IT Staff Needs Education in IEC 61850 and Related Standards

Information Technology (IT) is quite well understood by many (often young) experts. Operations Technology (OT) in the power industry is quite well understood by many (often older) experts with some tens of years experience in the use of hardware, automation and information exchange software.

These days we see the integration of Information Technology into the Operation Technology. The migration happens quite fast … and more and more experienced OP engineers are part of the “aging workforce”. This requires that new staff (IT experts and engineers) in the IT and in the OP world to learn two technologies: “IT”, “OT”, and very crucial: “More IT in OT”.

I found a very nice publication that discusses some of these issues in detail:

Click HERE for the paper “Information Technology (IT) vs Operations Technology (OT): What the C-Suite Needs to Know”

Based on my long-term experience since the early 80s with “More IT in OT” I fully agree with the need of Cross-Department Training and other needs listed in the paper:

“… considerations to improve the IT/OT rift:

• Annual Staff Surveys – to measure cooperation between IT and OT and look at utilization of resources, trust/conflict, clarity of goals and objectives, etc.
• Cross-Department Training – for both technical training but also support values and behaviors expected to foster cooperation and communications
• Cross-Functional Teams – to develop policies, standards, projects, etc. with both IT and OT perspectives
• Reach Over the Wall – encourage the IT and OT teams to reach out to the other technology team and be willing to walk in their shoes. This is also supported by the executive team taking the same actions.”

In some cases of big utilities I see this already happen!

IT and OP people would benefit from our training in IEC 61850 and related standards. Be aware that even a small embedded device could support TCP/IP, higher level protocols like ftp and http(s), IEC 6070-5-104 and IEC 61850, and … it is “IT in OT”.

How do we reach more IT and OT people? Please forward this information to them …

Open positions in the US related to IEC 61850

It seems that there is a growing interest in applying IEC 61850 in the United States. At least there are tenth of open positions that require knowledge and experience in IEC 61850.

One states for example: “Experience with IEC 61850 compliant substation automation applications including IED configuration utilizing MMS and GOOSE protocols and network architectures.”

Click HERE for an updated list of open positions related to IEC 61850.

More to come.

Utility cuts IT workforce, hires Indian outsourcers

Northeast Utilities (NU) in Connecticut (USA) confirmed plans to outsource IT work to India-based outsourcers; move will affect some 200 jobs

Northeast Utilities confirmed the other day that it plans to turn over part of its IT operations to two India-based outsourcing firms, despite a recent push by state lawmakers to keep it from doing so.

NU says it employs some 400 IT workers, and "will retain about half of those employees" after turning some operations over to outsourcers Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services, two of India's largest IT firms.

Click HERE for more details.

Could this be a solution for automation, control, monitoring … ?

Here is another question somebody brought up discussing the NU approach:

“Would you outsource the autopilot to some inexpensive pilot on the ground in some foreign country with cheap labor? No? Then why is anyone even discussing such options for SCADA? And yet, they do!

The problem is education. Many utilities are putting poorly educated, poorly trained staff at the controls of our infrastructure, and then because it fails all the time, are seriously contemplating outsourcing the whole operation to another country.

Outsourcing to the cloud doesn't work. It's not about the technology. It's the people.”

I would add to state that another crucial problem is the education of people that make these decisions to outsource managing our infrastructure.

The Aging Workforce in the Electric Power domain

The Electric Power Utility domain is looking for many electrical power engineers all over. One example can be found by searching the simplyhired.com:

Click HERE for a search on power system engineer

The search results in 38,329 hits for the U.S. allone !!
Some 6.000 hits are related to protection, 800 to SCADA, and 55 to IEC 61850, 12 to DNP3.

Click HERE for a search on electrical engineer

The search results in 86,596 hits for the U.S.
72 are related to IEC 61850 and 20 to DNP3.

Power systems require skilled and experienced engineers. How to become an experiences and skilled engineer? By education, training, learning-by-doing, …

During the year 2011 a lot more electric power engineers and IT experts have received one or the other education and training with regard to IEC 61850.

I see a lot more of interest on the radar screen for 2012.

Have you ever thought about to get a training that build up your skills in the application of IEC 61850 and related standards? Note that in many of the open positions you can read something like: experience in relevant protocols and interfaces (IEC 61850, IEC 60870-x, DNP, etc.).

Many people still expect that IEC 61850 is a protocol. It is definitely much more than a protocol.

Click HERE to see some differences.

Substation Automation Specialist Wanted in the U.S. – IEC 61850 is a MUST

Siemens offers an open position for a Product Management Specialist for Substation Automation. One of the position requirements is “Must have worked with advanced digital Substation Automation using IEC 61850 protocol and functionalities”

Click HERE for the description.

