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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA_UKPN0048
Title	Unified Protection
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electricity transmission and distribution) 100%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given UK Power Networks
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 April 2019
End Date	28 February 2022
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£765,254
Industrial Sectors	Power
Region	London
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , UK Power Networks (100.000%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , UK Power Networks (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_UKPN0048
Objectives	This project will trial a new substation centralised protection system. The project method will verify and validate the use of this system for the protection of future substations. Additionally, the future requirements of distribution substations will be developed and aligned with the wider DSO strategy as part of this project. Instead of having local protection relays on each substation bay, a central system will be used within a substation. This system can be modified and upgraded via software and does not require new plant for the introduction of new functions or bays. There is a limit to the number of bays that a single device can support, so the system cannot be expanded indefinitely. For the purpose of the trial demonstration, the system will be installed in parallel to the existing protection scheme. It will receive measurements but the trip signals will not be connected to the switchgear. Monthly visits will be scheduled to the substation to retrieve data, analyse and compare with existing protection performance by protection experts from the technical standards team. The financial results from installation and commissioning will also provide useful information for the financial case for the device adoption. Additionally, modern standard designs adhering to IEC 61850 will be produced in order transfer the learnings from the project and subsequently facilitate a wider supplier procurement event.Edit March 2021:A 12 month time extension was applied to the project extending it to March 2022. This will allow the project to fulfil one of its initial objectives, to analyse the performance of the new protection system under trial. The number of faults during the trial period originally planned was not sufficient to conduct analysis but the extension covers winter 2021/22 where we expect enough faults will occur. This will also give opportunity for more knowledge sharing with the industry. There will be no change to the overall cost of the project. This methodology of a substation centralised protection system, based on the international standard IEC 61850, has not been previously trialled. The projects success will be determined by the delivery of the following:1. Design IEC 61850 protection specifications and templates for the centralised solution of a typical substation with a single busbar, two transformer primary site;2. Identify a suitable trial substation;3. Install and monitor performance of the ABB SSC600 and ABB REF615 merging units on a trial substation;4. Prove interoperability of other vendor merging units with ABB SSC600;5. Prove interoperability of ABB REF615 with GE Central Unit, provided that GE release their product this year;6. Benchmark engineering efficiencies and holistic costs of existing protection relays solution with the new central unit concept; and7. Develop roadmap and plans of follow on work. 1. Analyse reliability, availability and cost-efficiency of a new protection philosophy that relies on a central unit with multi-functions instead of a traditional multiple single-function IEDs 2. Production of specifications3. Procurement of multi-vendor solutions based on specifications outputs from this project4. Run workshops demonstrating the Centralised system to key stakeholders; Engineering Design, Commissioning teams, Operational teams 5. Generate learning to inform industry.
Abstract	The network is becoming increasingly complex and there is not enough certainty of what functions may be required or even available in the future for protection to meet changing network topologies. DNOs are often required to extend busbars and modify protection schemes for new connections and load growth projects. However current relay replacement programmes miss opportunities for the implementation of advanced protection functions, due to the trend of implementing a like-for-like replacement strategy. When replacement programs are undertaken, existing equipment is replaced with similar relays to avoid additional work for hardware modification associated with functionality enhancement. There are also multiple IEDs (Intelligent Electronic Devices) being installed on the network such as protection relays, RTUs (Remote Terminal Units), power quality meters, disturbance recorders which means multiple tools from multiple vendors need to be maintained by the field staff, creating a large training and familiarisation burden for the business. This project will trial a new substation centralised protection system. The project method will verify and validate the use of this system for the protection of future substations. The learning generated will enable UK Power Networks and other DNOs to develop and demonstrate control functions based on such equipment in other future projects, including our proposed NIC project Constellation.Instead of having local protection relays on each substation bay, a central system will be used within a substation. This system can be modified and upgraded via software and does not require new plant for the introduction of new functions or bays. There is a limit to the number of bays that a single device can support, so the system cannot be expanded indefinitely. For the purpose of the trial demonstration, the system will be installed in parallel to the existing protection scheme. It will receive measurements but the trip signals will not be connected to the switchgear. Monthly visits will be scheduled to the substation to retrieve data,analyse and compare with existing protection performance by protection experts from the technical standards team. The financial results from installation and commissioning will also provide useful information for the financial case for the device adoption. Additionally, modern standard designsadhering to IEC 61850 will be produced in order transfer the learnings from the project and subsequently facilitate a wider supplier procurement event.
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	14/12/22