With the advancements in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), new networking requirements and demands are introduced to Substation Automation Systems (SAS) within electrical power grids. The possibility of merging Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) traffic on the same network to achieve higher productivity, however, presents new challenges in providing real-time guarantees to OT traffic. Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) can be a promising solution that allows IT and OT traffic to coexist seamlessly while still providing real-time guarantees for critical applications. Substations act as critical nodes within power grids, and their digitalisation is a crucial element in the energy transition. A digital substation handles International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61850 protocol traffic such as Generic Object Oriented Substation Event (GOOSE), Sampled Values (SV), and Manufacturing Message Specification (MMS), which all have strict timing requirements. The integration of TSN into these substations could improve the handling of this traffic and, consequently, the controllability of power grids. This thesis investigates the use of TSN in an IEC 61850 process bus, typically implemented in an SAS. A series of simulated test scenarios were developed to evaluate the impact of TSN compared to traditional networking methods. These included configurations using Ethernet, Ethernet with priority queuing, and TSN with Time-Aware Shaper (TAS) and Credit-Based Shaper (CBS). The results indicate that TSN can meet critical timing requirements, reduce jitter, and manage sporadic traffic effectively under high traffic loads. While the TAS scheduler may increase End-to-End delay for periodic traffic, CBS can reduce it for event-based traffic. Furthermore, robust timing guarantees are ensured for the TSN scenarios by providing a feasible schedule for Scheduled Traffic (ST) and a worst-case response time analysis for Audio-Video Bridging (AVB) traffic. This research highlights TSN’s potential to improve grid controllability and reliability through enhanced network performance, illustrating its role in the future of resilient grid technologies.

This thesis develops methods to increase the amount of renewable energy sources that can be integrated into a power grid. The assessed methods include i) dynamic real-time assessment to enable the grid to be operated closer to its design limits; ii) energy storage and iii) coordinated control of distributed production units. Power grids using such novel techniques are referred to as “Smart Grids”. Under favourable conditions the use of these techniques is an alternative to traditional grid planning like replacement of transformers or construction of a new power line. Distributed Energy Resources like wind and solar power will impact the performance of the grid and this sets a limit to the amount of such renewables that can be integrated. The work develops the hosting capacity concept as an objective metric to quantify the ability of a power grid to integrate new production. Several case studies are presented using actual hourly production and consumption data. It is shown how the different variability of renewables and consumption affect the hosting capacity. The hosting capacity method is extended to the application of storage and curtailment. The goal is to create greater comparability and transparency, thereby improving the factual base of discussions between grid operators, electricity producers and other stakeholders on the amount and type of production that can be connected to a grid.Energy storage allows the consumption and production of electricity to be decoupled. This in turn allows electricity to be produced as the wind blows and the sun shines while consumed when required. Yet storage is expensive and the research defines when storage offers unique benefits not possible to achieve by other means. Focus is on comparison of storage to conventional and novel methods.As the number of distributed energy resources increase, their electronic converters need to provide services that help to keep the grid operating within its design criteria. The use of functionality from IEC Smart Grid standards, mainly IEC 61850, to coordinate the control and operation of these resources is demonstrated in a Research, Development and Demonstration site. The site contains wind, solar power, and battery storage together with the communication and control equipment expected in the future grids.Together storage, new communication schemes and grid control strategies allow for increased amounts of renewables into existing power grids, without unacceptable effects on users and grid performance. / Avhandlingen studerar hur existerande elnät kan ta emot mer produktion från förnyelsebara energikällor som vindkraft och solenergi. En metodik utvecklas för att objektivt kvantifiera mängden ny produktion som kan tas emot av ett nät. I flera fallstudier på verkliga nät utvärderas potentiella vinster med energilager, realtids gränser för nätets överföringsförmåga, och koordinerad kontroll av småskaliga