be found at www.edfenergy.com