Is IEC 61850 Plug&Play or like DNP4.0 or IEC 60870-5-105?

There are many different expectations I heard from protection and control experts all over. Some people guess that IEC 61850 provides Plug&Play capabilities – meaning: Utilities just purchase IEC 61850 IEDs and (all in a sudden) their protection and control systems are up and running! There is a group of other people that expects that IEC 61850 is just another protocol – a bit more than today’s solutions … something like “DNP4.0” or “IEC 60870-5-105” [of course DNP4.0 and 105 are not real!].

IEC 61850 is much more than DNP3.0 and IEC 60870-5-104, and it does NOT provide Plug&Play. Building substation protection and control systems requires to understand the applications (the many protection and protection related requirements) and to find a way how to apply IEC 61850 compliant IEDs and tools to solve their many needs.

IEC 61850 is a suite of tools that can be used to solve application needs. How to use the tools and when, is NOT defined in the standard! Utilities have to find their (step by step) way to get started with IEC 61850 based solutions. It is important to get started – don’t wait until IEC 61850 solves all your needs and problems. This will never happen!

Some US experts have discussed in 2005 or early 2006 what IEC 61850 provides and what needs to be done to apply the standard and standard based solutions. They show that IEC 61850 has an impact on many aspects in system design and deployment.

IEC 61850
A Practical Application Primer for Protection Engineers
Bogdan Kasztenny, James Whatley, Eric A. Udren, John Burger, Dale Finney, Mark Adamiak

Click HERE for the 43 page paper – worth to read.

My hope is that readers of the paper (hopefully readers from the utilities – or students finishing their education soon) understand that IEC 61850 requires utility people that are well educated in IEC 61850 – in order to understand what the big vendors have commissioned and how to use the various features of the new design.

Today I received an email from one the international biggest transmission utilities asking for help in better understanding what is needed and what has been commissioned:

“Karlheinz, …. As you probably know, there are more and more digital substations in XXX, provided by XXX and XXX for the time being. Even if our contracts does not specify explicitly the use of 61850, they are based on this standard. Today, these substations can be viewed as black boxes, without really taking into consideration the advantages of new digital technologies. …”

One of the crucial needs is: MORE EDUCATION FOR UTILITY EXPERTS!! I have met many utility people that were responsible for the substations based on IEC 61850 – but DID NOT any clue how to use IEC 61850 build in functions.

IEC 61850 has a crucial impact on the WHOLE system and the engineers that build systems.

Finally, SCADA applications (to get status changes, limit violations, measurements, statistical information, historical information, …) can apply IEC 61850 right away with commercially available Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solutions like the well appreciated Windows DLL for IEC 61850 (applicable for servers, clients, publishers, and subscribers).

Click HERE for a Windows DLL evaluation kit with an C# application example including source code of the client and server applications (that use the DLL).

System Control & Supervision - and Peopleware

The Washington Post reported on October 23, 2010, that the lack of training could cause very severe situations in the energy transmission and distribution systems. The recent event of the San Bruno gas pipeline burst (that killed several people) has "speed up adoption of a rule to ensure that workers doing similar jobs at companies across the country are well-trained ...".

"If somebody is not trained, it could be very dangerous. If they don't properly respond to an alarm situation, it can cause an explosion. It can
cause leaks. The damage could be very large."

"Although pipeline companies boast an impressive array of technology, he said, at many such firms, "there is a lack of recognition that people
have to operate that equipment.""

My experience after training of more than 2.000 people form more than 500 companies and more than 50 countries with regard to advanced communication and information systems using IEC 61850 is this: There is a very huge lack of recognition that people have to design, engineer, commission, operate, diagnose, and maintain these comprehensive and complex systems in substations and many other applications. More often I see the following: Utilities purchase turnkey systems - without having their own technical people (from the field with many years experience in the power system) consulted or trained to work with the new technology. One year later when the warranty is finished, they have to take over the full responsibility for the whole system! Good luck!

Impact of IEC 61850 on System Engineering, Tools, Peopleware and the Role of the System Integrator: more on that issue in a [paper] and on [slides]

Click HERE for the full report in the Washington Post.

