Object modeling for pilot channel equipment in IEC61850 based devices

The power utility industry is making great strides in adopting the IEC61850 protocol for peer to peer communications within the substation environment. Most relay manufacturers are producing products now that have the IEC 61850 capability. The IEC standards do not currently include pilot communication equipment (or objects) such as Power-line Carrier. The purpose of this paper is to present the requirements for pilot communication equipment, specifically Power-line Carrier. The analog and digital data items would be discussed and their use within the IEC61850 network. One of the goals of the protocol is to eliminate the copper wiring within the substation by providing all the interconnection between devices via Ethernet cables. A method for analyzing the network activity is also presented. This paper will address the benefits as it relates to the timing improvements in the response of the protection scheme, i.e. channel speed in addition to the time it takes to receive the information via Ethernet in comparison to the copper wiring.