IEC 61850 for Power Quality — solving the PQA integration problem

IEC 61850 has solutions for a lot of systems where currents and voltages are crucial ingredients of a system. Click HERE for a list of use-cases.

One of the practical challenges for TSOs (Transport System Operators) and DSOs (Distribution System Operator) is the integration of Power Quality Analyzers into utility monitoring systems. 

Traditionally, each PQA (Power Quality Analyzer) manufacturer has its own communication interface, data structures and software tools, so integrating equipment from different vendors often requires developing and maintaining vendor-specific drivers, especially when detailed PQ parameters and events are involved. IEC 61850 offers a good way to address this problem. 

Vendors like SATEC offer PQA ... e.g., PM180 is an example of a Class A Power Quality Analyzer where IEC 61850 is used not only for basic electrical measurements, but also for Power Quality information. PQ parameters, harmonics, frequency-related information, events, alarms and status can become part of the IEC 61850 information environment instead of remaining accessible only through a proprietary PQA interface. 

Client/Server (Reporting etc.) can be used for measurements, PQ parameters, events and monitoring, while GOOSE provides fast exchange of event and automation information. PMU functionality is also available for synchronized measurement applications. For a TSO or DSO, the key benefit is architectural: instead of integrating every new PQA through another proprietary driver, Power Quality devices can become part of the same IEC 61850 infrastructure already used for other substation IEDs.

Click HERE for accessing the corresponding ICD document (IED Capability Document).

The new IEC 61850-7-440:
Basic communication structure –
Compatible logical node classes and data object classes – Power quality metering

will contain the following PQ specific Logical Nodes (currently in IEC 61850-7-4 Ed2.1):

• Flicker measurement Name: MFLK 
• Harmonics or interharmonics Name: MHAI .
• Non-phase-related AC harmonics and interharmonics Name: MHAN 
• Metering single phase Name: MMTN
• Metering 3 phase Name: MMTR 
• Frequency variation Name: QFVR 
• Current transient Name: QITR 
• Current unbalance variation Name: QIUB
• Voltage transient Name: QVTR 
• Voltage unbalance variation Name: QVUB 
• Voltage variation Name: QVVR

Other vendors have similar PQAs ...

Seven IEC 61850 Model Documents Published for Public CDV Comments

Please note that seven IEC 61850-7-xxx model documents have been published for CDV comments on 2026-02-13. The following documents are available for public comments until 2026-04-10:

IEC 61850-7-4 ED3
Communication networks and systems for power utility
automation - Part 7-4: Basic communication structure -
Compatible logical node classes and data object classes -
Core

IEC 61850-7-40 ED1
... Common part

IEC 61850-7-43 ED1
... Primary equipment

IEC 61850-7-44 ED1
... Instrument transformers

IEC 61850-7-400 ED1
.... Substation automation

IEC 61850-7-401 ED1
... Protection

IEC 61850-7-440 ED1
... Power quality metering

Enjoy!

Just published: IEC TR 61850-90-17

IEC TC 57 has published a new part of IEC 61850 in May 2017:

IEC TR 61850-90-17
COMMUNICATION NETWORKS AND SYSTEMS
FOR POWER UTILITY AUTOMATION –
Part 90-17: Using IEC 61850 to transmit power quality data

This part of IEC 61850 defines how to exchange power quality data between instruments whose functions include measuring, recording and possibly monitoring power quality phenomena in power supply systems, and clients using them in a way that is compliant to the concepts of IEC 61850.

Click HERE for a preview of the new document.

Note that the Tissue Database can be used for posting technical issues with IEC 61850-90-17. The first tissue has been registered:

Click HERE for the first tissue on part 90-17.

IEC-61850-Seminar in Karlsruhe vom 06.-09. Dezember 2016 zu Einem Unschlagbarem Preis

Wir bieten vom

06.-09. Dezember 2016 in Karlsruhe ein IEC-61850-Intensiv-Seminar an

Die drei (3) Blöcke (1 Tag + 2 Tage + 1 Tag) können einzeln oder in Kombination gebucht werden. Sie entscheiden selbst, ob Sie nur einen Tag von Ihrem Arbeitsplatz fern bleiben möchten oder zwei, drei oder vier. Je nachdem, welche Zeit und welchen Bedarf Sie haben.

