Setting up SCADA / Automation Lab for major Indian utility, addressing key use-cases of Evaluation, Engineering, Testing and Security
Kalkitech December 25, 2023
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.
- Product Evaluation:- To prove that a new product complies with relevant protocols or standards & compare the product with others of a similar design.
- Functional Testing:- Functional testing of various relays / IEDs, testing the same integrated with the three-phase numerical test kit.
- 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.
- 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.
- Interoperability tests of different makes of relays / IEDs / Meters.
- Relays / IEDs / Meter Software checks – Facility for checking software versions used in the devices.
- Configuration tools for engineering the devices its versions and management checks.
- 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.
- Standardization of functions , logics & schemes.
- Automatic retrieval of configuration & fault files from the relays.
- Troubleshooting:- Troubleshooting of schemes & procedures of testing.
- 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.