IEC 61850 Communication Networks and Systems for Electrical Grid Automation

The IEC 61850 standard, published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), consists of a set of standards for communication networks and systems for electrical grid automation. IEC 61850 is an international standard that defines communication protocols for enabling communication between different types of equipment, such as protection, control, and measurement equipment, as well as intelligent electronic devices, located in a substation. Today, this standard has achieved significant success in substation communication networks and system management. It is used not only in public utilities but also in many sectors, including wind energy.

The main reasons for the widespread use of this standard are:

• Unifies communication, avoiding proprietary protocols
• Provides interoperability by integrating equipment from various manufacturers
• Reduces costs (wiring and engineering time)
• Improves installation and maintenance processes
• It is a future-proof standard that meets evolving needs

Before this set of standards was published, businesses used different protocols for many years to communicate and keep their network infrastructures working properly. The IEC 61850 standard emerged from the need to unify all these protocols. Businesses must not only provide uninterrupted communication, but also keep their infrastructure secure at all times. In addition, the IEC 61850 standard aims to ensure interoperability. Today, this standard continues to evolve.

Three levels are defined by the IEC 61850 standard. Each level contains different devices. Namely,

• Process level: At this level, there are different devices such as switchgear, circuit breaker, switch, current transformer and voltage transformer.
• BAY level: Here are the smart electronic devices. The IEC 61850 standard defines a process bus to allow communication between smart devices and switching devices.
• Station level: This level is It includes centralized control and data acquisition (SCADA) and human-machine interface (HMI) systems.

Internet protocol structures provide a secure way for data to be transmitted, but are slow for real-time systems. This standard makes the process faster for different protocols in different applications.

Our organization also provides communication networks and systems testing services for electrical network automation within the scope of IEC 61850 standard, with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment, among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies it provides for businesses in various sectors.