State of the Art of Telecommunications Power in the UK

Telecommunications equipment in the UK is supplied from a central, standard and modular power plant. Reliability and security is therefore regarded as of prime importance. The paper describes the current approach to modular plant both in the AC and DC fields. Flexibility in planning and installation is achieved, capital costs are minimised and maintenance charges are reduced. The impact of electronic switching systems and the transition to digital techniques is reviewed, as is the need for energy conservation and future alternative power sources.