Substation Automation

Substation automation is a rapidly increasing area of interest and benefit to utilities. Substation automation goes beyond traditional SCADA to provide added capability and information that can further improve operations and maintenance, increase system and staff efficiencies, and leverage and defer major capital investments.

Applications and data of interest may include remote access to intelligent electronic devices (IED)/relay configuration ports, waveforms, event data, diagnostic information, video for security or equipment status assessment, metering, switching, volt/VAR management, and others.

Newer microprocessor-based relays and other intelligent devices provide unprecedented flexibility and rich functionality which, in turn, provide low cost monitoring analysis and diagnosis of electrical faults in the power network. Many newer IEDs provide optional network interfaces such as distributed network protocol (DNP) 3.0 over transmission control protocol (TCP)/internet protocol (IP)/Ethernet. Additionally, more utilities are gaining access to fiber optic based communications at some substation locations. Even more utilities are implementing IP wireless communication solutions to substations. IP networks to substations can greatly enhance substation automation possibilities and benefits such as primary equipment condition data, fault statistics, and data useful for preventive equipment maintenance.

Power System Engineering, Inc. (PSE) is actively planning, designing, and implementing substation automation solutions. We have an experienced team that knows the vendors, products, design options, communication solutions, and implementation hurdles. We help our clients find the best approach, while managing costs and risks.

Services PSE can provide include:

• Develop a business case for substation automation.
• Evaluate existing systems and develop strategies to migrate to new applications and technologies.
• Design an overall solution to integrate substation equipment with communication systems and head-end applications.
• Specify detailed designs and help select all equipment from intelligent devices, substation servers, remote terminal units (RTUs), network switches, firewalls, wide area networks, head-end applications, and others.
• Estimate impacts on utility staff resources during implementation and post-implementation.
• Assist with configuration, integration, and testing of the solution.
• Present and lead a workshop to educate your team on a technology or address a more strategic objective involving substation automation.

Enterprise Integration

Installing standalone substation automation, SCADA, Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), Outage Management System (OMS) and other control center applications often by itself delivers huge benefits to utilities in efficiently managing and operating their electrical infrastructure. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg when compared to the benefits these systems can deliver when operated in an integrated fashion. While the integration costs add up to only a fraction of the original cost of the standalone automation systems, the benefits usually far outweigh these costs, thereby accelerating the Return on Investments (ROI) of both the integration as well as the original system investments.

The next frontier at most utilities is quality integration and information presentation that give personnel the information they need and customers the service they expect. PSE is working with clients to take them to the next level. As an independent consultant, PSE is knowledgeable about the leading suppliers of solutions for information systems and applications across the enterprise. We make the most out of what suppliers are delivering to our clients.

• Do your systems lack the ability to deliver the reports you expect?
• Do your customer service representatives have the information they need to answer customer questions and respond to requests?
• Are you leveraging the capability of your SCADA system, AMR system, OMS system, and others?
• Which of your suppliers are realistically in the business of delivering solutions that cut across multi-vendor systems?
• Have you considered that the key to getting the best value from your technology investments may require a new approach?
• Can your utility maintain for the long-term all the technical people needed to implement and support ever-changing technology, so you can conquer the next frontier?