Editorial
Sometimes I wake up and hope that it was just a bad dream and she or he will call and ask how things are going with the next issue of the magazine. But I know that such a call will never come.
Maybe you are wondering why I am talking about Rainer and Sharen. Here are the answers: I first met them at the Texas A&M protection conference in 1994. He had come to the United States to introduc... More
Letters
Don't hesitate. Share your thoughts and experiences. More
News
Industry News
64-bay busbar protection with IEC 61850
Toshiba GRB100 busbar protection is now available for applications with up to 64 feeders. In addition the upgrade includes IEC 61850 compliant communication. Toshiba launched their first numerical busbar protection in 1986 and GRB100 provides proven features alongside advanced protection algorithms. GRB100 offers discriminating and check zone protection with percentage restraint characteristics ... MoreABB introduces - new motor and transformer protection
ABB introduces two new 615 series protection and control IEDs, REM615 and RET615. Re-engineered from the ground up, the 615 series unleash the full potential of the IEC 61850 substation communication standard. The 615 series consists of protection and control IEDs designed for the protection, control, measurement and supervision of network equipment in utility and industry power distribution ne... MoreAdvanced Testing Tools - Version 2.30
OMICRON electronics announces the release of Version 2.30 of the Test Universe testing software suite. Some key features of this release are:
IEC 61850: up to 360 additional GOOSE input and 360 additional GOOSE output data points as virtual inputs / outputs NetSim: Impedance View, individual CT simulation for multiple measurement locations, improved CT measurement import... MoreGE's MultiLink Family of Hardened Ethernet Switches
The MultiLink ML1200 & ML800 are the newest additions to the MultiLink series of industrially hardened Ethernet Switches.
They are designed with configuration flexibility, full network management and network security features.
The ML1200 & ML800 have the necessary features to fit your mission-critical, substation, industrial or transportation application.
GE’s ... MoreIEC 61850 SCL Manager the new v4.0. release of SCL
Kalkitech announces the much awaited v4.0.0 release of its SCL Manager product, the inter-operable IEC 61850 Engineering Tool for utilities, OEMs, System Integrators and Consultants.
This version comes with advanced features and scalable engineering options supporting IEC 61850 substation automation engineering and configuration using the IEC 61850 Substation Configuration Language. T... MoreIEEE PES Outstanding Young Engineer Award
Zhenyu (Henry) Huang received the Outstanding Young Engineer Award for "outstanding contributions in the leadership of technical society activities, leadership in community and humanitarian activities, and evidence of technical competence".
The award was presented to him by Wanda Reder, President of the IEEE Power and Energy Society during the Awards Luncheon at the IEEE PES General M... MoreInterconnection Protection Relays MICOM P341
The MiCOM P341 provides Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) protection which is a cost effective solution that can be applied for load management and protection of overhead lines enabling a larger penetration Distributed Generation (DG) such as windfarms. MiCOM 341 offers flexible communications options with a number of protocols and communications ports available including IEC 61850. MiCOM P341 also pr... MoreOPC Server and Data Gateway with expanded functionality
The Orion5rL is an Orion5r with CPU of the OrionLX, allowing the Orion5rL to take on larger applications requiring more connections, points and security.
Orion5rL capacities are the same as the OrionLX: up to 96 Ethernet connections, up to 20,000 points and support for the new "Cascaded Orions" option (multiple Orions working together as one system).
