International Council on Large Electric Systems

CIGRE Study Committee B5 Protection and Automation

CIGRE (International Council on Large Electric Systems) is one of the leading worldwide organizations on electric power systems. CIGRE is a permanent non-governmental and non profit-making international association based in France. It is concerned with technical, economic, environmental, organizational and regulatory aspects of power systems. It was founded in 1921 and aims to:

  • Facilitate and develop the exchange of engineering knowledge and information, between engineering personnel and technical specialists in all countries as regards generation and high voltage transmission of electricity.
  • Add value to the knowledge and information exchanged by synthesizing state-of-the-art and world practices.
  • Make managers, decision-makers and regulators aware of the synthesis of CIGRE's work, in the area of electric power.

At the core of CIGRE's mission are issues related to planning and operation of power systems, as well as design, construction, maintenance and disposal of HV equipment and plants. Problems related to power system protection, telecontrol, telecommunication equipment and information systems are also part of CIGRE's area of concern.

CIGRE has members in more than 80 countries and these are divided into two categories of members:

  • Individual members in the engineering, teaching or research professions as well as of other professions involved in the industry (lawyers, economists, regulators, etc.).
  • Collective members who consist of public or private companies, of industrial and/or commercial character, and scientific or technical organizations, research institutes, educational and administrative bodies.

CIGRE develops technical knowledge using two methods:

  • Conferences and meetings, where papers are produced and discussed;
  • Permanent Study Committees (SCs) working on technical subjects and publishing reports.

The Biennial Session held in Paris every even numbered year is the most important CIGRE event. It brings together more some 2500 delegates from all the parts of the world and nearly 400 papers, covering all the fields of CIGRE, are discussed. The next session take place in 2008.

Symposia are usually held in odd numbered years, in different countries: attendance is smaller and these events focus on a limited number of topics. Other meetings are held at country level or at regional level.
Within the CIGRE organization, sixteen SCs are currently active, each dealing with a specific technical field of the power industry. The SC work is carried out by working groups (WGs) and task forces (TFs), and this in turn is coordinated by the Technical Committee of CIGRE. More than 1000 international experts are involved in these working bodies with approximately 50 reports being issued every year.

Of specific interest to PACWorld readers is SC B5 which deals with Protection and Automation.
SC B5's mission is to:

  • Facilitate and promote the progress of engineering and the international exchange of information and knowledge in the field of protection and automation.
  • Add value to this information and knowledge by means of synthesizing state-of-the-art practices and developing recommendations.

SC B5's scope covers principles, design, applications, coordination, performance and asset management of:

  • System protection
  • Substation control and automation
  • Remote control systems and equipment
  • Metering systems and equipment

All technical, organizational and economical aspects are considered by SC B5 including staff education and training. Emphasis is placed on design and application of digital technology and modern integrated system approach including hardware and software for the acquisition of system state information, local and remote data communication, and execution of control commands.

CIGRE SC B5 events and activities include attending the general session with all other SCs and general delegates in Paris every even year; and on uneven years attending B5 colloquiums that are centered around 3 preferential subjects, attending tutorial sessions, B5 SC meetings and poster sessions.

SC B5 WGs and TFs meet regularly and publish brochures / reports and articles for CIGRE's official monthly journal ELECTRA. SC B5 members also attend other regional CIGRE events and all chairmen attend the CIGRE Technical Committee meetings.

Recent SC B5 publications include:

  • How to use IEC 61850 in Protection and Automation, ELECTRA  October 2005
  • A survey of engineering tools for protective relaying, ELECTRA April 2006
  • Relay Software Models for Use with Electromagnetic Transient Analysis Programs Brochure 295 / ELECTRA June 2006
  • Remote On-line Management for Protection and Automation Brochure / ELECTRA October 2006

Upcoming SC B5 publications include:

  • Introduction of IEC61850 and the impact on protection and control
  • Guide for the specification and evaluation of substation systems

The call for papers for the 2008 Biennial Session in Paris is currently out and the SC B5 preferential subjects are:

  • Impact of process-bus (IEC61850-9-2) on Protection and substation automation systems.
  • Life cycle management of protection and control systems.

Further details can be obtained at http://www.cigre.org/.