# Smart Grid Architecture for Rural Distribution Networks: Application to a Spanish Pilot Network
## 2 Typical Rural Distribution Networks
### General Features of Rural Distribution Networks
Therefore, DSO ignores what is happening there and is not able to take actions to face network eventualities, thus increasing the time without supply for consumers. However, the DSOs are progressively deploying telecommunications in their networks for managing Smart Grid technologies, e.g., smart meters and new protection devices. They have been typically used in their networks the following communication technologies [22; 36]: (i) Power Line Communications (PLC), which use the distribution lines and cables as a transmission channel; (ii) Wireless or Radio Communications (WLC), which use the radio technologies for transferring between two or more points the information; and (iii) Fiber Optical Communications (FOC), which use pulses of light through an optical fiber for transmitting information. The FOC has the best transmission properties, reaching hundreds of Gbps; unfortunately, the civil works associated with the infrastructure deployment are very expensive, thus restricting their applicability to urban environments and high voltage transmission networks. The WLC has good transmission properties and may reach transmission rates on the order of tens or even hundreds of Mbps. Moreover, the WLC is featured to be reachable, which means that it could provide data access at rural and remote areas where wired connectivity is next to impossible; simply, in order words, its development is easier in comparison to a wired network and it has facile maintenance. Nevertheless, the hard orography and adverse meteorological conditions may accentuate the service degradation and undergo problems. In general, the WLC is a good option for non-critical networks like rural ones, either by subcontracting the service to a telecommunications operator or using private infrastructure. Finally, the PLC for long distances (up to 3 km) can reach few tens or even hundreds of kbps, with the additional advantage that uses distributor transmission channels and so no special license is required for its exploitation. However, the conduced electromagnetic interference and abrupt line impedances variations may also degrade the service and present issues [22; 24; 36]. To sum up, the PLC together with WLC are viable options for non-critical rural environments. When combined with advanced communication and control technologies, this increasing penetration of small distributed power plants, electrical storage systems and electric vehicles can contribute to overcoming rural grid weaknesses while defining a new electric paradigm. In this new electric paradigm, new local electric generation and distributed electrical storage is optimized for its optimum purpose. Therefore, now is the time for defining a new proper rural network with a high quality power supply that has neither electrical interruptions nor sudden voltage drops. With the addition of a reliable and robust telecommunications infrastructure, all of this will provide incentives to rural producers and small enterprises for investing there.