ENGINEERING AND CONFIGURATION OF SUBSTATION

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM USING IEC 61850 SUBSTATION

CONFIGURATION LANGUAGE: A TNB EXPERIENCE
Mohd Noorfazly Noran
Mohd Iqbal Ridwan
Muzlifah Hanim Zarmani
Hairol Rizat Sabtu
Normi Salwana Miswan
Muhamad Shahmi Shokri
TNB Research Sdn Bhd
Kuala Lumpur, noorfazly.noran@tnbr.com.my
Aminuddin Musa
Tenaga Nasional Berhad
Kuala Lumpur, aminuddinmu@tnb.com.my
ABSTRACT
IEC 61850 Standard (Communication Networks and Systems in Substations) is an open standard for communication
in substation and has defined standardised methodology to design information exchange between substation devices.
This methodology is called substation configuration language which is defined in part 6 of the standard. This
method allows seamless information exchange between devices from various makes which comply with IEC 61850
Standard. Realizing this benefit, TNB has utilized HELINKS STS which is a third party substation engineering tool
to design and configure the substation communication system for TNB IEC 61850 based substation. The objectives
of this paper are to demonstrate the IEC 61850 top-down engineering approach for creating the system
specification description (SSD) file and system configuration description (SCD) file and the IEC 61850 engineering
process of SVSL by using HELINKS STS..
KEYWORDS: IEC 61850, HELINKS STS, System Specification Description (SSD), System Configuration
Description (SCD), IED Configuration Description (ICD, Logical Nodes (LNs))

1. Introduction
IEC 61850 is the standard for communications networks and systems within electrical
substations. It defines the substation information model and the information exchange
mechanism [1]. It is a common standard for substation communication which allows the
communication between Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED) from different vendors [2]. Part 6
of the standard has defined the lingua franca of the substation communication called substation
configuration description language (SCL) for configuring substation secondary devices and
communication [3]. The SCL is based on extended markup language (XML) format and has
several types of description file such as System Specification Description (SSD) file, IED
Configuration Description (ICD) file, System Configuration Description (SCD) file and
Configured IED Description (CID) [3-4].

SSD file is a formal description of the substation single line diagram together with the
functions to be performed at the primary equipment, in terms of logical nodes. ICD file is the
capabilities of an IED type in terms of communication functions and of the data model
application functions. SCD file is a description of the communication and function configuration
of a substation automation system and its relation the switch yard. CID file is a subset of SCD
file used for the IED configuration and all its needed data coming from the rest of the system [4].
Generally, these SCL description files are used to define the information of the substation
single line diagram, substation secondary functions and the substation communication
architecture. SCL is intended to enabling the interoperable between different engineering tools
from different manufacturers with the integration and configuration of description files for IEC
61850 engineering process [3]. In the future, SCL as a core language format for the engineering
process will provide flexibility in terms of configuring and designing the substation secondary
system with multi-vendors IED. It also will simplify the process of substation communication
configuration and protection and control scheme modification work in substation expansion
project.
2. IEC 61850 Engineering Process for TNB Substation using HELINKS STS
The SCL and the engineering process are described in IEC 61850-6 standard. The IEC
61850 engineering processes, the relevant generated SCL files, and the relationship among the
engineering tools and the SCL files are summarized in Figure 5.

Figure 1 IEC 61850 Engineering Process

The specified substation topology such as single line diagram, substation equipment
interfaces and functions in terms of Logical Nodes (LNs), relationship among substation
equipment and functions, and data signals in the LNs are translated into IEC 61850 SSD file.
This SSD file is generated or created using System Specification Tool. The IED capability
templates of the available Logical Device, available functions in the form of LNs, available
communication Services, Data Sets, Control Blocks (e.g. Reporting or GOOSE) and Data
Object/Attributes can be formally described by IED ICD file which can be generated or
downloaded from IEDs by the manufacturer specific IED Configuration Tool.

