Power System

Circuit Breakers and Substations

Lecture No. 11
Engr. Raheel Muzzammel
Department of Electrical Engineering
University of Lahore

Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 1

Substation Automation

Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 2

Substation Automation
• An electric utility substation automation (SA) system depends on the
interface between the substation and its associated equipment to
provide and maintain the high level of confidence demanded for
power system operation and control.
• It must also serve the needs of other corporate users to a level that
justifies its existence.

Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 3

Physical Challenges associated with
Substation Automation

Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 4

Components of a Substation Automation System
• The electric utility SA system uses any number of devices integrated
into a functional array by a communication technology for the
purpose of monitoring, controlling, and configuring the substation.
• IEDs
• SA systems incorporate microprocessor-based intelligent electronic
devices (IEDs), which provide inputs and outputs to the system while
performing some primary control or processing service.
• Common IEDs are protective relays, load survey and/or operator
indicating meters, revenue meters, programmable logic controllers
(PLCs), and power equipment controllers of various descriptions.
Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 5
Components of a Substation Automation System
• Other Devices
• Other devices may also be present, dedicated to specific functions for the SA
system.
• These may include transducers, position sensors, and clusters of interposing
relays.
• Communication Connection
• Dedicated devices often use a controller (SA controller) or interface equipment
such as a conventional remote terminal unit (RTU) as a means to connect into the
SA system.
• The SA system typically has one or more communication connections to the
outside world.
• Common communication connections include utility operations centers,
maintenance offices, and/or engineering centers.

Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 6

Components of a Substation Automation System
• Networking
• A substation display or users station, connected to or part of a substation
host computer, may also be present.
• Most SA systems connect to a traditional supervisory control and data
acquisition (SCADA) system master station serving the real-time needs for
operating the utility network from one or more operations center.
• SA systems may also incorporate a variation of SCADA remote terminal unit
(RTU) for this purpose or the RTU function may appear in an SA controller
or substation host computer.
• Other utility users usually connect to the system through a bridge, gateway,
or network processor.

Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 7

Power station SA System Functional Diagram

Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 8

Locating Interfaces
• The SA system interfaces to control station equipment through interposing
relays and to measuring circuits through meters, protective relays,
transducers, and other measuring devices.
• The interfaces may be distributed throughout the station or centralized
within one or two cabinets.
• Finding space to locate the interfaces can be a challenge depending
on available panel space and layout of station control centers.
• Therefore, Small substations can be more challenging than large ones.
• The centralized interface simplifies installing an SA system in an existing
substation since the placement of the interface equipment affects only one
or two panels housing the new SA controller, substation host, human
machine interface (HMI), discrete interface, and new IED equipment.

Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 9

Locating Interfaces
• Centralizing the SA system station equipment interface has the potential to
adversely affect the security of the station as many control and instrument
transformer circuits become concentrated in a single panel or cabinet and
can be seriously compromised by fire and invite mishaps from human error.
• This practice has been widely used for installing earlier SCADA
systems where all the interfaces are centered around the SCADA RTU and
often drives the configuration of an upgrade from SCADA to automation.
• Placing the interface equipment on each monitored or controlled panel is
much less compromising but may be more costly and difficult to design.
• The distributed approach is more logical when the SA system incorporates
protective relay IEDs, panel-mounted indicating meters, or control function
PLCs. Protection engineers usually insist on separating protection devices
into logical groups based on substation configuration for security.

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Locating Interfaces
• As the cabling distances within the substation increase, system installation
costs increase, particularly if additional cable trays, conduit, or ducts are
required.
• Using SA communication technology and IEDs can often reduce
interconnection cost.
• Distributing multiple, small, SA “hubs” throughout the substation can
reduce cabling to that needed for a communication link to the SA
controller.
• Likewise, these hubs can be electrically isolated using fiber–optic (F/O)
technology for improved security and reliability.
• More complex SA systems use multiple communication systems to
maintain availability should a channel be compromised.

