Overview
IEC TR 61850-90-1:2010 - "Communication networks and systems for power utility automation - Part 90-1: Use of IEC 61850 for the communication between substations" - is a technical report that explains how to apply the IEC 61850 family for information exchange between substations. It defines practical use cases, communication requirements, recommended services and architectures, data prerequisites for interoperable applications, and enhancements to the Substation Configuration Language (SCL) for direct substation-to-substation (SS-to-SS) communication.
Key topics and technical requirements
- SS-to-SS use cases: Detailed protection and control scenarios such as distance protection (permissive overreach and blocking), directional comparison, transfer/direct tripping, interlocking, multi-phase auto-reclosing, current differential, phase comparison, fault locator, SIPS, real-time generator shedding, out-of-step detection, synchrophasors and RAS.
- Communication requirements: Definitions of message transfer time, response behavior, and message performance classes for protection, control, metering and power-quality data.
- Security & dependability: Discussion of threats and mitigations when using Ethernet/WANs for protection-grade traffic, including recommendations to avoid GOOSE flooding and guidance on reliability, security and bit error rate considerations.
- Networking & architecture: Guidance on communication architectures-direct links, tunnelling, proxy/gateway approaches-and when to use each for SS-to-SS traffic.
- Modeling & data: Logical node modelling (examples: ITPC, PSCH, RMXU), data object definitions and sampled value (SV) formats to enable interoperable protection applications across substations.
- Configuration & SCL: SCL enhancements and engineering process recommendations (SCD/SED file regions, IED states) for configuring SS-to-SS communication and exchanging engineering data.
Practical applications and intended users
This TR is practical for:
- Protection and control engineers designing teleprotection and inter-substation protection schemes.
- Substation automation vendors implementing IEC 61850 IED models, GOOSE/SV messaging and SCL support.
- System integrators and utilities planning wide-area protection, direct tripping, auto-reclosing and remedial action schemes (RAS).
- Telecommunications and network architects deploying Ethernet/WANs with the required latency, dependability and security characteristics for protection-grade communication.
Use cases drive real-world deployments: secure teleprotection over Ethernet, differential and distance protections across multiple terminals, synchrophasor exchange for situational awareness, and automated configuration exchange using enhanced SCL.
Related standards
- IEC 61850 series (core substation automation standards), including referenced parts such as IEC 61850-5 (transfer time and interface allocation) and other IEC 61850 parts for modeling, SCL, GOOSE and Sampled Values.
Keywords: IEC 61850, IEC TR 61850-90-1, substation-to-substation communication, teleprotection, SCL, GOOSE, sampled values, protection schemes, Ethernet WAN, message performance classes, substation automation.
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