Setting up SCADA / Automation Lab for major Indian utility, addressing key use-cases of Evaluation, Engineering, Testing  and Security

Customer: Major Indian Utility

Industry: Electric Utility 

Business Case: 

Indian utility wanted to perform complete testing use-cases related to product evaluation, Engineering and security to be carried out at their lab environment before the deployment. Following were the major use-cases concerning various categories.

1. Product Evaluation:- To prove that a new product complies with relevant protocols or standards & compare the product with others of a similar design.
2. Functional Testing:- Functional testing of various relays / IEDs, testing the same integrated with the three-phase numerical test kit.
3. Special Performance / Dynamic simulation Test:- Library of fault records would be created and stored for simulating dynamic tests which would help evaluation and acceptance of new types of relays from different vendors.
4. Data Communication and Integration Checks:- Protocol-based integration tests including various protocols like IEC 61850, IEC 103, DNP3, DLMS, IEC 104 including their various communication extension standards.
5. Interoperability tests of different makes of relays / IEDs / Meters.
6. Relays / IEDs / Meter Software checks – Facility for checking software versions used in the devices.
7. Configuration tools for engineering the devices its versions and management checks.
8. Protection scheme trials based on IEC 61850 using GOOSE messages:- Trials of various protection schemes based on the GOOSE messaging. Simulation of these schemes. Simulation of these schemes in numerical relays such as interlock, reverse blocking based bus-fault protection, Under Frequency, OLTS, A/R, sync checks, etc.
9. Standardization of functions , logics & schemes.
10. Automatic retrieval of configuration & fault files from the relays.
11. Troubleshooting:- Troubleshooting of schemes & procedures of testing.
12. Security Vulnerability scan and its tests for various security scenarios. 

The Solution: 

Kalkitech provided the solution with key components as listed below

• ASE61850 Suite:– Including ASE61850 IEDSmart for simulating IEDs at lab environment with complete SCD file, ASE61850 SCLManager for engineering any of the IEC 61850 scenarios & ASE61850 Testset as a client test tool for validating standard IEC 61850 implementation at the devices.
• ASE2000:– For simulation and testing of various protocols including DNP3, IEC101, IEC104, and IEC103.
• ASE DLMS Simulator & Test Tool:-  Used for the Simulation and testing of DLMS COSEM based meters.
• PEN Test Tools:- For testing complete security vulnerability scans including Network backbone/discovery scan, Controlled exploitation of Internal Hosts, etc.
• SYNC3000 as sample DUT for testing all positive test scenarios.
• Kalkitech PSES central software:-  Used for managing the automatic collection of fault files and configuration management of the system.
• Packaged the same with various training programs to successfully test different types of devices.

Key Benefits:

The offered solution provided complete benefits in the following perspectives.

• Simulation of a real-time IEC 61850 based substation environment
• One-stop laboratory to test the device capability of different types and make
• Multi-vendor and multi-protocol support capability to enable simulation of both the scenarios – upgrading existing substations and new IEC 61850 based substations
• New products to be tested by connecting to the test system and verifying the compliance with the standards
• Test interoperability of various IEDs
• Support for integration checks and communication testing of various standard protocols
• Periodical Training of Automation Engineers to understand modern Technologies
• Training on Substation Automation Engineering using SCL Tools
• Training on Substation-LDC Gateway functions and its Engineering
• Understanding different Communication Protocols and troubleshooting
• SAS HMI understanding, Engineering, and integration
• Disturbance Records Collection and Analysis 
• Archiving of the current setting and configuration files of Protection. Protection Audit using RAS SW. 
• Archiving of the substation configuration file ( SCD) for future expansion and modification 
• Testing the system for complete security vulnerability scans & applying the patches as and when needed.