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Environment
• The environment of a substation is another challenge for SA equipment.
• Substation control buildings are seldom heated or air-conditioned.
• Ambient temperatures may range from well below freezing to above
100°F (40°C).
• Metal clad switchgear substations can reach ambient temperatures in
excess of 140°F (50°C) even in temperate climates.
• Temperature changes stress the stability of measuring components
in IEDs, RTUs, and transducers.
• Good temperature stability is important in SA system equipment and
needs to be defined in the equipment purchase specifications.
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Environment
• When equipment is installed in outdoor enclosures, not only is the temperature
cycling problem aggravated, but also moisture from precipitation and
condensation becomes troublesome.
• Outdoor enclosures usually need heaters to control their temperature to prevent
condensation.
• The placement of heaters should be reviewed carefully when designing an
enclosure, as they can aggravate temperature stability and even create hot spots
within the cabinet that can damage components and shorten life span.
• Heaters near the power batteries help improve low-temperature performance
but adversely affect battery life span at high ambient temperatures.
• Obviously, keeping incident precipitation out of the enclosure is very important.
• Drip shields and gutters around the door seals will reduce moisture penetration.

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Environment
• Venting the cabinet helps limit the possible buildup of explosive gasses from battery
charging but may pose a problem with the admittance of moisture.
• Incident solar radiation shields may also be required to keep enclosure temperature
manageable.
• Specifications that identify the need for wide temperature range components, coated
circuit boards, and corrosion-resistant hardware are part of specifying and
selecting SA equipment for outdoor installation.
• Environmental factors also include airborne contamination from dust, dirt, and corrosive
atmospheres found at some substation sites.
• Special noncorrosive cabinets and air filters may be required for protection against the
elements.
• Insects and wildlife also need to be kept out of equipment cabinets.
• In some regions, seismic requirements are important enough to be given special
consideration.

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Electrical Environment
• The electrical environment of a substation is severe.
• High levels of electrical noise and transients are generated by the operation of
power equipment and their controls.
• Operating high-voltage disconnect switches can generate transients that couple
onto station current, potential, and control wiring entering or leaving the
switchyard and get distributed throughout the facility.
• Operating station controls for circuit breakers, capacitors, and tap changers can
also generate transients that can be found throughout the station on battery
power and station service wiring.
• Extra high voltage (EHV) stations also have high electrostatic field intensities that
couple to station wiring.
• Finally, ground rise during faults or switching can damage electronic equipment
in stations.

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Electrical Environment
• Effective grounding is critical to controlling the effects of substation
electrical noise on electronic devices.
• IEDs need a solid ground system to make their internal suppression
effective.
• Ground systems should be radial to a single point with signal and
protective grounds separated.
• Signal grounds require large conductors for “surge” grounds.
• They must be as short as possible and establish a single ground
point for logical groupings of equipment.
• These measures help to suppress the introduction of noise and transients
into measuring circuits.

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Electrical Environment
• The effects of electrical noise can be controlled with surge suppression,
shielded and twisted pair cabling, as well as careful cable separation
practices.
• Surges can be suppressed with capacitors, metal oxide varistors (MOVs),
and semiconducting over voltage “Transorbs” applied to substation
instrument transformer and control wiring.
• However, surge suppression can create reliability problems as well.
• Surge suppressors must have sufficient energy-absorbing capacity and be
coordinated so that all suppressors clamp around the same voltage.
• Otherwise, the lowest dissipation, lowest voltage suppressor will become
sacrificial.
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Measurements for Substation Automation

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Measurements
• Electric utility SA systems gather power system performance parameters (i.e., volts,
amperes, watts, and vars) for system generators, transmission lines, transformer banks,
station buses, and distribution feeders.
• Energy output and usage measurements (i.e., kilowatt-hours and kilovarhours) are also
important for the exchange of financial transactions.
• Other measurements such as transformer temperatures, insulating gas pressures, fuel
tank levels for on-site generation, or head level for hydro generators might also be
included in the system’s suite of measurements.
• Often, transformer tap positions, regulator positions, or other multiple position
measurements are also handled.
• These values enter the SA system through IEDs, transducers, and sensors of many
descriptions.
• They convert instrument transformer outputs to digitized values for a communication
method or DC voltages or currents that can be readily digitized by a traditional SCADA
RTU or SA controller.

