Feb 13, 2026
IEC 61850 Is Powering the Shift to Digital Substations
Summary: The electrical substation has come a long way over the last century. In the 2020s, we are seeing the start of a new transition away from copper-wire installations in favor of digital substations. The IEC 61850 standard makes it possible.
Back in the days of the legendary Thomas Edison, electricity was a novelty. It was so exciting to have electric service in a home or business that most people did not care how it all worked. That was then. The modern electrical service environment is far different. And right now, the grid that supports all of us is undergoing a significant transformation designed to upgrade infrastructure and equipment to prepare us for the next century.
Copper Wire Communications
Back in the day, the core of an electrical substation was copper wiring. Miles of copper carried electricity between primary equipment and control rooms. It all worked well enough until the demand for electricity outpaced the capabilities of the technology. Today, we are working hard to increase our capacity by magnitudes. A big part of the transformation is the IEC 61850 communication standard.
IEC 61850 represents a shift away from analog substations with copper-based communications to digital counterparts using fiber-optic technology. The transition is important. It matters, as do the practical steps for implementing it in substation design.
IEC 61850: The Basics
A conventional copper wire design relies on transformers, sensors, and circuit breakers. If a transformer sensor needs to trip a breaker, it sends the signal through a copper wire by way of a physical electrical pulse. Thousands of copper wires are deployed in a traditional substation, creating a spider web of cabling that can prove difficult to troubleshoot. All that wiring is also rather expensive to install and maintain.
A digital substation designed around IEC 61850 dispenses with miles of copper wire in favor of a single Ethernet or fiber-optic cable. Communication between transformers and circuit breakers is no longer left to physical electrical impulses. Rather, it is managed by digital data packets.
The easiest way to understand the concept is to think of a traditional landline phone system as compared to a digital Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system. Conventional technology requires a phone cable for every phone in the system. But a VoIP system allows every phone to share the same high-speed internet connection – along with computers, printers, etc.
Valid Reasons for Making the Switch
While it may be true that some new technologies are adopted for their own sake, there are real and tangible benefits to switching away from conventional copper-wire installations to digital substations. Going digital solves real-world operational problems that utilities have been struggling with for decades.
1. Substantial Copper Reduction
As good as copper is for conducting electricity, it has huge drawbacks. Copper is expensive. Its weight makes it hard to work with, and installation is labor-intensive. Designing a new substation around IEC 61850 changes everything.
A new digital substation can be designed with up to 80% less control cable, by volume. That means fewer cable trenches in smaller conduits. It means a substantial reduction in copper wire. During construction, hundreds of man hours are saved by going digital.
2. Substantial Risk Reduction
Physical installations of all types carry with them a certain level of risk. In a substation environment, copper is especially risky because wires carry high-voltage signals into the control room. A damaged or improperly installed wire increases risks to both equipment and technicians. Chief among those risks is the risk of electrocution.
In an IEC 61850 substation, dangerous electrical pulses are replaced by low power signals (via Ethernet) or harmless light pulses (via fiber-optic). The control room is a safer environment because it is also a low-voltage environment.
3. A Wealth of Information
Monitoring a copper-wire installation is pretty simple. Measuring pulses makes it easy enough to know whether a circuit is on or off. While monitoring is reliable, it is also terribly bereft of meaningful information. That changes with IEC 61850.
A digital substation generates a tremendous amount of data. Engineers can study that data to understand everything from power efficiency to why a particular circuit shut down. Analyzing data and applying it to solutions makes a digital substation more efficient and productive.
4. Less Vendor Lock-In
Traditional substations are prone to vendor lock-in thanks to manufacturers building equipment that is not necessarily compatible with other brands. The IEC 61850 communication standard relies on a universal language. Relays and switches from every manufacturer can communicate with one another seamlessly. The result is less vendor lock-in.
Transitioning Can Be a Challenge
Modern utilities clearly understand the benefits of going digital. For many, the transition is no longer a matter of 'if'. It is a matter of 'how' and 'when'. Needless to say that making the transition is not without its challenges.
First and foremost, the transformation from analog to digital is not a plug-and-play scenario. Old and new equipment often isn't compatible. Beyond that, switching to digital requires an entirely new mindset. Technicians are less often electricians and more often network engineers.
There are also challenges related to:
Cybersecurity – A digital substation must be connected to a network to function properly. Enter the risk of hacking and cyberattacks. Unlike a legacy substation, a digital substation must be protected against threat actors in the cyberworld.
Training – Field technicians who have worked with legacy equipment for decades must learn to do their jobs differently. They must be trained in computers and software, data packets, and network security.
Complexity – A legacy substation is fairly simple from a communication standpoint. On the other hand, communication in a digital substation is far more complex. Therefore, redundancy must be built into the system so that a single fault does not shut everything down.
Transitioning to IEC 61850 doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. It is possible for utilities to adopt a phased approach whereby changes are implemented incrementally. This allows for maximized safety, proper training, and sufficient financial investments stretched out over time.
The era of the digital substation has arrived thanks to IEC 61850. In all likelihood, legacy substations will no longer exist 50 to 100 years from now. All will eventually be transitioned to digital or replaced entirely. It is the smart and inevitable thing to do.
FAQs
Does the digital transformation have any impact on actual electricity?
No, analog power continues to flow through power lines to homes and businesses. The digital transformation applies only to communication between control and protection systems.
Does going digital cost less initially?
In most cases no. Investing in new equipment often eliminates the savings realized by purchasing less copper. But over time, digital will save money. However, brand-new installations tend to be less expensive upfront.
How are substations protected against network failures?
Engineers build redundancy into digital networks to ensure safety. Redundancy ensures that communication continues even if one path in the communication pipeline fails.
Does fiber optic equipment handle noise sufficiently?
Yes, fiber-optic is actually immune to electromagnetic interference because communication is handled with light pulses. That means less noise at the substation level.
Is it necessary to transition an entire substation all at once?
No, it is possible to make the transition in phases, utilizing a hybrid approach.
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