energiresurser. De föreslagna lösningarna för lagring och kommunikation har verifierats experimentellt i en forskning, utveckling och demonstrationsanläggning i Ludvika. / Godkänd; 2014; Bibliografisk uppgift: Nicholas Etherden är industridoktorand på STRI AB i Göteborg. Vid sidan av doktoreringen har Nicholas varit aktiv som konsult inom kraftsystemsautomation och Smarta Elnät. Hans specialitet är IEC 61850 standarden för kommunikation inom elnät, vindkraftparker och distribuerad generering. Författaren har en civilingenjörsexamen i Teknisk fysik från Uppsala Universitet år 2000. Under studietiden läste han även kurser i kemi, miljökunskap och teoretisk filosofi. Han var under studietiden ordförande för Student Pugwash Sweden och ledamot International Network of Engineers and of Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES). Efter studietiden var han ordförande i Svenska Forskare och Ingenjörer mot Kärnvapen (FIMK). Han började sin professionella bana som trainee på ABB i Västerås där han spenderade sex år som utvecklare och grupp ledare för applikationsutvecklingen i ABB reläskydd. I parallell till arbete har han läst elkraft vid Mälardalenshögskola. År 2008 började han på STRI AB som ansvarig för dess IEC 61850 interoperabilitetslab. Han är på uppdrag av Svenska Kraftnät aktiv i ENTSO-E IEC 61850 specificeringsarbete och svensk representant i IEC tekniska kommitté 57, arbetsgrupp 10 som förvaltar IEC 61850 standarden. Han har hållit över 30 kurser i IEC 61850 standarden i fler än 10 länder.; 20140218 (niceth); Nedanstående person kommer att disputera för avläggande av teknologie doktorsexamen. Namn: Nicholas Etherden Ämne: Elkraftteknik/Electric Power Engineering Avhandling: Increasing the Hosting Capacity of Distributed Energy Resources Using Storage and Communication Opponent: Professor Joao A Peças Lopes, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Portugal Ordförande: Professor Math Bollen, Avd för energivetenskap, Institutionen för teknikvetenskap och matematik, Luleå tekniska universitet Tid: Måndag den 24 mars 2014, kl 09.00 Plats: Hörsal A, Campus Skellefteå, Luleå tekniska universitet / SmartGrid Energilager

Avec le paradigme du réseau intelligent, les ingénieurs de protection ont maintenant à leur disposition une large gamme de nouvelles technologies de communication. Parmi elles, la norme CEI 61850-9-2 a introduit le concept de bus de procédé qui permet l'envoi de valeurs échantillonnées horodatées à un temps absolu depuis les transformateurs de mesure du terrain jusqu’aux relais de protection numériques. Ces derniers peuvent intégrer la fonction d'unité de mesure de phaseur qui peut être utilisé pour échanger des synchrophaseurs entre les fonctions de protection et pour une nouvelle protection anti-îlotage. Les relais de fréquence et de dérivée de fréquence sont, de nos jours, les méthodes anti-îlotage les plus couramment employées, mais leurs performances ne sont pas satisfaisantes. Dans ce contexte, une nouvelle génération de techniques de traitement du signal pour les relais de protection ayant des échantillons horodatées comme signal d'entrée et intégrant la mesure de synchrophaseurs est nécessaire. Cette thèse étudie d'abord l'impact des valeurs échantillonnées sur le traitement du signal. Trois solutions sont ensuite proposées pour calculer les phaseurs, les fréquences et les dérivées de fréquence dans diverses conditions statiques et dynamiques, puis testées par simulation. Enfin, un algorithme de mesure de synchrophaseurs incorporé dans le traitement de signal initial est proposé. Cet algorithme a été testé selon la dernière version de la norme d'unité de mesure de phaseur et les résultats obtenus sont conformes aux exigences de mesure. / With the Smart Grid paradigm, protection engineers now have available to them a large range of new communication technologies. Among them, IEC Standard 61850-9-2 has introduced the process bus concept which permits sending of absolute time-stamped digitized analogue values from the instrument transformers of the field to numerical relays. The latter can incorporate the phasor measurement unit function which can be used for exchanging synchrophasors between protection functions and for new anti-islanding protection. Frequency and rate-of-change-of-frequency relays are, nowadays, the most commonly employed anti-islanding methods but their performance is not satisfactory. In this context, a new generation of signal processing techniques for protection relays having time-stamped digitized analogue values as input signal with synchrophasors measurement capability is required. This thesis first studies the impact of sampled measured values on the signal processing. Three solutions are then proposed to compute phasor, frequency and rate-of-change-of-frequency estimates under various static and dynamic conditions, and tested via simulation. Finally, a synchronized phasor measurement algorithm incorporated into the initial signal processing is proposed. This algorithm has been tested following the latest version of the phasor measurement unit standard and the results obtained comply with the measurement requirements.

