ABB substation automation control upgrades enhance reliability of distribution grid in Argentine province

Edelar S.A. is a power company that operates the entire electrical distribution system in the northwestern Argentine province of La Rioja. Edelar delivers electricity to its 95,000 customers over a network of high, medium and low-voltage power lines, and monitors the substations in this grid with two different supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.

Growing electricity consumption in recent decades reflects the rise in commerce and industry in La Rioja province, and is driving infrastructure and technology upgrades throughout the territory, including substation automation, monitoring and control.

An ABB MicroSCADA system already delivers data from the capital, La Rioja City, while substations in rest of the province use remote terminal units (RTUs) from GE. Edelar wants to integrate data collected across the entire distribution network into one SCADA system in order to improve network reliability, and turned to ABB for a solution that includes full integration services, products and training.

ABB SolutionStage one comprises upgrading and extending the current ABB MicroSCADA (which has been operating since 1998) for La Rioja City’s five substations. This involves integrating about 110 feeder terminals and 10 protection relays with ABB’s MicroSCADA Pro SYS 600C 2.93, a product family designed mainly for substation automation, electrical SCADA and distribution management applications.

The system includes enhanced software to increase cyber security and robust operation; higher data logging capacity; more advanced power supply supervision; and significantly improved read/write speeds. Each substation will also receive an ABB AFS675 managed switch enabling Ethernet devices to communicate, and operators to configure, manage, and monitor local area networks for greater data control and secure access.

Stage two of the project involves integrating 28 RTUs from GE located in other cities across the province into the ABB MicroSCADA SYS600c 2.93 platform to create a unified control center. Commissioning is scheduled for August 2015.

Substation Automation Service

4CA

E00

0037

Rev

-

Customer benefitsA new SCADA from ABB will enable Edelar to monitor its entire distribution network with one system, and also implement IEC 61850 substation communication solutions and integrate them into the same system, enabling intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) from different manufacturers to operate with each other. By collecting substation information in a single SCADA platform, EDELAR will be able to increase its current remote control capability by integrating new substations into the new SCADA system.

ABB advantageSubstations connect electrical generating facilities, transmission and distribution networks and customers by efficiently monitoring and controlling power flows. Substation automation systems enable operators to do this in real time, maximizing availability, efficiency, reliability, safety and data integration.

With thousands of systems delivered, ABB’s MicroSCADA Pro has made user-friendliness a standard for substation automation. The use of MicroSCADA Pro simplifies the management of complex distribution systems by integrating different control points into a single control interface.

MicroSCADA Pro is a future-proof investment with a modular design that lets users add functionality as required, and also provides a unique connectivity concept to ease future substation expansion. Start with monitoring or gateway functionality, then integrate control, redundancy, reporting and other additional functionalities in response to your needs later on.

ABB Substation Automation ServiceABB offers market-leading consultative services directly to electric utilities, manufacturers and contractors, designed to support the efficient and economic operation of your power system projects.

Contact your local service and sales support team to discuss your requirements further.

For further information visit: http://new.abb.com/network-management/service