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Line current differential protection and the age of Ethernet-based

wide-area communications

B. KASZTENNY*, B. LE, K. FODERO, and V. SKENDZIC

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
Canada

SUMMARY
This paper discusses multiterminal line current differential (87L) protection using Ethernet for phase
current data exchange.
Nontraditional energy sources, such as wind and solar farms, are being added to the electric grid in
increasing numbers, often by tapping directly to transmission lines for convenience and cost reduction.
Also, loads can be served via distribution stations directly tapped to transmission lines as the demand
grows along the rights of way of the lines. As a result, an increasing number of power lines are
becoming multiterminal lines. These lines create protection challenges for traditional impedance- and
current-based schemes, but can be effectively protected by 87L schemes.
An 87L scheme requires current data exchange and alignment among all relays creating the protection
zone. In multiterminal applications, data exchange using traditional point-to-point channels requires a
large number of channels in order to connect each relay in the scheme with all the other relays or it
requires a token-ring type of architecture, slowing down the response time of the scheme. Ethernet is a
convenient way to provide this one-to-many and many-to-one data exchange. At the same time,
generic Ethernet, especially in intersubstation applications, is not necessarily considered deterministic
enough to facilitate this kind of application.
This paper describes a novel time-division multiplexing (TDM) system designed to carry Ethernet
traffic at the level of performance inherent in TDM solutions: constant channel delays are guaranteed
through correct equipment design and network configuration, and worst-case delays are known at the
network design phase and held constant throughout the lifetime of the network.
To enable the differential calculations in a multiterminal 87L scheme, currents from all terminals need
to be aligned. Satellite clocks are traditionally used to provide time synchronization in general, while
the ping-pong algorithm is traditionally used to synchronize 87L relays if symmetrical channels are
used. These two solutions, however, are not considered ideal for 87L applications over Ethernet.
Reliance on satellite signals for protection is considered by many users to be unacceptable, and
Ethernet does not guarantee identical delays in the transmitting and receiving directions.
This paper describes a novel TDM system designed to distribute time signals with submicrosecond
accuracy across the network while using multiple time sources. These time sources range from
embedded satellite receivers, through connected satellite clocks, to very high-precision atomic clocks.
By using multiple sources and the concept of freewheeling, this terrestrial system is immune to errors,
failures, or misbehavior of the input time sources.

bogdan_kasztenny@selinc.com
This paper shows how the novel Ethernet-over-TDM and time-over-TDM methods are used in
multiterminal 87L schemes. Two preferred system architectures for 87L applications over Ethernet are
described. Also discussed is the use of negative- and zero-sequence differential elements to provide
the required sensitivity expected from line protection schemes.
KEYWORDS
Line Current Differential Protection, Multiterminal Lines, Ethernet, Time-Division Multiplexing,
SONET, SDH, IEC 61850.
1. INTRODUCTION
Line current differential (87L) protection is increasingly more attractive in modern power systems
because of its immunity to changing system conditions, excellent sensitivity, good performance on
multiterminal and series-compensated lines, and immunity to power swings and load encroachment
conditions [1]. The expansion and reduced cost of utility communications networks further promote
this superior protection principle.
Recently, nonconventional power sources, such as wind and solar, have been introduced in growing
numbers to the power system. These sources respond differently to faults than traditional synchronous
generators do. This atypical response during fault conditions concerns protection engineers when
applying distance or directional elements for line protection. The 87L principle is immune to the
short-circuit response of these power electronics-based sources because it sees the total current
contributed to the fault.
When applied to transmission lines (as opposed to transformers or buses, for example), current
differential protection requires long-haul communications channels to exchange current data, as well
as a synchronization method to align currents measured at geographically dispersed line terminals.
Traditionally, the inherently distributed nature of 87L schemes and high cost of communications
channels imposed limits on the amount of data that could be exchanged between 87L relays, channel
latency, maximum number of terminals in the scheme, and time synchronization.
Historically, 87L schemes have been implemented using serial communication. The first schemes used
direct point-to-point links with proprietary interfaces but later evolved into using multiplexed virtual
channels within time-division multiplexing (TDM) systems, such as synchronous digital hierarchy
(SDH) or synchronous optical network (SONET) systems. Early 87L relay designs supported
two-terminal lines. Applications with redundant channels required two ports for two point-to-point
connections between the two relays. These two ports were later leveraged to support three-terminal
applications.
Wind and solar farms are often tapped directly to transmission lines, changing these lines into
multiterminal lines from the protection point of view. Application of 87L schemes on such tapped
lines is beneficial but requires extending multiterminal 87L schemes beyond the traditionally available
three terminals.
In the last decade, Ethernet has emerged as a networking mechanism for protection, control, and
automation within substations. Recently, Ethernet has made inroads in intrasubstation
communications.
This paper reviews technical opportunities and solutions for establishing protection-quality wide-area
Ethernet communication and time synchronization using substation-grade TDM network technologies
applied to multiterminal 87L protection.
2. THE NEED FOR WIDE-AREA COMMUNICATION OF TIME-SYNCHRONIZED
MEASUREMENTS
Time-synchronized measurements are becoming critical for power system operation. The need for
precise time synchronization is especially visible in modern peer-to-peer communications systems that
rely on fast exchange of time-critical measurements. Today, these time-critical measurements include:
• IEEE C37.118 synchrophasor measurements.
• IEC 61850 Generic Object-Oriented Substation Event (GOOSE).
• IEC 61850-9-2 Sampled Value (SV) measurements.