The thesis is focused on simulating of protocols from standard IEC 61850 in simulation tool OMNeT++. The theoretical part in the thesis deals with description of the field of operating technologies, supervisory control and data acquisition and protocols Tase-2/ICCP, IEC 61850, IEC 60870-5-104, DNP 3 and DLMS/COSEM. Next part deals with parameters influencing connection and description of simulation tools NS2/NS3, OPNET and OMNeT++. In the practical part there is created a network containing protocols from the standard IEC 61850 in the simulation program OMNeT++. Then in the network a end to end delay and packet loss with increasing traffic is measured.

The diploma thesis is focused on the creation of a control interface for a polygon simulating the electrical distribution network of the Czech Republic, where communication between substations is realized by IEC 60870-5-104 protocol. The theoretical part of the thesis explains the basic principles, properties and possibilities of communication standards IEC 60870 and IEC 61850. The next part is focused on the actual implementation and subsequent implementation of the control interface, including the implementation of the IEC 61850-80-1 module for data transfer between the mentioned standards. The last part describes the created behavior scenarios or the analysis of communication itself.

Vzduchem izolované vysokonapěťové rozváděče jsou nedílnou součástí energetického distribučního řetězce a to jak v průmyslovém, tak ve veřejném sektoru. Hlavní funkcí rozváděče je ochrana pracovního personálu, rozpojování/odpojování a spínání, izolování, měření proudů a napětí, chránění a ovládání zatížení a komunikace dat do řídících systémů. V každé z výše zmíněných funkcí probíhal technologický vývoj v průběhu posledních 40 let. Dnešní rozváděče jsou spolehlivé a elektrickému oblouku odolné zařízení, zoptimalizované téměř k fyzikálním limitům dielektrických, elektromagnetických a termodynamických polí. Vakuové vypínače zajišťují stálou a spolehlivou vypínací funkci. Taktéž v oblasti chránění, řízení a komunikace došlo k mnoha technologickým proměnám. Od elektromechanických relé přes zařízení založená na tranzistorech, později na jednoúčelových mikroprocesorech, až po dnešní multifunkční vysoce výkonná mikroprocesorová inteligentní elektronická zařízení. Pouze oblast měření proudů a napětí setrvala z technologického hlediska posledních 40 let beze změny. K dominujícím měřícím technologiím dneška stále ještě patří indukčně založené transformátory proudu a napětí. Byly sice provedeny některé pokusy k obměně technologie měření jako takové, nicméně bez dosažení úspěchu. Tato dizertační práce je zaměřena na poskytnutí nového náhledu na alternativní technologii měření v elektrických sítích a ve vzduchem izolovaných vysokonapěťových rozváděčích, kterou lze využít jak pro měření proudu, tak i napětí. Tato práce vysvětluje, proč Rogowského cívky, odporové a kapacitní děliče jsou tou správnou volbou a měly by být použity ve vysokonapěťových rozváděčích a podrobně analyzuje přesnost měření a jejich příslušné meze. Dále tato práce popisuje, že pro nasazování nových měřících technologií musí být postupováno systematicky. Senzory připojené k inteligentním elektronickým přístrojům a schopností komunikace založené na IEC 61850 spolu s vysokorychlostní komunikační sběrnicí Ethernetu vytvoří systém, který zjednoduší a sjednotí konstrukci rozváděčů a umožní oddělit aspekty projektování měření od studie zkratových selektivit. V práci je také uveden příklad, jak tento nový systém může přinést změny a zjednodušení do oblastí projektování a řízení. V této práci jsou popsány výsledky několikaletého úsilí při stanovení nových měřících a digitalizovaných přístupů ve vysokonapěťových rozváděčích pod autorovým vedením. Toto úsilí také vedlo k uvedení nového produktu – UniGear Digital - konceptu od ABB. Závěrečná část práce demonstruje praktické nasazení všech výsledků v této práci při skutečných aplikacích.

