Telecom Lead Europe: Luxembourg power utility firm Creos has tapped Alcatel Lucent and used Internet routing technology to lower costs and enhance efficiency of power transmission.

Alcatel-Lucent has used its IP/MPLS (Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching) technology to replace Creos’s TDM-based communications system.

The new technology will allow Creos to consolidate vital services, such as teleprotection, current differential protection, closed circuit TV (CCTV) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems onto a single network.

The ability to converge all services on to one communications network will help Creos to save the costs associated with managing multiple networks. This includes extending Creos’s intranet to support communications between control centers and the remote substation sites, enabling engineers to remain connected as they visit those sites.

“The new communications system will form the basis of our smart grid and ensure the network is always available to meet demand,” said Patrick Colling, Communications Expert at Creos.

Alcatel-Lucent will provide its 7705 Service Aggregation Routers, SAR-8 and SAR-18 variants, as well as the 7210 Service Access Switch and 5620 Service Aware Manager.

Lynn Hunt, global vice president, Utility Solutions of Alcatel-Lucent, said: “We have proven the performance of our IP/MPLS technology in delivering services such as teleprotection and it allows us to give utility companies such as Creos a more complete view of their network to make power transmission more efficient and cost-effective.”

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