A low-cost GPRS based communication system for a smart transformer

One of the most challenging issues involving the development of smart grids, which is crucial to guarantee their efficiency and reliability, is the online communication among different suppliers and consumers. Among the current communication technologies suitable for smart grids, those based on cellular communication system present the advantage of low investment by the power distribution company, since the mobile network operators provide most of required infrastructure. In this context, this work proposes a communication device that makes use of the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) to transmit/receive data through the internet to/from a local data server. The proposed device is applied to a distribution transformer with on-load tap changer, allowing the development of a smart transformer, which enables voltage regulation and grid management.