A thesis which models the DNP3 and IEC 61850 protocol in OPNET / Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) is a critical part of monitoring and controlling of the electrical substation. The aim of this dissertation is to investigate the performance of the Distributed Network Protocol Version 3.3 (DNP3) protocol and to compare its performance to that of International Electro-technical Commission (IEC) 61850 protocol in an electrical substation communication network environment. Building an electrical substation control room and installing the network equipment was going to be expensive and take a lot of time. The better option was to build a model of the electrical substation communication network and run simulations. Riverbend modeller academic edition known as Optimized Network Engineering Tool (OPNET) was chosen as a software package to model substation communication network, DNP3 protocol and IEC 61850 Protocol stack. Modelling the IEC 61850 protocol stack on OPNET involved building the used Open System Interconnection (OSI) layers of the IEC 61850 protocol stack onto the application definitions of OPNET. The Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) configuration settings of DNP3 protocol were also modelled on the OPNET application definitions. The aim is to compare the two protocols and determine which protocol is the best performing one in terms of throughput, data delay and latency. The substation communication model consists of 10 ethernet nodes which simulate protection Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs), 13 ethernet switches, a server which simulates the substation Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) and the DNP3 Protocol over TCP/IP simulated on the model. DNP3 is a protocol that can be used in a power utility computer network to provide communication service for the grid components. DNP3 protocol is currently used at Eskom as the communication protocol because it is widely used by equipment vendors in the energy sector. DNP3 protocol will be modelled before being compared to the new recent robust protocol IEC 61850 in the same model and determine which protocol is the best for Eskom on the network of the power grid. The network load and packet delay parameters were sampled when 10%, 50%, 90% and 100% of devices are online. The IEC 61850 protocol model has three scenarios and they are normal operation of a Substation, maintenance in a Substation and Buszone operation at a Substation. In these scenarios packet end to end delay of Generic Object Oriented Substation Event (GOOSE), vi © University of South Africa 2020 Generic Substation Status Event (GSSE), Sampled Values (SV) and Manufacturing Messaging Specification (MMS) messages are monitored. The throughput from the IED under maintenance and the throughput at the Substation RTU end is monitored in the model. Analysis of the results of the DNP3 protocol simulation showed that with an increase in number of nodes there was an increase in packet delay as well as the network load. The load on the network should be taken into consideration when designing a substation communication network that requires a quick response such as a smart gird. GOOSE, GSSE, SV results on the IEC 61850 model met all the requirements of the IEC 61850 standard and the MMS did not meet all the requirements of the IEC standard. The design of the substation communication network using IEC 61850 will assist when trying to predict the behavior of the network with regards to this specific protocol during maintenance and when there are faults in the communication network or IED’s. After the simulation of the DNP3 protocol and the IEC 61850 the throughput of DNP3 protocol was determined to be in the range (20 – 450) kbps and the throughput of IEC61850 protocol was determined to be in the range (1.6 – 16) Mbps. / College of Engineering, Science and Technology / M. Tech. (Electrical Engineering)

Submitted by Hellen Luz (hellencrisluz@gmail.com) on 2017-10-16T17:46:02Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_EstrategiasPlanejamentoSmart.pdf: 3494830 bytes, checksum: e201884feda341a4df9471c6c2e42d2a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Edisangela Bastos (edisangela@ufpa.br) on 2017-11-14T16:15:10Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_EstrategiasPlanejamentoSmart.pdf: 3494830 bytes, checksum: e201884feda341a4df9471c6c2e42d2a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-14T16:15:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_EstrategiasPlanejamentoSmart.pdf: 3494830 bytes, checksum: e201884feda341a4df9471c6c2e42d2a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-05-15 / Atualmente o Sistema Elétrico de Potência passa por grandes modificações, as quais concentram-se em diversos níveis e sub-níveis dos sub-sistemas de geração, transmissão e distribuição, todos concentrados a lógica de Smart Grids. Este conceito caracteriza-se pela inclusão das novas tecnologias digitais no sistema elétrico, com o intuito trazer segurança, velocidade, monitoramento, dentre outros muitos benefícios. Para pleno desenvolvimento das Smart Grids, muito ainda necessita ser feito em diversas áreas de pesquisa. Nesta linha, este trabalho apresenta simulações de um modelo de planejamento de Smart Grid, caracterizando-a a partir de protocolos, os quais são tendências para esse tipo de rede. Para isto, também foi analisado um método de otimização, que utiliza algoritmos inteligentes para otimização de dispositivo sem uma Smart Grid. A solução proposta se baseia na alocação otimizada de equipamentos em uma rede de comunicação, que utiliza como meio físico de transmissão de dados a própria fiação elétrica, tecnologia Power Line Communitation. Nesta rede são inseridas aplicações Smart Grid definidas através da International Eletrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61850. Assim, com esse modelo proposto, foram realizadas simulações no software de eventos discretos Network Simulator–3.Os resultados mostram uma diminuição significativa no quantitativo de equipamentos, mantendo os níveis de qualidade de serviço para as aplicações. / Currently, the Electric Power System undergoes major modifications, which focus on various levels and sub-levels of the generation, transmission and distribution subsystems, all of which are based on Smart Grids logic. This concept is characterized by the inclusion of new digital technologies in the electrical system, with the purpose of bringing security, speed, monitoring, among many other benefits. For the full development of Smart Grids, a lot still needs to be done in several areas of research. In this line, this work presents simulations of a Smart Grid planning model, characterizing it from protocols, which are trends for this type of network. For this, we also analyzed an optimization method, which uses intelligent algorithms to optimize devices in a Smart Grid. The proposed solution is based on the optimized allocation of equipment in acommunication network, which uses as its physical transmission medium its own electrical wiring, Power Line Communitation technology. In this network are inserted Smart Grid applications defined through IEC 61850. Thus, with this proposed model, simulations were performed in the Network Simulator-3 discrete event software. The results show a significant decrease in the quantity of equipment, maintaining the quality levels to the applications.

