List of UCA IEC 61850 Certificates

The UCAIUG users group has reorganized the access to the 1200+ IEC 61850 certificates:

Click HERE to freely access the certificates.

Click HERE for additional information related to the conformance testing.

Click HERE for IEC 61850 User Feedback Task Force 

Unfortunately these issues are independent of the official IEC TC 57 / IEC 61850 tissue database. 

The tissue database offers a new service to filter and show tissues by status, e.g., for those accepted 

  

Tissues For IEC 61869-9 Could Be Posted

Please note that a new part has been added to the IEC 61850 Tissue Database:

Part 9-2 (related to IEC 61869-9; 2016)

https://iec61850.tissue-db.com/part/59

IEC 61869-9 defines: Instrument transformers -
Part 9: Digital interface for instrument transformers

IEC 61869-9:2016 is a product family standard applicable to instrument transformers with digital output. The product standard is composed of IEC 61869-1 and IEC 61869-6, in addition to this standard and the relevant product specific standards in the IEC 61869 series (Part 7, Part 8, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, and Part 15). This standard defines requirements for digital communications of instrument transformer measurements. It is based on the IEC 61850 series, UCA international users group document Implementation guideline for digital interface to instrument transformers using IEC 61850-9-2, and the relevant parts of IEC 60044-8 that are replaced by this standard. It includes additional improvements including the IEC 61588 network based time synchronization. This first edition replaces the corresponding specific requirements previously contained in IEC 60044-8, published in 2002. This International Standard contains specific requirements for electronic low power instrument transformers (LPIT) having a digital output. However, the reader is encouraged to use its most recent edition. This publication contains an attached file in the form of a .xml file. This file is intended to be used as a complement and does not form an integral part of the publication.

Click HERE for more information.

TÜV SÜD Offers Interoperability Tests - What comes next?

The UCAIUG (UCA International Users Group) has issued 800 Certificates for IEC 61850 devices and tools. Congratulation for the success.

The global market has accepted the new technology standardized since 1995! No question!

In multi vendor projects quite often devices from different manufacturers or from different device firmware versions show interoperability issues. Device A and B may conform to the standard series - but device A may support options that are not supported by device B. This ends up in interoperability problems ... discussions and frustrations.

It is highly recommended that devices used in a multi vendor project are tested for interoperability! Interoperability tests are usually organized by users, e.g., big utilities. The UCAIUG organizes interoperability tests every second yer - far away from being sufficient! The next one is planned for being conducted in New Orleans (USA) in November. It requires a lot of resources to go there ... I guess European utilities may send very few experts only ... and small vendors are likely not travelling across the Atlantic.

So, what to do? I have recommended early to TÜV SÜD to offer interoperability test services.

TÜV SÜD (Munich, Germany) is offering interoperability test ... contact them to figure out how your device can interoperate with other devices.


Interoperable components save time and money during integration into complex systems - and help to reduce frustrations when struggling with implemented or not implemented options, with different interpretations by vendors, ...

And note this: Traveling to Munich (Germany) is easier and cheaper than flying around the globe!

Partners in the industrial automation domain have learned that interoperability (for easier integration) is a crucial means to save a lot of resources ... they are partnering:

Open Integration Partner program for practical testing of multi-vendor automation topologies

Endress + Hauser is proposing the following: “Open Integration validates the interplay of all products in a reference topology by mutual integration tests.” in a permanent lab environment.

I hope that some companies and organizations in the Power Industry will also implement such permanently available “LAT” (Lab Acceptance Tests) that would offer 24x7 support services to the power industry.

Maybe you are interested to discuss this with TÜV SÜD or ... or myself. Please feel free to contact me.

Thanks to TÜV SÜD to offer the interoperability test services. I look forward to see more in the near future - the whole energy market would appreciate it.