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 • Intersubstation GOOSE and SV exchange with Layer 3 addressing.
• 87L line current differential protection.
The IEC 61850 standard defines both time synchronization accuracy and communications
performance classes for various power system applications. The synchronization classes span from
1 microsecond for synchrophasors and SV to 1 millisecond for sequence of event data. The
performance (network delay) classes span from 3 milliseconds for trip, block, SV, and 87L data to
1 second for supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and alarms.
Applications using GOOSE, SV, 87L, and synchrophasors are so critical that there is no time for
message acknowledgement or lost message repetition [2]. Messages are simply streamed, with the
receiving system responsible for dealing with lost, delayed, or out-of-sequence packets. For short
distances (within the substation local-area network [LAN]), it is relatively easy to ensure timely
message delivery by using standard Ethernet mechanisms such as virtual LAN (VLAN), Layer 2
priority tagging, Ethertype identification, and Layer 2 multicast addressing.
Wide-area communication required for 87L and synchrophasor applications is more challenging.
Depending on the network architecture, routers are often required to enhance security and perform the
wide-area network (WAN) partitioning into well-protected LAN segments. Wide-area transport is
typically accomplished using TDM (SDH and SONET) or multiprotocol label switching (MPLS)
systems. Both solutions use ring topologies and can offer protected path switching, with duplicate
messages being sent in the counter rotating direction, allowing for fast failure recovery. Recovery
times are typically in the 50-millisecond range for MPLS and around 5 milliseconds for power system
protection-optimized TDM equipment (50 milliseconds for telecom-grade systems). Modern SDH and
SONET systems provide Ethernet transport, which can be allocated into configurable pipes with a
guaranteed bandwidth (described in the next section). Pipes allow easy configuration of dedicated
Layer 2 network segments optimized for critical applications such as 87L protection. Similar
functionality can be achieved using MPLS, but this typically requires router configuration to establish
dedicated Layer 2 tunnels or the use of higher-overhead User Datagram Protocol/Internet Protocol
(UDP/IP) transport with Layer 3 addressing, such as the intersubstation GOOSE and SV messages
described in [3]. Both the SDH/SONET and MPLS approaches require careful network engineering
and sound network practices.
Today, substation time distribution is typically accomplished using the IRIG-B format derived from
satellite-synchronized clocks. These systems are expected to slowly migrate to the network-based time
distribution compliant with IEEE 1588/IEEE C37.238 or over TDM, as described in the next section.
3. TDM SOLUTION FOR WAN AND TIME SYNCHRONIZATION
TDM divides the shared transport medium or channel into a series of time slots, each with a specified
payload size. Each service that accesses the shared transport channel is allocated a series of regularly
repeating time slots. The incoming data streams are partitioned into separate blocks and allocated to
appropriate time slots on the shared channel, as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1. TDM communications (a) and packet-based communications (b) methods

