Red Eléctrica de España (REE), the Spanish transmission system operator (TSO) responsible for the transmission of electricity nationwide, selected Nokia to upgrade its existing network with an IP/MPLS and DWDM optical transport. Its 800-site network is used to control and manage a nationwide transmission grid.
The new IP/MPLS and optical transport networks from Nokia will provide significantly more bandwidth to the utility sector and its subscribers and improve efficiencies. It will support a new generation of IP-based applications that will play a key role in everything from IoT-based asset management to managing distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar and residential power storage.
Services supported by the Nokia network include sub-station communications, low-latency communication of IoT sensor data for measurement, protection and control, and time synchronization of devices. The network will also support operational control systems such as SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) and line protection, as well as synchrophasors (PMUs – phasor measurement units), which are one of the key applications for enabling highly accurate and dynamic analysis of the state of an electrical system. This is an important capability in smart, distributed energy grids, especially with intermittent power sources such as renewables.
The core and aggregation networks will be based on Nokia’s IP/MPLS portfolio. The optical transport network, which replaces a legacy SDH (synchronous digital hierarchy) system, will use Nokia’s DWDM portfolio.
Patrick Langelaan, Head of Enterprise in Southern Europe at Nokia, said: “We have worked closely with REE for several years to prepare for this migration, culminating in a successful proof of concept in 2019. Our work with European transmission system operators enables us to ensure that REE’s network will interwork seamlessly with continental systems – a key capability in the shift to renewables and our ability to manage intermittency across the region. This win reflects Nokia’s ongoing commitment to the energy sector and our collective journey to a de-carbonized, electrified future.”