IEC 61850 Tissue Database is Crucial for Improving the Quality of IEC 61850

The Tissue (technical issues) Database is one of the most important means to improve the quality of the standard series IEC 61850.
When IEC published the first parts of the series in 2004 the editors used a Word document to keep track of technical issues reported to the key experts and the results of their discussions. NettedAutomation developed the Tissue Database to offer a public tool to support the standardization and quality assurance process.

The following parts have an entry in the Database:



We just added an entry to part 90-2 (Substation to Control Center communication).
Please note that the almost 1,500 entries play a crucial role in the latest parts published and in the UCAIUG testing specification. Excerpt of IEC 61850-6 Amendment 1 to Edition 2:



This list has 50+ entries referring to the Tissue Database.

Products that claim conformance with IEC 61850 have to be accompanied by the so-called "TICS" Technical Issues Conformance Statement. This is a list that describes which Technical Issues have been implemented in a specific product. It is quite important to understand, that a specific Technical Issue that has an impact on client and server (publisher and subscriber) has to be implemented on both sides!!

The test labs for IEC 61850 have to test Technical Issues - when required by the testcase. The UCAIUG maintains a list of all "green" Tissues that are integral part of UCAIUG Testing requirements.

If you have an issue with IEC 61850 I recommend to check the Database and search for the topic you are looking for. Maybe your concern has already been solved ... you find a lot of good discussions in many tissues.

NetteAutomation will continue to offer the Tissue Database for the next parts to be published, e.g., Edition 2.1 of the core documents.

Enjoy the Database.

List of some 700 IEC 61850 Certificates Issued by the UCAIUG

The UCAIUG group has issued almost 700 certificates for IEC 61850 implementations.

Click HERE to access the list of UCAIUG Certificates.

IEC 61850 Testlabs Accredited by the UCAIUG

As per October 2015 the following tester are offering Conformance Tests for products implementing IEC 61850:

For further details on the companies or on IEC 61850 testing capability visit:
www.ucaiug.org Testing/ UCAIug Testing Quality Assurance Program.
The approved testers are listed in the directory: UCAIug IEC 61850 Approved Testers

Almost 600 Certificates have been issued by the UCAIUG Users Group.

IEC 61850 Interoperability Test in Brussels Was a Big Success

The IEC 61850 Interoperability Test in Brussels (Belgium, at ENTSO-E) last week was a big success. The plenary meeting of the IEC TC 57 WG 10, 17 and 18 was informed about the results on Monday, October 05, 2015.

Compared to the previous IOPs in 2011 and 2013 there were more companies attending in 2015: 19/43/49. Total number of vendors that provided products to test was: 14/20/29. The number of people participating grew from 37/93 to 130 !!

Tests covered: SCL, Client/Server, GOOSE, SV, HSR/PRP, and IEEE 1588

For Client/Server 15 issues were found in 2013, in 2015 just 4. No issue was found on GOOSE.

A total of 32 issues need some attention. The issues will be posted to the tissue database if required.

The first tissues have already been posted:

http://tissue.iec61850.com/tissue.mspx?issueid=1445

http://tissue.iec61850.com/tissue.mspx?issueid=1446

http://tissue.iec61850.com/tissue.mspx?issueid=1447

http://tissue.iec61850.com/tissue.mspx?issueid=1448

The IOP at ENTSO-E has shown that IEC 61850 standard parts and products are very stable … there is no need to wait for applying IEC 61850.

IEC 61850-9-2 Sampled Values In Use

Quite often people ask me about the application of sampled values according to IEC 61850-9-2 (9-2LE). The sampled values require very solid products (publisher, Ethernet Switches, and subscribers). The recent years have shown that the technology has matured to an extend that applications are already available or underway.

Please find useful links:

Click HERE for the paper:

Test and Evaluation of Non Conventional Instrument
Transformers and Sampled Value Process Bus on Powerlink’s
Transmission Network

Click HERE for a related publication:

Australia Leads With Process Bus

Click HERE for the 9-2LE guideline published by the IEC 61850 community.

