Design and Implementation of a Real-Time Feeder Monitoring System for Smart Substations

Abstract: The reliability and efficiency of modern power distribution systems are paramount for economic stability and quality of life. Substation feeders, critical components of this infrastructure, are often monitored through manual inspections or legacy SCADA systems, which can be slow, expensive, and lack comprehensive real-time analytics. This paper presents the design and implementation of a real-time substation feeder monitoring and auditing system leveraging Internet of Things (IoT) architecture. The proposed system utilizes high-accuracy voltage and current sensors interfaced with an ESP32 microcontroller for data acquisition. This data is transmitted via Wi-Fi and the MQTT protocol to a cloud platform for continuous monitoring, power quality auditing, and predictive fault detection. Key objectives include enabling continuous feeder monitoring, calculating key performance indicators like power factor and total harmonic distortion (THD), and identifying anomalies such as overloads and potential faults. Expected outcomes from system deployment demonstrate a significant enhancement in operational visibility, a reduction in energy losses through detailed power auditing, and improved grid reliability via early fault detection, offering a cost-effective and scalable alternative to traditional systems.