Am ersten Tag wird ein Überblick über das Normungsumfeld und die einzelnen Normen gegeben. Im Mittelpunkt stehen dabei die grundlegenden Eigenschaften und Bedeutung der Normenreihe IEC 61850 für Systemdesign, System- und Geräteengineering, Datenmodellierung, Datenmodelle (Schutz, Messwerte, Steuerungen, Power Quality Monitoring, Wind Power, Hydro Power, Dezentrale Erzeuger, ...), Kommunikationsmöglichkeiten (Client/Server, Publisher/Subscriber) und Sicherheitslösungen (IEC 62351).

Der Vergleich mit IEC 60870-5-104, DNP3, Modbus und Feldbussen rundet den ersten Tag ab.

Am zweiten Tag werden die Modellierungsmethode, die vielfältigen Modelle (Logische Knoten), die Kommunikationsdienste und -protokolle und die System-Konfigurations-Sprache (SCL) im Detail vorgestellt. Die Lösungen nach VHPready und FNN-Steuerbox werden präsentiert und diskutiert.

Am dritten Tag werden anhand vieler praktischer SCL-Beispiele Systembeschreibungen (SSD), Systemkonfigurationen (SCD), Gerätekonfigurationen (ICD und CID für Server/Publisher, Client/Subscriber und Server/Subscriber) diskutiert, erstellt und formal geprüft. Dabei kommt eine Reihe von Werkzeugen und Geräten zum Einsatz.

Am vierten Tag wird das Erlernte in praktischen Übungen mit marktgängigen Steuerungsgeräten, Gateways und Werkzeugen vertieft. Eine Windows-Evaluierungspaket mit Client, Server, GOOSE-Publisher, Client/GOOSE-Subscriber und Server/GOOSE-Subscriber wird allen Teilnehmern kostenlos zur Verfügung gestellt; dieses Paket kann auch nach dem Seminar noch genutzt werden.

Und viels andere mehr. 

Eine Spezialität unserer Seminare ist, dass die Teilnehmer zu Wort kommen: Fragen, Erfahrungen, Bedenken, Berichten über gelungene und weniger gelungene Projekte!
Es erwartet Sie ein lebhafter Dialog zwischen dem Referenten und den Teilnehmern.
Sie können den 1. Tag, den 2. und 3. Tag sowie den 4. Tag getrennt oder in jeder Kombination buchen!
Mit unserer Schulung bereiten wir Sie hervorragend auf neue Herausforderungen vor!

Klicken Sie HIER, um mehr Details und die Anmeldeinformationen herunterzuladen [pdf, 320 KB].

Reservieren Sie noch heute Ihren Platz!

Die mehr als 4.100 Teilnehmer meiner über 230 Seminare seit 2004 würden sicher alle bestätigen, dass das komplexe Thema IEC 61850 unbedingt eine geeignete Schulung verlangt -- und dass wir eine erst-klassische und einzigartige Schulung bieten! Zu einem unschlagbaren Preis! Garantiert!

Es erwartet Sie Erfahrungen mit hunderten von Firmen und Organisationen!

Amendment to Power Quality Meter Goes IEC 61850 and IEC 60870-5-104

The recent post "Power Quality Meter Goes IEC 61850 and IEC 60870-5-104" needs some explanation to understand what the Gateway could do.
In the case described in the post, we use one gateway for one power quality meter. Of course this is only one example. A single gateway can acquire signals from many power quality meters from different brands and via different protocols: Modbus I/O, Modbus/TCP, Profibus, ProfiNet, Ethernet/IP, and IEC 61850.
The gateway acts as well as a data concentrator, data manager, or proxy gateway. You may use it for any other signals - outside the power quality application. It may be connected to a substation LAN and tap GOOSE messages flying around.
The nice thing is: It can transform between (almost) ANY protocol without the need that IEC 61850 or IEC 60870-5-10x is integrated directly into the end device like a power quality meter.
In the future we will see more devices that have IEC 61850 integrated into their devices (by using a special piece of hardware or integrated onto the main controller of the device).