I dagsläget har världen en stadigt växande befolkning och där igenom en stadigt växande energiförbrukning. Med en växande energiförbrukning har det under de senaste åren uppenbarats diskussioner rörande samhällets hållbarhet och miljöpåverkan.  Samtidigt sker det en kontinuerlig teknikutveckling och människan är mer beroende av konstant elförsörjning än någonsin tidigare. Teknologiska framsteg, tillsammans med önskan att sträva mot ett mer hållbart samhälle med hög elleveranssäkerhet, har mynnat ett begrepp kallat smarta elnät. Till följd av att elnätet involverar en stor bransch råder det delad mening över vad som utgör ett smart elnät. Detta har lett till uppkomsten av olika definitioner och modeller av konceptet. I syfte att skapa en övergripande uppfattning har en litteraturstudie utförts för att sammanställa de huvudsakliga områden som utgör det smarta elnätet. För att skapa denna överblick har ett förslag på en övergripande definition framtagits enligt följande: Ett smart elnät är nästa steg i elnätets fortgående utveckling som sker till följd av samhällets ökande förlitlighet på konstant elförsörjning och önskan att begränsa människans miljöpåverkan. Målet är att med hjälp av kostnadseffektiva tekniska lösningar, effektiv teknik och ekonomiska drivkrafter främja införandet av ytterligare förnyelsebar elproduktion, en ökad elanvändning och ett effektivare utnyttjande av elnätet – ett elnät med låga förluster, hög elkvalitet och leveranssäkerhet med elkunder som är mer medvetna och delaktiga i sin elförbrukning än förr. Utifrån denna definition kan man summera smarta elnät till att omfatta två huvudsakliga intressen för samhället – hållbarhet och en ökad leveranssäkerhet. I framtiden förväntas därför elnätet hantera vidare utbredning av förnyelsebar elproduktion och en ökad elanvändning. För att möta denna förväntan har det dels konstaterats att nätkapaciteten behöver öka. Det har visats att en ökad nätkapacitet kan nås genom både tekniska lösningar som energilagring och effektivare komponenter men också icke-tekniska lösningar som politiska drivkrafter och incitament för elkunder att sänka sin maxförbrukning och elförbrukning i överlag i form av efterfrågeflexibilitet. I dagsläget finns inga uppenbara incitament för detta och det anses att reformer på vissa delar av elmarknaden kommer att krävas för att främja utvecklingen mot ett hållbart smart elnät. Samtidigt förväntas elnätet förse kunder med högre elkvalitet och leveranssäkerhet. Dagens elnät utgörs av många långlivade och, i många fall, gamla komponenter och investeringar kommer att behöva göras i moderna skyddssystem och kommunikationsnätverk i sinom tid ifall man vill uppnå nya förväntningar. Därtill förväntas det smarta elnätet omfatta olika typer av kommunikationsnätverk inom skyddssystem, övervakning och mätning. Därför har också information rörande relevanta kommunikationsprotokoll, -medier och -nätverk summerats där olika egenskaper lämpar sig för olika tillämpningar. / Currently the world has a steadily growing population and therefore steadily growing need of energy. With a growing need of energy, discussions regarding society’s sustainability and environmental impact have risen. At the same time modern technology has resulted in society being more dependent on a constant power supply than ever before. Technological advances, together with the desire to become a more sustainable society with high availability of power, have yielded a concept known as the smart grid. Due to the power grid being a huge industry there’s a divided perception regarding what a smart grid constitutes. This has resulted in the appearance of different definitions and models of the concept. Therefore a literary study was done with the purpose of creating an overall perception of the main aspects of the smart grid. To create this overview a proposed definition has been developed that describes the smart grid as mainly sustainable and available. The smart grid is the next step of the power grid’s ongoing development in response to society’s increasing reliability of a constant power supply and the wish for decreasing man’s environmental impact. With cost efficient technical solutions, efficient technology and economic forces the goal is to promote introduction of additional renewable electricity production, increased electricity utilization and a more efficient use of the power grid – a power grid with low losses, high power quality and availability with end-users that are more aware and involved in their power consumption than before. Based on this definition the smart grid can be summarized as two main interests for society – sustainability and a higher reliability. In the future the power grid is expected to cope with an increased introduction of renewable electricity production and an increased use of electrical applications. It has been concluded that the grid capacity has to increase in order to meet these expectations. It’s been shown