More and more 9-2LE compliant IEDs are tested and certified.

There are more than 400 IEDs (Server, clients, publisher) that have been certified by the UCAIug:

Source: UCAIug

What’s about subscriber to sampled values?

Click HERE for various protection IEDs implementing the subscriber role for sampled values, e.g., Alstom Distance Protection Relay P446, …

More to come.

UCAIUG Interoperability Report (Munich 2013) available – And Now?

IEC 61850 defines Modeling Methods, Information Models, Abstract Services, Service Mapping to MMS, Configuration Language to specify a whole System composed of several substations et cetera. Some 10 years after the publication of the first edition of the core parts (3, 6, 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, 7-4, 8-1 and 9-2) we expect the edition 2.1 of the core documents early 2014. There is a lot of progress during these 10 years of applications!

The well accepted tissue process has helped to increase the consistency of the various parts of the series and to help to reach a high level of conformity of devices and tools:

www.tissues.iec61850.com

In addition to Conformance tests it is obvious that Interoperability is one of the crucial issues that is expected by the users community. Many organizations are involved to further increase the Interoperability between the products provided by many vendors. One major step towards a higher level of interoperability is the UCAIUG Interoperability Test Session that was conducted at TÜV SÜD (Munich, Germany) the week of 27. October – 01. November 2013.

Click HERE to download the 240 page Report [pdf, 5.8 MB].

One of the crucial lessons I (and many other experts) have learned trough my long-term involvement in the standardization groups and more than 200 training courses is this: In case you are planning to use the new (IEC 61850) Technology in one of your next projects:

1. Get education and training from neutral trainers
2. Purchase or lent the devices and tools you are about to use in the real world: protection & control devices, SCADA systems, RTUs, Network Infrastructure like Switches and Routers, and Tools … and test them as a kind of “Multivendor Interoperability Test”
3. You can speed up this process by cooperating with FMTP Power Systems and NettedAutomation: They could come to you and provide the most well known and used devices and Tools and introduce Theory and Practice!!
   This helps to keep the cost low – you don’t need to figure out what to purchase … and how to use the Technology when you start.
   You would get the right support for a fast start … the most efficient way!

Please check these dates and locations:

Special Protection & Control Hands-On Training: 08.-10. Dec 2014 in Prague (Czech Republic)	Click HERE for the details
Special Protection & Control Hands-On Training: 16.-19. December 2014 in Guayaquil (Ecuador):	Click HERE for the details [pdf]
Common Hands-On Training in German: 24.-26. November 2014 (Karlsruhe) 12.-14. Januar 2015 (Karlsruhe) 23.-25. März 2015 (Karlsruhe)	Click HERE for more details

I look forward to meeting you there.

ENTSO-E: IEC 61850 in Transport Systems for Electric Power is making good progress

The original scope of IEC 61850 in the late 90’s of the last century was “high voltage substations”. Utilities in the domain HV systems did participate in the beginning of the standardization and later-on showed-up seldom – untile recently. After realizing crucial issues in the inter-operation of devices and tools the ENTSO-E started to support the idea of IEC 61850 interoperability in HV substations.

The latest update on these efforts are documented on the ENTSO-E Website.

Click HERE to follow the update.

You will find many interesting topics discussed and useful links to other activities and opportunities to learn more about the success of IEC 61850. There are links to the special event during the IEC 61850 Europe Conference 2014 in Prague; and a link to the event: http://www.iec61850-europe.com/

The last slide presented at the ENTSO-E AhG IEC 61850 @ UCA Booth, Cigré 2014 is remarkable. It shows somebody who seems to have severe headaches:

Is this You!? I have seen many people that throw up their hands in despair.

You are not alone! We are here to help you: Training for all experts involved in high voltage substations by really experienced protection and communication experts:

FMTP and NettedAutomation offer special IEC 61850 training for PROTECTION and SCADA applications.