Synopsis
Power Line Communications has been used since the 1890s to send low level telecoms signals out to activate or deactivate devices along the electricity grid. This technology was further developed over the last century and is used, for example, for the off-peak hot water service that most electricity companies offer their customers. Broadband Power Line started to arrive in the late 1990s. Simultaneously the energy companies are also being forced to look for telecoms solutions for their core business and are looking at Demand Side Management services to better manage their network, offer better services to their customers and handle the gigantic increase in electricity demand throughout the world, and at the same time manage the associated security and environmental impact issues. It looks like DSM will only reach its full potential once it is combined with the development of smart grids.
