Impact of Neutral Loss and Conductor Corrosion on G3-PLC Performance in Large-Scale AMI Deployments
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66173/jenmas.2026.155Keywords:
Advanced Metering Infrastructure, G3-PLC, Neutral Loss, Data Concentrator Unit, Smart Grid, CorrosionAbstract
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is being deployed by the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) to modernize meter reading and improve operational efficiency through smart grid technologies. Under the IESCO AMI Project, G3-Power Line Communication (G3-PLC) is used to transmit meter data over existing low-voltage power distribution lines, eliminating the need for dedicated communication media. However, the reliability of PLC communication is highly dependent on the physical condition and material compatibility of the electrical network. In the deployed system, low-voltage distribution lines are primarily aluminum conductors, while the Data Concentrator Unit (DCU) connection cables selected are copper. These dissimilar metals are mechanically joined at transformer locations to facilitate data collection from smart meters. Field observations revealed that environmental factors, including moisture, humidity, and temperature variations, accelerate galvanic corrosion at these aluminum–copper joints. This paper presents a field-based investigation conducted under the IESCO AMI Project, focusing on DCUs exhibiting low meter data collection rates. Analysis of Head-End System (HES) data and DCU logs, combined with on-site inspections and field observations, suggests that galvanic corrosion and degraded neutral connections are associated with attenuation of PLC signals. Photographic evidence, detailed logs, and post-rectification performance analysis are presented to validate the findings. The study indicates a strong association between conductor material mismatch, environmental exposure, and PLC communication degradation and proposes practical technical measures to improve long-term AMI system reliability. Unlike simulation or laboratory-based studies, this work provides operational field observations from a large utility-scale AMI deployment in Pakistan, explicitly linking neutral degradation and aluminum–copper joint corrosion with measurable G3-PLC communication failures and recovery after rectification, resulting in improvement of meter data collection rates from below 20% to above 95%, based on HES data analysis.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Sabir Hussain, Dr Saddam Hussain (Author)
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