Power Quality Meter Goes IEC 61850 and IEC 60870-5-104

Friday last week I was involved in installing a high level Power Quality Meter (UMG 512 from Janitza) to monitor the power for a new building:



The objective was to apply a smart gateway between the Meter and IEC 61850 and IEC 60870-5-104. It took some 90 minutes to install the meter and configure it for Modbus TCP communication. The gateway used is an HMS Anybus SG Gateway I/O.



The gateway offers connectivity to Profibus, ProfiNet, Ethernet/IP, and other protocols.
The gateway reads out 22 signals from the Meter (all new Meters from Janitza use the same addresses for the basic signals):


The Modbus signals (from an UMG 604) are listed in the gateway for polling:



As well we need to configure the Signals for IEC 61850 and IEC 60870-5-104:


The signals in IEC 61850 are configured with an SCL File. The 104 signals need manually configuration.

Finally we need to program the mapping from Modbus to IEC 61850 LNs and IEC 60870-5-104 signals. The drop-down menu is used to place the signals to the screen:



Finally the inputs are linked to the outputs:



The signals from the Meter are automatically exposed through IEC 61850 and IEC 60870-5-104 servers.
The IEDScout 4.1 from Omicron is used to connect to the IEC 61850 Server in the Gateway:



And the QTester104 receives messages from the IEC 60870-5-104 server:



Lesson learned: It took less than one hour to configure the Gateway and use it.
This is likely the easiest and fastest way to communicate Power Quality Meter signals through IEC 61850 and IEC 60870-5-104. 

Could You Measure a Change in Air Flow caused by a Wind Turbine in a distance of 100 km?

Assume an air flow of x m**3 per second. What happens at your position if a big wind turbine is starting to rotate in a distance of 100 km? Do you expect that you could measure that the air flow is reduced due to the wind turbine that removes energy from the air flow? It may be possible if the turbine would be located in a huge tube. So far so good.
Another question: Could you believe "that a short-circuit at Lawrence Berkeley lab one day was observed by a micro-PMU [Phasor Measurement Units] in Los Angeles, 550 kilometers away, as a 0.002 percent dip in voltage"? It is more likely that one can measure a 0.002 percent dip in 550 km distance than a change in air flow 100 km away caused by a wind turbine.
With a network of many micro-PMUs it may be possible to figure out that somebody is switching on a computer. If you install enough micro-PMUs you may get there.
With a good power quality meter and pattern recognition I could figure out when my wife switches on the Toaster or Microwave.

Each of load (in our home or in the neighborhood) has a specific finger print. So that I could see the patterns and learn what they mean - after some training.

Some people made this observation "We're watching the volts and the amps and we’re not even inside the substation. We’re five miles away. We came up with this idea: What if we were to tell the substation operator that this substation switch is opening and closing? If they were the ones opening and closing it, that’s great. But if not, that’s a pretty good sign that there’s a cyber attack at least being experimented with.”

This is a true story (I guess).

Click HERE for a news report from IEEE Spectrum.

More Big Data to come. Be aware in your home that a power quality meter connected to the copper wire some 20 to 50 m away may be watching you. What about privacy? Is it a good thing to know (almost) everything?
"For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow." (Kohelet 1:18)

Just published: Draft Technical Report IEC 61850-90-17 (Using IEC 61850 to transmit power quality data)

IEC TC 57 just publsihed the Draft Technical report (57/1676/DTR):
IEC 61850-90-17 TR: Communication networks and systems for power utility automation –
Part 90-17: Using IEC 61850 to transmit power quality data
Voting terminates on 2016-04-08

This document provides
• Guidelines for using of IEC 61850 in the power quality application domain,
• Name space extensions required for power quality function assessment,
• Profile for using IEC 61850 in the specific context of IEC 61000-4-30.
Specific Power Quality requirements that are not 100 % covered by existing Logical
Nodes (LN) or Common Data Classes (CDC) (e.g. LN for continuous power quality recorders,
LN for RVC…) are defined here.
The document defines a lot of configuration values for specific applications. This document helps to increase the interoperability to a high degree.