SONET and SDH are two examples of TDM systems initially developed in the early 1990s to carry
digital voice traffic. Since then, they have evolved into versatile data communications solutions. These
systems have been widely deployed in telecom applications, including the electric power industry. For
TDM-based systems, the traffic is broken into 8-bit data bytes and sent at a fixed rate.
For packet-based communication, the traffic is broken into a number of bytes (64 to 1,500 for
Ethernet) and sent whenever a new packet is filled. As each data service has information to send over

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the shared transport channel, the data are queued in a buffer and sent sequentially. The data are
transmitted over the packet transport link in the order the data frames are received in the buffer, as
shown in Fig. 1. If the system is heavily loaded with many applications trying to send large amounts of
data, it is impossible to buffer all the data—so packets are dropped. Higher-level protocols deal with
the detection of lost packets and data retransmission requirements.
3.1 Ethernet Over TDM
The strength of a TDM transport is that bandwidth can be dedicated to applications. When TDM
bandwidth is provided for Ethernet, the attributes of a packet system are realized while inheriting all
the additional benefits of a TDM transport system, bandwidth segregation in particular.
Multiple TDM pipes can be created and used to carry Ethernet traffic throughout the network [4]. This
is the equivalent of having multiple separate Ethernet WANs. An additional benefit of using TDM
pipes is the ability to share 87L or GOOSE messages across the WAN while isolating them from the
rest of the WAN traffic. Multiple pipes can be used to provide isolation between various services, such
as IP phones, engineering access, 87L and GOOSE, IP surveillance cameras, and so on.
Fig. 2 shows an example of two pipes with different
bandwidths. The bandwidth in the 150 Mbps pipe can
be completely consumed with traffic from IP
surveillance cameras and other security devices
without affecting the performance of an intersubstation
IEC 61850 GOOSE message on the 10 Mbps pipe. All
TDM-based communications, such as current
differential relaying or transfer tripping over DS0
channels, also coexist on this TDM system and
perform with the same latencies that are expected and
required for these systems.
To illustrate the deterministic performance of Ethernet
Fig. 2. Ethernet pipes carried by TDM
over TDM for 87L applications, a four-
node SONET (OC48, 2.4 Gbps)
unidirectional path-switched ring
(UPSR) network was set up in a testing
lab, with a pair of 87L relays working
over Ethernet and connected to
nonadjacent nodes of the SONET ring.
These relays are designed to monitor
channel latency for every received 87L
packet. Four Ethernet pipe sizes were
assessed for this configuration. From
Fig. 3, we can see that the channel delay Fig. 3. One-way channel time measurements for 87L packets
on Ethernet over TDM with four different pipe sizes
is inversely proportional to the channel
bandwidth. Doubling the bandwidth almost halves the delay, which indicates that the
serializing/deserializing process of TDM (see Fig. 1) constitutes the majority of the accumulated
delay. With a modest bandwidth of 1.544 Mbps (DS1), the 87L packet delivery time is only
1.8 milliseconds, which is well below the 3-millisecond IEC 61850 latency requirement and satisfies
the most stringent subcycle fault clearing requirements.
Another benefit of Ethernet-over-TDM pipes is that healing times now occur at TDM speeds. This
means that Ethernet traffic, as well as TDM traffic, is typically interrupted for less than 5 milliseconds
[4] for a fiber break in the system, regardless of the number of nodes in the system.
3.2 Time Over TDM
It should be noted that the Global Positioning System (GPS) and GPS satellite clocks used in
substations to date have provided highly accurate and reliable time.
Many of the following problems applicable to GPS clocks and satellites, although interesting, are
fortunately very rare [5]:
• Equipment failures.

