Combating Channel Impairments and Impulsive Noise in Local Utility Powerline Communications

A smart grid intelligently monitors and controls energy flow in order to improve the efficiency and reliability of power delivery. This monitoring and control requires low-delay, real-time, highly reliable communications between customers, local utilities and regional utilities. This paper focuses on PowerLine Communications (PLC) from the customer power meters to the command and control center of the local utility. The demand to carry more information over this "Last mile" of the PLC network has been increasing in order to assist in real-time analysis of the power grid status.