Using the System Configuration Tool, the SSD file and the ICD files from multivendor IEDs
are imported and configured by the engineering tool. The System Configuration Tool specifies
the relationships between the substation functions defined in the system specifications and the
IEDs to be installed. The Function Naming addresses in the SSD and the Product Naming
addresses in ICD files from all implemented IEDs are linked and configured to generate the SCD
file. The engineering tool compares the IED ICD files with the SSD file to verify whether the
IEDs capabilities
In order to materialize this process, TNB has identified HELINKS STS as a third party
configuration tool for configuring the Substation Configuration Language (SCL) file of the
substation. HELINKS STS software comprises two tools, System Specification Tool and System
Integration Tool for configuring the Substation Specification Description (SSD) file and System
Configuration Description (SCD) file as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 2 IEC 61850 Engineering Tool

3. SSD File Configuration

The substation primary and secondary system can be specified by means of a System
Specification Description (SSD) file. This file can be produced using HELINKS STS System
Specification Tool. The SSD file describes the single line diagram of the substation, associated
with the primary equipments functions represented by specific LNs. The SSD file contains the
following IEC 61850 specification information; primary equipment (single line), electrical
system topology (optionally including x-y coordinates for single line), electrical connections and
Automation and protection functions related to primary equipment
The substation primary equipment can be modelled by drawing the substation single line
diagram (SLD), as shown in Figure 3, in the HELINKS STS Single Line Diagram Editor Figure
4. The drawing of the SLD of substation is in hierarchy structure, i.e. in the following order
Substation, Voltage Level, Bays, Equipments and Connectivity Node.

Figure 3 Typical TNB Substation SLD

Figure 4 Drawing of SLD in HELINKS STS Single Line Diagram Editor

By default, HELINKS STS automatically map the specific LNs such as XCBR, XSWI, CSWI
and CILO to the corresponding primary equipments. The LNs that associated with the primary
equipments can be viewed in HELINKS STS Function Specification Editor as shown in Figure
5. All of the LNs of the primary equipments are mapped as an information model which will be
used for the SSD file configuration.

Figure 5 LNs of the Primary Equipments

The secondary system functions, such as protection, automation, control, measuring, and
ancillary signals for TNB substation can also be mapped or allocated in HELINKS STS.
HELINKS has also created utility customized interface file, i.e. PIO file, which is embedded
inside the engineering tool that allows user such as TNB to directly import the required function
and signal lists in Excel format (see Figure 6) into the HELINKS STS Single Line Editor.

Figure 6 TNB IEC 61850 Function List

TNB standard function and signal list format is based on the model structure of HELINKS STS;
i.e. Substation, Voltage Level, Bay, IED, TNB Code, Signal Name, Prefix, Logical Node, Instant
and Data Attribute. This list is compiled based on the type of circuits or bays that are available in
TNB substation such as Overhead Line, Transformer, Bus Coupler and Bus Section. The
functions that have been listed were based on the TNB Transmission SCADA point list and
Teleprotection signal list.
LN is an object-oriented data model that groups all of data with a common function. All
related data attributes are contained and defined in LNs [5]. There are several types of LNs that
represent the substation functions such as protection, metering, recording supervision,
controlling etc. The LNs associated with specific data attribute which will be used as an
information model that can be linked with IEC 61850 communication services.
TNB has defined the suitable LNs for each signal with predefine prefix and LN instant
associated with data attribute of each LNs. For the overhead line protection IED with integrated
functions such as current differential, distance and overcurrent, these functions are represented
by LNs PDIF, PDIS and PTOC respectively. TNB has also standardized the naming convention
format for the IED name based on the concatenation of the bay name and IED function. For
example, for IED name E01F11LP1, the term E01 represents the bay name and F11LP1
represents the integrated multi function line protection IED or relay. All of these are arranged per
columns and the translation will be made by HELINKS STS which will transform it into
predefined Intelligent Electronic Device (IED), Function Box and the required Logical Nodes in
the Function Specification Editor as graphically shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7 Model of virtual IED and associated LNs

In the HELINKS STS Function Specification Editor, the Logical Nodes with common
function are grouped together in the Function Box which is linked to the predefined IED (virtual
IED) for ICD file integration. The virtual IED is modeled in HELINKS as a platform for
mapping the IED Configuration Description (ICD) file during IED implementation. The grey
box in Figure 8 represents the virtual IED with several Function Boxes. The TNB function and

signal lists will be used not only for the SSD file generation but also as a part of TNB substation
signal specifications or information checklist for the IED manufacturers to comply with. By
directly importing the lists into HELINKS STS for automatic functional mapping, TNB will have
the flexibility during engineering process for future reuse in new substation project.

Figure 8 Predefine IED with Assigned LNs

In the SSD file, all of the substation bays have been mapped with specific Logical Nodes
according to the type of bays. Figure 9 shows the SSD file as viewed in HELINKS STS SCL
XML Editor.

