To automate its substation upgrades, Swiss energy company Groupe E selected WAGO remote control systems. This solution allows the company to flexibly and effectively control its power distribution network.
As a key partner in the energy supply sector, WAGO participated in the project to introduce remote control technology to the Groupe E medium-voltage substation.
WAGO controllers enable remote control of the power grid and transmit alarms to the network control center located in Grans-Paccot, Fribourg. The supplier says this is a first step towards a smart grid.
WAGO systems are specifically designed for power grids and industrial applications, offering numerous advantages. “ By automating 18kV substations, we can access the grid much faster. This is especially beneficial for an increasing number of remote sites, ” explains Florian Macheret, Technical Project Manager at Groupe E.
In the event of a network failure, energy suppliers prefer to restore connections to their customers as quickly as possible, as fulfilling supply contracts is also subject to legal regulations. " For example, if cables need to be replaced, we can interact in real time over the network and remotely isolate the relevant components, thus minimizing on-site intervention, " Macheret said.
Reliable and flexible
As early as 2004 , Groupe E 's first batch of substations had already been automated. " At that time, WAGO had just launched its remote control technology. In response to repeated requests from customers, we developed an ETHERNET solution based on one of the first open-source protocols, the 'IEC 104 standard', " explained Stéphane Rey , WAGO Product Manager .
Today, 200 of the 3,500 substations operated by the Swiss energy company are connected using remote control technology. " In terms of medium voltage, we need to automate 350 substations — that's about 10% of our entire system , " said Olivier Morand, Engineering Project Manager at Groupe E. " In the future, we want to achieve remote control of distributed energy production, such as voltage regulation of photovoltaic systems or transformers in specific areas. "
Currently, half of Groupe E's substations are controlled via fiber optic cables, while the other half are controlled wirelessly. With WAGO solutions, both can be effectively utilized. The WAGO Remote Control Gateway (WTG) ensures protocol conversion between the network control center and field stations.
Furthermore, data can be transmitted according to a schedule — a significant advantage, especially during severe weather. " Filters can suppress weather warnings, " explains Gérard Berset , WAGO's sales manager . He is very pleased to be able to provide customers with a comprehensive controller that they can program themselves.
// Close cooperation //
Groupe E chose WAGO's solution for two main reasons: firstly, the system's ease of use and flexibility—allowing for easy code changes without extensive initial screening; and secondly, the WAGO team's rapid response and the customer-centric service attitude of its leaders ultimately convinced Groupe E.
“ Wanko is always quick to respond to our needs and always meets them. The collaboration with the sales team and the support from the technical support staff are also excellent, ” Macherret and Morand both praised.
Meanwhile, Groupe E 's technicians and engineers are very satisfied with the reliability of the solution. " Our system has never experienced a major failure in the past 14 years. "
// PFC200 controller with PROFIBUS DP master and support for remote control protocol //
WAGO 's PFC200 controller with PROFIBUS DP master supports IEC 60870-5-101/-103/-104 , IEC 61850/61400-25 and DNP3 telemetry protocols, and can create a gateway between PROFIBUS DP slave and telemetry protocols.
The new PFC200 provides networking capabilities for applications in the power, water, and gas sectors. This wide-temperature module operates from −20 to +60°C , meeting all demanding telecontrol requirements.
Advantages:
Compatible with IEC 60870-5-101/-103/-104 , IEC 61850/61400-25 and DNP3 telemetry protocols .
Supports PROFIBUS as the master station
CODESYS V2.3 runtime system
Operating ambient temperature range: −20 … +60°C
Provide comprehensive protection using IT security software packages such as SSL/TLS 1.2 , SSH , VPN , and firewall.
// Easy programming, secure communication //
The WAGO PFC200 controller uses the Linux® real-time operating system and is programmed using the industry-certified WAGO-I/O-PRO configuration software based on CODESYS GSD files .
CODESYS GSD files can be easily read via the integrated PROFIBUS configurator. Comprehensive security measures ( SSL/TLS 1.2 , SSL , VPN , and firewall) help protect sensitive production data.
// A powerful controller with brand new features //
The powerful PFC200 controller hardware features built-in telemetry capabilities and comes with the same ETHERNET and CAN interfaces as other controllers in the PFC200 family.
The new controller features a PROFIBUS DP master interface and telecontrol capabilities, and its extensive certifications make it suitable for virtually any application. Furthermore, the 750 series' local bus supports all bus modules.
Currently, WAGO-I/O-SYSTEM offers over 500 I /O modules for your selection. This means that in addition to digital and analog I/O modules, other specialized modules (three-phase power measurement modules) can also acquire and process a variety of different signals.
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