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 SA System Electrical Measuring Interface

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What Measurements Are Needed?
• The suite of measurements included in the SA system serve many users with
differing requirements.
• All IED measurements are not functionally equal and may not serve specific
users.
• For example, it is improbable that measurements made by a protective relay will
serve the needs for measuring energy interchange accounting unless the device
has been qualified under the requisite revenue measuring standards.
• The placement of sensors for the IED’s primary function may not be the correct
location for the measurement required.
• For example, the measurements made by a recloser control made on the
secondary side of a power transformer or at a feeder will not suffice when the
required measurement should be made at the primary of the transformer.

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What Measurements Are Needed?
• The recloser measurement includes both real and reactive power losses of
the transformer that would not be present in a measurement made on the
primary.
• Voltage sensors can be on the adjacent bus separated from the
measurement current sensors by a section breaker or reactor and will give
erroneous (incorrect) measurement.
• System users need to specify the specific set of measurements they
require.
• Further, they should supply the details of where those measurements must
be made within the electrical network.
• They need to specify the accuracy requirements and the applicable
standards for those measurements.

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Performance Requirements
• In the planning stages of an SA system, the economic value of the
data to be acquired needs to be weighed against the cost to
measure it.
• A balance must be struck to achieve the data quality required to suit
the users and functions of the system.
• This affects the conceptual design of the measuring interface and
provides input to the performance specifications for IEDs and
transducers as well as the measuring practices applied.
• The electrical relationship between measurements and the
placement of available instrument transformer sources deserves
careful attention to insure satisfactory performance.

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Performance Requirements
• Different Scenarios
• Protection engineers often ignore current omissions or contributions at a measuring
point resulting in intolerable power flow measurements.
• Measuring source placement may also result in measurements that include or exclude
reactive contributions of a series or shunt reactor or capacitor and include unwanted
reactive component contributions of a transformer bank
• Measurements might also become erroneous when a section breaker is open if the
potential source is on an adjacent bus.
• Power system charging current and unbalances also influence measurement accuracy,
especially at low load levels.
• The compromises are endless and each produces an unusual operating condition in some
state.
• When deficiencies are recognized, the changes to correct them can be very costly,
especially, if instrument transformers must be installed, moved, or replaced to correct
the problem.
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 Measurement Sensor Placement

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25
Performance Requirements
• The overall accuracy of measured measurements is affected by a
number of factors.
• These include instrument transformer errors, IED or transducer
performance, and analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion.
• Accuracy is not predictable based solely on the IED, transducer, or
A/D converter specifications.

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Characteristics of Digitized Measurements
• In the analog environment, a signal may have any value within its range.
• In the digital environment, signals may have only discrete values within their range.
• The set of values is imparted by the A/D conversion process.
• The increments within the digital value set are determined by the minimum resolution of
the A/D converter and number of states into which it can resolve.
• Consider an A/D converter whose minimum resolution is 1.0 mV and whose range is
4095 increments (4.095 V). The increment figure is usually expressed in the converter’s
basic binary format, in this case, 12 bits.
• In order to perform its conversion, each input it converts must be scaled so that the
overall range of the input falls within the range of 0–4.095 V.
• If the input can assume values that are both positive and negative, then the converter
range is split by offsetting the converter range by one- half (2.047 V) giving the effective
range of positive and negative 2.047 V.

