ENEL pushes for IEC 61850 MMS and GOOSE in Smart Grids

Several times I have reported about the use of IEC 61850 in DER Management projects in the distribution networks of ENEL in Italy.

Several Pilot projects have shown the benefit of using a standardized solution: IEC 61850 MMS (client/server) and GOOSE messaging.

A brief report can be found in the pacworld magazine issue September 2013. The key applications are: voltage control and

Voltage control

The massive introduction of distributed generators changes the constraints in hosting capacity calculation. In fact the hosting capacity of a MV network, with a high presence of DG, is not usually limited by conductors capability but by voltage increase caused by the distributed generators.
Historically and up to now, the voltage control was done by modulating the On Load Tap Changers (OLTC) of each HV/MV transformer by means of a method called “current compound.” The goal was assuring a good voltage level at both ends of the feeders. This method works until the voltage profile is monotone decreasing, but with the introduction of DG a different approach is required.

Fast Fault Selection

According to the Italian standards regulating the connection of customers to MV networks, (CEI 0-16), in case of a short circuit along a feeder, the circuit breaker at the line departure is opened after a time delay of 170- 250ms.
The scope of this delay is protection coordination between the distributor MV line breakers and also the customer fault-clearing devices.
Taking advantage of this time delay and of the short latency of message exchange of modern telecommunication networks, a new automatic fault clearing system can be implemented.

Conclusions

After the experimentation phase and pilot projects, it is very likely that Enel MV networks will be equipped with the new devices and the new functionalities will become operative.
Also the user power plants will be equipped with the devices and in particular with a control system implementing IRE functions. In fact all the customer devices should not be provided by the distributor but they should become unified interfaces built-in all commercial power plant control and protection systems.

Click HERE for the 3 page report.

Click HERE for a 118 page report from SMA on a communication needs and solutions – including IEC 60870-5-104, DNP3, and IEC 61850 [PDF, German, 17 MB].