Tutorial on Networking for Digital Substations

A digital substation is one where all analog interfaces, such as current and voltage measurement, equipment status and alarms, and equipment control points are converted to digitized data directly at their source. This digital data, published using techniques described in the IEC 61850 standard, is then shared with other devices in the substation, and potentially beyond the substation as well. This allows substation control systems to be built faster and more efficiently, while using less materials and to unlock the value of data in the to operate the substation and its equipment better.