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 • Solar flares.
• Jamming.
• GPS system tests.
• GPS spoofing.
These challenges for GPS (owned and operated by the United States) are common for any satellite-
based system. As a result, applications of 87L schemes with external time sources for synchronization
are typically avoided and the ping-pong method of data synchronization is relied on instead. This, in
turn, requires symmetrical communications channels [1] [6].
There is an increasing need for a robust time-distribution system. The goal of such a system is to make
the time source and distribution resilient against problems with GPS receivers or satellites. One
solution is to interconnect all the GPS clocks for better accuracy and detection of bad time sources.
This can be done using TDM networks.
Communications systems that use TDM techniques are frequency synchronized (syntonized) by
design. Early multiplexer systems operated at the same nominal digital rate but were synchronized
with different clocks. This meant that occasional data slips would occur to keep the system
synchronized. SDH/SONET technology solved this problem through tight control over the
synchronization and use of a centralized system clock. GPS clocks are typically used to provide the
frequency synchronization source for SDH/SONET networks.
SONET systems use ring topologies to
provide traffic survivability during
communications link failures. The novel
TDM system [5] provides a ring
topology for the GPS clocks (Fig. 4).
With all the clocks in the system
networked in a ring topology, the loss of
single or multiple satellite downlinks
will not disrupt the distribution of high-
accuracy timing information. In addition,
this clock topology solves issues caused
by jamming signals, broken elements in
the antenna system, or any other
localized disturbances.
When the GPS clocks are interconnected Fig. 4. SONET system with integrated GPS for
through the communications network, high-accuracy time distribution
the result is an exponentially more
robust time system. When we integrate the clock into the communications system, use the information
from all (legitimate) time sources in the network, and average all the individual times at each terminal,
a timing flywheel is created [5].
This system has many high-accuracy sources (<1 microsecond) available and uses them to perform
frequency source averaging to create the timing flywheel. Due to the number of potential time sources
in the system, clocks that are outside a set tolerance from the system average can be identified. These
rogue clock signals are ignored by the system until their output comes into compliance. This
methodology prevents spoofed GPS clocks from causing errors in the system.
For added stability, the system can also accept a cesium atomic clock with a GPS time input. Although
the GPS portion of the clock is susceptible to common GPS clock issues, the holdover accuracy of a
cesium-based clock is capable of providing high-accuracy time for a much greater time period than a
standard crystal oscillator-based clock. The addition of a cesium clock to the system offsets the effect
a large solar flare could have on the system, even in an unlikely situation where all of the receivers in
the network are affected. With the addition of an atomic clock, the system provides ride through for a
major GPS outage.
To illustrate the benefits of wide-area time distribution over TDM, we set up a large network and
connected GPS antennas to only some of the nodes.

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Fig. 5 shows the time error for the
IRIG-B output from the multiplexer
10 nodes away from the nearest GPS
receiver. As we can see, this network-
based time source has excellent
accuracy, well below the intended
1-microsecond margin [5].
4. MULTITERMINAL 87L
PROTECTION OVER
ETHERNET
For 87L applications with more than
three terminals, Ethernet is an attractive
means to connect the 87L relays to the
network for the purpose of point-to- Fig. 5. Sample time error when distributing timing information over
multipoint communications. As TDM (167 minutes of data)
explained in the previous section,
Ethernet over TDM provides adequate performance for secure implementation of 87L schemes.
Ethernet over TDM can be viewed as similar to provisioning DS0 channels over TDM to substitute for
the direct fiber links between 87L relays a decade or so ago.
We employed the following features for 87L applications over Ethernet [6]:
• A dedicated Ethertype (0x892B) to mark the 87L packets and allow easy troubleshooting for
cases when 87L traffic enters networks not intended to carry these data.
• Media access control (MAC) addresses to assign individual 87L relays to a given 87L scheme.
• VLANs to segregate individual 87L schemes from one another.
• 87L packets assigned to the highest priority level to inform Ethernet switches (if there are any
in the network) to expedite passing of this kind of time-critical information.
4.1 Preferred Network Architectures (a)
Secure and dependable 87L application
requires deterministic delivery of current
OPGW
data between all the relays in the 87L 87L 87L
scheme. In general, Ethernet cannot
guarantee a true deterministic data (b)
transport [4]. Usage of VLANs and
GPS
priority tags can improve the quality of
data transport in a general purpose utility 87L
Switch

