Utilities and industries gain benefits as IEC 61850-implementation gains speed

Enabling the interoperability of protection and control devices from different vendors., the international standard for substation communication IEC 61850 was effectively completed in 2004. Written for the needs of substations worldwide, the standard attracted interests of utilities and industrial users in many countries even while it was being prepared. The first orders were received by manufacturers in 2003 for implementation in real substations of voltages up to 110 kV. This paper describes several key projects on the installation of IEC 61850 equipment in Germany and Switzerland, highlighting Winznauschachen, the world´s first operating substation compliant with the standard. It also depicts the experience and the benefits gained by the manufacturers, the utilities and industrial users when putting the standard into practice