"The Evolution of Communications and Control Technologies in the Iranian Electric Power Industry: A Historical and Technical"

"This article provides a historical and technical analysis of the evolution of communications and control technologies in the Iranian electric power industry during the pre-digital era (1955\u20131998). The study identifies the key stages in the development of communications infrastructure, beginning with the use of analog wired telephony and manual control procedures and ending with the introduction of telesignaling, relay protection, radio communications, proto-SCADA systems, and analog microwave links. Based on an analysis of archival documents, technical standards, and comparison with international practice, it is shown that development occurred progressively, through the layering of technologies and the expansion of functionality without sharp technological discontinuities. It is shown that gradual automation and the formation of a regional dispatch control network laid the foundation for subsequent digitalization. It was revealed that the architecture of future smart grids was laid out precisely in the analog era, when key principles of data collection, operational control, and reliability were formed. The obtained results have practical significance for understanding the logic of modernization and identifying the inherent limitations and advantages that determine the current development of Iran\u2019s electric power sector."