Comprehensive IEC 61850 Training - New Opportunities

NettedAutomation GmbH offers new hands-on training and seminar opportunities in 2010:

Public Courses:

02.-05. March 2010	Moscow (Russia)
26.-28. April 2010	Buenos Aires (Argentina)
28.-30. April 2010	Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
05.-07. May 2010	Frankfurt (Germany)
18.-20. August 2010	Paris (France)
22.-24. September 2010	Frankfurt (Germany)
19.-20. October 2010	Dallas (TX, USA)
November 2010	Stockholm (Sweden)

Training Modules: Click HERE for a list of seminar/training modules.
In-House Courses: Click HERE for an example program for a 5 day training conducted in January 2010.

General Electric to support University education

General Electric will donate an Innovation Lab for power systems and communications to The University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario.

The Lab will help in training on power system protection and automation of electrical substations, including the use of IEC 61850 and Ethernet communication. This is a major step in educating more young people in advanced information and communication technologies for the future power system.

Click HERE for the full press release.

Smart(er) Grids: US DoE spends $ 100,000,000 on training - and you?

Smart Grids require smart engineers. Are there enough power engineers available to design, plan, build, operate, maintain, ... the Smart(er) Grids yet to be build? NO! So, what to do? The solution is as simple as this: Educate more people interested to keep the gras green, the sky blue and the power flowing.

The Billions of US$ to be spent for the Smart(er) Grids during the next years require skilled people that have already experience in power systems and power system automation - but may not have been educated to use advanced information and communication technologies for:

• Self-healing mechanisms conducted by smart devices
• Demand response
• Handling physical and cyber attacks
• Providing high power quality
• Accommodating a mix of multiple generation and storage options
• Enabling new opportunities in the power delivery
• Optimizing asset usage and lifetime, and operation efficiency

The US Department of Energy (DoE) has realized that EDUCATION is key for the success in implementing a Smart(er) Grid. It spends $ 100,000,000 for various measures to improve the Knowledge, Understanding, and Application of advanced information and communication technologies!! The earlier you start with the training - the better.

I have already started to train my grandson:

One crucial element in building the Samrt(er) Grid is the use of various international standards: IEC 61850, IEC 61400-25, IEC 61968/70 CIM, DNP3, IEC 61131-3 (PLC programming), IEC 61499 (Functionblocks), IEC 61158 (Field busses) etc.

After training of more than 2,000 experts from more than 400 companies and more than 50 countries NettedAutomation is ready to educate you and your people soon - in order to get the most comprehensive Knowledge, Understanding, and Application of the above mentioned standards. You'd get first-hand, very comprehensive, vendor neutral and up-to-date knowledge, experience, and guidance; learn how to reach interoperability of devices; You'd get best advice.

Often I have found this situation:

 

That's good for vendors BUT not for Utilities and system integrators.

Click HERE for a brief statement of IEEE on the DoE plans.
Click HERE for a brand-new paper on "Professional Resources to Implement the “Smart Grid”" written by nine university and education experts.

Click HERE for a report on the latest training last week in Frankfurt/Germany where experts from 11 countries attended our IEC 61850 training.

CONTACT us by email in case you have any question with regard to your education needs on advanced standard information and communication technologies for the Smart(er) Grids.

Microsoft's Smart Energy Reference Architecture

Microsoft has published the other day a comprehensive "Power and Utilities - Smart Energy Reference Architecture". "Microsoft believes it’s more accurate to refer to the new utility landscape as a “smart energy ecosystem” that’s collaborative and integrated."

The Smartness comprises - of course - more than the Grid. The "smart energy ecosystem" describes the challenge very well.

Microsoft says that it "is committed to supporting these global efforts by taking a leadership role in the development of the smart energy ecosystem" as discussed in China, Europe, North America, ... by IEC, IEEE, ... IEC Standards (IEC 61968/70, IEC 61850, IEC 610870-6, ...) are referenced some 80 times in Microsoft's architecture!!

Click HERE for the full Microsoft Architecture [pdf, 6 MB].

The Smart Energy Ecosystem requires many Smart People defining, implementing and using the needed Standards to realize the vision. Smart People are those that are well educated.

Click HERE for an opportunity (in San Antonio, 29-30 October 2009) to get comprehensive education in the application of Standards like IEC 61850, IEC 61400-25, DNP3, ... Click HERE for the program.

Experts from 11 countries attended IEC 61850 training in Frankfurt

More than 20 experts from 11 countries attended the Comprehensive & Independent Hands-on Training on IEC 61850 in Frankfurt (Germany), 20.-23. October 2009 organized by NettedAutomation GmbH and STRI:

Experts from: Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, and USA

In order for users and system integrators to utilize the benefits of IEC 61850 it is necessary for power utilities, integrators and vendors to education their most crucial asset – people.