This document will serve as a very helpful Guideline in the Power Quality Domain.
Power Quality devices produce huge amounts of values .. these must be communicated with a variety of services: Read, Report, Log, or Files like COMTRADE, PQDIF, or COMFEDE. This TR discusses these for the various applications.

ENTSO-E Strongly Supports IEC 61850 for Substation Automation

ENTSO-E (European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity) wants to become “an important stakeholder in the IEC 61850 improvement process and will actively contribute, mainly through the profiling work of the IEC 61850 standard.”

ENTSO-E has just published an update on their current and future support of IEC 61850.

I very much appreciate the efforts of the European Transmission System Operators!

Click HERE for the latest news.

The electrical power delivery system is composed of many other domains that are beyond the substations in transmission systems:

• Conventional Power Generation
• Wind Power Plants
• Hydro Power Plants
• Distribution systems
• Renewable Energy Resources
• Load centers (like factories, petro chemical plant, …)
• Power quality monitoring
• Virtual Power Plants
• Primary, secondary, and tertiary control
• Load shedding
• …

IEC 61850 is about to be used in all of these application domains – to become a Seamless Information Exchange System.

Many pilot implementations and tests are underway in these domains. Usually using proprietary Information Exchange System, because the main objectives of these projects are mainly related to power system dynamics and stability – one way or the other. Later they figure out: Hey, we have a very successful project … but created many proprietary, non-interoperable Information Exchange Systems.

It is highly recommended to use IEC 61850 from the scratch! Because this is THE standard. There is usually no need to spend money and time to develop something specific for one use case.

On my radar screen I see many people starting to use IEC 61850 – users and vendors … and system integrators. All over.

Resume: ENTSO-E is just ONE of MANY efforts to apply IEC 61850.

Power Utility Automation Or Power Automation?

The title of IEC 61850 is “Communication networks and systems for power utility automation”. The restriction to power utility is an artificial one required by the standardization organization – it is not set by the industry.

In fact the scope of the IEC 61850 series is: “Communication networks and systems for power automation”.

Wherever power is generated, transported, distributed, and used, IEC 61850 provides the needed tools to provide a standardized interface for information, information engineering, and information exchange. There is no difference between a 3-phase AC system in a distribution system inside an Industrial Facility or outside in an utility grid. I guess you agree, that voltage phase A is voltage phase A.

All crucial information models for electrical systems are defined in IEC 61850-7-4 (core), IEC 61850-7-410 (hydro), IEC 61850-7-420 (DER), IEC 61850-90-7 (inverters), IEC 61850-90-17 (power quality), … It would be in the interest of keeping the reliability of power delivery high, to use ONE standard for all power related applications (in public utilities and in any factory or other plant or site).

There seem some people to apply the “fieldbus approach” … publishing new standards for power systems inside Industrial Facilities AND for an interface between the two domains (between Industrial Facilities and Power Utilities). Fortunately the power does not care if it is flowing inside or outside an Industrial Facility. Why not just use ONE standard (IEC 61850) for applications inside Industrial Facilities, inside Power Utilities, and between the both domains.

The IEC TC 65 has published a Committee Draft to open the door for a new standard:

IEC 65/555/CD: IEC/TS 62872 Ed. 1.0:
System interface between Industrial Facilities and the Smart Grid

Click HERE for a brief project description.
Contact your National Committee for a copy.

Just published: Draft 61850-90-17 – Using IEC 61850 to transmit power quality data

IEC TC 57 has just published the 52 page Draft IEC Technical Report 61850-90-17 – Using IEC 61850 to transmit power quality data (57/1488/DC).

The document is available for comments until 2014-10-10.

Contact your TC 57 National Committee for a copy.

