When compared to the previous IOP event, and following the ENTSO-E/User Feedback Task Forces views, the 2013 IOP brought the topic of engineering workflow as a main test area, both top-down and bottom-up, which had only been covered lightly in 2011, and the support for IEC 61850 Ed.2 and backward compatibility. The massive increase in test coverage and high number of participants illustrates the relevance of the event in the industry.

Throughout the days of the event, an open discussion on the interpretation and implementations of the standard, involving vendors, utilities, consulting companies and independent certification labs, resulted in the identification of several issues within the standard, vendors’ implementation and their interpretation of the standard which caused several interoperability issues.

The tests cases performed during the IOP were driven by user use cases and by the engineering workflow employed in the industry and envisioned in the standard. During the IOP test validation is performed independently of vendors by utilities or consulting companies. Test cases were divided in 5 major areas, all applicable to the substation environment: Engineering Workflow (SCL), Client/Server (MMS), GOOSE, Sampled Values, Network equipment. The main goal of IOP is to demonstrate products’ ability to exchange information and create user applications, and not product conformance to the standard.

Efacec Automation participated in the event as vendor with two products, representative of its technology offering for power systems operation:
- TPU S220, protection, automation and control device;
- Automation Studio, unique "all-in-one" easy to use device and system engineering tool.

Our products were submitted to several tests including the engineering workflow with positive results and impressions.

Efacec is an active member of the industry and a strong supporter of international standards such as IEC 61850 through participation in IEC TC 57, UCA Iug and otrher relevant for a such as Cigré. This most successful event is another step forward in enabling Efacec and the industry to deliver the solutions that our customers are requiring today and looking forward to in a near future.