Ethernet network, but this solution

GPS GPS
requires engineering and testing and may
Switch Switch
develop problems during the lifetime of
the network as new devices and services
are added. Therefore, we recommend two 87L 87L
network architectures for 87L applications
over Ethernet. GPS Ethernet
87L
Switch IRIG-B
Isolated Ethernet Network With Effective
OPGW
Point-to-Point Connectivity
Fig. 6. Two-terminal line with 87L over direct fiber (a) converted
Consider a two-terminal line application
into a four-terminal application with 87L over Ethernet using an
with dedicated point-to-point fiber, as isolated and dedicated Ethernet network (b)
depicted in Fig. 6a. Assume two taps are
added to this line to connect distributed
generation (a solar farm, for example) or loads (an industrial facility, for example), as shown in
Fig. 6b. If optical ground wire (OPGW) fiber were used for the originally installed 87L, we could
consider breaking the fiber at the taps to create station-to-station fiber runs (as shown in Fig. 6b) and
use dedicated Ethernet switches to facilitate this four-terminal 87L application over Ethernet. This
isolated Ethernet network performs well because it does not carry any other data and is not subject to

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any new traffic, new services, or new end devices. For engineering access, SCADA, or GOOSE, we
recommend connecting these relays to a separate general purpose utility network through separate
Ethernet port(s).
One disadvantage of this architecture is the reliance on GPS time synchronization. Loss of time
accuracy at any of the line terminals renders the 87L scheme out of service.
Ethernet Over TDM
As explained in the previous
section, Ethernet over TDM
provides an equivalent of a
physically isolated Ethernet
network. This is our preferred
architecture for using
multiterminal 87L schemes over
Ethernet. Provisioning an
Ethernet pipe of 1.5 Mbps or
greater allows channel latency
below 2 milliseconds, which is
adequate for a vast majority of Fig. 7. Four-terminal application of Fig. 6b with 87L using Ethernet over TDM
applications. If GOOSE or
synchrophasor data are to be provided from the 87L relays, they must be connected on separate
Ethernet ports and configured to use a separate Ethernet pipe within the same TDM system. Fig. 7
illustrates the usage of Ethernet over TDM for the four-terminal application of Fig. 6b.
This scheme has two advantages over the previous scheme. First, it does not rely on GPS time. The
87L remains in service based on the network time provided by SONET if some GPS receivers fail.
Second, the system is more reliable because it comprises fewer elements.
4.2 Data Alignment and Time Synchronization
Our experience shows that channel latencies for Ethernet traffic cannot be considered fully
symmetrical in a general case. This means that the latency from Relay A to Relay B cannot be
guaranteed to be identical to the latency from Relay B to Relay A. As a result, our 87L implementation
over Ethernet does not use channel-based synchronization (the ping-pong algorithm [1] [6]) but relies
on external time sources. These time sources need to be of protection grade (operating temperature
range, environmental immunity, and so on) as well as compliant with IEEE C37.118 in the sense of
supporting time quality bits to inform the 87L relays about potential timing errors. Should the
connected time source fail or degrade in applications with serial channels, the relays can be
programmed to switch to one of several time fallback modes in order to continue to provide line
protection if conditions permit [6]. In applications over Ethernet, we elected not to support the fallback
mode because conditions would never be satisfied to securely implement the ping-pong algorithm over
Ethernet. Instead, we strongly recommend using TDM-based time distribution. As explained in the
previous section, the time-over-TDM method is immune to GPS problems and is therefore
recommended for protection applications.
4.3 Protection Algorithms for 87L
Any differential principle must deal with the possibility of current transformer (CT) saturation and
related errors. Typically, a percentage restrained (biased) operating characteristic is used as a
countermeasure to a false differential signal during external faults with CT saturation. This solution
works well in bus protection because bus relays are not expected to have high sensitivity. Line faults
can draw low short-circuit currents due to fault resistance, poor tower grounding, and other conditions
[1]. At the same time, power lines stretch long distances along publicly accessible rights of way and
any line fault, even a low-current fault, is a problem. Therefore, it is important that line protection be
very sensitive.
In multiterminal 87L applications, a restraint signal is developed from multiple currents and this large
restraint would diminish 87L sensitivity. Our solution to this problem is to use the negative-sequence
(87LQ) or zero-sequence (87LG) differential elements. These elements respond to the differential
signal (an unbalance) between the negative- and zero-sequence currents of all line terminals,