The attendees have been educated in most crucial aspects of IEC 61850. The interoperability training (Client/Server and GOOSE) was run using IEDs from ABB (Relay), AREVA (Relay), Beckhoff (PLC), Ingeteam (Bay Controller), QNE (Measuring Unit), SEL (Relay), Siemens (Relay), Hirschmann (Ethernet Switch) and RuggedCom (Ethernet Switch and Router):

The SCL Engineering training was conducted by Joerg Reuter (Helinks):

Click HERE to find the scheduled seminars and training opportunities.
Click HERE to see the list of the ratings by course participants (very high level of satisfaction).

IEEE Project 2030 for Smart Grids

IEEE announced the other day an additional smart grid initiative for the power engineering, communications and information technology industries: IEEE 2030 "Guide for Smart Grid Interoperability of Energy Technology and Information Technology Operation with the Electric Power System (EPS) and End-Use Applications and Loads".

Intel will host the first P2030 meeting, open to individuals and organizations interested in smart grids, at its headquarters in Santa Clara, CA, June 3-5, 2009.

Click HERE for more information.

“Intel is honored to host the first meeting of the IEEE P2030 Committee, because the time to take action on smart grids is now,” said Lorie Wigle, general manager of Intel’s Eco-Technology Program Office. “To accelerate deployment of a smart energy infrastructure, the industry must work toward interoperability and the creation of standards. Intel’s Open Energy Initiative is committed to supporting the development of open standards that will empower energy consumers and drive rapid integration of renewable energy sources, smart buildings, electric vehicles and other intelligent systems.” Source: IEEE Website.

What does "smart" or "intelligent" mean in the context of the electric power delivery system?

I guess we can state that "smart" and "intelligent" are synonyms in this context. The FreeDictionary states the following:

"smart: Characterized by sharp quick thought; bright. See Synonyms at intelligent: second definition below.

intelligent (Adjectiv):

1. having or showing intelligence: an intelligent child, an intelligent guess

2. (of a computerized device) able to initiate or modify action in the light of ongoing events"

The second definition can be applied to the power automation system IEDs (Intelligent Electronic Devices). These IEDs consume information received from other IEDs or the process input, process the information based on algorithms and settings, and generate information for other IEDs or the process output.

Information needs to be defined (information models, example: IEC 61850-7-4, IEC 61400-25-2, ...) and communicated (information flow, example: IEC 61850-7-2, 8-1, IEC 61400-25-4). The information flow needs to be configured (Example: IEC 61850-6).

IEC 61850 and IEC 61400-25 are standards that provide crucial features of intelligent devices used to build smart grids - developed by SMART people!! Data and information in the hands of smart human beings make a system smart! The algorithms and settings may be defined using the "Function Block" standard IEC 61499. Click HERE to learn more about IEC 61499.

Before we can develop Smart Grids, we need smart (or intelligent and well experienced) PEOPLE. Click HERE to learn more about Peopleware (i.e., about you and me).

Lack of Power Engineers - A Risk for Smart Grids

If you are working in the domain of Power Systems in utilities or industrial plants, look around your workplace. Almost half of the people may walk out of the door during the next five to ten years - may be even you!

There is a need to replace the "heads" - let's say for every one that leaves there is a replacement (we are far away from that - but let's assume it). Does this help? To some extend. The people that leave are often the most experienced people. New people help to keep the "Head Count" at a reasonable level - but what's about the "Head Content"? It seems to be required to do more than to keep the numbers of engineers and other experts at the same amount as today.

There is another issue to mention: All the new technologies walking into the power systems: Smart Grid, Smarter Grid, renewables, PHEV, information and communication technologies (ICT), monitoring the Grid and ICT infrastructure, ... Engineers have to manage the existing system and get prepared for the many changes to come very soon.

Utilities and all other stake holders need to keep an eye on the planning of the recruitment of their future work force AND training in these new technologies of the people still there for the next 10 to 20 years! While universities partly start to get involved in the advanced ICT for power systems it seems to be crucial to also use other education possibilities: The training offered by independent and well experienced experts.

International standards like IEC 61968 (CIM), IEC 60870, IEC 61850, IEC 61400-25, ... are a pivotal point for the interoperability in the future electric power systems – they can make the system smarter than it was in the past, and keep the number of incompatible solution very low.

Massachusetts-based utility NSTAR is getting prepared they can replace the people about to walk out the door. Click HERE for a podcast at Pennet.

IEEE PES is also concerned about the situation. They have published recently a Report on the crucial issue:

"Preparing the U.S. Foundation for Future Electric Energy Systems:
A Strong Power and Energy Engineering Workforce" Click HERE to download the IEEE report [PDF].