The Orion5rL security features... MoreVery Sad News
With the deepest sadness, the team of PAC World regrettably informs you of the accidental death of Rainer Aberer, the person who envisioned the magazine as a service to the electric power systems protection, automation and control community and his wife Sharen Seversen. They both died in a tragic plane crash in Texas (USA) on 18 June, 2009. Both were enthusiastic private pilots and flying t... More
Technology News
Fluid Battery
Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)
Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) of different types are being installed by many customers driven by their desire to contribute to the reduction of air pollution and support a greener energy production. However, one of the main problems with the renewable energy resources is the fact that they are not always available when we need them and may be availab... MoreHyWind ? Floating Wind Turbines
Some of the main issues with offshore wind farms are their environmental and esthetic impact, as well as the inconsistency of the wind. One solution to these issues is being developed by StatoilHydro. The company has developed HyWind – a floating wind turbine based on a 2.3 MW Siemens wind turbine mounted on a floating concrete constructions (Spar-buoy) familiar from North Sea oil ins... MoreOhmer - The Self-made Electric Car
In one of the previous issues of PAC World we introduced the Tesla – an electric sports car that an electrical engineer cannot afford. But it appears that even someone who is not an electrical engineer can have an electric car. With the understanding that green is more than just recycling, that it is also finding solutions to sustainable living, Patrick Roth from Indianapolis, Indiana... More
Cover Story
IEC 61850: Interoperability, Principles and Benefits
The IEC 61850 Standard for Communication Networks and Systems for Utility Automation allows utilities to consider new designs for substations applicable for both new substation and refurbishments. The levels of functional integration and flexibility of communications based solutions bring significant advantages in costs in all stages of a project. This integration affects not only the design ... More
IEC 61850 Update
IEC 61850 - Status update
Edition 2 of IEC 61850 is currently a focus in our standardization activities. The FDIS for Edition 2 of part 6 has been sent to IEC and should be officially circulated soon. So the technical work for that part is finished. With regard to parts 7-1, 7-2, 7-3 and 7-4, the final editing work is ongoing, and the goal is to send them to IEC this fall. The mappings (8-1 and 9-2) are currently in c... More
Lessons Learned
A 20/20 Hindsight Look at Implementing IEC 61850
Substation Automation projects have offered many lessons on many fronts for utilities and the success of recent projects have clearly demonstrated the value of utilizing IEC 61850 technology. The degree of engineering effort and expertise which has been required to make these facilities operationally viable however, has been well beyond what the glossy visions of trade shows might lead one... More
Opinion
IEC 61850 and Quality Assurance
The Quality Assurance Program of the UCA® International Users Group
Ever since IEC 61850 became an International Standard in 2003 manufacturers of substation automation equipment around the world have been implementing this advanced standard in their products. Conformance testing has become a pre-requisite for equipment and currently over 100 IEDs have been certified. Although the sta... More
Process Bus
IEC 61850 and Quality Assurance
The Quality Assurance Program of the UCA® International Users Group
Ever since IEC 61850 became an International Standard in 2003 manufacturers of substation automation equipment around the world have been implementing this advanced standard in their products. Conformance testing has become a pre-requisite for equipment and currently over 100 IEDs have been certified. Although the sta... More
Time Synchronization
Time Synchronization with IEEE 1588
The Precision Time Protocol (PTP) which is embodied by the IEEE 1588 standard is poised to provide a solution that addresses the most demanding applications for time sync, yet is still cost effective to be used throughout the utility. This article will describe some of the technical aspects of PTP so the reader can make informed decisions about IEEE 1588 and how it might best serve particu... More
Legal Issue
FERC's Reply to the 2003 Blackout
As a result of thorough investigation on the causes of the 2003 North American blackout, new regulation is proposed for approval by FERC.
Those of you that have been following the Legal Issues column since the beginning of PAC World might remember last summer’s article, in which we introduced the applicability and effectiveness of class action lawsuits as a means ... More
Implementation Strategy
Perspective, Strategy and Applications of IEC 61850 in Brazil
The First Phase or Initial Vision: Development and application of IEC 61850 to the power system and industry in Brazil may be described in three phases.
The introduction of IEC 61850 in Brazil started in the 2004 - 2005 period, when the new standard was first published. The response of BPAC was of technical curiosity. Practically nothing was known about the subject and BPAC had no idea ... More
The Guru
Rainer Aberer
Rainer (left) with his brother Rolf, father Rudolf and his two sons Daniel and Lukas.
PAC World: When and where were you born? R.A.: I was born on August 23, 1955 in Hohenems, a small city in Vorarlberg, the most western district of Austria.
PAC World: Where did you grow up? R.A.: I grew up in Hohenems as the younger of two boys, to Helga and Rudolf Aberer.
PAC World: Do ... More
History
Protection History. Reverse-Power Protection, Differential-, Turn-to-Turn-Fault and Overvoltage Protection for Generators
In the first years a reverse power has been indicated by an annunciation only. H&B produced a reverse-current and direction-of-current indicator in 1894 (Fig. 1). The rotating red disk in front of white plate showed the irregularity.