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respectively. As such, these elements are very sensitive because they are not impacted by the load
currents and the electromotive forces of the equivalent systems [1]. The negative- and zero-sequence
networks are typically very homogeneous. As a result, the negative- or zero-sequence currents from all
the line terminals are practically in phase with one another during internal faults, creating the best
possible conditions for detecting low current faults from a protection dependability point of view [1].
At the same time, the 87LQ and 87LG elements are prone to CT errors, especially during three-phase
faults (87LQ and 87LG) or phase-to-phase faults (87LG). This is because there is no true through
current during these fault types for the elements to restrain properly. Our application uses an external
fault detection algorithm to properly secure these elements during external faults and other conditions
that would otherwise jeopardize security of 87L protection [1].
5. CONCLUSION
In recent years, Ethernet has become a convenient method of providing access to protective relays and
other intelligent electronic devices. Services that shifted first from serial to Ethernet included
engineering access, SCADA, and communications with a human-machine interface (HMI). Peer-to-
peer protection signaling via GOOSE followed, initially within the substation. Wide-area Ethernet-
based signaling for protection purposes is becoming the next frontier.
It is recognized that unmanaged switched Ethernet lacks the level of determinism that is historically
expected in protection applications. Standard Ethernet features such as VLANs, MAC address
filtering, and priority tagging allow the engineering of local Ethernet networks with some degree of
success, but wide-area data transport requires stronger features to ensure the proper level of repeatable
performance.
This paper describes the use of TDM (SONET and SDH) to transport Ethernet traffic in a deterministic
and predicable way with fully engineered paths and time slots for channel usage. This Ethernet-over-
TDM method is equivalent to an isolated Ethernet network fully dedicated to a given application or
service. In particular, it allows a guarantee of bandwidth and allows predicting the worst-case signal
delivery time.
We also introduce the concept of wide-area distribution of time over TDM. With timing information
becoming more and more critical in power system applications, reliable time provided by a terrestrial
system and immune to problems with GPS is of great value.
Having this robust, inherently secure, and reliable way to provide wide-area Ethernet connectivity over
TDM as well as wide-area time distribution, we selected Ethernet as a method of connecting relays in
multiterminal 87L applications.
Our experience to date has been very positive. The Ethernet-over-TDM connectivity works in a
deterministic way with very consistent packet delivery times guaranteed by design and independent
from any other data traffic patterns on the network. The 87L sensitivity allows the detection of faults
in the order of 300 ohms of fault resistance, while the speed of operation is well below one power
cycle for zero-resistance faults, including the Ethernet-over-TDM channel time.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] B. Kasztenny, G. Benmouyal, H. J. Altuve, and N. Fischer, “Tutorial on Operating Characteristics of
Microprocessor-Based Multiterminal Line Current Differential Relays,” proceedings of the 38th Annual
Western Protective Relay Conference, Spokane, WA, October 2011.
[2] IEC/TR 61850-90-4:2013, Communication Networks and Systems for Power Utility Automation –
Part 90-4: Network Engineering Guidelines.
[3] IEC/TR 61850-90-5:2012, Communication Networks and Systems for Power Utility Automation –
Part 90-5: Use of IEC 61850 to Transmit Synchrophasor Information According to IEEE C37.118.
[4] E. O. Schweitzer, III, D. Whitehead, K. Fodero, and P. Robertson, “Merging SONET and Ethernet
Communications for Power System Applications,” proceedings of the 38th Annual Western Protective
Relay Conference, Spokane, WA, October 2011.
[5] E. O. Schweitzer, III, D. Whitehead, K. Fodero, and S. Achanta, “Designing and Testing Precise Time-
Distribution Systems,” proceedings of the 39th Annual Western Protective Relay Conference, Spokane,
WA, October 2012.
[6] B. Kasztenny, N. Fischer, K. Fodero, and A. Zvarych, “Communications and Data Synchronization for
Line Current Differential Schemes,” proceedings of the 38th Annual Western Protective Relay
Conference, Spokane, WA, October 2011.