This is how it was done in the old days. Companies want to cut costs (employ less Substation Technicians), so they upgraded their equipment and systems to allow

This is how it was done in the old days. Companies want to cut costs (employ less Substation Technicians), so they upgraded their equipment and systems to allow for remote operation. You used to have to call a SubTech locally at each substation if you wanted breakers, disconnects, or switches operated. Now, system operators will be able to do most of that remotely and only have to call a SubTech during emergencies when manual operation is required. Without networking you also have a lot less RELIABILITY (something grid operators and the DOE care greatly about). You can't have protective tripping and relaying without networking and comms, especially on the transmission lines that connect major metro areas that are hundreds of miles away from each other. TLDR: Its a business decision.