Enhanced customer value enabled by synergies between protection and control in high voltage substations

The concept of an integrated communication network supporting substation intelligent electronic devices (IED) for protection, control, and data acquisition applications is illustrated. The network architecture is required to provide access to IED data for users in all utility-owned facilities including the local substation, other substations, control centres and corporate offices. A secondary but growing class of application is the digital monitoring of power system primary equipment, e.g. switchgear, transformers, lines, buses and feeders and the transfer of protection system data between IEDs not only in the substation but also to external systems. The areas which are to be examined for seeking improved business performance are related to asset management support. Asset maintenance, refurbishment and replacement options are to be examined and decision support systems are to be specified. The paper indicates possibilities to solve the key questions which are to be considered for the implementation of the new technologies: What benefits can be gained in replacing secondary systems (protection and control equipment)? Can the primary plant, circuit breakers, transformers etc. be better utilised? Can primary plant maintenance be optimised? Is it possible to extend the lifetime of primary plant?