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Characteristics of Digitized Measurements
• The minimum resolution of a measurement processed by this converter is
then the full scale of the input divided by the number of states, 4095 for
unipolar and 2047 for bipolar.
• For example, if a bus voltage of 13,200 V were to be converted, the full-
scale range of 15,000 would be a reasonable choice.
• The minimum resolution of this measurement is then 15,000/4,095 or 3.66
V. A display that showed values to the nearest volt, or less, is thus
misleading and inappropriate since the value displayed cannot be resolved
to 1.0 V or less but only to 3.66 V.
• If the measurements in this example are assumed to be bipolar, as would
be direct input AC signals, then the minimum resolution for the voltage
measurement is 7.32 V.
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Characteristics of Digitized Measurements
• The higher resolution converter is more expensive and may or may not be
economically required.
• Once power levels reach into the megawatt region, the numbers are so
large that they cannot be transported easily in a 16 bit format with the unit
of watts. Scaling these larger numbers becomes imperative and as a result
the resolution of smaller numbers suffers.
• IEDs and automation controllers frequently have software and self-
calibration components to minimize the effects of converter performance
on measurements.
• This software may correct for offsets and drift as well as filter out or
average some of the bounce (annoying changes in the observed
measurements).
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Characteristics of Digitized Measurements
• There are two other important characteristics of digitized measurements in
the design of an automation system. These are latency and time skew.
• Latency is the time from which inputs presented at a measuring device are
measured and available to the user, whether the user is a human or a
software program that requires it.
• Contributors to latency include:
• The time required to process the inputs into measurements and make them
available to the measuring device’s communication process
• The time to move the measurement from the measuring device’s communication
process across the network to the user’s communication process
• The time for the user’s communication process to make the measurement available
to the user.

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Characteristics of Digitized Measurements
• Communication technology can have a profound impact on latency. Different
communication technologies and channels have different base speeds at which they
transport data. Contributing characteristics include basic communication bit rate,
channel speed, message handling procedures, and protocol characteristics.
• Time skew is the time difference between a measurement in a data set and any other
measurement in that set.
• The data set might include measurements taken within a single substation.
• However, a data set may include measurements made across a wide geographic area,
which might include multiple substations, generating stations, and even multiple utilities
taken to perform generation dispatch and system security.
• Some systems have provisions to assure time skew is minimized.
• A simple method to minimize time skew samples measurements at a specific time by
“freezing and holding” them and saves them until they can be retrieved without taxing
the communication link. “Freeze and hold” schemes rely on a system-wide broadcast
command or a high-accuracy clock to synchronize sampling the measurements.

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Instrument Transformers
• Electrical measurements on a high-voltage transmission or distribution
network cannot be made practically or safely with direct contact to the
power carrying conductors.
• Instead, the voltages and currents must be brought down to a safe and
usable level that can be input into measuring instruments.
• This is the task of an instrument transformer.
• They provide replica voltages and currents scaled to more manageable
levels.
• They also bring their replicas to a safe ground potential reference.
• The most common output range is 0–150 V for voltages and 0–5.0 A for
currents based on their nominal inputs.

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Substation Wiring Practices
• VTs and CTs are the interfaces between the power system and the
substation.
• Their primary connections must meet all the applicable standards for
load-ability, safety, and reliability.
• Utilities have generally adopted a set of practices for secondary wiring
that meets their individual needs.
• Generally, VT secondaries are wired with #12 AWG conductors, or
larger, depending on the distance they must run.
• CTs are generally wired with #10 AWG or larger conductors, also
depending on the length of the wire run.

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Measuring Devices
• Early SCADA and monitoring systems relied on transducers to convert
CT and VT signals to something that could be handled by a SCADA
RTU or monitoring equipment.
• While this technology still has many valid applications, it is
increasingly common practice to collect measurements from IEDs in
the substation via a communication channel.
• Where IEDs and the communication channel can meet the
performance requirements of the system, transducers and separate
conversion devices become redundant; thus, savings can be accrued
by deleting them from the measuring plan.

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Integrated Energy Measurements: Pulse Accumulators
• When applied to SA systems, energy transfer measurements are processed
by metering IEDs, pulse accumulators (PAs) in an RTU, or SA controllers.
• The PA receives contact closures from the metering package and
accumulates them in a register.
• On command, the pulse count is frozen, then reported to an appropriate
data user.
• The register is sometimes reset to zero to begin the cycle for the next
period.
• This command is synchronized to a master clock, and all “frozen”
accumulator measurements are reported some time later when time
permits.
• Some RTUs can freeze and store their PAs from an internal or local external
clock should the master “freeze-and-read command” be absent.