Directional relays have been used to distinguish between short-circuits at busbar or in feeders and failures in the generator. They could detect if th... More
I Think
There is always an excuse to do nothing
Now that in different economies stimulus programs are in place, the financial crisis appears to be receding and the world seems to be bewitched by Smart Grid to an extent that is unprecedented in the history of the power industry, one would expect an explosion of new technologies being deployed.
However the reality is that most utilities are still waiting...
During the last six month... More
Industry Reports
Hydropower and IEC 61850
by Klaus-Peter Brand, Chair of Swiss Chapter of IEEE PES
The Swiss chapter of IEEE PES (http://pes.ieee.ch) is performing about 2 - 3 events called workshops as a service for the power system community in Switzerland. According to the mission of the chapter providing the window from Switzerland to the world, dedicated speakers from abroad are always invited.
Hydro power provides about... MoreIEEE Guide for Distribution Protection
by Kay Clinard, P.E. president of the UCA International Users Group
UCA International Users Group (UCAIug) was incorporated in 2001 as a not-for-profit users group. Initially the focus was on supporting IEC61850 and substation automation. The UCAIug as well as its member groups (CIM, Open Smart Grid, and IEC61850) draws its membership from utility user, supplier, integrator, univers... More
Conference Reports
CIRED 2009, 8 - 11 June, Prague, Czech Republic
The 20th International Conference and Exhibition on Electricity Distribution was held in Prague, Czech Republic 8 - 11 June 2009. The conference is organized by CIRED (Congrès International des Réseaux Electriques de Distribution.)
The conference and exhibition were held in the Prague Congress Centre located on one of Prague's hills. It is one of the dominant features of the capital o... MoreIEEE Mexico Summer Meeting
At the 125th Anniversary of the IEEE Power and Energy Society, the Mexican Section of the IEEE organized the 22nd Power, Industrial Applications and Industrial Exhibition Summer Meeting - RVP-AI/2009 from 5 to 11 July 2009 in Acapulco, Mexico. The meeting was held at the Acapulco Convention Center and was attended by electric power system professionals from Mexico, North America and man... MoreIEEE PES General Meeting, 2009, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 26 ? 30 July 2009.
IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES) General Meeting is an annual event that combines meetings of some of the committees that belong to the PES, plenary session, technical and poster sessions, tutorials and other activities. Industry experts from all over the world attend the meeting.
PES President Wanda Reder first chaired the PES Members Meeting and then was the moderator of the Pl... MorePowerTech 2009, 28 June - 2 July, Bucharest, Romania
More information at: http://ewh.ieee.org/conf/powertech/2009/
The IEEE PowerTech, the biannual IEEE PES conference in Europe took place in Bucharest, the impressive capital of Romania with a mixture between positive and negative burdens from the past. The second biggest building in the world after the Pentagon, the Palace of the Romanian Parliament, turned into a gift for the IEEE Pow... MoreXIII ERIAC, Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, 23 - 28 May, 2009
The ERIAC, or Encuentro Regional Ibero-americano del CIGRÉ in Spanish, is a truly international event, and CIGRÉ's most important seminar held in its Ibero-American region ("RIAC"). Since 1987, the ERIAC has been held biannually in the Iguassu region of South America, overlapping Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. This location is not only attractive for its natural beauty (the famous Ig... More
Book Review
Practical Power System Protection
Book Review by James Ingelson, USA
Blackout
A Novel
As you probably have observed, the best fiction is drawn at least in part from the author's personal experience. Alexander Solzhenitsyn said "Literature transmits incontrovertible condensed experience . . . from generation to generation. In this way literature becomes the living memory of a nation."
George C. Loehr has b... More
Hobby
Craft, Crafts and More Crafts
by Solveig Ward , RFL Electronics Inc., USA
My hobby may be unique in the Protective Relay Community but that's mainly due to the fact that there are not a lot of us women there. That said, I'm a little more fanatic about it than most women and have been so for many years.
I do crafts. In many shapes and forms: Knitting, crochet, needlepoint, sewing.
The more time-consuming and the ... More
Final Thoughts
Your Opinion
We appreciate your articles, news, feedback or any information that will help us paint a broader picture of the IEC 61850 role in the present and the future of our industry.
Two years after the first issue of PAC World looked at the new substation communications standard IEC 61850 and its impact on the protection, automation and control industry, in this issue we focused ... More