Figure 9 SSD File in XML View

4. SCD File Configuration

The system configurations and integrations can be done by using HELINKS System
Integration Tool. In this tool, the SSD file will be mapped with the ICD file for Substation
Configuration Description (SCD) file configuration. SCD file is a file that describes the

communication and function configuration of a SAS. This file will be utilized by the
manufacturers proprietary IED configurator tool for the actual IED configuration process.
In HELINKS STS, the SCD file configuration process start with importing the ICD files into
HELINKS System Diagram for IED communication configuration. The System Diagram Editor
is a graphical editor to represent communication sub networks according to the IEC 61850 object
model (see Figure 10). Based on the communication structure in the SCD file, the configuration
of network of the substation is started by adding a Sub Network in System Diagram Editor.
HELINKS STS creates a copy of the ICD file where the IED Name is changed from Template
to the user defined unique name (e.g. E01F11LP1). The IP address of the IED can be configured
by using IEC 61850 connection in System Diagram palette. This process will built the
communication part of the substation in SCD file with the Sub network name, IED name and IP
address of devices will be updated based on the configuration in the System Diagram Editor as
shown in Figure 11.

Figure 10 System Diagram Editor

Figure 11 Subnetwork of the System Diagram Editor

After configure the SCD communication section, the ICD files can be mapped in their
counterpart bays for LNs mapping. This process can be done by mapping the IED from System
Diagram with the virtual IED in Function Specification Editor for IED implementation as shown
in Figure 12.

Figure 12 Implementation of IED to Function Specification Editor

The LNs of the specification can be mapped with the LNs of the implemented IEDs (ICD
File). All of the mapped LNs can be used to create the dataset for IEC 61850 communication
services which are Manufacturing Message Specification (MMS) report (buffered and
unbuffered) and Generic Object Oriented Substation Event (GOOSE) messages. It also can be
linked with the TNB substation clients such as SCADA, Station Level Operator Interface (SLOI)
system and Engineering Workstation (EWS) system. For GOOSE message configuration,
HELINKS STS provides a graphical user interface platform. The Application box as shown in
Figure 14 is the place for the GOOSE message configuration. It can be created at the Single Line
Diagram editor by selecting the Application tool from the palette. The APPID of the GOOSE
message and the name of application (GoID) can be filled at the Property Tab. The AppID
attribute will be used to group all GOOSE messages for this application.

Figure 13 GOOSE Application Editor

5. Discussion and Conclusion

Based on the top down approach for TNB IEC 61850 engineering process, some limitations
of this way are discovered as follows:
Certain ICD files do not support the LNs being specified by TNB IEC 61850 function list.
Application Modeling is not really independent of the IEDs. Different philosophies inside
the IEDs require different application modeling with different signals. This is limiting the
device independent application engineering.
The communication configuration capabilities of IEDs are very different. E.g. Dataset
either for report or GOOSE of certain IED are fix and not configurable
Tool interoperability needs to be improved. Third party tools as well as vendor tools need to
meet IEC61850 engineering process compliance as described in part 6.
As a conclusion, the IEC 61850 top down engineering process is a utility driven
engineering work that can help TNB to optimize the future IEC 61850 based substation
engineering design. It also can standardize the implementation of IEC 61850 engineering work
for TNB substation and will make the IEC 61850 engineering process in utility driven mode.
6. References:
[1] T.S. Sidhu and Pradeep K Gangadharan (2005) Control and Automation of Power System
Substation using IEC61850 Communication.
Proceedings of the 2005 IEEE Conference on Control Applications, Toronto, Canada, August
28-31.
[2] WANG HaiZhu, CAI ZeXiang, SU ZhongYang, ZHU ZhiHan (2011) The Analysis of Relay
Protection Communication Mechanism Based on IEC61850
2011 The International Conference on Advanced Power System Automation and Protection

[3] Yong, H.K, Jeon, Y.H, You, J.L, Yong, H.A, and In, J.S (2011) Development of IEC 61850
Based Substation Engineering Tools with IEC 61850 Schema Library.
2011 Smart Grid and Renewable Energy, May 30.
[4] IEC Std. 61850 - Part 6: Configuration description language for communication in electrical
substations related to IED
[5] Yashwant, K (2011) Modeling an IEC61850 Based Substation Automation System
2011 India Conference (INDICON), Annual IEEE 16-18 December.