Phenomena considered in the draft are related to:

• Power frequency
• Magnitude of the supply voltage
• Flicker
• Supply voltage dips and swells.
• Voltage interruptions
• Transient voltages
• Supply voltage unbalance
• Voltage harmonics
• Voltage interharmonics
• Mains signalling voltage on the supply voltage
• Rapid Voltage Changes (RVC)
• Underdeviation and overdeviation
• Magnitude of current
• Current recording
• Harmonic currents
• Interharmonic currents
• Current unbalance
• Frequency deviation
• Supply voltage variations
• Voltage unbalance
• Harmonic voltage
• Interharmonic voltage
• Voltage fluctuation and flicker
• Mains signalling and voltages

This draft is intended to increase the interoperability between power quality monitoring systems and any application that needs the corresponding information for operation or post mortem analysis.

New Power Quality and Energy Measurement device supporting IEC 61850

Bender Grünberg offers a new Power Quality and Energy Measurement device supporting IEC 61850 information exchange:

The digital universal measuring device PEM735 is suited for measuring and displaying electrical quantities of electricity networks. The device measures currents and voltages, energy consumption and power, and displays the individual current/voltage harmonics for assessment of the power quality in accordance with DIN EN 50160. The accuracy of active energy measurements corresponds to class 0.2 S in accordance with DIN EN 62053-22 (VDE 0418 part 3-22). The current inputs are connected via external …/1 A or …/5 A measuring current transformers.

Click HERE for general information.
Click HERE for the data sheet.

IEC 61850 at the Hannover Messe 2014

The Hannover Messe will be open from 7-11 April 2014. You are invited to visit the Beck IPC Booth in Hall 13 Stand C35/7. One crucial display will be the wide range of small and efficient multi purpose devices (com.tom) with embedded controllers.

You will see IEC 60870-5-104, IEC 61860, Modbus, … with integrated security (openVPN, …) in action. The com.tom with a WEB-PLC will be presented by NettedAutomation to show the beautiful integration of standards-based automation and monitoring devices as well as gateways.

A comprehensive video clip with an Introduction to IEC 61850, Models, Configuration, Application of a real power quality monitoring with a Janitza PQ Monitor connected with Modbus, WEB-PLC, and Remote access to a com.tom has been posted yesterday. This video helps to get a clue what the standard is all about and how easy it is to get a “non-IEC 61850 device “wrapped” in a nice sugary coating of IEC 61850”.

You will see this and many other applications in action at the Hannover Fair.

Format: mp4 with a resolution of 1180 x 884

- Complete Video (110 MB and 37 Minutes)

I have split this long video into three parts with the same content:

- Part 1 (of 3) Start, IEC 61850 Information Models, and Demo setup (40 MB and 10 Minutes)

- Part 2 (of 3) How to use the Configuration Language SCL (33 MB and 11 Minutes)

- Part 3 (of 3) Implementation with com.tom WEB-PLC (47 MB and 17 Minutes)

A video on building a gateway from IEC 61850 to IEC 60870-5-104 will be presented soon.

Power Quality Information modeled in IEC 61850

IEC 61850 is a powerful standard – also for describing the exchange of Power Quality Information.

IEC 61850 has been extended to support many advanced power quality applications like those defined in IEC 61000-4-30 and EN 50160. IEC 61850-7-4 Edition 2 defines logical nodes, that support modeling and configuring event sequencing with additional quality reporting and waveform recording.

Excerpt of logical nodes for power quality:

• Harmonics (MHAI)
• Flicker (MFLK)
• Imbalanced power calculations (MADV)
• Frequency variation (QFVR)
• Current transient (QITR)
• Current unbalance variation (QUIB)
• Voltage transient (QVTR)
• Voltage unbalance variation (QVUB) and
• Voltage variation (QVVR).

Click HERE for a nice summary published by Schneider Electric.
Click HERE for a draft list of Logical Nodes for Power Quality (this content was used as input to the development of IEC 61850-5 Edition 2 and IEC 61850-7-4 Edition 2).