that an increase in grid capacity can be achieved through technical solutions as energy storage and more efficient electrical components but also through non-technical solutions as political forces and incentives for end-users to lower their peak consumption and overall electricity consumption through demand response. At present there are no clear incentives for this and it’s considered that there is a need for reform of certain parts of the electricity market to promote the development towards a sustainable smart grid. The power grid is also expected to supply end-users with a higher power quality and reliability. The power grid of today consists of long lived and, in many cases, old components and investments in modern protection systems and communication networks are required in due time to meet new expectations. In addition, the smart grid is expected to include different types of communication network within protection systems, monitoring and metering. Information was therefore summarized regarding relevant communication protocols, media and networks where different properties are suitable for different applications.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Electrical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012 / The introduction of the IEC 61850 standard in substations for communication networks and systems by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in 2003 provided the possibility for communication between devices of different manufacturers. However, the advent of this standard also brought about many challenges associated with it. The challenges introduced by this fairly recent standard of communications in Substation Automation Systems (SAS), and the need for the development of cost effective IEC 61850- compliant devices, motivated the decision of the Centre for Substation and Energy Management Systems within the Electrical Engineering Department of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology to focus on the implementation of the IEC 61850 standard using an embedded hardware platform. The development of an IEC 61850 embedded application requires substantial knowledge in multiple domains such as data networking, software modelling and development of Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs), protection of the electrical system, system simulation and testing methods, etc. Currently knowledge about the implementation of the IEC 61850 standard usually resides with vendors and is not in the public domain. The IEC 61850 standard allows for two groups of communication services between entities within the substation automation system. One group utilizes a client-server model accommodating services such as Reporting and Remote Switching. The second group utilizes a peer-to-peer model for Generic Substation Event (GSE) services associated with time-critical activities such as fast and reliable communication between Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) used for protection of the power network. The messages associated with the GSE services are the Generic Object Oriented Substation Event (GOOSE) messages. The use of GOOSE messages for protection of the electrical system is very important in modern substations. Detailed knowledge of the structure of these messages is important in instances requiring fault diagnosis to determine the cause of mal– operation or to address interoperability concerns or when developing custom IEC 61850- compliant devices with limited functionality. A practical protection application (overcurrent) case study is presented where GOOSE messages are exchanged between a commercial IED and an IEC 61850-compliant controller based on an embedded platform. The basic data model and software development of an actuator node for a circuit breaker is proposed using an IEC 61850 communication stack on an embedded platform. The performance of the GOOSE messages is confirmed to be as per the functional behaviour specified, and per the IEC 68150 standard in terms of the temporal behaviour required. This thesis document tables the methods, software programs, hardware interfacing and system integration techniques that allow for the development and implementation of a low cost IEC 61850-compliant controller unit on an embedded systems platform for the substation automation system. The overcurrent case study distributed between a commercial IED (SIEMENS Siprotec device) and the actuator application developed on an embedded platform for this project (DK60 board) is in compliance with the IEC 61850 standard and utilizing GOOSE messaging is successfully completed both in terms of functional and temporal behaviour. This novel research work contributes not only to the academic community, but to the international Power Systems community as a whole. Keywords: IEC 61850 standard, IEDs, GOOSE message, software modelling, software development, substation automation systems, communication stack, embedded systems, actuator.