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Project Constellation and the development of the digital substation

UK Power Networks is reaching for the stars when it comes to digitalisation of networks of electricity substations as part of a scheme known as ‘Project Constellation’. The network operator is working in partnership with ABB, General Electric, Siemens, the University of Strathclyde’s Power Networks Demonstration Centre (PNDC), and Vodafone on the programme.

Project Constellation uses powerful computers at substations to analyse real-time data and reconfigure networks to support increased capacity and the transition to a low-carbon energy system.

Boris-Emanuel Yazadzhiyan, innovation programme manager at UK Power Networks, explains part of Project Constellation aims to develop a network of intelligent substations which can communicate with each other, and where protection can be dynamically altered in response to changing conditions. He says that substations are set to benefit from advances in digitalisation much as consumers have benefited from the introduction of smartphones.

“Currently, a lot of the functionality in a substation sits within dedicated, bespoke hardware. We are interested in using advancements in software engineering and data management to create a powerful server that combines this functionality.”

Doing so will enable connection of greater levels of renewable energy to the grid thanks to the adoption of dynamic protection settings that respond to changing demands on the electricity system, explains Yazadzhiyan.

Paul Bancroft of Siemens says this will make the system much more flexible. “Normally you set up the protection system in advance and it just sits there looking for problematic conditions. But you’ve got to make some worst-case assumptions if you are going to take that approach. One of the aspects Constellation is looking at is the live protection system and prevailing system conditions, particularly in terms of how much renewable generation is going on in the local area. It then recalculates optimum settings for protection relays based on half hourly conditions.”

Bancroft adds that the best way to set a relay may vary when it’s two o’clock on a sunny day and demand is low compared to the best way to set a relay during peak demand in the winter. “There’s the potential to make the protection system more dynamic. Being able to adapt to current conditions may help remove constraints: suddenly that PV scheme you weren’t able to connect can be accommodated. And GridScale X, particularly the APA part of GridScale X, unlocks that.” The result could be a reduction in the connections queue on the grid, he says.

Yazadzhiyan says the collaboration between all project partners is a key to Constellation’s success. More specifically, the partnership with Siemens is crucial to the project. “We are working with Siemens to pull out the protection settings from the protection devices in substations, sending them to the UK Power Networks control room. There, the protection settings are recalculated and validated to ensure they are optimised for the current situation on the network, and are sent back into our protection devices. That means you don’t have a conservative static setting – you have the most optimal protection setting at any point in time.”

Project Constellation is also expected to make the grid more resilient in the event of communications failure or an extreme weather event such as a lightning strike, Yazadzhiyan explains.

New technology resulting from Project Constellation is now finalising rigorous testing at the PNDC, with digital substations due to be rolled out across the southeast. Other networks in the UK and further afield will ultimately benefit from the findings of Constellation, too.

UK Power Networks estimates that by 2030 solutions based on the project could save customers £132 million if rolled out across Great Britain, cutting almost two million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Project Constellation and the development of the digital substation

UK Power Networks is reaching for the stars when it comes to digitalisation of networks of electricity substations as part of a scheme known as ‘Project Constellation’. The network operator is working in partnership with ABB, General Electric, Siemens, the University of Strathclyde’s Power Networks Demonstration Centre (PNDC), and Vodafone on the programme.

Project Constellation uses powerful computers at substations to analyse real-time data and reconfigure networks to support increased capacity and the transition to a low-carbon energy system.

Boris-Emanuel Yazadzhiyan, innovation programme manager at UK Power Networks, explains part of Project Constellation aims to develop a network of intelligent substations which can communicate with each other, and where protection can be dynamically altered in response to changing conditions. He says that substations are set to benefit from advances in digitalisation much as consumers have benefited from the introduction of smartphones.

“Currently, a lot of the functionality in a substation sits within dedicated, bespoke hardware. We are interested in using advancements in software engineering and data management to create a powerful server that combines this functionality.”

Doing so will enable connection of greater levels of renewable energy to the grid thanks to the adoption of dynamic protection settings that respond to changing demands on the electricity system, explains Yazadzhiyan.

Paul Bancroft of Siemens says this will make the system much more flexible. “Normally you set up the protection system in advance and it just sits there looking for problematic conditions. But you’ve got to make some worst-case assumptions if you are going to take that approach. One of the aspects Constellation is looking at is the live protection system and prevailing system conditions, particularly in terms of how much renewable generation is going on in the local area. It then recalculates optimum settings for protection relays based on half hourly conditions.”

Bancroft adds that the best way to set a relay may vary when it’s two o’clock on a sunny day and demand is low compared to the best way to set a relay during peak demand in the winter. “There’s the potential to make the protection system more dynamic. Being able to adapt to current conditions may help remove constraints: suddenly that PV scheme you weren’t able to connect can be accommodated. And GridScale X, particularly the APA part of GridScale X, unlocks that.” The result could be a reduction in the connections queue on the grid, he says.

Yazadzhiyan says the collaboration between all project partners is a key to Constellation’s success. More specifically, the partnership with Siemens is crucial to the project. “We are working with Siemens to pull out the protection settings from the protection devices in substations, sending them to the UK Power Networks control room. There, the protection settings are recalculated and validated to ensure they are optimised for the current situation on the network, and are sent back into our protection devices. That means you don’t have a conservative static setting – you have the most optimal protection setting at any point in time.”

Project Constellation is also expected to make the grid more resilient in the event of communications failure or an extreme weather event such as a lightning strike, Yazadzhiyan explains.

New technology resulting from Project Constellation is now finalising rigorous testing at the PNDC, with digital substations due to be rolled out across the southeast. Other networks in the UK and further afield will ultimately benefit from the findings of Constellation, too.

UK Power Networks estimates that by 2030 solutions based on the project could save customers £132 million if rolled out across Great Britain, cutting almost two million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.


About Siemens

Siemens Grid Software enables power utilities to accelerate and secure the energy transition in a sustainable and profitable way. The modular portfolio paves the way for prosumer-centric grid management, providing distribution and transmission grid operators with software tools and consultancy services needed to transform grids into autonomous, resilient, and sustainable power networks. As part of Siemens Xcelerator, all products are interoperable, open, flexible, and cybersecure. This approach enables power utilities to accelerate their digital transformation easier, faster and at scale. Siemens Grid Software is headquartered in Nuremberg, Germany, and has a global team of 2,300 employees.

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