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Integrated Energy Measurements: Pulse Accumulators

• These may be internally “time tagged” for transmission when

commanded by the master station.
• High-end meter IEDs retain interval accumulator reads in memory
that can be retrieved by the utility automatic meter reading system.
• They may share multiple ports and supply data to the SA system.

Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 36

State (Status) Monitoring

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State (Status) Monitoring
• State indications are an important function of SA systems.
• Any system indication that can be resolved into a small number of discrete
states can be handled as state (status or binary) indication.
• These are items where the monitored device can assume states like “on or
off,” “open or closed,” “in or out,” but states in between are unimportant
or not probable.
• Examples include power circuit breakers, circuit switchers, reclosers,
motor-operated disconnect switches, pumps, battery chargers, and a
variety of other “on–off” functions in a substation.
• Multiple on–off states are sometimes grouped to describe stepping or
sequential devices.

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State (Status) Monitoring
• Status points may be provided with status change memory so that
changes occurring between data reports are observable.
• State changes may also be “time tagging” to provide sequence of
events.
• State changes can also be counted in a register and be reported in
several different formats.
• Many status indications originate from auxiliary switch contacts that
are mechanically actuated by the monitored device.

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State (Status) Monitoring
• Contact Performance
• The mechanical behavior of either relay or auxiliary switch contacts can
complicate state monitoring.
• Contacts may electrically open and close several times as the moving
contact bounces against a stationary contact when making the transition
(mechanically bounce). Many transitions can occur before the contacts
finally settling into their final position.
• Event recording with high-speed resolution is particularly sensitive to
contact bounce as each transition is recorded in the log.
• IEDs often have de-bounce algorithms in their software to filter contact
bouncing. These algorithms allow the user to “tune” the de-bouncing to be
tolerant of bouncing contacts.
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State (Status) Monitoring
• Ambiguity
• State monitoring can be subject to a certain degree of ambiguity. Where a monitored
device is represented by a single input, a change of state is inferred when that input
changes.
• However, the single input does not really indicate that the state has changed but that the
previous state is no longer valid.
• If a circuit breaker is being test operated, its indication points may be observed by the
system as valid changes that result in log entries or alarm indications.
• Likewise, a device may show an incorrect state when it has been removed from service
as when a circuit breaker or switcher has its control power disconnected or is “racked”
into an inoperative or disconnected position in switchgear.
• Ambiguity may also result from the loss of power to the monitoring device. Loss of a
communication link or a software restart on an intermediary device can also introduce
ambiguity.
• As much as it is possible, it is important to insure users of state data that the data are not
misrepresenting reality.
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State (Status) Monitoring
• Wetting Sources
• Status points are usually monitored from isolated, “dry,” contacts and the monitoring power
(wetting) is supplied from the input point.
• Voltage signals from a station control circuits can also be monitored by SA controllers and
interpreted as status signals.
• Equipment suppliers can provide a variety of status point input options.
• When selecting between options, the choice balances circuit isolation against design
convenience.
• The availability of spare isolated contacts often becomes an issue when making design choices.
• Voltage signals may eliminate the need for spare contacts but can require circuits from various
parts of the station and from different control circuits be brought to a common termination
location.
• This compromises circuit isolation within the station and raises the possibility of test personnel
causing circuit misoperation.
• Usually, switchboard wiring standards would be required for this type of installation, which could
increase costs.
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State (Status) Monitoring
• An alternative source for status points is a low-voltage wetting supply.
• Wiring for low-voltage sourced status points may not need to be
switchboard standard in this application, which may realize some
economies.
• Usually, shielded, twisted pairs are used with low-voltage status points to
minimize noise effects.
• Some SA systems provide a means to detect wetting supply failure for
improved reliability.
• Where multiple IEDs are status point sources, it can be difficult to detect a
lost wetting supply. Likewise, where there are multiple points per IED and
multiple IED sources, it can be challenging to maintain isolation.

Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 43

State (Status) Monitoring
• Wiring Practices
• When wiring status points, it is important to ensure that the cable runs radially
between the monitor and the monitored device.
• Circuits where status circuit loops are not parallel pairs are subject to induced
currents that can cause false status changes.
• Circular loops most often occur when existing spare cable conductors in multiple
cables are used or when using a common return connection for several status
points.
• Shielded, twisted pairs make the best interconnection for status points, but this
type of cable is not always readily available in switchboard standard sizes and
insulation for use in control battery-powered status circuits.
• Finally, it is important to provide for testing status circuits. Test switches or
jumper locations for simulating open or closed status circuits are needed as well
as a means for isolating the circuit for testing.
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Control Functions

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Control Functions
• The control functions of electric utility SA systems permit routine and
emergency switching, local and remote operating capability for
station equipment, and action by programmed logic.
• A variety of different control outputs are available from IEDs and SA
controllers, which can provide both momentary timed control
outputs and latching-type interposing.
• Latching is commonly associated with blocking of automatic breaker
reclosing or voltage controllers for capacitor switching.
• A typical interface application for controlling a circuit breaker is
shown in Figure.
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Control Functions

Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 47

Control Functions
• Interposing Relays
• The interposing between an SA controller or IED and station controls use large
electromechanical relays.
• Their coils are driven by the SA control system through static or pilot duty relay
drivers and their contacts switch the station control circuits.
• Interposing relays are often specified with 25 A, 240 VAC contact rating to ensure
adequate interrupting duty.
• Smaller interposing relays are also used, however, often with only 10 or 3 A
contacts, where control circuits allow.
• When controlling DC circuits, the large relays may be required, not because of the
“close into and carry” current requirements, but to provide the long contact
travel needed to interrupt the arc associated with interrupting an inductive DC
circuit.

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Control Functions
• Most relays, which would be considered for the interposing function, do
not carry DC interrupting ratings.
• “Magnetic blowout” contacts, contacts fitted with small permanent
magnets, which lengthen the interruption arc to aid in extinguishing it, may
also be used to improve interrupting duty.
• They are polarity sensitive, however, and work only if correctly wired.
• Correct current flow direction must be observed.
• Control Circuit Designs
• Many station control circuits can be designed so that the interrupting duty
problem for interposing devices is minimized thereby allowing smaller
interposers to be used.

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Control Functions
• An example of this would be the addition of any auxiliary control relay to a
breaker control circuit, which maintains the closing circuit until the breaker
has fully closed and provides anti-pumping should it trip free.
• Latching Devices
• The disabling of automatic circuit breaker reclosing when a breaker is
opened through supervisory control action is an example.
• Automatic reclosing must also be restored and/or reset when a breaker is
closed through supervisory control.
• This concept also applies to automatic capacitor switcher controls that
must be disabled when supervisory control is used and can be restored to
automatic control through local or supervisory control.
• These types of control modifications generally require a latching-type
interposing design.
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Control Functions
• Intelligent Electronic Devices for Control
• IEDs often have control capability accessible through their communication ports.
• Protective relays, panel meters, recloser controls, and regulators are common
devices with control capability.
• They offer the opportunity to control substation equipment without a traditional
RTU and/or interposing relay cluster for the interface, sometimes without even
any control circuit additions.
• Instead, the control interface is embedded in the IED.
• When controlling equipment with IEDs over a communication channel, the
integrity of the channel and the security of the messaging system become
important factors.
• Utilities are showing increasing interest in using PLCs in substations. PLCs are a
flexible platform for logic applications such as interlocking and process control
applications such as voltage regulation and load shedding.
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Communication Networks inside the Substation

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Communication Networks inside the Substation
• SA systems are based on IEDs that share information and functionality
by virtue of their communications capability.
• The communication interconnections may use hard copper, optical
fiber, wireless, or a combination of these.
• Network Types
• Point-to-Point Networks
• Point-to-Multipoint Networks [Master – Slave Communication]
• Peer-to-Peer Networks [Each device has equal access to the communication
bus and can message any other device]

Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 53

Communication Networks inside the Substation
• Optical Fiber Systems
• Optical fiber is an excellent medium for communicating within the substation. It isolates devices electrically
because it is non-conducting.
• This is very important because high levels of radiated electromagnetic fields and transient voltages are
present in the substation environment.
• Communications between Facilities
• F/O technology is very wide band and therefore capable of huge data throughputs of which SCADA and
automation messaging might represent only a tiny fraction of the available capacity.
• Typical F/O systems are based around high-capacity synchronous optical network (SONET) communication
technology.
• Because F/O is nonconductive, it is a perfect medium for connecting communicating devices that may not
share a solid ground plane. This is typical of substation equipment.
• These applications do not need the high-bandwidth properties and use simple low-speed F/O modems.
• F/O cable is also low cost. This allows devices in outbuildings to be safely interconnected.
• It is also an excellent method to isolate radio equipment from substation devices to lessen the opportunity
for lightening collected by radios to damage substation devices.

Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 54

Communication Networks inside the Substation
• Communication Network Reliability
• The more the functionality of the SA system is distributed to IEDs, the more
critical the communication network becomes.
• The network design can easily acquire single points of failure sensitivities
that can cripple the entire system and even affect substation functions.
• Designers may need to duplicate critical components and pathways to
meet their goals.
• They may also choose to segment IEDs into parallel networks to maintain
high reliability. It may be appropriate to separate critical IEDs from those
that are not as critical.

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Communication Networks inside the Substation
• Assessing Channel Capacity
• A necessary task in designing a communication network for a substation is
to assess the channel capacity required.
• This entails accounting for the message size for each device and message
type as it passes data to other devices on the network along with whatever
overhead is required by the messaging protocol.
• Along with the message size, the update rate must be factored in. The sum
of the message sizes with overhead and channel control times multiplied
by the update rate and divided by the channel bit rate will dictate how
many devices can share a channel.
• The larger the sum of the message sizes and the faster the update rate, the
fewer devices a channel can support.

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Testing Automation Systems
• Testing assures the quality and readiness of substation equipment.
• An SA system will require testing at several points along its life span.
• Testing can be a big contributor to operation and maintenance (O&M) cost.
• Test Facilities
• SA systems integrate IEDs whose primary function may be protection, operator interface,
equipment control, and even power interchange measurement for monetary exchange.
• A good test plan allows for the automation functions to be isolated from the substation
while the primary functions of the IEDs remain in operation.
• Following are the necessary test requirements in substation:
• Control
• Status Points
• Measurements
• Programmed Logic

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Testing Automation Systems
• Commissioning Test Plan
• Commissioning an SA system requires a carefully thought-out test plan.
• There needs to be collaboration between users, integrators, suppliers, developers, and
constructors.
• Many times, the commissioning test plan is an extension of the factory acceptance test
(FAT), assuming a FAT was performed.
• Normally, the FAT does not have enough of the substation pieces to be comprehensive;
therefore, the real “proof test” will be at commissioning.
• Changes to the commissioning test plan should be documented and accepted by all
parties.
• A record of deviations from expected results should be documented.
• A key to a commissioning test plan is to make sure every input and output that is
mapped in the system is tested and verified. Many times this cannot be repeated once
the system is in service.

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In-Service Testing
• Once an automation system is in service, it will become more difficult to
thoroughly test.
• Individual IEDs may be replaced or updated without a complete end-to-end
check because of access restriction to portions of the system.
• The new device has been thoroughly tested to ensure it matches the device
being replaced.
• However, new versions of IEDs, databases, and communication software
should make the utility wary of potential problems.
• It is not unusual for new software to include bugs that had previously been
corrected as well as new problems in what were previously stable features.
• Utilities must decide to what level they feel new software versions need to
be tested.

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Thank You

Engr. Raheel Muzzammel 60